About the Bluesound PULSE FLEX 2i

Ultra-compact high-performance speaker
Ultra-compact high-performance speaker

A sealed enclosure lets you use the PULSE FLEX 2i in a kitchen or bathroom.
The Bluesound PULSE FLEX 2i is more than a compact wireless speaker. It's a high-performance wireless speaker that can be part of a Bluesound multi-room audio system. When it's linked to your home Wi-Fi network, it can stream high-resolution music with amazing accuracy. And built-in Bluetooth means you can play music from your phone and other sources, even when you're not on Wi-Fi.
The PULSE FLEX 2i has a moisture-resistant sealed enclosure, so you can use it in a bathroom or kitchen. Or combine two with a PULSE SOUNDBAR+ and PULSE SUB+ to create an incredible wireless 5.1 home theatre audio system.
Compatible with AirPlay 2*
Built-in Apple AirPlay 2 technology lets you stream audio directly from your iPhone®, iPad®, or Mac® computer through your Bluesound system. That includes soundtracks from YouTube® videos and Netflix movies.
And if you subscribe to Apple Music®, you can do even more. Use Siri on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV 4K to control Apple Music with voice commands. Tell it what selection or playlist to play — and which Bluesound speakers or components you want it to play through.
*Firmware update required.
High-quality Bluetooth streaming
The PULSE FLEX 2i features aptX® HD Bluetooth streaming for higher-fidelity sound with compatible Bluetooth devices. The system is backward-compatible with earlier forms of Bluetooth, too. You can even share that Bluetooth source with other Bluesound music players around your house that are connected to your network.
A universe of music options
Bluesound is compatible with virtually all digital music formats — including high-resolution files up to 24-bit/192kHz. Access the music stored on your computer or a networked hard drive. Stream from internet radio stations and online services like Spotify®, Pandora, Deezer, and TIDAL (including their high-res MQA service tier). You can also enjoy downloads from high-res music sites such as HDtracks.
A USB input conveniently lets you play files "locally" from a flash drive or hard drive — ideal when friends come over with their own music.
Control it all with an app
The BlueOS controller app is a free download for both Apple® and Android™ devices. Select songs from your smartphone or tablet. The app displays all of your music services, internet radio stations, and digital music libraries stored on your computer or server. Play music in one room, all rooms, or different tracks in different spaces around your home through BluOS-compatible speakers and players.
Product highlights:
- communicates with other Bluesound players via your home network (wired or wireless)
- plays MP3, AAC, WMA, WMA-L, OGG, FLAC, MQA, ALAC, WAV, and AIFF files
- supported sample rates: 32kHz to 192kHz
- supported bit depths 16-24
- one 3-1/2" woofer and one 1" tweeter
- power output: 25 watts (20W woofer + 5W tweeter)
- frequency response: 45-20,000 Hz
- two Pulse Flex 2i speakers can be paired together for room-filling stereo sound
- works with Amazon Alexa-compatible voice control assistants
BluOS Controller app:
- free download from Apple App Store and Google Play
- multi-room control and expansion with Bluesound/BluOS wireless speakers and components
- set up and customize your BluOS speakers and players
- select Bluetooth as an input, then redistribute the stream to other rooms via Wi-Fi
- access music stored on smartphone, tablet, computer or network drive
- stream from-compatible services such as Spotify Premium, Pandora, TIDAL, Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Deezer (subscriptions may be required)
General features:
- moisture-resistant sealed enclosure
- Bluetooth wireless audio streaming with aptX support for better sound with compatible devices
- Apple AirPlay® 2 lets you stream directly from an iPhone® or iPad® and ask Siri to play Apple Music
- firmware update required
- top-mounted controls for volume and muting
- USB Type-A port for connecting a flash drive with music files
- combination mini-optical/stereo minijack audio input
- headphone stereo minijack
- built-in dual band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz)
- Ethernet port
- detachable AC power cord
- 5"W x 7-3/16"H x 4-15/16"D
- weight: 2.7 lbs.
- warranty: 1 year
- MFR # PulseFlex2iwhite
What's in the box:
Bluesound PULSE FLEX 2i owner's manual
- Wireless speaker
- 6' AC power cord
- Optical-to-3.5mm adapter
- Quick Setup Guide
- Warranty Information
- License Agreement
Customer reviews for Bluesound PULSE FLEX 2i
Loading...
Loading reviews...
Average review:
4.5 out of 5 starsCustomer photos
This review was collected as part of a promotion
Pros:
Cons:
More details on the Bluesound PULSE FLEX 2i

Features & specs
Connections | ||
---|---|---|
Ethernet Port | Yes | |
USB Port | Type-A | |
3.5mm Input | 1 | |
RCA Input | No | |
XLR Input | No | |
Phono Input | No | |
Digital Input | Optical | |
HDMI Input | No | |
Headphone Jack | 3.5mm | |
Subwoofer Output | Optional Wireless | |
Wireless Features | ||
Bluetooth | Built-in | |
Wi-Fi | 802.11ac | |
Wi-Fi Bands | 2.4, 5GHz | |
Audio Specs | ||
Max. Digital Audio Bit Depth | 24-bit | |
Max. Digital Audio Sample Rate | 192 kHz | |
Ecosystems | ||
Apple AirPlay | Yes | |
Apple AirPlay 2 | Yes | |
DTS Play-Fi | No | |
Chromecast built-in | No | |
Roon | Ready | |
Sonos | No | |
HEOS | No | |
MusicCast | No | |
SoundTouch | No | |
Bose Home Speaker | No | |
WiSA | No | |
BluOS | Yes | |
Klipsch Stream | No | |
KEF Stream | No | |
Music Services | ||
Amazon Music | Amazon Music HD | |
Apple Music | AirPlay 2 | |
iHeart Radio | Yes | |
Pandora | Yes | |
Qobuz | Yes | |
SiriusXM | Yes | |
Spotify | Connect | |
Tidal | Connect | |
TuneIn | Yes | |
YouTube Music | No | |
Control | ||
Handheld Remote | Optional | |
Control by app | Apple iOS, Android | |
Amazon Alexa | Optional | |
Google Assistant | Optional | |
Other Specs | ||
Width (Inches) | 5 | |
Height (Inches) | 7.1875 | |
Depth (Inches) | 4.9375 | |
Parts Warranty | 1 Year | |
Labor Warranty | 1 Year |
Product Research
System Features
Variety of Sources
Intuitive Control
System Features
Pulse Flex 2i: The Bluesound Pulse Flex 2i wireless powered speaker employs various technologies; including advanced DirectDigital amplification from NAD Electronics, custom-tuned drivers from PSB Speakers, and BluOS multiroom audio software for seamless hi-res audio throughout your home. The end result is an innovative wireless powered speaker that delivers rich, detailed, and crystal-clear sound with no distortion.
- Two-Way Driver Design w/ Full-Range Sound: The Pulse Flex 2i houses one 1" dome tweeter and one 3.5" mid-bass woofer designed by PSB Speakers. The Bluesound Pulse Flex 2i offers a full-range sound with a frequency response of 45Hz to 20kHz.
- DirectDigital Amplifier w/ DSP: The Pulse Flex 2i utilizes a Direct Digital amplifier from NAD Electronics rated at 25 watts with 0.03% THD. State-of-the-art DSP equalization maximizes bass power and clarity.
Applications: The Bluesound Pulse Flex 2i is a versatile, full-range compact speaker that can be used in a variety of applications - including a single speaker setup, multiroom audio setup, 2ch stereo setup, or home theater setup. It can even be paired with Bluesound wireless powered subwoofer.
- Start with a single Flex 2i speaker and add more to create a wireless multiroom audio system.
- Two Pulse Flex 2i speakers can be paired together for room-filling stereo sound.
- Group two Pulse Flex 2i speakers together with a Bluesound Pulse soundbar (sold separately) and create a wireless surround sound system with dedicated rear channels.
- Add up to two Bluesound Pulse Sub+ wireless powered subs (sold separately) to a single Flex 2i speaker or a stereo pair of Flex 2i speakers for bigger bass response.
BluOS Wireless High-Resolution Multiroom Audio: The Bluesound Pulse Flex 2i wireless speaker is part of the BluOS wireless high-resolution multiroom audio eco-system - consisting of powered speakers, soundbar speakers, amplifiers, players, and hard-drives. The BluOS wireless high-resolution multiroom audio ecosystem uses your home's wired or wireless network to connect multiple Bluesound products and play your music in perfect sync, or different music simultaneously, anywhere in your home. Using advanced technologies (like dual-band WiFi and an ARM Cortex9 1GHz Processor), BluOS can wirelessly transmit lossless music up to 24-bit/192kHz at ultra-fast speeds with no lag and zero loss in sound quality.
- Compatible Multiroom Audio Sources: The following audio sources can be used for multiroom audio playback - internet radio (including TuneIn & iHeart Radio); online music services (including Tidal, Spotify, Amazon, Deezer, Slacker, and Napster); Bluetooth & USB audio, music libraries (computers and NAS drives); and Aux inputs (analog or digital).
- Number of BluOS Zones: Up to 16 Bluesound devices can be connected in a strictly wireless environment. Demonstrated practice has shown that you can create up to 8 groups of 8 Bluesound devices or 4 groups of 16 Bluesound devices. If you want to connect more than 16 Bluesound devices, you will need to connect the Bluesound devices to your network using a wired connection. BluOS can then control up to 64 devices in a strictly wired environment.
Wired or Wireless Network Connection: The Bluesound Pulse Flex 2i can be connected to your home network and Internet provider via a hardwired Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 jack connector or wireless 2.4/5GHz dual-band WiFi 802.11 b/g/n/ac connection. The 5GHz WiFi band offers a faster and more reliable connection with less interruptions and dropouts. Either network/internet connection allows you to stream music libraries from your Windows or Mac computer and NAS drive (such as the Bluesound Vault 2i, sold separately); as well as stream select online music services and internet radio.
- Wired Ethernet Setup: A wired connection to the network is simple and requires no setup. If you wish to use the wired connection, simply connect the Pulse Flex 2i directly to your router or home network using an Ethernet cable (sold separately).
- Wireless WiFi Setup: A wireless connection allows you to place your BluOS Player virtually anywhere inside your home, but does require setup through the BluOS app on your Apple iOS or Android device. If you are on a Windows PC (7/8/10) or Apple Mac, you'll use Bluesound's web browser based application. You'll be walked you through the set-up process step-by-step.
Notes:
- A wireless network connection will always be required for the BluOS Controller App.
- Bluesound exclusively utilizes the 2.4GHz wireless band when connecting to a Wireless-N router.
High Resolution Audio: High-resolution audio tracks are either 24-bit/96kHz or 24-bit/192kHz, and contain up to 6.5x more data than standard CDs, letting you hear all the detail of your favorite music in superior quality. With full support for hi-res audio, you can stream WAV, FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, WMA-Lossless, MQA music files over your home's WiFi network or directly from a connected USB mass storage class device. The Bluesound system also supports compressed music files such as MP3, AAC, WMA and OGG. Bluesound has been designed to work with today's larger music collections, and has indexed libraries up to 200,000 songs in demonstrated practice (this will depend on the music's metadata & artwork). Bluesound also offers gapless playback by default for all supported file music types.
Compression | File Type | Sampling Frequency | Bit Rate or Bit Depth | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Compressed | Lossy | MP3 | 16-48kHz | 192-320 kbps |
WMA | ||||
AAC | ||||
OGG | ||||
Lossless | WMA-Lossless | up to 96 kHz | up to 24-bit | |
FLAC | 192 kHz | up to 24-bit | ||
ALAC | ||||
MQA | ||||
Uncompressed | AIFF | up 192 kHz | up to 24-bit | |
WAV |
MQA (Master Quality Authenticated): Bluesound is the first wireless multiroom audio system to support MQA (Master Quality Authenticated). MQA is a revolutionary end-to-end technology that captures and delivers master quality audio in a file that's small enough to stream or download. Bluesound worked closely with MQA to implement technology inside each Bluesound component to ensure the listener will hear MQA encoded music and streams exactly like the source and the way the artist intended you to hear it when it was approved in the studio.
Headphone Output: A 3.5mm headphone jack is located on the rear of the Pulse Flex 2i for private listening with a set of headphones. The dedicated headphone driver is rated 0.0055% THD @1kHz, 35mW. It is designed for use with most headphones, with a minimum impedance of 14 ohms. The Pulse Flex 2i speaker will be muted when headphone are connected.
AC Power or Battery Power: The Bluesound Pulse Flex 2i operates off of standard household current using it's internal power supply and the supplied 6.5' detachable AC power cord. The optional Bluesound BP100 battery pack (sold separately) delivers 6 hours of high-resolution audio streaming.
Mounting Options: The Pulse Flex 2i speaker can simply be placed on a table-top, shelf, stand, desk, or other piece of furniture with a flat surface. There is also a M6 threaded insert on the back of the speaker which allows you to wall-mount it using Bluesound's VM100 wall-mount bracket (sold separately).
Firmware Updates: Firmware and software updates from Bluesound are delivered to the Pulse Flex 2i via your home network's Internet connection and the BluOS Controller app.
Variety of Sources
Online Music Services: Many popular music streaming services and internet radio apps are built right into BluOS, giving you an all-access pass to millions of songs and the freedom to listen to everything you want to hear. Using the BluOS Controller app, you can instantly discover and enjoy millions of songs from your existing music services, tune in to your favorite internet radio stations and podcasts from around the world, or access and listen to the music collections stored on your smartphone, tablet or laptop on any and Bluesound in your home. Subscription and purchase fees will apply to online music services.
- Amazon Music: Listen to millions of songs, thousands of playlists, and ad-free personalized stations with Amazon Prime & Unlimited Music. With the addition of Amazon Music HD, you will now be able to play Ultra HD music (24-bit/48kHz to 192kHz) on supported Bluesound devices from the BluOs App when choosing Amazon Music. An Amazon Music (Prime, Unlimited, or HD) subscription will be required
- Spotify Connect: If you subscribe to a free or paid Spotify subscription and have the Spotify App on your Apple iOS or Android smartphone, you can stream Spotify to the Bluesound system using Spotify Connect. Spotify is a digital music service that gives you on-demand access to one of the largest music libraries in the world (over 15 million tracks and counting). Spotify makes it easier than ever to discover, manage, and share music with your friends. You can browse music by artist, album, track, or most popular; and create your own music library with customized playlists.
- TIDAL Connect: The integration of Tidal Connect will enable Tidal users to instantly select and wirelessly stream music to the Bluesound device from within the Tidal app (for Apple iOS and Android OS). TIDAL is a global streaming service that offers over 30 million songs in high-fidelity CD sound quality. TIDAL has two pricing tiers; either $9.99 or $19.99 a month. Both pricing levels allow you to access TIDAL's entire music library. The $19.99 tier has the added benefit of high-fidelity sound at CD-level quality.
- Qobuz: Qobuz offers the biggest catalog of Hi-Fi and Hi-Res albums in the world, both for new releases and specialized genres. For hundreds of thousands of albums, Qobuz includes all the information you need to recreate the appeal of a real CD - the names of musicians, producers, lyrics (everything you need to know to appreciate your favorite albums). Qobuz offers MP3, CD, and Hi-Res quality subscriptions.
- Pandora: Pandora gives you a personalized listening experience that continually evolves with your music taste. Create stations from your favourite songs, artists or genres, search or browse to find recommended stations for your mood or activity, and discover podcasts that speak to you. From hip-hop and pop to rock and country, Pandora lets you play your favourite artists and stay up to date on today's top hits and releases
- SiriusXM: SiriusXM Internet Radio is accessible through the BluOS app and lets you listen to over 120 channels of commercial-free music, talk radio, news, sports, entertainment, and more. Subscription fees will apply.
- TuneIn: The Bluesound system includes access to more than 70,000 free internet radio streams from all corners of the globe via the TuneIn internet radio service. Just select the TuneIn logo from the main Music menu and browse among the 70,000 stations neatly organized into popular categories and select a station that appeals to your mood.
- iHeart Radio: iHeart Radio is a free, all-in-one digital radio and music streaming service that lets you listen to thousands of live stations from across the country and allows you to create personalized custom stations featuring songs from the artist you select and similar music.
- Napster: Napster is a streaming music subscription service (starting a $10 per month) that allows you to play the full-length songs you choose on demand from a collection of over 10 million songs, without ads and without having to purchase or download the music.
- Slacker: Get the sound quality that you deserve with the new Slacker music library available in high-quality AAC audio on Bluesound. Listen to music streams at a bitrate of 320kbps and enjoy all your favorite Slacker stations in pristine MP3-quality.
- Deezer: Deezer lets you explore over 53 million tracks (and counting), and discover artists and tracks you'll love with personalized recommendations from the Deezer Editors. Bluesound even supports Deezer HiFi for lossless quality ($19.99 per month).
- Other Services: Other online music services include HighResAudio, Murfie, JUKE, KKBox, SoundMachine, and more.
Computer Audio: The BluOS wireless multiroom audio system by Bluesound lets you easily connect and share your music collection from a computer or network-attached storage drive and access up to 200,000 tracks for wireless streaming. The BluOS wireless music system will pull music from an existing digital music library across the network on your Windows PC, Mac computer, or NAS drive using Windows or SMB File Sharing (SAMBA) and the BluOS Controller app for Windows (XP-up) & Mac (OS X 10.7-up). However, File Sharing is not enabled by default on Windows or Mac. You will have to manually alter these settings in your computer's menu system.
AirPlay 2: With AirPlay 2, you'll be able to stream just about any sound (including music, books, podcasts and more) from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to the Bluesound system - all in sync. You can even watch movies and videos from Netlfix or YouTube on your Apple device while streaming the audio through to the Bluesound system. AirPlay 2 also gives users more options for control, including using Siri voice assistance. If you are an Apple Music subscriber and add the Pulse Flex 2i to the Apple Home App on your iPhone or iPad, you can use your iOS device or HomePod to say things like - "Hey Siri, play jazz in the Living Room" or "Hey Siri, turn up the volume in the Kitchen." You can even group Gen 2i Bluesound products with older Bluesound products in the BluOS App to add AirPlay 2 compatibility to your entire BluOS system.
Roon Ready: Roon Ready network devices (such as Bluesound) have Roon's streaming technology built-in, and are certified by Roon Labs to provide the highest level of quality and performance in network streaming. Roon is a feature rich music library and playback application that compiles all the music files available to your network and makes them easily available to play across all other Roon enabled audio devices in your home. Roon manages digital music files (including FLAC, WAV, AIFF, ALAC, DSD, and MQA) collected on hard drives and networked storage. It can also watch your iTunes library, and optionally integrate with the Tidal and Qobuz music streaming services. Roon is available for mobile, laptop or desktop devices. When you open the Roon app, it will display your complete audio library together with its metadata and artwork along with all the Roon enabled devices around your house. Simply select the music you wish to play and the Bluesound product or other Roon device in which you want to hear it on.
Note: To use Roon you will need a Roon Core running on the same network as the Bluesound product. The Core is media server software that runs on your computer, NAS, or turnkey appliance (like Nucleus or ROCK - sold separately), located on the network within your home.
Bluetooth w/ aptX: The Bluesound Pulse Flex 2i features built-in Bluetooth 4.1 with support for wireless music streaming from your Bluetooth-enabled smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer. You'll be able to stream stored music, music apps, and other audio content on your Bluetooth-enabled device to the Pulse Flex 2i. In addition, the Pulse Flex 2i offers aptX for CD-quality sound from Android OS 4.0+ devices. You can even distribute Bluetooth audio to the rest of your Bluesound wireless audio system throughout your home or office over WiFi.
USB Port: The Bluesound Pulse Flex 2i features a USB (type-A) port to directly connect your USB mass storage class (MSC) device; such as a thumbdrive or external HDD. USB hard disk drives that require more than 0.5A of power will require a separate power supply. The unit's USB port supports music playback from these compatible USB devices formatted in FAT 32 or NTFS. Not only can USB audio be played back on the Pulse Flex 2i, but can also be wirelessly distributed to the rest of your Bluesound components throughout your home for multiroom playback.
Optical/Analog Input: The Pulse Flex 2i is fitted with a 3.5mm Aux input which can be used as an analog or digital connection. As an analog input, simply connect a stereo minijack audio cable from your analog source to the Pulse Flex 2i's Aux input. As a digital input, use the included 3.5mm-to-Optical adapter along with an optical digital cable (sold separately) to connect your digital source to the Pulse Flex 2i's Aux input. As an analog or digital input, the unit's Aux input supports 2ch PCM audio (not Dolby Digital or DTS). Audio from the Optical/Analog Aux input can be played back at the Pulse Flex 2i speaker and wirelessly distributed to other Bluesound components in your home for multiroom playback.
Intuitive Control
BluOS Controller App: The free BluOS Controller app (for Apple iOS 9.3-up, Android OS 4.1-up, Windows PC (XP-up), and Mac OS X 10.7-up) turns your mobile device or computer into a full-featured wireless remote control for the Pulse Flex 2i and the BluOS wireless multiroom audio system. The BluOS Controller app on your compatible device uses your home's WiFi network to connect with Bluesound devices, so you can play all the music you love anywhere in your home for a wireless multiroom music experience. Get on-demand access to your music libraries on your home network, stream live Internet radio from almost any place in the world, or listen to one of the many music services available on Bluesound, all from the palm of your hand with the easy-to-use BluOS Controller app.
- Multiroom Audio: Play a different song at the same time in different rooms, or group all your BluOS enabled devices together and listen to your favorite music in perfect sync throughout your home.
- Now Playing Screen: Control your music and adjust the volume in any room, get rich album artwork and detailed artist info, right from the Now Playing screen. Even check what quality you are streaming at to ensure the best possible listening experience.
- Individual Songs & Playlists: Tap a song and have it play instantly, or create and edit playlists on the fly by simply adding songs or entire albums to the play queue. Playlists can then be saved inside the app and listened to at any time.
Alexa & Google Assistant Voice Control: The Pulse Flex 2i will support Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice control through an over-the-network firmware update (now available). Using an Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant enabled device (sold separately - see Accessories Tab), you can use your voice to access your music libraries on your local network, select presets from online music services, control music playback functions such as Play/Pause/Skip, adjust volume levels, play music in different rooms, and even group rooms together. Each Alexa voice command will need to start with the phrase "Alexa or Google, ask Blue Voice to" or "Alexa or Google, tell Blue Voice to". Alexa and Google Skills for BluOS will need to be setup through the Amazon Alexa app (for Apple iOS 11.0+ or Android OS 4.4+) or the Google Home App (for Apple iOS 11.0+ and Android OS 5.0+ ).
Notes:
- The Bluesound device does not feature a built-in microphone and requires a separate Alexa or Google Assistant enabled device (sold separately - see Accessories tab) for voice control.
- Click here for more information regarding Alexa setup and voice commands. Clich here for more information regarding Google Assistant setup and voice commands.
Soft-Touch Controls: The Pulse Flex 2i offers soft-touch, top-panel controls to operate basic playback functions like Volume Up/Down, Play/Pause, and Previous/Next Track. There are also 5 preset buttons to store up to 5 of your favorite Internet Radio stations, online music services, and playlists.
Optional Remote Control: The Bluesound BLS RC1 (sold separately) is an IR remote control for Bluesound Gen 2 and Gen 2i speakers, streamers, and amplifiers running BluOS 3.6.2 or later. The BLS RC1 remote gives you convenient control over your Bluesound component with simple setup. Its streamlined button layout and dedicated controls let you easily control playback without having to use the BluOS Controller app on your smartphone or tablet. Plus, with the Bluesound BLS RC1 remote control, you can set-up and program up to 10 presets inside the BluOS Controller app and enjoy your favorite albums, playlists, and radio stations with a single touch of the remote.
Custom Integration: Bluesound offers seamless integration with some of today's most innovative 3rd-party smart-home control systems such as Control4, Crestron, Lutron, ELAN, RTI, and more.
Loading...
Loading accessories...
Customer Q&A
8 questions already asked
Loading...
Loading articles...
Small but powerful with crisp highs and solid mid-low end. Still breaking it in. I bought a Flex 2i to try after being impressed with my larger Pulse Mini 2i. I may yet try adding a battery pack. The Bluesound ecosystem is first class. Highly recommended.
David from New Orleans, LA