 (2).png){kind=logo}
2 weeks ago
7
The Dio Node is intended to beryllium a low-cost enactment for users looking to make a web of AirPlay speakers scattered passim their homes, with a azygous talker priced astatine $89.95 and 3-pack and 5-pack options bringing the per-speaker outgo down to conscionable nether $80. That's conscionable a spot cheaper than a HomePod mini, and I've spent immoderate clip with a 3-pack of the Dio Node to recognize however the 2 tiny speakers comparison and what the worth proposition of the Dio Node is for users heavy successful the Apple ecosystem.
From a plan perspective, the Dio Node is simply a beauteous elemental unidirectional talker made of acheronian grey integrative with a airy grey oregon metallic talker grille covering the full beforehand of the device. It measures astir 4 inches (102 mm) quadrate by 1.5 inches (38 mm) heavy with a flimsy taper from beforehand to back, and it weighs conscionable nether fractional a lb (222 grams). The rear of the Node has immoderate precise ample Dio branding successful white, but fortunately this shouldn't beryllium disposable successful astir setups. A brushed pad connected the bottommost borderline of the Node helps support surfaces from imaginable scratches.
The apical of the Node features 3 subtle rectangular buttons, with the near and close buttons serving to alteration and summation the measurement respectively, portion the mediate 1 serves arsenic a play/pause fastener for audio being AirPlayed to the speaker. Holding down aggregate buttons successful assorted combinations performs functions specified arsenic updating the speaker's firmware, resetting the Wi-Fi transportation of the speaker, and conducting a afloat mill reset.
The talker is powered done a tiny 5V2A powerfulness adapter with a tube connector that plugs into the backmost of the speaker. The integrated cord connected the adapter measures astir 1.5 meters (59 inches) long, truthful it does springiness you immoderate flexibility successful presumption of placement with respect to an electrical outlet.
Setup is dormant simple, with the Node entering a pairing mode arsenic soon arsenic you plug it successful for the archetypal time. Once the tiny LED connected the rear of the Node is flashing red, caput to the Wi-Fi conception of the Settings app connected your iOS device, wherever the Node volition look successful a "Set Up New AirPlay Speaker" section.
Tap the Node, prime the Wi-Fi web you privation to adhd it to, and springiness it a utile sanction to assistance you place it successful your database of AirPlay destinations. All-in-all, it takes astir a infinitesimal to get the Node up and moving connected your web and you tin usage it conscionable similar immoderate different AirPlay destination including accessing it from Control Center oregon from wrong compatible apps, utilizing it successful operation with further Dio Nodes oregon different AirPlay speakers for multi-room audio, and more.
If you privation to instrumentality your integration a spot further, you tin besides adhd your Dio Node to your Apple Home setup. That's besides a elemental process, requiring you to simply pat the "+" fastener successful the Home app and prime "Add an Accessory," take the "more options" substance to spot the Node popular up arsenic an disposable instrumentality connected your network, pat it, and prime which country successful your location you privation to adhd it to. The Home app volition suggest an automation to automatically intermission audio playing to the talker erstwhile you permission your home, but the automation is turned disconnected by default and you tin rapidly skip past that measurement to finalize setup.
Once the talker is acceptable up successful the Home app, you tin usage it arsenic a talker for the Intercom diagnostic successful Apple Home, see the talker successful assorted different automations and shortcuts, and usage Siri to power playback connected the Node via the instrumentality you're playing from. You tin besides acceptable up talker radical presets that see the Node.
There's nary bounds to the fig of Dio Nodes that you tin nexus together, which means you tin easy scatter them each implicit your location for a whole-home audio experience, and erstwhile they're acceptable up anyone connected your web tin watercourse audio to them. The Node offers mono dependable rated to 85 dB, truthful it tin get reasonably large for astir country sizes, and I would picture its dependable prime arsenic capable but not outstanding.
Compared to the HomePod mini, the Dio Node doesn't person arsenic overmuch bass punchiness, and wide I bash similar the HomePod mini sound. Stepping up to a full-size HomePod evidently offers adjacent amended sound, but that's a abstracted people of speaker.
Dio says the equalization of the Node is tuned to accentuate voices, making it perfect for playing podcasts oregon audiobooks passim your location arsenic you determination from country to room. It tin besides surely grip a decent scope of music, but it does deficiency immoderate of the fullness of dependable you get with a fewer different talker options. The AirPlay protocol moving implicit Wi-Fi delivers improved dependable prime including enactment for Lossless compared to wireless speakers moving implicit Bluetooth, but you won't beryllium capable to seizure that afloat prime present owed to the tiny size of the speaker.
The buttons connected the Node are elemental but enactment comparatively well, with the play/pause commands taking effect astir instantly crossed each speakers erstwhile the mediate fastener connected immoderate of the Nodes is pressed. The buttons are connected the clicky side, which makes it evident erstwhile they've triggered but perchance a spot disruptive if being utilized successful a quiescent environment. Adjusting measurement from iOS oregon wrong an app connected your root instrumentality does incur a spot of lag earlier it changes connected the speaker, much truthful than I spot with a HomePod mini successful the aforesaid setup.
With its singular absorption connected AirPlay to support things simple, the Dio Node lacks respective features seen connected the HomePod mini and a fig of different lower-cost speakers, with the astir evident being a microphone. With nary microphone connected committee the Dio Node, it's not capable to straight enactment Siri requests, for example, and it can't enactment telephone calls and different types of two-way communication.
Apps that classify their dependable output arsenic audio calls won't beryllium capable to nonstop their audio to the Node astatine all, but you shouldn't person immoderate occupation with playback-focused audio sources. Dio unsurprisingly markets the deficiency of a microphone arsenic a privateness feature, fixed concerns astir voice-enabled devices perchance being capable to perceive successful connected conversations.
While you tin brace the Dio Node to an Apple TV, it's not intended to beryllium utilized arsenic a stereo oregon location theatre strategy arsenic it can't brace straight to a TV and doesn't enactment stereo pairing. There is constricted enactment connected Mac and iTunes for Windows, though you tin grow its Mac capabilities by utilizing thing similar Rogue Amoeba's Airfoil app. But adjacent without that, I had nary occupation sending audio from the Music app connected a Mac to aggregate Dio Nodes, and I experienced nary issues with audio sync.
Range appeared to beryllium coagulated successful my testing, with nary audio dropouts connected immoderate of the Nodes careless of wherever successful my 1,800-square-foot location my root devices were successful narration to the speakers.
Overall, the Dio Node is simply a tenable enactment if you're looking to acceptable up multi-room AirPlay audio crossed your location and aren't looking to walk a ton of money. It's hard to urge a azygous Dio Node implicit the HomePod mini for a outgo savings of lone astir $10 fixed the HomePod mini's amended wide sound, larger diagnostic set, and tighter ecosystem integration with things similar audio handoff. But if you're looking deploy to thing similar 5 oregon adjacent 10 oregon much of these each astir your house, the savings becomes much substantial, and if AirPlay to a acceptable of Dio Nodes is capable for your needs, past it's a merchandise worthy considering.
Dio offers escaped shipping anyplace successful the U.S. and offers 60-day escaped returns, truthful you person ample accidental to springiness them a effort to spot if they'll enactment for your situation. The Node has besides been certified for usage successful Canada and Europe, and Dio is hoping to grow organisation to those regions successful the adjacent future.
The Dio Node tin beryllium ordered from the Dio website oregon via Amazon (which inactive ships from nonstop from Dio), with a 1-pack priced astatine $89.95, a 3-pack priced astatine $239.00 ($79.66 per unit), oregon a 5-pack priced astatine $395.00 ($79.00 per unit).
Note: Dio provided MacRumors with a 3-pack of Dio Nodes for the purposes of this review. No different compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate spouse with Amazon. When you click a nexus and marque a purchase, we whitethorn person a tiny payment, which helps america support the tract running.
This article, "Review: Dio Node Aims to Bring Cost-Effective AirPlay Speakers to Your Entire Home" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com
Discuss this article successful our forums
English (US) ·