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I am always looking for ways to improve my audio options when gaming or listening to music in my home. After moving to Washington, where my personal office was traded for the dining room of a very cozy townhouse, I’ve been on the hunt for a way to not just enjoy sound while gaming, but improve the overall living space with music I can control from my desktop or phone. To my delight, a combination of Bluesound and PSB speakers, with the Bluesound Powernode Edge amplifier, has turned our downstairs space into a concert that never stops playing.
To give a breakdown of what I was working with previously, I have a Razer Leviathan V2 gaming speaker and subwoofer. This setup was amazing in my office, as the sound bar uses technology that specifically targets audio at the person gaming. While this is brilliant for a single-person experience, it’s been less lovely for my family, who aren’t standing directly in front of the speakers while I am playing Vance Joy or Owl City. This creates a more garbled, muffled listening experience away from the desk.
To fix this, we set up two PSB Alpha P3 bookshelf speakers in the main room, hooked to the Powernode Edge amplifier, and then stood a Bluesound Pulse M on my desk. The results were something I wasn’t remotely prepared for.
Key Details
- Developers: PSB and Bluesound
- Price:
- Bluesound Powernode Edge: $749
- Bluesound Pulse M: $499
- PSB Alpha P3 Compact Bookshelf Speakers: $299
- Review Samples Provided: Yes
The PSB Alpha P3 Compact Speakers Are Small But Mighty
When unboxing the PSB Alpha P3 speakers, my first thought was that they were quite small. I was worried that their size and a lack of subwoofer might impact the sound. After wiring them up to the Powernode Edge, however, I was immediately proven wrong.
These compact speakers drench the room in beautiful sound. The bass is rich and is complemented by excellent projection that provides clear, crisp notes to every corner of my living room.
The speakers are easy to set up. We used standard wire that we threaded from the Powernode Edge to each speaker. They also offer Banana speaker cable plugs for an even easier setup.
The one downside to these speakers is that once they are set up, it’s not ideal to move them. While they don’t require power plugs, the tangle of speaker wire can make for a bit of a fuss if you want to switch them between the entertainment system for gaming in the living room, over to the PC. However, the workaround for this is pairing these PSB speakers up with the Bluesound Pulse M.
Bluesound is my New Best Friend
While the PSB Alpha P3 speakers are beautiful on their own, it’s their combination with the Bluesound Powernode Edge amplifier and Pulse M speaker that elevates this setup to something every audio enthusiast is going to want access to.
By hooking the PSB speakers to the Powernode, you gain access to the Bluesound app. The BluOS is a game-changer, allowing users to control what is playing from literally anywhere. The amplifier can be hooked to your TV and home gaming systems to offer a cinematic audio option while diving deep into Where Winds Meet, or it can be toggled via your smart device to play music from a slew of applications like Spotify, Audible, and Tidal.
Now, add in the Pulse M, and you can literally control what you are listening to from anywhere in your house. The Pulse M connects wirelessly to the Powernode Edge, allowing it to sync to any other speakers also connected to the amplifier. Through the BluOS, it can be synced to your PC, phone, or TV to play as a single speaker, or it can be grouped with the PSB Alpha P3 speakers to create surround sound without the need to run cables all the way around the house.
I am in love with this setup. I set the Pulse M up in the kitchen, and my child and I can jam out to KPop Demon Hunters while I cook dinner and he dances in the living room. I take the Pulse M to my desk, and it barely takes up a footprint, but allows me to listen to a podcast or playlist with my wife, whose desk is across the room next to the PSB speakers.
I can control the music from my phone or from my PC and can easily switch the input on my PC to project the sound from whatever it is I am playing. Nothing quite compares to the joy of Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar‘s stunning soundtrack humming around my living room while I build guides.
I Can’t Go Back To My Single Sound Bar
While I have always loved by Leviathan soundbar, and my LG Dolby Atmos soundbar paired with our TV, the surround sound of the Bluesound and PSB setup has completely changed how we listen to music and play games.
For games with important audio clues, like Silent Hill, I will always recommend a top-quality pair of gaming headphones for immersion and sound isolation, but when playing casually or just enjoying a cozy game, this combination of speakers can’t be beat. I’m spoiled rotten on audio that drops me right into what I have been playing, and it makes a gaming session all the more wonderful to participate in.
Final Score – 9/10
As a collection, the Bluesound and PSB gaming speaker setup scores a very solid 9/10. However, the star for me is definitely the Pulse M. I carry this speaker like a baby through my house, plugging it in to keep me company while doing dishes, folding laundry, or plugging away at work.
I can’t say enough good things about the BluOS application. Like all apps, it can have its hiccups and occasionally need a restart, but the ability to sync apps and then group audio equipment for specific needs is brilliant, and makes setting up easy, whether that’s an audiobook and crochet or the full orchestra of music from Expedition 33.
This is a slightly more elaborate setup than a standard plug-in speaker, but if you are looking for a way to level up your home gaming systems, the Bluesound Powernode Edge amp and Pulse M speaker combined with the PSB Alpha P3 Compact speakers will knock you right off your feet. It’s clean, looks fantastic, and puts the power of your home audio needs right in the palm of your hand.
**Bons Action was provided with samples of the Bluesound Powernode Edge, Bluesound Pulse M speaker, and PSB Alpha P3 Comapact speakers for the purpose of this review**
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