Bluesound POWERNODE 2i V2 Wireless Multi-Room Streaming High-Res Amplifier (with HDMI) - Black - Compatible with Alexa and Siri

This unit is remarkable for the number of features, amazingly small form factor, and sound quality. I have compared it directly to electronics costing more than 10x as much, and frankly cannot hear a SQ difference, using the same speakers. However, in actual use I find the unit very irritating because of the poorly engineered volume control system (s).Assuming you are streaming music to the unit, the problem starts when you first make a connection. If you have not checked to ensure that your phone's volume setting is low, music will BLAST out of your speakers, the higher your phone setting the worse this is. You will upset your wife and pets and the sudden blast of power cannot be good for your speakers.You cannot fix this issue because the preamp in this unit does not have an "initial loudness" setting. Every preamp I've had includes this and you set it for -50db or so and adjust from there after making a connection. This unit does have a volume limiter but that doesn't do you any good, you'd have to change it every time you used the unit. Your only solution is to be sure and check the volume setting on your phone before using the unit.After you're connected the problems with volume control do not end. You have 4 options for controlling the volume, none of them satisfactory.1. You can use the the volume control on your phone. This is highly inaccurate and you invariably overshoot and then undershoot the volume you want.2. You can buy the remote, but it does the same thing as your phone does, overshoot or undershoot and becomes very frustrating. You end up "tapping" the volume control buttons and eventually just give up.3. If you happen to be standing next to the unit itself, you can tap or hold the volume up/down controls on top of the unit. Obviously not a reasonable solution if you’re not close to the unit. And these controls are no more accurate than those on your phone or on the remote.4. This last option is the best in terms of accuracy and control, but it requires opening the Bluesound app, tapping on the song that is playing, and this gives you access to + and - buttons that actually work well. The problem is you likely want to work from the Spotify app (or whatever service you're using) and not have to go back and forth between apps just to adjust the volume.So in summary this is a tremendous product crippled by a poorly thought out volume control system. If the issues I've mentioned won't bother you by all means get the unit and enjoy the terrific performance. However, if you're accustomed to using preamps with appropriate volume control, or just are not a patient person, this unit will drive you nuts.

I have Tidal subscription and I was looking for something compact all in one for bedroom to power up my Elac B6.2. Powernode 2i does a great job. It pairs well with B6.2. My main system is Buchardt S400 speakers with Parasound Newclassic 200 integrated amp just to give you some context of my expectation in music reproduction. I find Elac B6.2 to be on a dark and warm side and PowerNode 2i opens them up even at lower volumes. Something that emotiva ta-100 + a-300 could not do that well. I’m strictly talking about the sound when using Tidal. Vocals are slightly on lean side but very clear and delicate sounding. Something very appealing about the sound. Music Becomes punchy at higher volumes which I greatly appreciate. Best part is that you can program tv remote to this unit and change imputs as well as control volume. You can set up auto sensor on for imput of tv this way when you turn on tv the powernode 2i will automatically detect audio signal. It has plenty of imputs. You can set up presets to a remote so with one button you can play Tidal or Amazon music. It has airplay which works. However, in order to enjoy spotify not in airplay you would need premium subscription. Wish that was not the case. Just had this unit for 2 days and I really enjoy it. Hope it will last and will update my review if need arises.Update: RPD mentioned the glitch when headphones are connected sound still comes out of the speakers at low volumes. That does happen in my unit as well. I also started getting some technical issues when i turn on my tv volume goes in and out couple times while blue light is blinking than volume completely goes off and I have to press volume up on a remote for volume to come back. Hopefully that gets addressed with update. I still thing this product sounds great and is a great solution with a big convenience factor. I wish they added EQ function in the app to control more frequency bands than just treble and Base. I’m big on vocals and I like them to be slightly dominant. This unit does some serious DSP

The small footprint of this streamer/amp combo belies its quality. I received my PowerNode 2i and had it up and running in about 10 minutes (including a software update). The BluOS app is intuitive to set up and use, and I plan on putting it through its paces over the next few weeks. Apple TV easily connects via a TOSlink cable; speaker cables plug directly into the speaker jacks. The amp has no problem driving my ELAC Debut 6.2 speakers. Qobuz sounds wonderful through WiFi connection, and I can’t wait to set up the Ethernet cable. I haven’t hooked up HDMI yet, so can’t vouch for it. For the price it has wonderful sound. My wife likes that it is so unobtrusive and looks nice...bonus!Update: there is a little bit of a technical glitch- when headphones are plugged in the music still comes out of the speakers very quietly. I have contacted customer services and they said the issue would be addressed in a future firmware update.Update 2: A software update has fixed the problem. The staff was very communicative

I've had this for a few days now. Replaced a 1998 vintage NAD C 317 integrated Amp, which had no streaming abilities. This unit is 4 lbs, vs 10 lbs for the C 317. I wonder if the toroids and power circuits in the PowerNode are as robust as the old NAD. But the BluOS and ability to connect to modern day input options is great. HDMI eARC, Android/WiFi, Phono analog. One challenge so far: no left/Right balance on audio controls. Because the speakers are located asymmetrically vs. my TV, which I use thru this, it would have been helpful, almost essential. Please look for a device with that option if that part is important

I've had the Powernode 2i for a month now, so felt ready to write a review. In summary, I was considering returning it and replacing with the Node 2i, due to fears about the quality and strength of the integrated amplifier, which kind of goes against audiophile principles of separate components. I'm still not 100% decided on this. However, I've decided to keep the unit, because the sound quality is excellent through my Monitor Audio Silver speakers, the BlueOS app with Tidal is a pleasure to use, and the vinyl input is acceptable and fairly transparent. A few caveats though:- My hi-fi is in a small living room, about 4 x 4m with soft furnishings etc and the MA Silver speakers are perfectly adequate for this space. The amp may have trouble in a larger room with floorstanders.- The vinyl input is good. However, I'm sure a separate amp would be better here - whether you'd get more from the equivalent £300 amp (as the Powernode is £300 more than the Node), I am not sure (and reviewers have said no). You have to crank up the volume a bit on quiet records, but, for example, Gregory Porter's 'Liquid Spirit' loses none of its vitality.- BluOS and Amazon have not got it together - the interface is not good, and I think it's the Amazon API to blame (I've contacted them with feedback). Tidal is excellent, but more expensive. If things change, then I'm hopping back to Amazon, but for now, Tidal rocks. In terms of sound quality, both providers have lossless + studio (Tidal 'Master', Amazon 'Ultra HD'), some of which is phenomenal (better than vinyl).I hope this review and these caveats are useful. For my current needs, the Powernode is a winner, and Bluesound seem like a company who concentrate first and foremost on sound quality.

I’ve been a Sonos user for many years with 7 zones (amp and connects). The recent Sonos S2 upgrade debacle prompted me to shop around. The WhatHiFi review for Bluesound convinced me to buy a powernode 2i and node 2i to compare with my legacy Sonos kit. Immediate impressions playing a MQA feed (24 bit rate) were impressive and a clear improvement. But how does this compare to the new Sonos Amp. I purchased the new Sonos Amp. Swapping between both powernode and Sonos amp, the difference were harder to decern - slight improvement on powernode (using my b&w floor standing speakers). However, things turned for the worst when I tried Alexa on the bluesound equipment, very poor, you needed longer instructions, it does not support default group speaker, and I struggled getting it to work reliably. So the challenge - slightly improved sound quality against significantly worse Alexa experience. I’ve yet to hear if the new Sonos S2 update (releases June 8th) will further reduce the gap in sound quality . I’ve since decided to return the bluesound equipment and use the 30% Sonos upgrade discount to update my setup.

It was great for the first two months however the latest firmware has introduced bugs one of which randomly changed the volume to deafening levels making it unusable with no option to roll back the "upgrade".The support experience has been none existent. I have logged a ticket on their helpdesk last week but it has not even been looked at despite being told it would be "escalated" when I complained on their user forum.I judge a company on how they put things right and because of this I am unable to recommend Bluesound products to anyone. Spend your money with a company that treats its customers better.

Excelente equipo Hi-Fi todo en uno. Ahora más que nunca se ha hecho tan, si no es que más importante el streaming en la música, con servicios como Spotify, Amazon music, los servicios de Google (el que sea de turno, con eso de que ahora es YouTube Music) y sobre todo Tidal, que ofrece streaming de archivos de audio en compresión sin pérdida (calidad de CD), archivos PCM de "alta resolución" (realmente alta cuantización) y archivos en el cada vez más relevante MQA (compresión con perdida, pero que al reconstruir el archivo y reproducirlo, dicen que no tiene pérdidas), que intenta ofrecer musica en la mal llamada "alta definición" utilizando archivos más pequeños, con cuantizaciones más elevadas (al menos más elevadas que las de los discos compactos de toda la vida). El aparato depende casi totalmente de estar conectado a internet ya sea por WiFi o por cable, pero Funciona genial, se puede controlar muy fácilmente, sin necesidad de un control remoto (aunque puede aprender los comandos de controles remotos universales) o casi sin necesidad de tocar físicamente el aparato; está muy bien integrado con clientes para casi todos los sistemas operativos, tanto de escrito (excepto Linux), como móviles (aquí si todos), teniendo para todos la misma interface y facilidad de uso.Le puedes conectar básicamente de todo, tiene desde conecciónes analógicas y ópticas (dos de ellas, que son combo, con un adaptador para cable Toslink a 3.5mm que incluye en la caja), hasta HDMI Arc, para que lo utilices como si fuera un receptor de teatro en casa, además tiene un puerto USB tipo A en donde puedes conectar medios de almacenamiento masivos con bibliotecas enteras de música y es compatible con básicamente todos los formatos de audio que conozco tanto con perdida o sin perdida (o son relevantes al menos), eso sí, todos PCM, no estoy seguro si pueda DSD nativo o DSD sobre PCM (de todos modos en DSD hay muy poquita música, sobre todo musica clásica nada más).El amplificador es clase D, todo es electrónico, funciona muy bien, dicen los que saben que puede manejar bocinas más grandes que las que anuncia que puede (yo personalmente lo he utilizado con bocinas más pequeñas tipo bookshelf, sin ningún problema o queja, las maneja muy bien y suena durísimo, tanto como para molestar a mis vecinos) ;)Conclusión: excelente streamer/amplificador integrado, hace casi de todo. Esta Carito, pero vale mucho la pena, sobre todo para quienes vamos iniciando en el pasatiempo de la audiofilia :)

nice transparent sound with my LINN speakers;sometimes it cut out on the TV, but just walk through instructions to reset and works fine.software is evolving, but overall easy set up and excellent functionality for streaming music.quality D amp too; i'm not an audiophile, but this strikes me as next level product.great value - great quality!