About The Bluesound Powernode All-In-One Streaming Amplifier
The Bluesound Powernode is the Hi-Fi amp reinvented for the streaming age, combining audiophile-grade componentry and multi-room music capabilities to create an intuitive "just add speakers" hi-res sound system for modern music lovers. The compact minimalist exterior disguises 2 x 80 watts of award-winning Hi-Fi amplification, a premium hi-res DAC design, and access to all the music ever recorded with a tap in our BluOS Controller app for smart devices and laptops.
Source, control, and amplification come packed into the compact and minimalist Powernode. Get the most out of your favourite speakers with an award-winning audiophile-grade amplifier that features 80 watts per channel of zero-distortion power. A premium DAC design flawlessly delivers hi-res, studio-quality music, including support for FLAC, MQA, and other popular file formats. The BluOS Controller app connects you to popular streaming services like Spotify, Tidal, Deezer and dozens of others, or from your own music library through Apple Airplay2, aptX HD Bluetooth, or even a network-connected drive or USB hard drive.
High Res Music – Everywhere: Whether it's one or many rooms, the Powernode is a versatile workhorse. It can be placed either freestanding or in a custom installation rack, allowing you to easily toggle back and forth amongst a number of listening set-ups. Looking for a traditional 2-channel audiophile listening experience? Just add a pair of your favourite speakers. Add the Pulse Sub+ to your 2-channel set-up to create a capable and musical 2.1 wireless system. Bring a pair of Pulse Flex 2i to the party as rear channel additions to your 2.1 system for a wireless Dolby surround sound home theatre experience. Sprinkle other Bluesound players around your home for a whole-home multi-room audio solution.
Plays Well With Others: The Powernode supports HDMI eARC, dual-band Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet, Apple Airplay 2, two-way aptX HD Bluetooth, RCA, Toslink optical, 3.5mm jack, and USB Type A connectors. Bring music into your Powernode from dozens of internet radio and streaming services, Bluetooth devices, TV and gaming consoles, network or local hard drives, nearby Apple devices, CD players, and many others. Then send your music into your favourite speakers, other Bluesound players or BluOS devices, Bluetooth headphones, wired headphones, Apple AirPlay devices, or other network-connected speakers.
"B" Is For "Brains": With BluOS you can easily create a DIY multiroom hi-res audio system with a few taps of the BluOS Controller app. Additional hands-free controls are available through voice assistants like Siri, Google Voice, or Alexa. For professional smart home installers, full-feature drivers are available for Lutron, Crestron, RTI, Elan, and other popular control systems.
The Bluesound Powernode - Now In Surround Sound: Powernode owners can now use their Player in a Home Theatre Fixed Group to enjoy true Dolby Digital surround sound, wirelessly. Use the Powernode with HDMI and a pair of passive speakers as the 'Front L+R', and make it the centre of your Dolby Digital experience. Any generation of the Powernode can be used to power the rear surround L+R channels. This includes Powernode (Gen 1), Powernode 2, and Powernode 2i (non-HDMI). Setup is quick and easy, just open the Fixed Group setup wizard in the BluOS App and let it guide you intuitively through a few quick steps, even taking distance measurements into account for a more accurate surround sound experience. You can expand your system by adding a Pulse Sub to the Home Theatre setup, by pairing it with the Front Player before setting up the Home Theatre Group.
Intuitive Touch Controls: An elegant, full-glass interface with capacitive touch LED controls graces the top of the Powernode, providing you with an intuitive touchpoint for play, pause, volume and presets. The Powernode also features a proximity sensor, ensuring that the array of LEDs on the top panel do not cause any unwanted light pollution, only turning on as you place your hand close – when the controls are needed.
Future Forward: The next generation Bluesound quad-core processor boasts all the power and speed required for the latest and greatest audio processing, with built-in headroom for whatever technologies the future may hold. In that sense, the Powernode is over-specified, so it can be a staple in your listening room for years and decades to come.
The Ins And Outs: As the Swiss-army-knife of Hi-Fi streaming, the Powernode features an array of digital and analogue inputs and outputs. The Powernode now features an HDMI eARC input on the back panel, to keep your setup flexible and future-friendly. The Powernode is designed to be as comfortable in a two-channel TV system as it is in an audiophile's dedicated listening room, providing a hi-res experience no matter where it's used.
Roon Ready: Roon brings all your music together, so you don't have to worry about where it's stored, what format it's in, or where you stream it from. Roon supports music files stored on internal and external hard drives and NAS, your iTunes library, live radio stations, and streamed content from TIDAL and Qobuz.
Control Freak: When one medium of control is not enough, the Powernode offers a half-dozen ways to get your music however you want. Quick access controls like play/pause, track skipping, and volume are available as touch panel controls at the top of the Powernode, via voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, or Google, or by programming your own IR remote or using the optional Bluesound RC1 hand held remote control. Advanced controls, including tone controls, subwoofer crossover optimization, and listening modes are available in the BluOS Controller App. The Powernode can also be integrated into a smart home with full-feature drivers for Lutron, Elan, RTI, Crestron, and other popular home control systems.
Satin Paint Finish: Bluesound players are designed to fit into your everyday life. The Powernode is no different. The matte satin body, available in either a Black or White finish, blends seamlessly into any décor. Easy to clean and keep free of unwanted dust and grime, it looks great when stacked alongside your most-loved audio gear – though at the end of the day, it's your ears that benefit most from the Powernode.
More About Bluesound: Bluesound is an alliance of audiophiles dedicated to delivering on the promise of wireless, digitally-perfect high-fidelity audio. They are not just another computer company! Their goal is one many aspire to but few have currently reached. So, who is Bluesound? Easy! The same people who pioneered world-famous NAD Hi-Fi in the 1970's and even now still set the bar high in audio components, relentlessly pursuing innovative technologies and faithful music reproduction. Having been associated with the team for over 35 years, we can testify that they're all about the sound. They have built on their decades of audio experience to create the Bluesound line of multi-room audio gear for the discerning listener. No, that doesn't mean expensive but rather cutting-edge when it comes to performance.
Our Take
The Bluesound Powernode packs a lot into a small box. It is what we call an All-In-One Streaming Amplifier which means it does everything a traditional amplifier does but also includes a built in music streamer with multi room capabilities. The Powernode also sports an eARC HDMI connection so it can serve as the centrepiece of a stereo or surround sound TV system. The Powernode allows you to discover all the music ever recorded with access to hundreds of internet radio stations, dozens of streaming music services, or even your own digital music library, with a few taps of the BluOS Controller app for iOS, Android, or Mac or PC computers. Built with audiophile-grade components, including a premium differential DAC design, MQA capabilities, and convenience features like AirPlay and Bluetooth, the Powernode is the ultimate hi-res multi-room streaming amplifier for the modern music lover.
Main Features & Specifications
- Design: Hi-Res Wireless Streaming Amplifier – just add speakers for a complete system
- Model: N330
- 80 Watts per channel of HybridDigital amplification technology
- Quad-core 1.8GHz ARM Cortex A53 processor
- 32-bit/384kHz Premium DAC design
- HDMI eARC, optical & analogue inputs
- Subwoofer & Speaker outputs
- AirPlay 2 for integration into Apple ecosystem
- BluOS wireless multi-room music capability
- MQA music and hi-res audio streaming
- Roon Ready
- Voice control with Apple's Siri, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant (external Apple, Amazon or Google device required)
- Dual-band Wi-Fi + Gigabit Ethernet
- Two-way aptX HD Bluetooth
- IR remote learning capability, IR input
- Wired & wireless headphone output
- Wired & wireless subwoofer output
- Touch controls with presets
Connections
- Network
- Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac, 2.4/5GHz)
- Ethernet RJ45, GigE 1000 Mbps
- Audio Input
- Mini TOSLINK/3.5mm Stereo combo x 2
- HDMI eARC
- Audio Output: 5-Way Binding Post Speaker Terminals
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.0 aptX HD
- Two-Way (transmit & receive)
- Headphones
- 3.5mm Stereo Out
- Wireless Bluetooth Out
- Subwoofer
- RCA Out
- Network Pairing to Bluesound Pulse Sub+
- USB: Type-A Port for external drive connection (Fat32 or NTFS formatted)
- IR Remote
- IR Sensor Built In - front panel with IR Remote Learning
- IR Input 3.5mm Jack
- Power: Universal 3-pin IEC AC cord input (100-240AC)
Audio
- Supported Audio File Formats: MP3, AAC, WMA, WMA-L, OGG, ALAC, OPUS
- Supported Hi-Res Audio File Formats: FLAC, MQA, WAV, AIFF, MPEG-4 SLS
- Supported Multi-Channel Audio Formats: Dolby Digital
- Processor: ARM® Cortex™ A53, Quad-Core, 1.8GHz per core
- Native Sampling Rates: Up to 192 kHz
- Bit Depths: 16-24 Bits
- Performance
- Signal to Noise Ratio: -100dBA
- Total Harmonic Distortion - THD+N: 0.008%
- DAC
- 32-Bit / 384kHz
- Differential Output design
Software & Integrations
- Operating System: BluOS
- App Controller Operating Systems: Apple iOS, Android, Windows, Mac
- Network File Sharing: SMB up to 200,000 track index
- Album Art Supported: JPG, PNG
- Internet Radio: iHeart Radio, Radio Paradise, LiveXLive, TuneIn
- Music Services: Amazon Music, Deezer, Qobuz, Spotify, TIDAL
- Voice Control: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Siri (external Apple, Amazon or Google device required)
- 3rd-Party Support: AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Roon Ready
- Control Systems: Control4, Crestron, URC, RTI, ELAN, Lutron
General
- Included Accessories: Power Cord, Ethernet Cable, Toslink Optical to 3.5mm Mini Adaptor x 2, Safety/Warranty Guide, Quick Setup Guide
- Detachable Mains Lead - Upgrade to Premium Power Cable for better performance
- Finish: Black Matte Satin Paint
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 220 x 70 x 190mm
- Weight: 1.78 Kg
- Manufacturer's Warranty: 2 Years
Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE.