Hi All, Bluesound Powernode arrived today, v.easy setup, direct ethernet connection, found as roon ready (in roon), enabled in settings, and showing as a device connected to roon server directly. I have wireless speakers setup (non Bluesound speakers). My question is how is it actually integrated in the signal path where it adds performance? Should it be grouped via AirPlay? However when I group it into a zone (via AirPlay) it’s not visible in the signal path when I am playing a track. Looking at grouping in BlueOS app instead and it doesnt pick up or show my other wifi speakers on the same network. After research (pre purchase) I understood it would still add a lot of value to a wireless speaker setup, am I wrong? Pretty sure this is Amateur Hour stuff, but advice appreciated!
What wireless speaker setup? Can you describe it? I’ve found Bluesound really works best with Bluesound, never got it to reliably connect to my Chromecast speakers, let alone group them.
In Roon, grouped speakers are denoted with a name and a link (chain icon) indicator. What are you trying to do with this group?
What kind of value did you think it would add?
Hi Dan! I have a network of Audio Pro speakers setup, in roon via AirPlay - which works completely fine. In my head I thought the signal path should be something like (simplified)… Source(Qobuz) → Powernode → Speakers, as in image below (not taken from my setup), and re: the added value, I thought it would better support High Res streaming, and act as an amp to enhance speaker performance, to quote Bluesound “Audiophile-grade componentry capable of up to 24 bits/192 kHz hi-res audio, and wireless multi-room capabilities with smartphone controls combine to make the POWERNODE EDGE a great ‘building block’ amplifier to start, extend or complete a hi-res streaming audio system of any size.” 
In the image below it’s Lossless almost all the way through the path, thats what I was going for…
If I group it into a zone then it’s added as an end point which in this use case it isn’t as there are no speakers physically attached to it, so I’m trying to figure out how it should fit better in the signal path as in the image, or if I have just wasted a load of money
Follow up screen shots from my side, you can see Powernode is connected directly to Roon server, but I have obviously missed a trick as you can see in the other screen shot it’s not shown in the signal path, and the quality dropping from lossless, so how to actually deploy it? Seems like it is connected, but out of the signal loop…
Ok scratch that, I have spoken to Bluesound support, Bluesound devices have to be the endpoint, you need at least one speaker to be rigged up to the Powernode, it will not work in the setup I had thought of. whether you can then use that as a hub for the other wifi speakers TBD. Thanks