Bluesound’s wireless speakers and other audio hardware now have Apple Music support built-in, bringing the streaming service to another home speaker platform.
Multi-room audio company Bluesound is rolling out an update to BluOS, the software that controls its range of devices. The update adds support for Apple Music, bringing it to the company’s wireless speakers, stereo components, and soundbars.
The update not only affects Bluesound devices, but also other BluOS compatible devices. This includes audio hardware from NAD Electronics, PSB speakers, DALI speakers, Cyrus and Monitor Audio.
Bluesound owners can use the platform’s multi-room listing capabilities to stream Apple Music to multiple devices in one room or throughout the home. The media also streams directly to the Bluesound Player, without using a smartphone or tablet to stream the actual music.
To listen using Apple Music via Bluesound, you’ll need an iPhone or iPad to connect to the device using AirPlay 2. While this is an option for playing other audio, you don’t need to use a host device to handle the streaming element.
There’s also a simple sign-in process, as you only need to connect Apple Music once via the BluOS Controller app to play it on all compatible devices. You must have an active Apple Music subscription to use it, otherwise the upgrade is free for owners.
While introducing Apple Music support to a premium home audio brand is great, there’s one element not mentioned by the company. It’s unclear whether there is support for Lossless Audio or whether it is being left out, and we’ve asked about this.
More audio options
Bluesound is a premium, audiophile-focused brand, with prices to match. However, while Apple handles individual components that can work together, Bluesound can be used as part of a much more complex multi-room setup.
For example, at the cheaper end of the scale, the Bluesound Pulse Flex is a 50-watt all-in-one wireless streaming speaker, which costs $379. A more robust option might be the Bluesound Pulse M Omni-Hybrid wireless music streaming speaker, which is an 80-watt version that costs $599.
Then there’s the Bluesound Pulse 2i 150W Wireless Multi-Room Smart Speaker with Bluetooth. It’s $999 for a speaker on Amazon.
For people with existing audio equipment, the Bluesound Node Nano is a music streamer that connects to an amplifier or powered speakers. The smart unit costs $429.
The Node Icon is a larger version with a dual-mono DAC design and a THX AAA headphone amplifier. It’s a more premium option at $1,299.
Bluesound also makes sound bars, including the 280W Pulse Cinema Mini Wireless Soundbar with Dolby Atmos for $999. The full-size Pulse Cinema Wireless Multi-Room Streaming Soundbar with 500W output and 16 drivers is also available for $1,499.
