Bluesound
Amplifiers
DACs
Soundbars
Speakers
Best Known For
Digital Sources
/
Used Products
63
 Available
Average Price
$501-$1,000
Brand Popularity
56
 of 900+
Products Listed
14
Review Count
140
Founding Year
2013
Headquarters
Canada
Bluesound
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What's unique about the brand

Bluesound is one of the best entry-level amps if you're looking to dip your toes into hifi. Reviewers love it for what it offers at the price—solid dynamics and tight bass, which is exactly what you expect from good Class D. It’s the go-to pick for people new to hifi since it gives you about 75% of the high-end experience without needing a ton of power. It’s perfect for smaller setups where you want good sound without going all-in on expensive gear.

What reviewers are saying

We read all the reviews. Here's what reviewers feel most strongly about:

  • Bluesound's BluOS platform stands out with its vast compatibility, enabling seamless multi-room setups across its own products and those from partners like NAD and Dali.
  • It combines a hifi wireless audio streamer with a range of connectivity options.

Our favorite reviewer quotes:

  • "For the time being at least, they still have the advantage over Sonos by offering high-resolution audio. The BlueOS app does a good job of competing with the Sonos equivalent, but I did encounter quite a few issues with the setup process, and I don't find either system particularly user friendly to get working." (https://mightygadget.co.uk/bluesound-pulse-mini-2i-review)
  • "At the heart of the Node Icon's exceptional performance lies its dual-mono DAC design, featuring two ESS Sabre ES9039Q2M DACs . This configuration delivers an audio experience characterised by expansive dynamic range, vanishingly low distortion, and resolution that reveals every nuance of your favourite recordings." (https://www.theaudiotailor.com.au/blogs/reviews/bluesound-node-icon-reference-streamer-review-a-new-benchmark-in-wireless-hifi)
  • "For personal listening, the Node Icon incorporates THX AAA technology, widely regarded as the world's best headphone amplifier technology. This patented feed-forward error correction results in exceptionally low noise and distortion, unveiling a soundstage and clarity that must be heard to be believed." (https://www.theaudiotailor.com.au/blogs/reviews/bluesound-node-icon-reference-streamer-review-a-new-benchmark-in-wireless-hifi)
  • "The Pulse M stays true to that tradition, with an absolutely razor-sharp high end that is incredibly clear and a surprisingly beefy bass for its size. You'll want to listen to this speaker at 50% volume or louder for a true appreciation of its capabilities." (https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/bluesound-pulse-m-review)
  • "But turn it up and you will be rewarded with fantastic details. The twang of Mark Knopfler's guitar in Dire Straits' Six Blade Knife slices through the air, and Billie Eilish's whispery vocals on Bad Guy are never once muddied or hidden by that song's throbbing bass line." (https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/bluesound-pulse-m-review)
Want to report a correction? Please contact us. We'd love to hear from you. Note that much of the data, recommendations, and summaries on ExtremeHiFi are researched after thousands of hours of loving labor. We archive our site's data and its pages on Archive.org and monitor for those repurposing the data. We also fingerprint data to know when text and numbers came from us.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

From Julian's interview with
.

Lineup comparison

We think it's helpful to understand how their products compare. To learn more about each, scroll to the section above to click through to individual product pages.

Node Nano

  • Positioning: The entry-level wireless music streamer in the Bluesound lineup.
  • Description: Offers a compact and affordable way to enjoy high-quality audio streaming, featuring the ESS SABRE DAC for clear sound. While it lacks the HDMI eARC and THX AAA technology found in higher models like the Node and Node Icon, it is ideal for small spaces and budget-conscious users who want basic streaming capabilities.

Node

  • Positioning: The mid-range performance music streamer, offering a balance of features and price.
  • Description: Enhances your audio experience with its improved ESS SABRE DAC and THX AAA headphone technology, providing detailed sound. Unlike the Node Nano, it includes HDMI eARC and Dirac Live room correction.

Powernode Edge

  • Positioning: A compact wireless music streaming amplifier, combining streaming and amplification in one unit.
  • Description: Perfect for those who want an all-in-one solution, offering 40 watts per channel with DirectDigital amplification. It stands out from the Node series by including amplification, making it a complete solution for powering passive speakers without needing a separate amplifier, though it lacks the advanced DAC features of the Node Icon.

Node Icon

  • Positioning: The flagship wireless music streamer, designed for audiophiles seeking the highest performance.
  • Description: Sets a new standard with its dual-mono DAC design and THX AAA headphone amplifier, delivering exceptional sound quality. It surpasses other models with features like balanced XLR outputs and a full-color display.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer

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About the brand

SOtM is a hifi brand that develops its own ARM processor boards specifically for audio, avoiding the sound quality issues common in ready-made processors used by other manufacturers. Their products, including the sMS-200 network player and sPQ-100 phono preamp, stand out for their ultra-low noise technology and rare impedance-matching features, while maintaining a focused approach by eliminating unnecessary features.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

First, we don’t just use advanced technologies like ultra-high-speed digital hardware, precision audio clocking, or noise filtering—we develop them ourselves with a deep understanding of how each element affects sound quality. For example, our proprietary power electronics for audio circuits and custom-designed oscillators play a critical role in delivering our distinctive sound.

Second, while many brands prioritize marketing, we invest heavily in R&D. This means our products may not always be the most widely advertised, but they are built on a solid foundation of innovation and long-term vision. Rather than making minor upgrades, we aim to create fundamentally better products with each release. That’s a philosophy that consistently earns us loyal users around the world.

What's your approach to customer support?

At SOtM, we take customer support seriously. Customers are encouraged to first contact their local dealer or distributor, as they are trained to handle most issues and can provide service in the customer’s native language. However, if further assistance is needed, customers are always welcome to reach out to us directly. When a customer experiences an issue, we aim to respond quickly, diagnose the problem accurately, and offer a solution that minimizes any disruption. We go above and beyond by offering firmware updates, personalized setup help, and sometimes even remote access support to ensure the best possible experience.

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

Some of our go-to pieces include:

  • Stravinsky – The Firebird Suite (Finale): Great for dynamics and layering.
  • Copland – Fanfare for the Common Man: Perfect for testing impact, timing, and space.
  • Mahler – Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection": A true challenge for any system, with massive scale and emotional intensity.

We also enjoy film scores for their emotional engagement and wide frequency content. Ultimately, we choose tracks that are musically moving and technically revealing—regardless of genre.

What other products pair best with yours?

Since we produce everything from digital sources to amplifiers and cables—essentially all components except speakers—we typically use speakers from brands like Focal and Magico in our reference systems. All other components in the system are SOtM products, allowing us to demonstrate the full potential of our technology in a fully optimized environment.

Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi
Brand Page
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Used Products
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About the brand

OpenAudio is a hifi brand specializing in multi-room amplifiers that can run up to eight independent streaming instances simultaneously and route them to any mix of eight zones. Their HOLO-WHAS Max delivers unusually high power at 16×200W per channel (3,200W total) and features unique USB Audio Capture for ingesting external sources without traditional analog inputs.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi
Brand Page
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About the brand

Sonoro creates compact hifi systems with room-specific designs, including water-resistant models for bathrooms and meditation-enabled units for bedrooms. Their products combine premium materials with advanced features like 360-degree sound and streaming capabilities, all while maintaining a sleek, stylish aesthetic that complements various living spaces.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi
Brand Page
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About the brand

WiiM is a hifi brand that makes streaming devices with high-end features at unusually low prices, including their WiiM Pro Plus with its premium AKM DAC that outperforms its price point. Their products are designed to make high-quality streaming accessible to more people, offering performance comparable to much more expensive equipment at a fraction of the cost.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi
Brand Page
Known For
Digital Sources
/
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Used Products
28
 Available
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About the brand

HiFi ROSE is a digital source brand known for its large touchscreen displays, including a 12.6-inch screen on their RS520 streaming amplifier and an 8.8-inch screen on their RS201E streamer. They're a rising star in the hifi world, quickly earning awards and recognition for offering near high-end performance at a much more accessible price point. This Korean brand has rapidly gained popularity and regularly appears on annual best-of lists from prominent reviewers, establishing itself as a strong competitor in the industry.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

Industry leading intuitive touch panel interface and 4K video support, which allows you consume content in a new and immersive way without sacrificing audio quality.

What's your approach to customer support?

We have a dedicated service and tech support team. Our sales reps are also trained on supporting the line.

We always encourage the dealer to be involved in the support process since many of the issues can be resolved at the dealer level. Having the dealer involved also provides an opportunity for them to learn how to resolve more common issues. We are also happy and available to assist end users who reach out to us directly.

The best course of action is to reach out to your dealer and alert them of an issue. If your dealer is unable to resolve the issue, they can reach out to their rep or our support team for assistance. If they do not have a dealer, our support team is available via email at [email protected]

Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm CST.

Our goal is to respond to support issues within 1 business day. If a product is deemed to be defective within the first 30 days of receiving the unit, we will usually offer to replace it.

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

  • Led Zeppelin-Black Dog Live - New York 1973 -4K (Youtube)
  • (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay feat. Jack Johnson | Otis Redding 50th Anniversary (Youtube)
  • Forever - Mildlife

What other products pair best with yours?

McIntosh, Luxman, Pass Labs 

Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi
Brand Page
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About the brand

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Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi
Brand Page

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