1. Yes. You can either a) add a USB drive and plug it into the Pulse b) use online music services such as Spotify (via Spotify Connect, which essentially does not require you to keep your phone connected) c) via Bluetooth (optional) d) via network share (SMB)
2) The Vault is a ripper, a NAS/storage device and a player. It can use its own internal storage, USB drive, Bluetooth (optional) or music services. It can also rip and store audio CD's.
3) Yes, the Powernode is a player/source with amplifier (Just like the Pulse, but without the speaker component -- you provide your own). Music can be sourced via USB, Bluetooth (yes, still optional) or via network sources such as the Vault or a shared folder in your PC / NAS
4) Yes
In short:
Pulse - wireless player/source + speaker
Vault - wired player/source + internal storage + ripper
Powernode - wireless player + amplifier
Node - wireless player
That pretty much sums the system up.
1. So the Pulse is only an amplified speaker system and does not have its own music storage? It can only receive streamed music and output in its speakers?
2. So the Vault is only a ripper and has an internal disk storage? The music within can be accessed thru the wifi network? And it has both digital (USB) and analogue outputs?
3. So the PowerNode is only a streamer where is gets music from an external source from a wireless network and external drives? It has its own amplifier where you can connect speakers?
4. So the Node is only a streamer where is gets music from an external source from a wireless network and external drives? It has a line signal output both in digital and analogue formats?