Bluesound POWERNODE EDGE
Bluesound has built a leadership position in the audio streaming landscape by offering attainably priced, real-world-oriented components. A brand in the Lenbrook portfolio, Bluesound sits at the intersection of mainstream and audiophile markets. This is my first review of a Bluesound product but I have known the brand by reputation for both their streaming hardware and their software ecosystem known as BluOS which is used by other Lenbrook brands such as NAD.
For the last couple of months, I have been using and evaluating the Powernode Edge ($649), a streaming-focused, compact integrated amplifier. Given the digital orientation of this product, my review and experience have been shaped by the software interface almost as much as the sound of the amplifier itself.
As a product manager by profession, one of my responsibilities is to look for unsolved problems in my market, quantify those opportunities and guide the development of a product that solves those problems. The jackpot from a product management perspective is to find an unsolved market problem with a demonstrably large applicable market and to offer a differentiated product that squarely solves the original challenge.
To me, the Powernode Edge could be a case study in product management. Most high-end audio products are niche devices that offer new flavours of existing solutions. For instance, I get excited when I see new turntables hit the market but they don't exactly address unsolved problems in the market broadly. The Powernode Edge offers a solution for space-and budget-constrained audiophiles by providing an alternative to sound bars and powered monitor speakers which both have some drawbacks. It enables the use of passive stereo speakers with an affordable streaming and TV-focused HiFi system. It's a specific market need, the applicable market is anyone on a budget who wants a high-quality music streaming experience and incorporates a smart TV into their sound system. That could be just about anyone. Let’s wear our dual audiophile and product management hats and see how the Powernode Edge performs.
Features & Specifications
By audiophile definitions, the Bluesound Powernode Edge is an integrated amplifier. It includes streaming capabilities managed by the BluOS app or simple Bluetooth connectivity. An HDMI eARC input is included for integration with a TV. For additional sources, a dual-function 3.5mm input can accept optical or analog signals (only one at a time of course). With an RCA to 3.5mm adaptor, the Powernode Edge could accept the analog output from a phono stage. A simple wall mount bracket is included for attaching the Powernode Edge flush to a wall, allowing it to be hidden behind a TV.
Interestingly for such an affordable unit, the Powernode Edge also includes a dedicated subwoofer output.
The full list of specifications can be found on the Bluesound product page here.
Design & Build
Looking at the Edge from the front one could assume it is a wireless router, mini PC, or just about any other smart electronic device. The speaker terminals on the rear give away its true purpose. Handsome, compact and unobtrusive, the Powernode Edge could be right at home displayed in a media console, bookshelf, end table or hidden away completely.
Its slick case is mostly plastic, but it feels substantial and weighs more than its looks would imply. Crucially the connections on the rear all feel robust. As a piece of hardware, it easily passes muster for its modest price.
Daily Use & Setup
The Powernode Edge had the honour of being deployed in three different rooms of my house during its tenure here. As such, I came to appreciate its flexibility and I began to think of this review through the lens of usability as much as pure sonic performance.
First I installed the Powernode Edge in my office system driving my current reference speakers, the Celestial Deep Breath Evo 2-way monitors from Care Orchestra of Italy. Here I streamed music via AmazonHD within the BluOS app almost exclusively. Next, the Powernode Edge pulled double-duty handling sound from my TCL TV as well as streaming music via Apple AirPlay in my living room. It served as a drop-in substitute for the much more expensive Cambridge EVO 150 driving the PSB Synchrony B600 standmount speakers.
Also comes in white.
Finally, to challenge the flexibility of the Powernode Edge I installed it in my garage. I know, I know! The garage is the domain of the old AM/FM receiver and dry rotting Advent speakers, right? No longer! To give my three young kids more room to play I recently cleared out the garage and threw down some gymnastics mats. I mounted the Powernode Edge up in the rafters of my garage where I plugged it into the same outlet as my garage door opener. It turns out the PSB Alpha P5 speakers which Lenbrook included with the Powernode are also easily wall mountable via threads on their rear. So up in the rafters, they went. I had a full HiFi system in my garage - just one power cable and a couple of speaker cables, nothing dangling down below and the whole rig weighing just a few pounds.
Software
I’ve reviewed amplifiers with various degrees of integrated streaming, from the Vincent SV-228 with simple Bluetooth, the PS Audio Stellar Strata, with its basic app, and the Cambridge Audio EVO 150, a veritable Swiss army knife. All could function as traditional integrated amplifiers, with buttons, volume knobs and dedicated remotes. Not the case with the Powernode Edge which can essentially be operated only by the BluOS app or through a TV. Therefore to a greater degree than other products I’ve reviewed it lives or dies by its software. There are two aspects to consider. First, the quality and execution of the BluOS app and second, the actual features and functionality included within.
I found the BluOS simple to install. I just plugged the amp into the wall, connected to it via its WiFi hotspot mode, and then connected it to my WiFi network. I could then log into any streaming service I needed inside the BluOS app. The actual user interface of the app is intuitive, easy to navigate and responsive. One function that is buried in a menu is the standby switch for the amp which I thought could be placed more conveniently. Apple AirPlay and HDMI eARC worked seamlessly although it took a couple of hours being on the network for Apple devices to see the Powernode Edge. Bluetooth was robust, but in my experience, it could be frustrating that devices need to be manually disconnected from the Powernode Edge before a new device can connect.
In terms of features, the BluOS software checks almost all the boxes except a major one: BluOS does not support Chromecast! This was a total surprise to me given how feature-packed the app is otherwise. The reasons for this omission are surely complicated but Chromecast would open up a much broader user base for BluOS. This is important lately as upstart brand Wiim is offering a $300 streaming amp which includes many features of BluOS and Chromecast. Roon and Apple devotees will be well covered but Google users will need to use the embedded streaming services.
Listening
In my office reference system driving the 91-dB / 4 ohm Care Orchestra Deep Breath Evo monitors the Powernode delivered what I can call a full performance. I heard surprisingly tuneful bass from these power-hungry boxes. Articulate and substantial midrange as well. Treble information was detailed and important for any budget audio component, it was free from uncomfortable grain and harshness. My AmazonHD stream of Leonard Bernstein's 1987 live recording of Mahler Symphony No. 5 with the Vienna Philharmonic (Deutsche Grammophon) started with a convincing trumpet fanfare to open the famous funeral march. The rich tone drew me into the narrative and the decent spatial separation of orchestra sections helped paint a full picture of the performance. Dynamics were of course limited while driving 4-ohm speakers with 40 watts, but in my 14 by 14-foot office, I had decent headroom. At uncomfortable volumes, the sound of the orchestra became more of a solid wall as opposed to just expanding in 3D space as with higher-end amplifiers. I played a lot of challenging material driving high-end low-impedance speakers in this room and came away impressed that the Powerenode Edge held up throughout.
The Powernode Edge shone in my living room system where it integrated with my TCL TV and streamed music via Apple AirPlay, driving the PSB Synchrony B600 monitor speakers. Engineered with TV in mind, the Powernode Edge worked smoothly when using eARC. In terms of performance, all sorts of shows and movies sounded fantastic. I gave the Powernode Edge a workout watching Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse and Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse. With the slightly easier-to-drive PSB speakers, I experienced respectable dynamics, crisp vocals, and expansive spatial cues which I appreciated while watching an action movie on a 2-channel stereo system.
When fed a steady streaming diet of West Coast and soul jazz from favourites like Art Pepper, Shelly Manne and Houston Person, I came to appreciate the Powernode’s ability to create pleasurable tones. While short of goosebump-inducing realistic timbre the Powernode Edge delivered performance I could live with in the long term if I did not regularly review amplifiers in the $1500-5000 range.
The flexibility and usability of the Powernode Edge were on full display when I installed it in an impromptu garage system. The little box was living its best musical life up in those rafters because of the amount of fun it delivered to my whole family. Pumping pop hits, the kids have a bonafide dance club in that garage now. Driving the diminutive 8-ohm PSB Alpha P5 I had to limit the volume to about 75% only to avoid bugging the neighbours.
Equipment Matching
After using the Powernode Edge in such varied implementations with different speakers, my impression is that it is tuned to be neutral and accommodating. When using price-similar speakers the overall character of sound will be influenced by the associated speakers and room acoustics much more than any personality from the Powernode Edge itself. Speaker selection should be driven by personal taste. One constraint worth mentioning for the audiophile crowd is the technical capabilities of the power amp section. Budget speakers tend to be easy to drive, so price-matched speakers should present a solid match. Just have realistic expectations about the impedance/sensitivity of the speakers and aim for higher impedance, higher sensitivity or both unless using the Powernode Edge in a smaller space. Apartment dwellers should be fine with just about anything.
Conclusion
Most products I’ve reviewed are designed to live in a dedicated two-channel stereo system, probably in a fancy equipment rack in a room with carefully considered acoustic properties. Some of the more approachable products might sell in the thousands of units while the more niche might sell a few dozen. All have their merits. The Powernode Edge ($649)is unique among all these in that it can deliver most of the listening experience of a niche audiophile product while also being legitimately appealing to non-audiophile, mainstream consumers. People who have never played an LP or even heard of a vacuum tube may try for a Powernode Edge with passive speakers as a first entry into the realm of audiophilia. As with any software-centric product, one must consider their specific needs and preferred digital ecosystem, however, based on my experience the Powernode Edge is a great value and easily recommendable on both product quality and sonic capabilities.
