Customers find value in the NODE NANO Wireless Streaming Media Player's exceptional sound quality and high-resolution audio capabilities, delivering a beautiful listening experience. The device's ease of setup and extensive streaming service compatibility are also frequently praised. However, some users express a desire for a dedicated remote control and additional features like Chromecast support.
This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.
The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
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Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
BlueSound Node Nano Updates Your Stereo to 2025!
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
BlueSound is a Canadian manufacturer of ultra high end audio gear. famous for their award winning streamers, BlueSound continues to innovate and release cutting edge audio products.
I started with BlueSound Node Nano & was hooked with 24 bit, 192 K pure audio. I connected it to a premium quality amplifier & speaker system, and the results are amazing!! This brought my stereo system to 2025 standards; I can stream all of my favorite audio!
I recommend the RC1 IR Remote, allowing 10 of your favorite streaming sources with the press of a button, as well as volume control. You can see this remote in the photos attached with this review.
The sound of BlueSound 24Bit 192K must be heard to be believed!! It earns my highest recommendation!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Cons mentioned:
Chromecast
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
I very nice improvement
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
My 10 year old receiver supports limited streaming services. I've added a Google casting device as well as a new BT 5.3 wireless interface. All to improve the quality of signal that my primary receiver(s) pickup. One is for my primary listening area (30'x 15' family room) and my outdoor theater. Both full surround setups. I've wanted music I stream from my iTunes library, Amazon, Sirius and other services to have higher quality. Moving from BT 5 to 5.3 was an improvement. Now will my new Node Nano do any better? I considered several other models, but the device will be stored within my stereo cabinet where it won't be seen so displaying album artwork to the device was really not necessary. It would be nice if this device had a HDMI connection to display album artwork to a display. But come to think about it, 90% of the time that I'm listening to music I don't have my projector on.
Set up of the Node Nano was not as documented. Depending on your platform you need to install the iOS, Windows, Android or Apple application (nice that all 4 exist, not just mobile devices). First you need to power on the Node device and connect to it via BT. Their documentation says you then need to connect to it's WiFi signal (I never found it, so it was not possible). But once connected to BT, adding up the device worked properly. Once connected it found an update, which took 45 min to install. From there I needed to add my various streaming services (and remember their passwords). It took me an hour to add 10, some required their App to be run (and installed) others did not. So allocate some time to get the device set up (not surprised).
One of the other reasons I got this, during the Christmas season, was so my wife could easily stream Christmas music from our NSA server or from SiriusXM (which has quite a number of seasonal music channels). So I had to get the App set up on her iPhone. Fortunately by using my account all of the streaming services I'd set up on my phone/PC were available from her iPhone. It just had to define the Node Device. All good. Her only complaint was it took 8-10s to start playing music when the first song was selected. I noticed this but it didn't bother me.
I hooked up the Node Nano to my receiver via RCA cable and the optical output. From my receiver I could easily compare the difference. My wife chose Sirius Rock Xmas music (I might have done the same). After the initial delay (which I assume allows the device to fill its buffer before starting to play). It sounded pretty darn good (first impression). I had my receiver set to surround decode so my 7.2 speaker setup would all be used. I smiled. I was happy. It sounded very good. Not FLAC good, but considering the source it was far better than s BT stream would be. Then the sound cut out, what? I briefly got a BT signal, and it stopped the music. It occurred to me that during setup I had to connect the Node to BT. Once I disconnected it, the problem with dropouts was resolved. A phone to Nano link is only necessary for setup (it seems). Since I changed this setting no problems. I then listened to some music from streamed Amazon, it was very good. As was Pandora. Music from my local library was also excellent. I then did a direct comparison from iTunes from my phone to the Node via BT5.3 and from my phone via a casting connection. Both were good, but the Node had a little more richness in the mid to high range. I thought the bass from the casting was a bit deeper. A did a number of A-B comparisons, in the end I was not sure the bass was any better. But the overall sound quality was improved by the Nano. So my first two tests had the Nano the winner. I plan to put my album collection on a USB drive connected to the Nano. I tried to stream from my local NAS server but had trouble connecting, a local USB drive connected to the Nano will allow me to access my library (~200Gb).
All and all I'm happy with my acquisition. I do wish it displayed information about what is being played. The app displays plenty of info, but the device does not. When my sound system is behind doors, who cares, but when I'm looking at it I wish I had more information, but I really can deduct a star for that, as it's sound is better than what I had. And that's what I was after!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Dac, Setup, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
An absolutely fantastic network streamer
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I’ve had the Nano for several days and can say that it is an extremely capable streamer. The Nano is AirPlay 2 compatible, has Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, and can serve as an endpoint for Roon (although I could only get it to work via AirPlay). In addition, the Nano can unfold MQA and has Bluetooth input and output. It is controlled via iOS or Android apps and the BluOS app. On the backside of the unit, you have RCA outputs (which can be set at variable or fixed), coax and optical outs for an external DAC, an Ethernet and a USB connection. The USB-A connection can be used two different ways: Either to pull data from an external drive OR to send data to an external DAC with a USB input.
The Nano resides in a small but nice stereo system that sits in my family room. I have the Nano plugged into a small integrated amp that drives a pair of ML floor speakers. The Nano has been set at fixed output, pushing sound through its internal DAC and out through the RCA outputs. The result? Amazing sound. I had planned on using an external DAC and the digital out of the Nano to drive it, but after comparing the two through my humble system, I see no need to utilize an external DAC.
Set up was easy. Download the BluOS app, install it on my smartphone, log in (I had owned a Bluesound device prior), and it found the Nano immediately. After a 15-minute update, I was ready to go. Air Play streaming worked great, Spotify Connect worked well (had some issues with it not always connecting, sometimes it took several tries, and issue I didn’t have with other components at the time), and I was able to connect a Bluetooth turntable to the Nano (I thought that was pretty awesome!) and could stream records to the family room, something I had not been able to do before. The Nano sounded excellent. A sparkly, non-fatiguing treble matched up with firm, defined bass is the character I would describe the Nano as bringing to the table through its internal DAC. Very pleasant to listen to.
I moved over to Roon. This is where I met my first and only challenge: The Nano was showing up as Roon Tested only, not Roon Ready in my Roon desktop. The Nano was only accepting AirPlay streams, which was annoying me a little (limited to 16/44.1). Fortunately, that little problem was easily resolved by rebooting the Nano. As soon as I did that, it showed up as Roon Ready, and I was streaming a 24/96 file of Pink Floyd’s ‘One of These Days’ in glorious high resolution. I moved through an assortment of music, streaming everything from standard 16/44.1 streams to 24/192 hi-res streams via the wireless connection. Everything sounded great, and I didn’t encounter any glitches or issues. I wanted to stream DSD files, and the Nano does support DSD, but apparently that is only via an attached USB drive. Regardless, Roon is more than capable of converting DSD to PCM that can be played by the Nano.
I am very impressed by the Node Nano. It comes in a sleek, attractive package, has tons of streaming capability, a solid two-way AptX connection, and excellent internal DAC. I highly recommend this unit. If you are a Roon owner, this is the way to go. Super high cost to value ratio and highly recommended.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Setup, Streaming services
Cons mentioned:
Chromecast, Remote control
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Premium DAC and Streaming Music Player
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I've been testing the Bluesound Node Nano for about a week. Overall, I think it's a great premium DAC and streaming music player that's easy to set up and sounds fantastic. I just wish it included a remote control, a better power plug, and Chromecast compatibility.
Look and Feel:
The Bluesound Node Nano features a sleek, simple design that's very inconspicuous. There are 5 capacitive buttons on the front: 2 presets, play/pause, and volume up/down. On the back, it has 3 outputs: RCA, coaxial, and optical. It feels substantial and well-constructed, with the exception of the cheap cables and wall-wart power plug. The power plug comes with multiple international plug connectors, which is convenient for global use. However, a smaller power supply would have been preferable.
Setup:
Setup was quick and painless. I connected the Node Nano to my receiver using the included RCA cable and a separate, higher-quality power plug. Downloading the BluOS app from the Play Store and following the instructions was straightforward. My phone quickly discovered the Node Nano and connected it to the internet. After the initial connection, the device automatically began a firmware update, which took a bit longer than expected. However, the updateable firmware is a welcome feature. Once the update finished, the device was ready to use.
Performance:
The Node Nano works seamlessly with Tidal, Spotify, Deezer, and a multitude of other streaming services. Unfortunately, it doesn't support Chromecast, which is a bit disappointing. Hopefully, Bluesound will add this feature in a future update. With that said, I only tested it with Spotify and Tidal. With either app, the Nano performed flawlessly. Music quality was outstanding, song changes were instantaneous, and the Wi-Fi connection was rock-solid. The only downside was the reliance on my phone for track skipping. A separate remote control would have been a nice addition.
Overall, I really like the Node Nano. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to add high-quality streaming capabilities to a standard receiver or amplifier.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Dac, Sound quality, Streaming services
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Regarding music, it will suffer no hurt or damage.
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Bluesound is practicing great musical medicine. In all its devices, including the Node Nano, Bluesound seems to operate on the principle that there should be a Hippocratic Oath for music reproduction equipment. Every effort is made to avoid distorting, compressing, filtering or diminishing the music streamed from our chosen sources. High Resolution streaming sources as well as my own network music servers offering FLAC (Tidal,etc), MQA (Tidal Masters), WAV (all CDs), AIFF (Apple hi-res), MPEG-4 SLS, DSD256 (SuperAudioCD) are supported, but so are compressed files types MP3, AAC (Apple), WMA, WMA-L, OGG (Spotify), ALAC (Apple), and OPUS. (Yep, even my older, awful files are accessible, although not improved.)
Bluesound’s NODE NANO Wireless Streaming Media Player accesses many of the most popular and highest quality streaming services. The “tuning” is managed with the multi-room BluOS Controller App which can be downloaded for multiple device OS or directly from its front touch panel. This is a Hi-Res Digital to Analog converter (DAC) offering Jitter-free, 32-bit depth /384kHz response using a state-of-the-art ESS Sabre 9039Q2M chip for hi-res audio up to 24bit/192kHz (sometimes referred to as “Studio Masters” because they may represent what the sound engineers created in the studio) with a SN Ratio of -118dB.
Today’s music streaming providers offer access to immense music collections and compete for our subscription dollars by offering best available selections and very high quality: Pandora, Spotify, Qobuz, Tidal, AirPlay2 (limited to 16bit/44.1kHz)(Apple Music), Amazon Music HD, iHeart Radio, SiriusXM and anything else in your private libraries connected to your Wi-Fi network. Of course the quality varies and some of you will have higher standards that I do. No matter, the Bluesound Node Nano has us covered.
The BluOS CONTROLLER APP: I counted a total of 26 Music services, from Amazon Music to Deezer, Pandora, Qobuz, Spotify, Tidal, Tunify, and others plus a number of radio stations. They took a surprising amount of time to initially load using my iPhone14 (iOS 18.1.1) and fill the BluOS screen. I had enough time to search online to find out why it was taking so long or if I had a problem. I only needed some patience. You’ll need some more patience to sign into each service to be authorized to access it. The process was successful but there were random delays and I was directed to try again before the process completed on some services. Once a service (Amazon Music, Pandora, AirPlay2) was playing, I had no issues at all. As discussed below, the music experience was outstanding. I had no dropouts in my listening sessions.
Bluesound provides a deep library of support materials but it’s not especially easy to appreciate because it’s not bound in a traditional operating manual. I could have used a web map of support links covering all those App features and settings. In the same way, a user supported help service is needed. I felt that the very esoteric, advanced issues were often better addressed than the very basic, new user questions.
EQUIPMENT USED: I reviewed and compared music from a lengthy and varied selection of performers over this past week from various streaming services, including Amazon, Apple, Spotify, Pandora, and my local network. I prefer a mix of popular, alternative, classic rock and folk from 1960 to today’s newest releases, with “popular” classical and jazz added in. I also used AirPlay2 to send my Apple Music library to my connected system. I sent the output of the BlueSound NODE NANO to my home-made “portable” Class D stereo amp and its modest speakers. I did the same using a favorite, older Sony AV amp and its attached, newer B&W bookshelf speakers, and finally to my larger Parasound Amp and Martin Logan floor standing speakers. Listening varied from a smaller intimate setting to a massive living space.
WHAT I’M HEARING: I can only speak for myself when I declare that the stunning detail, the breath of response, the wide stereo separation, background silence and dynamic range that I’m enjoying meets my expectations for the best possible musical performances from my recordings. I hear exactly what I remember from the somewhat more compressed, slight limited dynamics and frequency response of my 1960s-80s music favorites. Newer music from post-2000 musical performances leap out with stunning bass lines, sometimes rising out of the floor boards, and lifted into the musical stratosphere by thrilling songbirds. The Bluesound Node Nano makes a powerful defense on behalf of digitized music with the end user invited to find a music library that they prefer and that meets their technical requirements. The BluOS Controller makes managing sources easy, fun and flexible. It contributed significantly to the entire experience although there are many features that I’ve found only after some experience. Strongly recommended.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Well Worth the Price of Admission
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
TLDR
Audio products are always subjective. What appeals to one person, may or may not appeal to another. In my opinion, the BlueSound Node Nano is one of the best sounding streaming devices on the market. Superior in nearly every way to my current system.
CONNECTIVITY
RCA Analog Out
RCA Coaxial Digital Out
Optical Digital Out
RJ-45 Ethernet / Wi-Fi
USB-A Input
IR Input
12V Trigger Out
INTRODUCTION
I was extremely interested in trying the BlueSound offering. My current home streaming system is composed of devices from the most popular household name in wireless streaming devices. These devices have served me well for many years. They have been easy to use and most importantly, the spousal acceptance factor has been high.
Unfortunately, my love for the above devices has waned in the past couple of years. A recent home addition, equipped with these devices, left me wanting. Teaming their famous amp with a pair of 8” Sonance in-ceiling speakers sounded substandard. Worst yet, the speakers being installed in a 12ft ceiling left them next to impossible to change out. Add to that a recent app re-write made the app buggy and extremely difficult to use. The app has been much maligned on the interwebs and for good reason.
Having no experience with a BlueSound product, I wasn’t sure what to expect. They are a smaller player in the overall market but have offerings that compete with the name brand in nearly every category. My experience with another major player in the market, who makes a full range of devices, including home theater receivers, also left me unimpressed. I felt their contributions were half-hearted and were not fully baked into their infrastructure. They were no competition to the major player and have never gained much of a foothold. Was the BlueSound Node Nano going to following in the runner-ups footsteps?
SET-UP
Having come from the newly redesigned app from the competition, I thought the BlueOS app couldn’t be any worse, and it isn’t. There is a learning curve to figure out the adjustments and settings of the Node Nano, but it isn’t extremely difficult. I would say that the BlueOS app isn’t as easy and intuitive as the Blue’s primary competitor’s app in the good ol’ days but is better than the current offering after the app redesign.
Using my Android phone for set-up, device discovery and set-up went issue-free. One thing that was annoying / concerning is that, as expected, there was a firmware update pending after device set-up. The firmware update took an incredibly long time to complete. Upwards of 10 minutes or more. However, the update went without issue and once restarted, the Node Nano has functioned flawlessly. But anytime an update takes that long to complete, it always makes me a bit antsy.
USE
So, how does the Node Nano stack up against my current system? Does it have anything to offer that my extensive, current set-up does not? YES! The Node Nano has the goods.
Like I said earlier, my home addition left me feeling lackluster about my current line of streaming devices. The audio is just not natural. It sounds overly compressed with awkward bass response and a lack of mid-range openness. This is something I haven’t been able to tune out of the system. I’ve tried. The mid-range frequencies just aren’t airy and open enough for my tastes. Regardless of my choice of streaming services, the audio quality wasn’t and isn’t there. The bass is uneven and artificial sounding. The low and mid-range audio just sounds muddied, even with lossless audio tracks.
Hooking the Node Nano via a set of shielded RCA cables to the inputs of my current streaming app changed the game. An immediate and noticeable difference. The DAC in the Node Nano is far superior to the DACs in my current system. My annoyances with the mids and highs are gone. There is a sense of openness and spaciousness to the mid-range that has never been present in my existing system. The unnatural bass response now sounds cohesive and perfectly tuned to the mids. This is before doing any tweaking or optimizations. It may sound hard to believe, but the differences in the audio quality are strikingly better. Better than they have ever been. Once thinking there was an issue with the speakers, installation, or the wiring, those concerns are gone. I can’t give enough praise for the improvements in the audio quality.
NEGATIVES
First. The BlueOS app isn’t without issue. While it works mostly well, it isn’t flawless. For instance, the Amazon Alexa integration does not work. This is something that works correctly in my current app. Alexa integration shows it goes through, but it does not complete, and you cannot queue songs via voice.
Second. Along with the Alexa issue is that the app doesn’t properly index and present your audio track options. Whether it be using Amazon Music or a local NAS for streaming, the tracks aren’t accessible via the All-Tracks option under the artist. While I can access a track via an album under the artist tab, you cannot just select all tracks and view multiple tracks via multiple albums from the same artist. This is something BlueSound’s competition does much better. Or at least they did much better.
Third. There isn’t a great deal of audio customization available via the BlueOS app. Just basic Bass and Treble controls. There is no parametric equalizer or sound settings built in. Maybe this is by design, and to be fair, and I’m not sure it is needed, and in reality, may just add unnecessary processing artifacts to the digital signal.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Anyone shopping for a whole-home streaming infrastructure should give the BlueSound products a serious look. I find the audio quality and processing superior to the current big-name in the industry. BlueSound has a very robust product catalog with many offerings to outfit your home with nearly every streaming scenario available. If you are looking for a stereo streamer, soundbar, or a whole home theater solution, BlueSound has an offering. Whether it be in the form of their speakers or adding a streamer / amp to your existing speakers, the options are there and worth exploring.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Setup, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Hi-Res Audio Streaming in a Beautiful Package
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Bluesound, a company dedicated to producing products for audiophiles, released the NODE NANO, a wireless streaming player that plays music at 24-bit/192kHz hi-res digital audio!
NODE NANO AWARDS:
*CEPro BEST PRODUCT AWARD 2024*
*avforums RECOMMENDED Award*
*digital trends RECOMMENDED PRODUCT 2024*
This media streamer, measuring 5.6" x 5.6" x 1.38", is sculpted in a beautiful form that will complement any room. It is compatible with Apple iOS, Android, Mac & Windows. I set it up in my office using my iPhone 16 Pro Max. Then I opened the Bluesound app on my Mac desktop & added a control there. Setup is very intuitive & took 10 minutes. First wirelessly connect your WiFi & check for OS updates. Next, I set up SiriusXM: enter your user name & password, add your favorite channels & you are rocking. I added Amazon Music in the same manner.
CONCLUSION:
The NODE NANO is the perfect addition to your system if you already have a quality amplifier & speakers. The sound is stellar & it earns my highest recommendation.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
The perfect high fidelity streaming device.
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
My first impressions of the Bluesound Node Nano are that it is great quality. The packaging is usually an indicator of the quality and attention to detail a company puts into it's product. The Node Nano is well packed in a nice cloth bag, and includes a power adapter with 4 types of plugs for travel, high quality RCA cables, a nice length USB C cable, and an ethernet cable. The device itself is nice and sleek with outputs to RCA, coax, and optical. It has an ethernet port for hard lined internet connectivity, a USB port, and IR/Trigger outputs.
There is an app that you must download in order to connect the device to your phone and internet. Once you install the app, it asks you if you want to setup a device, then will scan for a new device. It will detect the Node Nano and you then connect it to your network. It asks you to name your device, this is an important step and I will share why later in this review. After it is connected it will update the device's firmware, which takes about 15 minutes. Then it is ready to go.
I pay for Spotify premium, so naturally this was the first music app I wanted to use. The Bluesound's app interface is easy to use and you can select which music apps to run. Once I selected Spotify, I chose to select how to listen and I could not find my new device. I kept restarting, but I could not find the Node Nano at all. After growing frustrated and doing several Google searches I decided to look very carefully at what I could choose to export music to. I then found the name I chose to give my new Node Nano, which was "living room". I felt like a fool. I was looking for the device's technical name, not the name the app asked me to give it. Once connected, it played music flawlessly.
Now for the main part of the review, the sound. I connected the Node Nano to my Pioneer Elite receiver via one of the Auxiliary inputs. I have Klipsch Reference Premiere speakers; towers, center channel, rear surrounds, and 15" subwoofer. The music I played over the system was wonderfully crisp and clear. I sat back and enjoyed the high fidelity audio being passed through via the Node Nano. Just to make sure it was not a placebo effect, I decided to stream directly to the Pioneer. It was good, but not as good as when I cast to the Node Nano. The music fills the room and is very well balanced. I listened to music for at least 2 hours the first time I connected it.
I cannot recommend the Bluesound Node Nano enough. If you love music and want an easy way to stream your music to a high fidelity sound system, then this is for you. There is no way this streaming media player can disappoint!
I would recommend this to a friend
Cons mentioned:
Chromecast
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Great Streamer
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Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Very fast steamer with very high quality digital output. Best I've heard Spotify sound on any device. Wish it had DLNA support, but all other features work well. Great unboxing experience.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Bluesound Node Nano
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Easy install. Comes with international adapters and was well thought out!
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great sound quality.
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Sound quality is better than I expected for the price. Used with Amazon music and couldn’t be happier.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Setup, Sound quality
Cons mentioned:
Remote control
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
solid little device with great sound
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
pros:
- exceptional sound quality: the bluesound node nano delivers top-tier audio performance, with support for high-res streaming up to 24-bit/192kHz. the sound is clear, detailed, and immersive, whether you’re listening via tidal, spotify, or another service. its rich bass, balanced mids, and crisp highs make it an excellent choice for audiophiles seeking premium sound without a hefty price tag.
- compact and sleek design: one of the most appealing features of the node nano is its small form factor. it’s about the size of a paperback book, making it ideal for spaces where you need a discreet yet powerful audio solution. the minimalist design fits easily into any setup, and its simple front panel with a clean display adds a touch of elegance without overwhelming your space.
- wide streaming compatibility: the node nano supports a variety of streaming services, including tidal, spotify, apple music (via airplay 2), and amazon music. both wi-fi and ethernet connectivity, though ethernet was much faster and more stable in my testing.
- easy setup and intuitive app: setup is relatively simple with the bluesound app, which is user-friendly and intuitive. it allows for easy control of playback, volume, and device settings, and it works seamlessly across both ios and android devices. integration with home automation systems like alexa and google assistant is also supported, making voice control a convenient option.
- solid value for money: for the features and performance it offers, the node nano is priced competitively in the market. it delivers premium sound and functionality at a more accessible price than many high-end audiophile devices, making it a great option for anyone looking to elevate their streaming setup without breaking the bank.
cons
- limited physical outputs: the node nano offers a solid range of outputs, but its limited selection may not be ideal for users with more complex setups. it includes an optical output and analog RCA, the absence of additional options like coaxial or balanced XLR might be restrictive for more advanced audiophiles.
- no remote control: while the bluesound app is convenient and easy to use, some users might miss the option of a dedicated remote control for more traditional operation. this can be particularly frustrating for those who prefer to adjust volume or change tracks without reaching for their phone or tablet.
- native apple music support only via airplay - ok in a pinch, but probably not the best option for audiophiles looking for bit perfect reproduction (who happen to use apple music).
overall:
the bluesound node nano is a powerful and compact streaming device that punches well above its weight in terms of sound quality, streaming compatibility, and ease of use. it’s ideal for audiophiles looking for a small but capable device to stream high-resolution music, offering an excellent balance of performance and value. 4 stars for me, but definitely worth it if its cons aren’t seen as major issues.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality, Streaming services
Cons mentioned:
Remote control
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great sounding network audio player on a budget!
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This thing definitely packs a punch and delivers high-res audio in a very small and affordable package!
I have always considered myself to be a bit of an audiophile, although a bit more on the side of a budget oriented audiophile. Which is why I was very excited to give this a try. It checked off pretty much all of the boxes for me. Out of the box it appears to be a well made unit. Very small and black and would easily blend in with any décor or stereo system and you wont even notice its there.
Getting it set up couldn’t be easier. Once you get your cables run into it everything else can be done in the app. You basically have to plug in a network cable, then you can either use standard R/L connections, coax, or optical out to your stereo. There is also a USB port to hook a up a hard drive loaded up with your music files.
All you need to do then is open up the app and select add a new device and then you will go through a series of on-screen instructions to get it connected to your network. I’d say in less than 10 minutes from taking it out of the box I had it connected to my stereo and to the app and I was ready to go!
It has all the main streaming services available like Spotify, Amazon, Apple Air play, Tidal, Qobuz and more. Plus, you can stream audio from a connected hard drive as well. That is mainly what I wanted this device for. I have a large library of high-res audio files that I wanted to have access to wherever I was in the house.
As far as sound quality goes, I think this sounds amazing. Obviously it will depend a lot on the sound system you have, but chances are, if you are buying one of these, you probably have a fairly good setup.
I have mine going through my Yamaha R-N1000A into a set of Fluance floor standing speakers. I also have a Cambridge CXN V2 streamer as well to compare this to.
When I compared the audio coming out of all 3 using the same audio files I was shocked to hear that the Bluesound held up pretty well with all of them. It sounded almost identical to the clarity I was getting from the Yamaha receiver on its own. Obviously the Cambridge is a much higher end DAC, the Bluesound still sounded pretty good compared to it. It has a nice tight bass, but not overpowering. Good mid range, and tons of clarity in the highs.
One thing that would be nice is if there was an included remote control, because right now the only way to really operate it is from your phone, or by getting up and touching the front of the device which can be a pain sometimes. Other than that, there really isn’t much I can find to complain about.
If you are a budget minded audiophile like myself, I think you will be extremely happy with this unit! It sounds as good or better than units that cost twice as much! Definitely check it out if you are in the market for a network streamer!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Makes music sound that much better
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I would consider myself somewhat of an audiophile, not that I know everything and have the absolute best equipment money can buy. But I have a pretty decent set up if I say so myself. I, like many people love to enjoy music, be it high quality speakers or some nice headphones(on ear and earbuds). I love to just sit or lay in my room and listen to my tower speakers. My set consists of a Sonos amp, either my Kef q750 uniQ tower speakers or my martinlogan motion XT200’s and now I have paired them with the small but beautiful sounding blue sound node nano with its highly regarded ESS Sabre DAC capable of streaming up 24-bit/192khz audio. This little node nano might be small but the internal DAC is a beast imo. I thought my music sounded great just with the Sonos amp and high end speakers, but I was wrong. To my defense I never actually heard how much of a difference adding a DAC would make, only heard YouTube video samples and advice from audiophile channels as well. Now that I know what I have been missing I can not ever go back to not having one. The sound that comes out from this is beautiful. It’s not as loud but the clarity and accuracy is so clean and pure it’s like heaven to my ears smooth and warm! My wife even noticed the difference as well. And it’s so easy to add to your exciting setup, just plug in and connect the provided gold plated audio(red&white) from the node nano to the rca inputs on your receiver, set up the bluOS app and pair the node nano and your good to go start streaming either directly through the app or airplay it to the node nano. The app works well but there is a slight delay when playing music via the app but nothing crazy. You can fine tune the sound how you like. Personally I just leave it how it is. It gives lower volume but it’s perfect as I used to play my music too loud anyway. lol. You can even turn the touch panel lights off if you have this In Your bedroom (like I do) or you want to conserve energy. Honestly not much more I can say besides saying this, if you love music like truly love music and you have a decent set up trust me and add this DAC to your set up and see how much more enjoyment you can get. At the retail price it’s very reasonable too plus it’s made with quality components. It’s almost perfect but the only things I would suggest to blue sound is to add support for Apple Music and YouTube music via the app those are missing unfortunately. Also I wish this was able to have an audio input like an optical port so we could have the DAC process the movie soundtracks. But not a huge deal. But yes I highly recommend! 1000% PS-I suggest using tidal music as it is the best bang for your buck with some of the highest quality audio formats out there.
Pros mentioned:
Dac, Sound quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
A Reliable, Quality Streamer That's Missing Apps
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
In an era of music consumption that's dominated by streaming music services, the Bluesound Node Nano has arrived on the scene to try and enhance your at home hi-fi listening experience. It's meant to be the conduit to your digital audio world on your home theater system, providing an easy to use and reliable interface for streaming various streaming services at high quality. This device is clearly for segment of users that highly value high quality audio and are looking for a streaming device that just works.
Setup was easy and day to day usage is reliable with the Bluesound Node Nano. It offers a decent number of connectivity options, including RCA, coax audio, optical and USB audio outputs, and also features a LAN port. Beyond the physical ports, the device also supports Wifi and Bluetooth connections (it is a "wireless streaming media player" after all). Bluetooth connectivity is two way, allowing you to not only connect your phone to the streamer, but also to connect an audio source like some headphones to the streamer to listen, as well. To a degree, I do feel that this device could benefit from having an HDMI port, as it'd serve multiple purposes; one, ability to stream higher bitrate audio without the need for a USB output to an external DAC, two, added connection flexibility and three, they could've included a simple remote and GUI for management and playback. That said, using the companion BluOS app allowed for problem-free setup and usage, basically serving as the aforementioned remote/UI combo.
The main issue I have with this streaming box is the fact that it's missing a few streaming services that could propel it into a universally useful device, namely YouTube Music and Apple Music, both of which I happen to subscribe to. Apple Music, in particular, feels like a miss here given the service's support for ultra high res lossless content as well as Dolby Atmos content. While, again, the Nano does have Bluetooth connectivity, allowing me to stream in AptX quality from my phone, to me this somewhat defeats the purpose and reason for this device. My home theater receiver also supports Bluetooth streaming via the same codec, so in my case, it's actually a bit more inconvenient to use the Node Nano. However, what the Node Nano does have over my receiver is an outstanding onboard DAC that delivers some phenomenal audio quality. As I tend to always do with sound evaluations like this, I gave an in depth listen to Steven Wilson's Hand.Cannot.Erase album. I'm intimately familiar with the soundscape of this album, and it serves as a great test of what a device has to offer. The Node Nano did not disappoint. Dynamic range is notably expansive on the Node Nano, and given the price, I've personally not heard a better sounding audio source device. This device, along with Bluesound's various other offerings, are meant to be the foundation of an audiophile's home listening experience, and it executes on that experience quite effectively.
One aspect that I haven't tested that's none the less worth mentioning is that the Node Nano could be used as part of a larger multiroom audio setup. Essentially, this could be a high fidelity alternative to Sonos, and from what I've read, it's an alternative that works significantly better, providing bulletproof reliability that works without fail to the point that many consider the BlueOS platform to be the best on the market for multiroom streaming. At some point, I'll likely expand my Bluesound stable, but as of now, I only have a single Node Nano.
Overall, if you're in the market for this type of streaming device, you likely know what you're getting into; high quality sound with rock solid connection and performance with the ability to expand to multiroom setups if desired. This would be a no brainer if Bluesound could find a way to add at least Apple Music to its already extensive app support offerings.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Dac, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Just Fantastic
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I have owned a few different network streamers the last couple years. I'm always looking for quality at a budget price. This network streamer by Bluesound meets that criteria. I use several different streaming services for my music and I have always had issues with certain ones being limited due to the device I was using. But not with the Node Nano. I am able to use every single feature that I pay for with every service I use. The app is wonderful and works in sync with the Node Nano effortlessly. I was able to set up, sign into my services and start streaming very quickly. I have it connected with my Alexa and it pairs well. I give a command and it starts playing within a few seconds. The ability to do so was always lacking with network streamers I have had in the past. Bluesound definitely took the time to design and make a quality product. Now, for the sound quality. Simply put, it's fantastic. I can't believe the difference in clarity and detail when streaming. It's like I have a completely new system. I have been jamming out since the day it got here. The DAC is insanely good. I'll never go back to a straight digital connection. I am so very pleased with this streamer and I will enjoy it everyday. Great product Bluesound!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
Great streamer, when it works. Not Apple friendly.
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Let me start by saying it does high quality lossless music beautifully. When it has the signal, it’s impeccable. That being said, my main source for music is Apple Music and no matter where I move the Node, I get constant drop outs and disconnects. Signal in my home is full strength. Node is connected to my $800 router via cat5 cable. Figured it might just be Airplay 2, so I loaded my pandora account into the IOS app. Synced great at first, then the app had issues staying connected to my Node, and then my phone started playing one song and the Node another. Had to turn everything off then back on and it reconnected again. Playback again was beautiful, aside from occasional “disconnect” drops (split-second audio drops like it’s buffering or something). Tried my free Spotify account and that didn’t sound as good as Apple Music through Airplay 2, but had slightly less drops.
Moved the Node around to eliminate any possible signal interference, even hooked it up to several music systems in other parts of the house, and things never improved. Not sure if it’s Apple products not playing nice, issues with the app, or what, but this was an exercise in frustration.
Again, when it was working right, it was sounding beautiful when connected to my main system (Denon receiver & B&W speakers), and tertiary systems (kef bookshelfs and Technics amp and another pair of kef and a parasound amp). The Digital to Analog processor in this is amazing, and really brought out all the music detail and sounds great on a variety of systems… its just the signal issues. Physical product feels solid and well built. The included power adapters and cables are appreciated compared to the usual barebones of many electronics today.
Overall, this product shows amazing promise. Hopefully, with more software updates, it becomes a better streaming device. Bluesound has a legendary reputation for quality, so I’m sure they’ll get everything ironed out.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
A few additions and tweaks it would be perfect
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I love my music. I have a pretty extensive collection of vinyl, CDs, and cassettes... sorry... I tossed my collection of 8-tracks decades ago. However, you can't beat the convenience of streaming. My main home entertainment receiver has Bluetooth and Airplay capability but the receiver in my office does not and that's where a device like the Bluesound NODE Nano comes in.
I plugged my Nano into a RCA jack input on my receiver, plugged in an ethernet cable that is connected to my home network and after initial setup with Wifi I was able to connect to the Nano with my phone. There are a lot of streaming services available directly through the Nano, including Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio, Napster, SiriusXM and Tidal to name a few. I was happy to see Amazon music included in the list but disappointed that Youtube Music is not. I use those 3 streaming services exclusively so bummed but hopefully they will add those soon. It also supports Amazon Alexa, what doesn't these days. :)
With an upcoming software update you will also be able to connect to the Nano by Bluetooth so at least I can get Apple Music and Youtube Music to it that way. Hey Bluesound... add those directly to your app please :). While you are at it please add Audible too.
I think the only gripe I have is there is no way to turn it off. It will go into power saving mode if not receiving music so that will have to do. In addition to RCA output it also supports USB audio, COAX out and optical out with a Toslink cable which is helpful if you have a receiver with those inputs that you can connect to. Variety of supported outputs is greatly appreciated.
The big plus for these type of streamers is you don't really need a receiver. If you have a pair of bookshelf speakers with RCA inputs you are good to go.