With the majority of consumers using streaming as their primary source of music delivery, and the propagation of wireless speakers, there is a real need for some sort of hub to connect legacy hi-fi components.
Bluesound certainly isn’t the first to offer this; Dynaudio has had a hub for their wireless speakers for almost 6 years and other manufacturers jumped on this train long before the Canadian manufacturer.
It is a wise tactical move to bring more prospective people into the Bluesound/NAD orbit this way because so many people still have turntables and CD players that they might want to use.
Bluesound, makers of the award-winning hi-res wireless multi-room line of audio players, have announced the HUB, an affordable network accessory that connects to a variety of analog and digital audio sources, bringing them into the Bluesound ecosystem for multi-room streaming.
Retail availability of the HUB is expected in mid-June 2022 and is priced at USD $319 at Crutchfield / CAD $419 at Amazon.ca.
Any Source, In Any Room
Streaming audio is more flexible than ever with the HUB. Easily add a Bluesound HUB to any non-BluOS enabled audio source and transmit music to one or many Bluesound players around the home. Audio sources like a turntable or CD player instantly become network-connected and are new sources from which your Bluesound system can play music. The HUB unlocks the problem of geography in letting users stream vinyl wirelessly for the first time.
Connectivity
From TVs to CD players, turntables to the latest gadgets, a host of inputs on the back panel: HDMI eARC, Coaxial, Digital Optical, Stereo Analog, and a moving magnet Phono stage supports the vast majority of music devices. Each HUB can manage one analog and one digital source simultaneously, and up to four (4) HUBs can be added to a single network.
Easy Setup
Equipped with BluOS, the HUB makes adding audio sources simple using the BluOS Controller app setup wizard. A few taps on the familiar BluOS app controls a whole multi-room system from a smartphone, tablet or computer.
Minimal Wires
Simplicity is guaranteed with the HUB. With a 1U rack height, and 1/3rd rack width, external USB-C connected power supply, the HUB can easily be placed on shelves, behind TVs, or mounted with four different orientation options using its two keyhole mounting slots.
The Best of Both Worlds
Streaming music fans who also love vinyl will be especially appreciative of the HUB’s built-in audiophile-grade MM phono stage preamp that brings audio from your turntable to any Bluesound player for whole-home turntable streaming. The HUB acts like a networked low noise, wide-bandwidth phono pre-amp, delivering spectacular audio quality for vinyl enjoyment in any or every room of a home at hi-fidelity.
Key Highlights
- Network Audio Source-sharing with BluOS™
- Low-noise MM Phono Stage
- Stereo Analog Line Input
- HDMI eARC with CEC
- Optical and Coaxial Digital Inputs
- ARM® CORTEX™ A53 Processor
- Dual-band Wi-Fi + Gigabit Ethernet
- Powered by USB-C Power Adaptor
- 1U Rack Height, 1/3 Rack Width
- Four-way Keyhole Mounting Slots
- Front Panel Function Button
- Black Finish
For more information: bluesound.com
ORT
May 11, 2022 at 2:02 am
Nice. This has been a feature of Denon/Marantz HEOS for years now. I can play CDs or records through out my home.
Easily and wirelessly. HEOS is excellent and standard on many Denon and Marantz products. You can even buy a HEOS amp that allows you to use passive speakers in a HEOsystem. You can even use HEOS powered speakers without having a HEOS AVR! I have done so for a lot of folk that do not need or desire a home theater but primarily want music through out their home and HEOS does just that. Easily and wirelessly.
A friend and co-worker owns Bluesound and I can understand his joy and satisfaction but in like fashion, he knows the reasons for my choosing HEOS and has been amazed (to a degree, mind you) that I can play CDs and vinyl through out my home in one or all rooms. I can also play the same Pandora statioin in one room or all rooms or SiriusXM or Amazon HD Music or any combination thereof.
HEOS is more than worthy of consideration. I have owned my set up for several years now and it is trouble free, including the App which I have installed on iPhones, Android phones and tablets, Amazon Fire Tablets and iPads. The application is far from being a “beta” as I have read here on the mini-report on the excellent Marantz 40n. In my estimation, based entirely upon real world use over 5+ years now, the HEOS app just flat works as advertised. It is NOT “buggy” in the least and if any one would know, it would be I.
I am an ardent user and fan of HEOS for good reason. No…Make that “reasons”.
Oh yes. For the Roonatics, HEOS is RomperRoon Ready. Meh… I despise Roon for what it is, which is to say, fAd Copy. I will NEVERagain load that tripe onto my computer but that does not mean the sheeple can not. Buzz Word compliant is all Roon really is. Yes. It is my opinion based again on a real world, objective test that lasted two of the three months of the trial period offered by Denon and Roon. It does nothing of real worth in the real world in which I and many of those I know and call friend, live in. I get it that some in the audio and frAudio world genuflect over RomperRoon Ready. FTN.
But, I digress. Bluesound is fine but HEOS is better. Trust me. I know whereof I speak and I know what I’m doin’ when I’m reviewin’.
ORT
Ken M
May 12, 2022 at 6:49 am
Thanks for this info. 🙂