How to Setup Your Bluesound Powernode (2021 Edition) + Review

[@biggesthuckler]

Ez subscribe; intelligent, concise and correct. Cheers for the up.

[@audioconnectionaus]

Thanks Ricky!

[@1881Gordon]

This is excellent. Great upload!

[@simonlloyd100]

Am using with the Pulse+ Sub....not as good as the Kef but cheaper and works very well wirelessly

[@robertyork4041]

I have the same setup (Powernode and LS50 Metas with Pulse+ Sub) - I haven't tried the KC62 but I'm happy (or I think I am) with the Pulse + Sub.

[@Birmingham_racing]

I'm using my powernode with Kef q950 i love it

[@Rustyybucket]

Hey mate.. what do you think would be the better option? 1. LS50 Meta + Powernode 2021 2. LS50 Wireless II Wireless 2 is super convenient but I feel like I’m beholden to KEF’a app which makes me nervous.

[@audioconnectionaus]

Hi Assa! Both excellent options. Ultimately you'l lbe beholden to one app (either KEF or BluOS). Admittedly the BluOS is more widely used and so theoretically has a greater base for development. Having said that the KEF app is really quite an excellent app these days and we very rarely have negative user experience reports on this. As a last resort, both units are Roon Ready. If you'd like, PM us and we can make an appointment to screenshare one of our devices in store, so you can take control and experience it yourself virtually, or just come into store. It's always best if you get to feel the apps yourself!

[@DRICKismyNAME]

clear choice for me mate, , Powernode because the BluOS ecosystem is getting bigger and bigger, and eventually you have way much more flexibility to expand or switch around, and powernode give you more options in terms on other function

[@AxelZein]

Forget the wireless II. They are good if they are wired. Wirless module send interferences on 5GHz channel 40. Tried two pairs, same result. Good speaker, crappy WiFi module. Will also go for LS50 Meta + Powernode 2021

[@davidvishnukumar]

What colour is your KC62? The finish matches the titanium ls50’s perfectly. Last i checked they only had black/white KC62s

[@audioconnectionaus]

Hi there, could just be the lighting but it is a black

[@sjundemartelaere]

It seems the black one with a heavy light on it.

[@sjundemartelaere]

Since january 2023 KEF also sells a titanium grey one. It suits excellent with my LS50 Meta's.

[@EastSide_Motel]

Geez that is a beefy power cable, did you make that your self or buy off the shelf ? And do you think an aftermarket makes a difference in sound ?

[@snowie1]

Has the lip sync problems been addressed with this 2021 model?

[@vitaly749]

why did you connect the subwoofer with lte and not with smart connect? i have the same setup

[@jasperstromy2778]

Can you use an external dac? From a cd transport to dac to powernode....eliminating the dac on the powernode?

[@audioconnectionaus]

Yes you can! We have a few clients using exactly that, where they go digital out into a DAC/Integrated amp. But in this case you'd be better off buying just the Node version instead of the Powernode, especially as you won't be using the amplifier with this signal path.

[@itsallgooddm1]

Not compatible with KEF LS50 ii, cannot work wirelessly with KEF or Sonos. Does not work.

[@Pygmyer]

I have to highly disagree about your praisal of the Bluesound App. This is by far the most frustrating and unintuitive piece of..design I've ever seen, ever, period. Nothing is working the way it should, there's no way to just select your inputs and sources, the presets only contain the first 50 songs of any playlist, this while system is insanely frustrating to use. Last night I spent two hours trying to disconnect the Bluetooth headphones I had connected and to get music okay through the analogue output again. It didn't work, so I cut the power and force-reset the Node. Now I'm trying to get sound from the optical input, out the analogue output into my headphone amp. You can't just select the output, the supposed "auto select" doesn't work, either. As far as I'm concerned, there's no way of getting this to work because basic, user-friendly options and menues just are not implemented. This is hilariously awful. I'm boggled as to how anyone enjoys this.

[@josephfranceski1041]

Thing like this are never as easy to use as they make them out to be. That is my experience as well. I have been debating the benefit of the Bluesound Node X which looks cool, but is it really easy to use? I do wonder.

[@yoyoh0neysingh]

Naa man not easy to use. Been almost an year and play music via Bluetooth not through the app. Cannot find device it shows as always when wirelessly connected. Thinking of selling it as the interface is bad enough to be useless. Bluetooth quality is descent but I notice a difference with the app

[@jmpersic]

Can you access a NAS through BluOS?

[@audioconnectionaus]

Yes you can! Just needs some network configuration for it to work. Bluesound have an excellent help article here: support1.bluesound.com/hc/en-us/articles/203904628-How-do-I-connect-music-on-my-NAS-PC-or-iTunes-Shared-Music-to-Bluesound-

[@jmpersic]

@@audioconnectionaus Thanks for your reply. I look forward to trying out BluOS!