Premium wireless streaming speakers
Roon Ready Writeups returns with a look at one of the most popular device categories among Roon customers: All-in-One Speakers. Due to their popularity, we receive a lot of speaker questions from our customers. The most frequently asked is, “Which is the best speaker if I want to ….?”
Fortunately, there are several stellar options that satisfy the dizzying range of possibilities represented by the ellipsis in the previous sentence. Let’s start with two Bluesound speakers that are staff and customer Roon Ready favorites – the Pulse 2i and its smaller sibling, the Pulse Mini 2i.
The Pulse 2i is Bluesound’s premium all-in-one stereo speaker. It delivers 150 watts of NAD Electronics bi-amplified, room-filling sound to two 5.25″ woofers and two 1″ dome tweeters by PSB. The Pulse 2i produces stunning full-range audio from an enclosure that’s roughly the size of a shoebox. Everything I played through this speaker was nicely detailed and deeply satisfying; it shines with symphonies, saxophones, and singer-songwriters.
The Pulse Mini 2i is its downsized sibling. It’s small but punches above its weight, delivering 100 watts of lovely NAD bi-amped audio via 4 PSB drivers, two 4″ mid-bass woofers, and two 0.75″ dome tweeters. The sound quality belies its miniature footprint. If you’re like me, you’ll catch yourself looking at this speaker in disbelief while putting together ingredients in the kitchen.
Aside from their power and physical differences, Bluesound has designed both speakers with the same core feature set. Both support Roon’s most utilized formats: FLAC (up to 24/192kHz), WAV (up to 24/96kHz) MQA, and MP3. As well as AAC, WMA, WMA-L, OGG, ALAC, and AIFF. Rear-mounted connection points include:
- 1 USB Type-A port for connecting a flash drive
- 1 USB Mini B for servicing
- 1 combination mini-stereo/optical audio input (adapter included)
- 1 mini-stereo headphone out
- 1 RJ45 gigabit ethernet port
While we always recommend using a wired ethernet connection when possible, both speakers feature robust dual-band WiFi connectivity for when you want to grab your speaker and head for the patio, garage, or pool. Both provide rock-solid and hassle-free Roon Ready connectivity in addition to TIDAL Connect, Airplay 2, Spotify Connect, and Bluetooth 5.0 aptX HD. Setting up with Bluesound’s BluOS app is intuitive and effortless; see the how-to video below.
The speakers have a moisture-resistant, sealed, wedge-like design with top-mounted touchpad controls. Roon Advanced Audio Transport (RAAT) implementation guarantees that those controls are fully integrated with Roon. Raise or lower the volume, pause, or change tracks from the speaker controls and Roon responds just as if you were in the app. Their unique shape and lack of rear bass porting make them perfect for corner placement. Both speaker enclosures accept a custom bracket from BlueSound for clean wall mounting.
Ideal customer use scenarios
Another strength of Bluesound speakers is their ability to satisfy a wide range of customer needs:
- If you’re an aspiring audiophile or someone who’s looking to add another Roon Zone, these are a great choice.
- Both are great-sounding options for the patio, bathroom, office, or kitchen. The Roon/Pulse Mini 2i combo has certainly made family meal prep more enjoyable at my home.
And, with a few easy clicks in the Blu-OS app, any of the following configurations are possible:
- A sleek all-in-one, Roon Ready stereo setup for a small apartment or larger room.
- A multichannel wireless surround system.
- A fixed, multi-speaker group that’s easily synced in Roon.
Problem-free enjoyment
More impressive than all of the qualities detailed above, however, is that they’re 100% reliable in Roon. I haven’t experienced any problems with these speakers since adding them to my Roon setup – not a single audio dropout or disappearing zone. A sum total of zero issues… that’s another sweet spot our customers seek in equal measure to sound quality. And Bluesound truly delivers when it comes to convenience. Roon customers’ feedback is completely consistent with my experience: they’re a pleasure when paired with Roon. There’s no fuss; it’s just you and your favorite music.
Our conclusion
The qualities described above are more than enough to earn our enthusiastic recommendation. But Bluesound’s crowning achievement is that they build wonderfully sounding speakers for an unbeatable price. The Pulse 2i and Pulse Mini 2i deliver rich, detailed, dynamic sound across their full frequency range. They’re exceptionally balanced in their voicing, there’s no artificial EQ enhancement to cause hearing fatigue. Bluesound delivers a natural sound stage that invites and rewards extended listening sessions. This is just exactly what you expect from a premium speaker; transparency, balance, and detail that brings you closer to your favorite music.
The Bluesound Pulse 2i and Pulse Mini 2i excel in that respect while adding a wealth of convenience and reliability. Simply add the Bluesound Pulse 2i and Pulse Mini 2i to your setup and enjoy Roon/Bluesound sound and convenience for yourself!
For more gear options, please see Bluesound’s partners page.
Bluesound Pulse 2i and Pulse Mini 2i FAQs
Are the Pulse 2i and Pulse Mini 2i Roon Ready?
- Yes! The Pulse 2i and Pulse Mini 2i support wireless Roon streaming over your home network making them perfect options for adding additional music anywhere in your home.
Which file formats, and resolutions, are compatible with the Pulse 2i and Pulse Mini 2i ?
- Roon’s most utilized formats are supported! FLAC (up to 24/192kHz), WAV (up to 24/96kHz), MQA, and MP3 – in addition to AAC, WMA, WMA-L, OGG, ALAC, and AIFF.
What types of input and output connections are provided on the Pulse 2i and Pulse Mini 2i?
Physical connections include:
- 1 USB Type-A port for connecting a flash drive
- 1 USB Mini B for servicing
- 1 combination mini-stereo/optical audio input (adapter included)
- 1 mini-stereo headphone out
- 1 RJ45 gigabit ethernet port
Wireless connectivity support for:
- Roon Ready connectivity plus dual-channel Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 5.0 aptX HD
- TIDAL Connect, Airplay 2, Google Assistant, Spotify Connect, Live Radio, and others via Bluesound’s BluOS app
Tech specs:
Pulse 2i
- Loudspeakers: 2 x 5.25″ PSB woofers; 2 x 1″ PSB tweeters
- Total amplification power: 150 watts bi-amplified (65W x 2 woofers; 10W x 2 tweeters)
- Frequency response: 45-20,000 Hz
- Total Harmonic Distortion: THD+N 0.030%
- Dimensions: 16.5″ (W) x 7.8″ (H) x 7.55″ (D)
- Weight: 11 lbs, 2 ozs
- Warranty: 1 year
Pulse Mini 2i
- Loudspeakers: 2 x 4″ PSB woofers; 2 x .75″ PSB tweeters
- Total amplification power: 100 watts bi-amplified (40W x 2 woofers; 10W x 2 tweeters)
- Frequency response: 50-20,000 Hz
- Total Harmonic Distortion: THD+N 0.030%
- Dimensions: 13.2″ (W) x 6.8″ (H) x 6.1″ (D)
- Weight: 7 lbs, 15 ozs
- Warranty: 1 year
What’s in the box?
Pulse 2i and Pulse Mini 2i come with:
- Bluesound wireless speaker
- 2 AC power cables (US and European)
- Optical to 3.5mm adapter
- Ethernet cable
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty/Safety Guide