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Bluesound Node or Audiolab 6000N

I am interested in adding a streaming source to my system.  I will use it to stream high rez music, particularly master quality from Tidal.  It will be connected to my home network via ethernet cable and to my preamp via analog output.  I have no desire for multiroom or whole house integration.

At first I had my eye on the Bluesound Node because the price point was very attractive to me.  However, the Audiolab 6000N is no discounted to $499 which puts it around $100 cheaper the the Bluesound.  Any advice on which one I sound consider?  One thing I've noticed is that the Bluesound has a higher resolution at 384khz vs 192khz for the Audiolab.  Also, an outboard DAC isn't in the plans for the near future, so which streamer has the superior built-in DAC factors into the equation.

Also, if anyone has any other recommendation on streamers in the same price range as the two mentioned above, feel free to chime in.

TIA

 

ftran999
reubent
6,971 posts
 

@tcatman  or anyone -  What Bluesound node upgrade announcements have been made for 2022 spring release? Just curious as I'm contemplating a purchase. If you have a link to the announcement, I would appreciate it.

treynolds155
184 posts
 

I'm not impressed with Play-Fi and personally I will avoid it moving forward. The new Node seems like a tough act to follow and recent threads say it's onboard dac is better than ever. I'd go in that direction, thinking of picking one up for the office system.

toro3's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
toro3
331 posts
 

No experience with Audiolab. The Nodes BluOS software has been rock solid IME with a UI that’s better than most. As others have mentioned, if you have Tidal you can use Tidal Connect which allows you to stay within the Tidal app to stream vs using the BluOS UI. When you add it all up, the Node is just an extremely hard product to beat at that price point.

ftran999 OP
6 posts
 

I want to thank all those who have responded.  Your responses have been helpful.  I apologize that I haven't been able to reply to individual posts. 

I am now leaning heavily towards the Node.

geof3
1,129 posts
 

I doubt there will be much, if any significant changes to the Node this year. Maybe some other lines (power node etc). The Gen 3 Node just released last year.

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