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.
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