Recommended Component 2024 – Stereophile
Golden Ear Award Winner 2022 - The Absolute Sound
The Hi-Fi Amp Reinvented for the Streaming Age
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. Source, control, and amplification come packed into the compact and minimalist POWERNODE.
Get the most out of your favorite speakers with an award-winning, audiophile-grade amplifier that features 80 watts per channel of zero-distortion power, tested in real-world listening conditions and not just in a lab. A high-grade DAC delivers up to 24-bit/192kHz of hi-res, studio-quality music, including support for FLAC, MQA, and other popular file formats.
"Recommended Component" Honors
Stereophile honored the POWERNODE by awarding it the magazine's coveted Recommend Component status for 2024.
According to Stereophile,"The amp (POWERNODE) struck a good balance of richness and crispness, scale, and density..."
"The real story here is the surprisingly good sound for the price. The Powernode Gen 3 easily fits into systems that include other components (even cables) that cost as much or more than the Bluesound unit itself without embarrassing itself sonically," reports Muse Kastanovich in his February 3, 2023 review for The Absolute Sound magazine, which gave the POWERNODE a Golden Ear Award for 2022.
"Slightly on the mellow and forgiving side of neutral, it should pair well with a wide variety of speakers and rooms; yet it still provides plenty of detail and microdynamics for a surprising amount of satisfaction from all genres of music. Also surprising is the amount of power available—130W (8 ohms) and 220W (4 ohms) of IHF dynamic power for musical peaks."
"The Powernode is the Bomb"
"The Powernode is the bomb, and no wonder it’s been a popular product for Bluesound — and one the company has continued to improve with subsequent versions," notes Douglas Schneider, SoundStage! Hi-Fi, November 1, 2021. "A product that’s this useful and this well priced deserves to live on and on. So if it fits your lifestyle and listening needs, I encourage you to try a Powernode and see if you agree."
"The newest version of the Powernode has more power 220W (4 Ohms) / 130W (8 Ohms) than the previous version, and supports all the usual Bluesound goodies such as wide file format support, local library support, Roon and Bluesound native app support, tons of content options, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, and the critically important facts that it works every time and it's simple to use if I'm not around to be the tech support guy," reports Chris Connaker, Audiophile Style, October 5, 2021.
"Keep in mind that the Powernode sounds great. That's a must, or else I wouldn't even consider it."
Bob Fekete, in his International Business Times review for September 15, 2021, raves, "How does it sound when hooked up to some speakers? In short, everything sounds so much more dynamic, lively and full… Everything I watched or played when using the POWERNODE sounded incredible… It's a fantastic device for streaming any kind of audio and can work with televisions and projectors."
New ARM Cortex A53 Quad-Core Chipset
Bluesound’s forward-thinking approach continues to push the performance envelope. The new NODE and POWERNODE feature a powerful ARM Cortex A53 Quad-Core chipset that processes audio eight times faster than previous generations of Bluesound architecture. Not only does this processor boast all the power and speed required for the latest and greatest hi-fi performance, but these products are also ready for whatever technologies the future may hold.
Connect to Countless Music Sources
The POWERNODE is equipped with an array of digital and analog inputs and outputs to give you ultimate connection flexibility. It supports HDMI eARC, dual-band Wi-Fi and Gigabit ethernet, Apple AirPlay 2, aptX HD Bluetooth receiver and transmitter, 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 favorite speakers, other BLUESOUND players or BluOS devices, Bluetooth headphones, wired headphones, Apple AirPlay devices, or other network-connected speakers.
Access just about all of the music ever recorded through the BluOS Controller app, connecting you to popular streaming services like Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz, SiriusXM, and dozens of others, or from your own music library through Apple AirPlay 2, aptX HD Bluetooth, or even a network-connected drive or USB hard drive.
Bring Music to Multiple Rooms
With BluOS built-in, easily create a DIY multi-room 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.
In one or many rooms, the POWERNODE is a versatile workhorse, placed either freestanding or in a custom installation rack, allowing you to toggle back and forth amongst a number of listening set-ups with a few taps in the BluOS Controller app. Looking for a traditional 2-channel audiophile listening experience? Just add a pair of your favorite speakers.
Add Other BLUESOUND Gear for Even More Capability
Got a bass-heavy track you love? Add the PULSE SUB+ to your 2-channel set-up to create a capable and musical 2.1 wireless system. Want to kick back with some movies or video games? 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 theater experience. Want to listen to your favorite music in other parts of your home? Sprinkle other BLUESOUND players around your home for a multi-room audio solution.
BluOS Adds Pandora and Presto Music Services
Bluesound is excited to announce the integration of the popular Pandora and Presto Music services into the BluOS platform.
Pandora offers exceptional music discovery features and curated radio stations. Its integration offers BluOS music lovers access to another seamless and intuitive way to enjoy their favorite tracks and discover new music based on listeners' tastes.
Presto Music specializes in classical and jazz recordings with high-quality content. In select markets, users can now savor Presto Music's vast collection of classical and jazz recordings. With a library boasting 200,000 albums in CD-quality and 34,000 albums in stunning 24-bit/192kHz, subscribers will revel in a focused, extensive, and continuously expanding catalog. The service is tailored with a powerful search engine designed explicitly for classical and jazz music, offering rich composers, artists, and genre profiles, recommendations, and featured releases.
To access these new services, simply update to the latest firmware and download the BluOS Controller App (version 4.2.0) from the Apple App Store, Google Play, or bluos.io/downloads.