Bose Sensible Extremely Soundbar: Specs
Value: $899 / £899 / AU$1,499
Colours: Black, Arctic white
Ports: HDMI eARC; Optical enter; Ethernet port; ADAPTiQ;
Audio system: 9 (unspecified)
Audio channels: 5.1.2
Audio codecs: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital
Energy output: Not specified
Wi-fi: Wi-Fi; Bluetooth; AirPlay 2
Sensible Assistant: Alexa
Subwoofer: Out there individually
Dimensions: 41.1 x 4.2 x 2.3 inches
Weight: 12.68 kilos
Wall mountable: Sure
Searching for an all-in-one soundbar package deal that makes use of AI and Dolby Atmos to create immersive-sounding audio? It is an oddly particular request, but it surely’s one which the brand new Bose Sensible Extremely Soundbar is more than pleased to satisfy.
The Sensible Extremely Soundbar might look an identical to the Sensible Soundbar 900, but it surely integrates a wealth of latest options aimed to spice up the TV viewing expertise although machine studying and synthetic intelligence to create one of the best sound expertise potential in your TV room.
The brand new Sensible Extremely Soundbar comes with 9 audio system and proprietary TrueSpace know-how. It claims to assist 5.1.2 channels and is Dolby Atmos spatial audio content material appropriate, however there is not any point out of rival DTS-X format assist.
PhaseGuide know-how, in accordance with Bose, creates phantom encompass sound channels that “pin” distinct sound to the suitable and left the place there aren’t any audio system. Moreover, Bose’s machine studying robotically alter tonal stability to spice up dialogue readability with out impacting on the immersive sound impact.
Regardless of doing a reasonably good job at creating properly balanced sound with most content material, as a standalone soundbar, there is not any devoted subwoofer or encompass audio system supplied. Add-on choices such because the Bose Bass Module 700 ($849) and Bose Encompass Audio system 700 ($599) can be found although via the Bose web site do you have to want to develop the system at a later date. With out them, the overdriven bass can muddle the sound, making this a less-than-ideal speaker for music lovers.
To seek out out whether or not the Bose Sensible Extremely Soundbar is well worth the cash and the way it compares to its predecessor (in addition to its important worth rival the Sonos Arc), hold scrolling to learn my full evaluation.
Bose Sensible Extremely Soundbar evaluation: Value and availability
- Identical launch worth as Bose Sensible Soundbar 900
- Out there in black and Arctic white colour choices
The Bose Sensible Extremely Soundbar went on sale in October 2023. It is on sale on-line on the Bose retailer for $899 (£899 / AU$1,499) as properly as through on-line retailers together with Amazon, Greatest Purchase, and Crutchfield.
Out there in black and Arctic white colour choices, the brand new Extremely Soundbar is similar worth because the Bose Sensible Soundbar 900 initially launched at (proper now although the Soundbar 900 might be present in early Black Friday gross sales for $599 at Amazon or $699 at Greatest Purchase).
On the full record worth, the brand new Bose Extremely is precisely the identical worth because the Sonos Arc — one of many greatest Dolby Atmos soundbars we have examined.
Bose Sensible Extremely Soundbar evaluation: Design
- Identical elegant design as Bose Sensible Soundbar 900
- Splendid for 50-inch display screen sizes and above
- Mirrored floor attracts mud and finger marks
When it comes to design, the Bose Sensible Extremely Soundbar has the identical elegant traces as its predecessor. It has a minimalist look that I actually like, and a slim profile that does not foul the underside of the display screen when positioned on my TV stand beneath my 55-inch Samsung TV.
The highest of the soundbar has a glass high and metallic grille that wraps across the entrance and sides. Apart from the Bose emblem on entrance, there are two touch-sensitive buttons, one to activate the voice assistant and the opposite to mute the mic. These controls are literally so discreet that it took me some time to find them on the highest left aspect of the soundbar. A small LED indicator sits slightly below the controls and glows white to point out that the soundbar is powered up and in use.
Bose Sensible Extremely Soundbar evaluation: Connectivity and management
- Robust wi-fi connectivity
- Alexa voice management
- Potential HDMI CEC points with some TVs
HDMI CEC problem
Whereas I’ve skilled points with different soundbars related to my Samsung TV through the HDMI ARC port, the Bose Sensible Extremely Soundbar seems to be extra delicate than most with spontaneous energy ups while you least count on them. Regardless of a complete variety of choices within the Bose Music app to assist forestall such CEC (Client Electronics Management) points, I used to be unable to beat them throughout my testing.
Probably the most profitable manner I’ve found to stop random energy ups from waking your complete family in the midst of the evening has been to take away the HDMI cable from the port in the back of the soundbar earlier than heading to mattress.
Though I’m ready to imagine that it is a explicit problem with my TV pairing, it is one thing I really feel inclined to convey to the eye of potential consumers earlier than contemplating the Bose soundbar.
In the case of wired connectivity, the Sensible Extremely Soundbar has one HDMI port and one optical digital audio enter plus an Ethernet port for networking. There’s additionally a connection for the ADAPTiQ microphone (used throughout room tuning), in addition to connections for a Bose subwoofer and IR. There’s additionally assist for AirPlay 2, Chromecast and Spotify Join wi-fi connectivity, in addition to playback sources related through Bluetooth.
Must you be antagonistic to utilizing your sensible gadget to regulate the soundbar through the Bose Music app, the Extremely Soundbar comes equipped with a small distant management. It gives primary management like energy on/standby, enter choose, and quantity degree alter.
When you use HDMI ARC out of your TV, you’ll be able to energy on and off the soundbar and alter the quantity together with your TV’s distant. For something extra subtle like adjusting the EQ sound stability, growing the sensation of peak for Dolby Atmos soundtracks, activating the room calibration course of or enabling AI Dialogue Mode, you are going to have to launch the Bose Music app.
The one voice assistant choice out there to me was Alexa. As soon as enabled, this allowed me to regulate the quantity and play content material from linked streaming companies, and was constantly aware of requests.
Moreover, you’ll be able to hyperlink different Bose audio system in a mutliroom community at dwelling. You may even combine different Bluetooth audio system, which is absolutely neat. Lastly, Bose SimpleSync lets customers join Bose wi-fi headphones for personal listening and has separate controls to permit impartial degree management for the soundbar and headphones.
Bose Extremely Sensible Soundbar evaluation: Establishing
- Simple set up and management through Bose Music app
- Quirky however efficient room calibration course of
Integrating the Sensible Extremely Soundbar is straight ahead and one of many smoothest set up procedures I’ve tried. With the TV soundbar speaker related to my TV by HDMI and powered on, I launched the Bose Music app on my iPhone and adopted the prompts. The soundbar app is similar as I utilized in my Bose QuietComfort Extremely Headphones evaluation, and though Bose steers you to signing as much as a Bose Music account, the app is free to obtain and use.
To get the soundbar set for optimum efficiency in my room, I wanted to put on the ADAPTiQ headset whereas the room calibration course of occurred. Fortunately the remainder of the family was out to permit the tuning to occur in complete silence, and there was nobody to see me trying foolish as I hopped from seat to seat sporting the headset to allow the system to optimize its TrueSpace know-how for the varied viewing positions within the room.
Bose Extremely Sensible Soundbar evaluation: Efficiency
- Impressively large and immersive sound
- Efficient AI Dialogue Mode
- Bass efficiency missing on some content material
From the second I unboxed and powered up the Bose Extremely Sensible Soundbar, I’ve continued to be impressed. From the beginning it had a a lot larger sound than I anticipated, with a larger bass efficiency and higher readability than a number of of the top-ranking greatest soundbars I’ve encountered straight from the field. The soundstage is large and dialogue is obvious and straightforward to know.
With the soundbar tuned and optimized to my room and seating place, the supply improved barely and sounded wider throughout the entrance of the TV and extra expansive. When it comes to a 3D immersive encompass sound expertise, the Bose Extremely did job at creating digital encompass sound results, and Dolby Atmos results appeared to have a way of peak when known as to motion. Bass ranges felt surprisingly potent; nearly defying perception that they had been coming from the slender dimensions of the elegant soundbar sat beneath my TV display screen with most common TV dramas.
The sound tended to battle with low frequencies in some film soundtracks, although. The bass audio system sounded overstretched at occasions and I may hear audible protests with the speaker drivers rattling away when known as on to ship huge motion motion pictures sound results.
Though I wasn’t at all times impressed with the increase to dialogue with AI Dialogue Mode enabled — it appeared to over compensate voices on studio information broadcasts making them sound onerous and compelled. Nonetheless, it actually did enhance voice readability and intelligibility the place dialogue was really onerous to decipher. For instance, whereas watching “God’s Creatures,” the mode managed to chop via the closely accented and hushed voices of the extreme film, making them sound clearer and much simpler to observe.
Though I felt the soundbar had respectable bass ranges and heat whereas watching motion pictures, it didn’t sound practically as spectacular with music over the Spotify and Apple Music streams I attempted. Tracks like “Free Your self” by Jessie Ware sounded confused with devices and vocals combating for consideration, and the stereo sound lacked the definition to make the Bose soundbar double as an efficient music system.
Bose Extremely Sensible Soundbar evaluation: Verdict
As a TV speaker to enhance on a display screen’s built-in audio system, the Bose Sensible Extremely Soundbar is an efficient choice in a compact kind with loads of engaging options together with Dolby Atmos assist and multiroom capabilities. It is not with out its foibles although, and I by no means did handle to beat the CEC switching problem. Additionally, the poorly managed bass detracted from the general efficiency at occasions.
That being the case, I can see the attraction of including an identical subwoofer devoted to dealing with bass frequencies to alleviate the soundbar from the calls for of manufacturing highly effective low frequencies, however this may add one other $849 to the general value and successfully doubles the value.
Even with out the separate subwoofer, although, the Bose Sensible Extremely affords a virtually full package deal and one which’s much more good than dangerous. If vocal readability is paramount to your film watching expertise and Dolby Atmos is at all times one thing you’ve got needed to expertise at dwelling, it is a stable choose.
