Originally Posted by
SeanST150
You absolutely should get Tidal HiFi (or Qobuz or Amazon HD) if you're running a Powernode and those speakers. Don't get confused with the fact you are using an app/phone to control it, I assume you are using the BluOS app, that is? This is little more than a glorified remote control; the source (Tidal Hi-Fi) is going directly to the Powernode.
As for the earphones, I would still ditch the AirPods. I just cannot understand using a pair of earphones that don't come with a silicone, rubber or foam sleeve. Just having the earphones rest in the ear and not creating a seal leads to huge loss of bass/non-existence bass, volume needs to be louder because of outside noise coming in, overall it makes for a very poor audio experience.
EDIT - sorry, I read those speakers as the CM8 and not SM8. If you had CM*, I would say definitely yes, but SM8, I'm not sure you'd notice the difference. That said, and this is the slippery slop of hifi, that you are not getting the best from the Powernode with the SM8 speakers. I'd upgrade those first.