Bluesound PULSE M – Omni-Hybrid Streaming Speaker with BluOS

The multi-room hi-res audio streaming system from Bluesound is now enriched by another solution: the new Bluesound PULSE M expands the range of the Canadian specialist by a particularly compact solution, which not only provides for flexible application possibilities in the entire house, but also features a new, so-called omni-hybrid design. Bluesound is convinced that this enables a particularly remarkable 360° sound stage.

Bluesound PULSE M – Another Wireless Speaker with BluOS

Bluesound already offers a series of wireless speakers based on the BluOS multi-room hi-res audio streaming platform, which are characterised not least by the fact that they can be combined almost at will to enable music streaming throughout the home in the most convenient way.

In this respect, it is to be welcomed that with the new Bluesound PULSE M, a further option has been added, and one that presents itself as a particularly compact solution and is nevertheless intended to provide rich, room-filling sound.

360° room-filling sound

As already mentioned, the manufacturer promises no less than 360° room-filling sound, using a special construction, the so-called Omni-Hybrid Design.

Inside the new Bluesound PULSE M you will find an angled and upward radiating 5 1$ inch mid-woofer driver as well as two 3/4 inch tweeters, which are angled 45° from each other. In addition, there is a specially designed acoustic reflector positioned above the mid-woofer driver that deflects the sound to achieve the promised 360° dispersion into the room.

Sound purists may not consider this to be “pure doctrine” and are of course quite correct, but on the other hand, solutions such as the new Bluesound PULSE M should be seen from a completely different perspective than conventional stereo systems, which have to achieve the most accurate reproduction possible.

With solutions such as the new Bluesound PULSE M, the focus is actually on providing the most appealing sound possible to the room from just one source, and that is precisely what this new solution is designed to do.

This is ensured, for example, by DSP-based signal processing, which drives a Class D amplifier that develops a power of 80 watts and thus ensures the necessary sovereignty of the compact Wireless Speaker with BluOS.

Of course, you can also combine the new Bluesound PULSE M with existing BluOS-compatible systems, first and foremost two Bluesound PULSE M to form a stereo pair, or use them in a home cinema group as rear surround speakers. The combination with a subwoofer is also possible, this should also be mentioned, whereby all this is done by means of BluOS and thus “wirelessly”.

The BluOS Wireless Hi-res Multiroom System

The BluOS system is considered one of the leading streaming platforms on the market, because it is not only supported by Bluesound itself, but also by solutions of the NAD brand and thus another brand of the Lenbrook Group, which also includes Bluesound itself as well as the software company BluOS, which is solely responsible for the development of the streaming platform. In addition, there are companies that are partners of the said software company BluOS, such as the Danish loudspeaker specialist Dali Speaker A/S and other providers. Up to 64 components can be combined into a multiroom audio streaming system via cable, and up to 16 via WiFi alone.

It allows access to own content in the network via simple data sharing (SAMBA) and supports all relevant data formats for audio data in Linear PCM up to 24 bit and 192 kHz and is also equipped for data encoded in MQA, but not DSD, for the sake of completeness.

In addition to its own content, countless streaming offers are available, whereby the spectrum here with TIDAL, Deezer, Spotify, Qobuz, Napster, Amazon Music, Apple Music and many, many more is probably the most extensive on the market. Of course, podcasts can also be played, as well as Internet radio, and solutions based on BluOS are also equipped for Apple AirPlay 2 and are considered Roon-ready.

It should also be mentioned that the new Bluesound PULSE M also has Bluetooth 5.0 and, in addition to SBC and AAC, also supports aptX and aptX HD, offers an analogue input in the form of a 3.5 mm stereo mini-jack and an optical S/PDIF interface as a digital input. Headphones can be connected directly via another 3.5 mm stereo mini jack.

Intuitive control

First and foremost, you can control the new Bluesound PULSE M directly on the device itself. For this purpose, there is a touch panel on the top that has a proximity sensor and thus automatically lights up when you approach it with your hand. Here, buttons for playback control and volume control are available as well as five preset buttons with which you can directly call up certain configurations such as favourite radio stations or playlists from streaming services.

All BluOS solutions are centrally controlled via the BluOS Controller App, which is available for Apple iOS, Google Android, Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS. This allows intuitive, swift navigation through own content and content of supported streaming services, of course the creation and editing of playlists and is also responsible for the simple setup and configuration of all systems.

It is also particularly noteworthy that BluOS is also ideally equipped for custom installation solutions, here one can even speak of the system that is most flexibly suited for this task, right down to “small” wireless speakers such as the new Bluesound PULSE M. Thus BluOS can be used with all leading home control systems, be it Crestron, Control4, URC, RTI, ELAN or KNX. For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned here that Bluesound Professional, a separate division of the Lenbrook Group, is dedicated solely to custom installation solutions.

Compact in dimensions, elegant in appearance

As already mentioned, the new Bluesound PULSE M should prove to be a particularly compact solution that finds its place everywhere. This is ensured by dimensions of only 204 mm in height, 149 mm in depth and 171 mm in width.

It should be particularly emphasised that the manufacturer also provides a wall-mounting option for the new Bluesound PULSE M, namely via the Bluesound WM230 wall bracket. In addition, the Bluesound FS230 floor stand is also available.

Prices and availability

The new Bluesound PULSE M is expected to be available immediately from specialist retailers, in black and matt white finishes. The recommended retail price is listed at € 549,-.

Getting to the point

Once again, Bluesound is expanding its range of so-called Wireless Speakers based on BluOS, namely the new Bluesound PULSE M. The special feature of this solution is that it is a particularly compact speaker for BluOS that can be flexibly integrated in any room, and which is nevertheless supposed to convince with its special Omny Hybrid speaker design with rich, room-filling sound.