Audio Section

Built-In Class D Amplifier: The PSB Alpha iQ powered speaker system delivers 180 watts of Class D amplification. Each speaker is equipped with a built-in 90 watt Class D amplifier, delivering 30 watts to each tweeter and 60 watts to each woofer for dynamic, room-filling sound. The addition of DSP (digital signal processing) ensures optimum sound reproduction with a wide-frequency response and low bass extension, plus high output and no audible distortion.

Two-Way Driver Design: The PSB Alpha iQ powered speaker system utilizes a two-way driver, featuring a custom 0.75" aluminum dome tweeter and 4" polypropylene woofer in each speaker. As with many PSB designs, the tweeter is placed below the woofer. With this arrangement, the blend between woofer and tweeter remains consistent whether you're sitting or standing.

• 0.75" Aluminum Dome Tweeter with Waveguide: Each Alpha iQ powered speaker features a 0.75" aluminum dome tweeter that extends the high-frequency response beyond the Alpha's original measurements and minimizes distortion for a rich, balanced listening experience. The tweeter incorporates a neodymium magnet and ferrofluid damping greater efficiency and lower distortion. A waveguide on the front of the tweeter works to perfect on and off-axis performance while smoothing the response for improved resolution and detail.
• 4" Polypropylene Woofer with Rubber Surround: Each Alpha iQ powered speaker houses a 4" textured polypropylene cone woofer with rubber surround in a steel cast basket for accurate mids and bass performance. Featuring a dual layer voice coil with a very powerful magnet structure and a cone that is made from a special textured polypropylene compound, the woofer is able to handle high outputs level with low distortion.

Bass Reflex MDF Enclosure: Each speaker of the Alpha iQ employs a bass reflex cabinet design with a rear-firing port for greater efficiency and bigger, smoother bass response. The speaker cabinet features MDF construction and has a unique combination of wall thickness and bracing to control resonances and provide a perfect platform for the driver components. The speaker cabinet's internal damping material was first used in PSB's most high-end models, and has now been adopted by the Alpha series and positioned precisely for optimum effectiveness. The cabinet is finished in a premium matte black or white vinyl material.

High Resolution Audio: The PSB Alpha iQ has an audiophile-grade DAC that supports high-resolution audio resolution to 24-bit/192kHz, and has full MQA decoding and rendering capability for high-res streaming (including Tidal). 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 Alpha iQ also supports compressed music files such as MP3, AAC, WMA and OGG. The speaker system 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). It  also offers gapless playback by default for all supported file music types.

MQA (Master Quality Authenticated): The PSB Alpha iQ system supports MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) decoding and rendering. 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. Support for MQA decoding and rendering ensures your will hear the music exactly like the source and the way the artist intended you to hear it when it was approved in the studio.

USB Port: The PSB Alpha iQ 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. Audio from the USB port can be played back at the PSB Alpha iQ and wirelessly distributed to other BluOS speakers in your home for multiroom playback.

• The USB port is not compatible with the direct connection of an Apple iOS or Android device.
• There is also a second USB port that can only be used for service purposes only.

HDMI eARC: The PSB Alpha iQ features an HDMI eARC jack to connect the powered speaker system to your TV's HDMI eARC or ARC input. The HDMI eARC jack only supports 2ch PCM (up to 24-bit/192kHz). Audio from the HDMI eARC jack can be played back at the PSB Alpha iQ and wirelessly distributed to other BluOS speakers in your home for multiroom playback.

• HDMI eARC jack is not compatible with with Dolby Digital, DTS, or other multichannel audio formats.
• The HDMI eARC jack does not support video transmission.

Optical Digital Input: The optical (toslink) digital input allows you to connect the Alpha iQ powered speaker system to your TV or other digital audio source device. The optical digital input supports 2ch PCM audio up to 24-bit/48kHz. Audio from the optical digital input can be played back at the PSB Alpha iQ and wirelessly distributed to other BluOS speakers in your home for multiroom playback.

Phono Input: The Alpha iQ powered speaker system is outfitted with a Phono MM Input for connection of a turntable that features a MM (moving magnet) cartridge. Audio from the Phono input can be played back at the PSB Alpha iQ and wirelessly distributed to other BluOS speakers in your home for multiroom playback.

Aux Input: The PSB Alpha iQ powered speaker system features a 3.5mm Aux input for connection and audio playback of an external source device with an analog output or headphone jack. Audio from the Aux input can be played back at the PSB Alpha iQ and wirelessly distributed to other BluOS speakers in your home for multiroom playback.

Sub Out: The PSB Alpha iQ powered speaker system is equipped with a mono-RCA subwoofer output for connecting a powered sub (sold separately - see Accessories Tab). When a subwoofer is connected, you can use the BluOS Controller app on your Apple iOS or Android OS device to engage a low-pass filter for the sub and  a high-pass filter for the mains, freeing up the Alpha iQ speaker system from having to produce deep bass sounds.

Network & Bluetooth Integration

Wired or Wireless Network Connection: The PSB Alpha iQ 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 fewer 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 Alpha iQ directly to your router or home network using an Ethernet cable (sold separately).
• Wireless WiFi Setup: A wireless connection allows you to place the BluOS component 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.

BluOS Wireless High-Resolution Multiroom Audio: The PSB Alpha iQ 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, 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 (from computers and NAS drives); as well as analog & digital inputs (including HDMI & Optical).
• Number of BluOS Zones: Up to 16 BluOS compatible devices can be connected in a strictly wireless environment. Demonstrated practice has shown that you can create up to 8 groups of 8 BluOS devices or 4 groups of 16 BluOS devices. If you want to connect more than 16 BluOS devices, you will need to connect the devices to your network using a wired connection. BluOS can then control up to 64 devices in a strictly wired environment.

Online Music Services: Many popular music streaming services and internet radio apps are built right into BluOS eco-system, 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 the PSB Alpha iQ or any BluOS product 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 the PSB Alpha iQ using the BluOS controller app. 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 PSB Alpha iQ 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. 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 PSB Alpha iQ 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 Controller 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 BluOS Controller app 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 through the BluOS Controller app. 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. The BluOS eco-system 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.

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 PSB Alpha iQ. You can even watch movies and videos from Netflix or YouTube on your Apple device while streaming the audio through to the speaker system. AirPlay 2 also gives you more options for control, including using Siri voice assistance. If you are an Apple Music subscriber and add the Alpha iQ 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 group the Alpha iQ with other AirPlay 2 compatible BluOS products and even older BluOS products in the BluOS Controller App to add AirPlay 2 compatibility to your entire BluOS system.

Computer Audio: The PSB Alpha iQ with BluOS 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 speaker 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 (Vista-up) & Mac (OS X 10.15-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.

Roon Ready: Roon Ready network devices (such as the PSB Alpha iQ and other BluOS compatible products) 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 Alpha iQ, Bluesound product, or other Roon device in which you want to hear it on.

Bluetooth Audio Streaming: Th PSB Alpha iQ offers built-in Bluetooth 5.0 with two-way wireless communication and support for aptX HD. You'll be able to wirelessly stream high-quality audio from your smartphone, tablet, or computer to the Alpha iQ speaker system. You'll also be able to use the Alpha iQ as a source and wirelessly stream its audio content to a set of Bluetooth headphones (sold separately). The speaker system offers SSP (Simple Secure Pairing) and can be paired with multiple devices, but only one device can be played back and connected at a time.

• aptX HD: aptX HD is an enhanced codec that supports 24-bit audio over Bluetooth and has been engineered to improve the signal-to-noise ratio, resulting in lower background noise. With the ability to support streams up to 24bit/48kHz, you're able to wirelessly stream from an aptX HD compatible device to the speaker system without sacrificing sound quality and listen to "better-than-CD" quality audio.
• Two-Way Communication: The Alpha iQ offers two-way Bluetooth, featuring both Receive and Transmit functionality. Receive capability allows you to wirelessly stream from your device to the speaker system. The Transmit capability means you can also use the Alpha iQ as a source and wirelessly stream its audio content to a set of Bluetooth headphones (sold separately).

Control & Mounting Options

BluOS Controller App: The free BluOS Controller app (for Apple iOS 9.3-up, Android OS 5.0-up, Windows PC (Vista-up), and Mac OS X 10.15-up) turns your mobile device or computer into a full-featured wireless remote control for the PSB Alpha iQ and the BluOS wireless multiroom audio system. The BluOS Controller app on your compatible device uses your home's WiFi network to connect with BluOS 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 BluOS, 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.
• Firmware Updates: Firmware and software updates from Bluesound are delivered to the PSB Alpha iQ via your home network's Internet connection and the BluOS Controller app.

Alexa BluVoice Skills: Using BluVoice Skills and an Amazon Alexa device (sold separately), 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, ask BluVoice to" or "Alexa, tell BluVoice to". Alexa Skills for BluOS will need to be setup through the Amazon Alexa app (for Apple iOS or Android OS).

• The PSB Alpha iQ does not feature a built-in microphone and requires a separate Alexa device (sold separately) for voice control.
• Click here for more information regarding Alexa setup and voice commands.

Top-Panel Touch Controls: The PSB Alpha iQ offers capacitive touch controls on the top-panel for quick access to basic basic playback functions such as Play/Pause and Volume Up/Down.

IR Learning: The PSB Alpha iQ also offers IR learning. It does not come with its own IR remote control, but does feature an IR receiver for use with universal remote controls (sold separately).

Custom Integration: The PSB Alpha iQ and BluOS offer seamless integration with some of today's most innovative 3rd-party smart-home control systems such as Control4, Crestron, Lutron, ELAN, RTI, and more.

Mounting & Placement Options: The compact Alpha iQ powered speaker blends into almost any decor and is perfect for the office, living room, kitchen, or bedroom. The powered speaker can be placed on a tabletop, desktop, shelf, or stand. As symmetrically as possible, place the Alpha iQ powered speakers at a comfortable listening location with no obstructions at the front or back. PSB recommends at least 3" of clearance around the back of both speakers. Good air circulation is required for heat dissipation, and to ensure proper performance of the rear-firing ports; similar positioning and clearance should be used for both speakers.

• The included self-adhesvie rubber feet help to secure the speakers in position and isolate the speakers from the mounting surface. The self-adhesive rubber feet add approximately 0.125" to the overall height of the speakers.
• The PSB Alpha iQ does not include a bracket, keyhole slot, or threaded insert to wall-mount the speaker system.

Power Requirements: Both speakers of the PSB Alpha iQ system will need to be plugged into an AC power outlet. Each speaker comes with a detachable 6.5' AC power cord will plug into the back of the respective speaker and in an AC wall outlet or surge-protector (sold separately - see Accessories Tab).