Feature Request: Per-mode Center Channel setting & Streaming as a configurable source (Powernode N331)

Answered

Alexander E.

• October 02, 2026 08:17
• Edited

Dear Bluesound Support and Product Development Team,

I am writing to submit a feature request regarding the Bluesound Powernode (N331).
While the overall audio performance is great, there is a friction point with how the Center Channel behaves across different content types.

I really appreciate that BluOS already allows us to link specific Listening Modes to input sources (such as HDMI). However, there are two specific limitations that currently create friction when switching between watching movies and streaming music:

1. Center Channel toggle is global, not saved per Listening Mode:

   • Currently, turning the Center Channel on or off applies globally across the entire system.

   • Please allow the Center Channel state to be remembered independently within each Listening Mode.

   • In Movie and TV modes, the Center Channel should stay ON for dialogue clarity. When switching to Music mode, the Center Channel should automatically stay OFF to preserve an authentic 2.0 / 2.1 stereo soundstage without having to manually change it in the audio settings every time.

2. Add "Streaming" as a configurable Input Source:

   • While physical inputs like HDMI can be configured with a default Listening Mode, streaming services (TIDAL, Spotify, Qobuz, Radio Paradise, etc.) are not available as distinct sources in the source settings.

   • If BluOS included Streaming in the input sources list, we could set its default Listening Mode to Music.

With these two changes, the entire experience would become fully automatic: watching TV via HDMI would engage TV/Movie mode with the center speaker active, and starting a stream on TIDAL would instantly engage Music mode with the center speaker disabled for pure stereo.

This would be a massive quality-of-life upgrade for everyone using the Powernode N331 as a unified system for both home theater and critical music listening.

Thank you for your time, consideration, and continuous support of BluOS.

Best regards,
Alexander 

1

• Official comment

  

  Tony W.

  Product Support Manager

  • October 02, 2026 19:16

  Hi Alexander
  
  Yup we thought of that and it already works... in that same Audio Settings page, you will see Stereo Surround. On the N331 in my home I have Stereo Surround enabled on TV and Movie Mode but disabled in Music Mode. So when listening to Music not only are the rears not working, neither is the centre, even though the centre is enabled, no audio is coming through it as you are only hearing a 2-channel mix.
  
  Stereo Surround disabled will play up to 5 channels IF there are 5 channels to play but only pays what is encoded.
  
  Stereo Surround enabled creates a virtual rear AND centre channel mix when none exists in the encoding.
  
  Feel free to leave Centre enabled and Disable Stereo Surround in Music Mode.
  
  I will also ask The Support Crew to close the open request you have with them asking this same question.

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