Bose - Lifestyle Ultra Wireless Speaker - Black

Reviewed as a system I've either owned or had experience (through friends/family) with many Bose products over the years. This started with a pair of 901's back in the 70's when I admired but could not afford such an extravagance. Luckily I had a friend with spendable cash. When the original Lifestyle surround system came on the market; I was working steadily, and that became my Christmas present to myself. What followed was CD Clock/Radio; outdoor speakers, smart soundbars, and headphones, both bud & noise cancelling styles. The new LS Ultra Soundbar follows in their tradition of beautifully designed and well engineered products. Upon unboxing, I was immediately impressed with the smooth plate glass top of the soundbar piece. The body of the unit is sleek, elegant, and at about 42" long, definitely not unassuming. A statement piece to be sure. The subwoofer for the LS is also topped with a thick slab of plate glass, and quite heavy relative to its size. By its heft alone, one could imagine the thunderous bass its body could produce. Rear satellite speakers also quite hefty for their size. If you'd be looking to wall shelve the set, I wouldn't be cheaping out on a drywall bracket. Mounting screw hole is provided on the bottom. Upon setup, I was prepared for an adventure with the Bose app. With my previously owned Smart Soundbar 600, I could never get the app to cooperate with the unit. Once I finally got it connected, it ended up dropping it, and wouldn't reconnect. I finally gave up and became satisfied using the remote. With the new LS Ultra, the experience was quite different. The app guided me through the process, first connecting the main soundbar, then subwoofer, and finally, the satellites. I'm sure many of you have had adventures making the TV connection - will it be recognized & configure properly? No adventure for me this time. Hooked the provided HDMI cable into the ARC input on the tv, and all was good. Both units turned on/off properly in sync with each other. The app also contains a function for self tuning/configuration to your room. A series of tones are emitted from the main unit, you take your phone to your favored seating position, and the unit calibrates. The first time around, it gave me a "didn't quite get that"; which was probably because I was holding the phone at the wrong angle. A second go-through went through with no issue. It then asked for a secondary seat position, and went through the process again; however, I don't see anything in the app that would allow you to select a primary/secondary function. The end result produced a beautifully rich and all encompassing sound. The imaging and soundstage are dead-on perfect. I did play with the app's adjustment sliders for bass/mid/treble, left/right, front/back, but came back to neutral, as it seemed the "tuning" function of the app had done its job. I do own other high end audio equipment, my vinyl record collection spans decades and several thousand records. Subjectively, I've always felt that Bose products had their own "color" or "flavor." As such, when listening to vinyl, I strive to keep things as neutral as possible to preserve the original intention of the artist and/or recording process. I've always chose amplifiers & speakers with those qualities, consequently, Bose has not been my choice in that situation. However, video applications are different. If you've ever heard soundtracks to shows or movies, they do have a different sound than if you were playing the tracks on your CD or vinyl system. They're tuned that way. This Bose LS system portrays the audio/video experience perfectly. The streaming I've seen on Netflix, Apple & especially Disney are the best I've experienced. My personal wishlist - I do wish they had included a remote with the system. For one thing, the glass top of the system is a dust collector, and the embedded controls are super sensitive. If my wife comes by to Swiffer the dust, the controls respond, I'd like to be able to have a remote button to control at least on/off. Yes, I do know we have Alexa/Google to control our lives, but I'm an old school guy. I miss buttons!

PROS + Excellent sounding out of the box, with minimal tuning required + Can be used standalone, in a stereo pair, in a multi-room set-up, or as rear speakers in a home theater setup with the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar + 3.5mm Aux input for devices like turntables + Supports Alexa+ for a better Alexa assistant experience + Bose app is largely consistent and easy to use + EQ controls in the app available to help dial speakers in + Work really well as rear speakers to complete a 7.1.4 set-up + Supports Airplay, Google Cast, and Spotify Connect CONS - No Dolby Atmos music support when used on their own, despite having an upward firing driver - Could use more low-end extension OTHER THINGS OF NOTE * Tidal Connect is not currently supported but should be coming later with a firmware update * Design kind of reminds me of a coffee mug when looking at them in person * Really benefits from adding the optional wireless subwoofer * Height effects and vertical spatialness doesn't extend all the way to my ceiling in my spaces, but still adds solid 3-dimensionality to the soundstage THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT If you are looking for high-quality wireless speakers to round out a home theater or just for standalone listening, the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speakers are a very strong contender that mostly hit the mark. They sound excellent right out of the box with a neutral profile that requires very little tuning, though you do have solid EQ controls in the app if you want to dial them in. I really appreciate the flexibility they offer; you can use them as a stereo pair, in a multi-room setup, or as rear channels to complete a full 7.1.4 Atmos system, which is how I primarily used them. They also include a 3.5mm aux input for turntables and support for AirPlay, Google Cast, and Spotify Connect, making them very versatile for modern setups. They compete well in the space, with Tidal Connect being the one bigger omission for me as a Tidal user, although it should be coming with a firmware update in the future. The Bose app remains consistent and responsive, and having Alexa+ support built-in is a nice touch for a better voice assistant experience, which is a big deal as I don’t think I have seen any other devices, beyond 1st-party amazon speakers, which support Alexa+, and is a game changer if you use Alexa in your house. Expanding on the sound quality a bit, I think the speakers sound largely flat from a tuning perspective, with a bit of a peak in the treble. You can EQ then, but vocal clarity in the mid-range was excellent, especially when used as a stereo pair. As a pair of rear speakers, which is how they were mostly used in my house, they were excellent, and provided a necessary addition to really fill out the Dolby Atmos bubble in my home. Excellent sound all around and definitely competitive in the space. However, there are a few quirks that keep these from being perfect. The most glaring omission is the lack of Dolby Atmos music support when the speakers are used standalone, which is strange given they have upward-firing drivers. You can use them as part of the home theater set-up which means Atmos music from a device like an Apply TV will play Atmos to the rear speakers, but you can’t decode Atmos on the speakers directly, which is a bit of an omission in my opinion, even if Atmos music isn’t always my preferred way of listening to tracks. Also, the only mark I would make on sound quality is that, on their own, they could also use a bit more low-end extension, though adding the optional wireless subwoofer solves this and really helps them sing. You can only do so much with how relatively compact they are. On the design front, I can’t help but feel they look a bit like a coffee mug in person, which isn’t bad, but once you see it, it is just kinda funny. It has to do with the textured cover only stretching the first half of the speaker, with the rear being uncovered, like the handle of a mug. On top of the speakers you get touch controls, which are nice if you don’t want to go into the app to mess with the audio settings for the speakers. Overall, these are great speakers that deliver a premium experience, and while they have a couple of limitations and a unique look, they are easy to recommend for anyone already in or looking to join the Bose ecosystem. If you have the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar, then I would go so far as to say they are a must add for a full Atmos experience.

I got this Bose Lifestyle sound bar along with a full package of Lifestyle, Ultra Subwoofer, and Lifestyle Ultra Surround Speaker; therefore, I am describing this as a full setup, not as an individual sound bar or subwoofer or the Lifestyle speaker. Unpacking Everything comes in recyclable packaging, and the products are well packed because of the weight of the subwoofer, which is very heavy. The box was opened on one side, but otherwise, everything was OK. No damage. I hope Bose should put more sturdy packaging. The sound bar comes with an HDMI cable, and a Power Cable , Subwoofer comes with only Power Cable. The Lifestyle Surround Speakers comes with Power cables. Build Quality The soundbar has a glass top and instead of metal mash. It has a woven soft fabric. this is my personal preference- I like the metal mesh more than the fabric, just because I feel like the metal is more sturdy and gets a more premium look than the fabric. The fabric also attracts more dust and over time It will get dirty while the metal mesh you can simply wipe with a soft damp cloth and it again shines. on the right side of the sound bar. There is a volume button and a play/ pause button, all are touch buttons. The upward firing Dolby Atoms speaker is also at the end of the sound bar. I like the previous version of the Sound Bar Ultra, but this is my personal preference. Other people might like this. Overall, it does give a premium feel. The subwoofer and the small speakers also follow the same woven mesh cloth aesthetics and look the same and easily blend with any room decor. Setup I have other Bose products, soundbar ultra and also quite comfort headphones, and I own the Bose product since the SoundTouch series which I still love. So, as always, the set up is based on the app, you have to download the Bose app, and then everything is just on a screen prompt, and you have to follow the set up. For this particular product, there was a little bit of a hiccup in the beginning. Sometimes the subwoofer was not recognizing, sometimes one of the small speakers was not recognized, and I think that it was as soon as I turned on the speakers. They were downloading a software update or firmware update. That issue went away after some time when things became installed and restarted. They just pair up with each other and kind of become a home theater system. I set up so that the sound bar is in front of my TV and the subwoofer is on the right side of the sound bar, and two surround speakers are on the back of the room on the left and right sides. Connection are wireless, that means everything is just a need to be connected in power, and then it’s just a breeze. The small speakers can be set up in a different way. Can we use them as individual speakers or in a stereo speaker in a different room so that it gives different options. And that’s really good to have. More speakers can be added at a later time point, or if someone wants to have a 7.1 experience, they can buy more speakers and add them to experience a truly immersive sound. Sound output, dialogue clarity, and bass The sound output is really crisp and clean. Their is in a toggle button in the app that you can turn on the dialogue or spoken dialogue clarity you can choose from low, medium, and high. Even without turning that on, the dialogues are very clear, and I really like this feature on the Bose speakers. During the setup The app automatically asks to connect the sound bar to Wi-Fi and find speakers and subwoofer on the network, and once everything is set up, it asks whether we want to tune the sound or surround experience based on our room. That is a good thing because as we have furniture and other stuff in the room, so it can tune up at the place where you sit and adjust the surround experience based on that. These days, everything is becoming up-based and phone-based, and I really do not like that because now I have to, let’s suppose if I have to change the volume or any other settings. I have to pick up my phone. It would have been very good if Bose included a remote with this product, and I still miss the universal remote with my SoundTouch sound bar. It is kind of becoming a personal music system, not for a family or shared one, so everyone has to have an app and use the phone to change basic things. That’s one down point; a remote could have been much better so that if I want to increase the bass, I can simply press the button on the remote or enable the spoken dialogue clarity button. The app has different controls in the volume and tribble and surround, which can be adjusted individually from -10 to +10. The midway is zero; even at the midway, that is zero value, the sound output is really loud and very clear; it does not break if you increase the volume. The subwoofer is really very deep bass. I am living on the first floor in an apartment building and even at zero mid value I was watching a movie and the whole floor was filled with the deep bass that was really a thrilling experience, and the surround system really built up on that and it is really a movie hall kind of experience. Overall, I really like the Lifestyle Ultra series sound bar and speaker system in my personal feeling. I felt that the series is missing a universal remote, and it would have been great if instead of the fabric, it should have a premium metal mash like their previous soundbars. I do recommend this anyone want to have a home theater experience

The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker is a versatile compact speaker designed to be used either standalone, in a stereo pair, as part of a multi-room setup, or to provide surround sound in a home theater setup alongside the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar and Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer. I’m doing the latter, using two of the speakers as surrounds in my living room setup. Bose designed the speaker with a small woofer and tweeter alongside another small upward-firing speaker which allows it to fill the room in standalone mode or deliver Dolby Atmos effects in the home theater configuration. One thing I appreciate is how discreet they are. Traditional surround speakers can sometimes dominate a living room setup, but these are compact enough to blend into the background while still delivering impressive performance. They can also be wall mounted if you purchase a Bose LifeStyle wall bracket. The speakers connect wirelessly to the soundbar, which makes placement much easier than a traditional surround sound system. You still need power outlets nearby, but you don’t have to run long speaker wires. I placed mine directly to the left and right of my couch on the end tables and have had no issues with connection stability, lag, or audio dropouts. The top of the speaker has playback controls along with volume adjustment. In addition, there is a Bluetooth pairing button, an action button (for Alexa), and a microphone mute button. Unfortunately, when used in home theater mode, some of these controls become less useful. For example, turning off the mic on the speaker does NOT sync and disable the microphones on the other speaker or the soundbar. The play/pause and volume controls do work though, which is convenient since the speakers are right beside my couch. In the box is only the speaker, a small instruction sheet that directs you to the app, and the power cable. Like the other components in the system, setup is extremely straightforward through the Bose app. Once plugged in, the app immediately detected the speakers and guided me through pairing them with the soundbar. Firmware updates downloaded automatically, and shortly thereafter everything was fully connected and calibrated with Bose CustomTune, which uses your phone’s microphone to tune the entire setup for your specific room. Performance as surrounds is excellent. They instantly added a level of immersion to movies, TV shows, and games that I did not have before. With Bose’s TrueSpatial processing, the upward-firing speaker bounces convincing Dolby Atmos directional effects off my ceiling that make the entire system feel more cinematic. I immediately noticed the difference when watching an old favorite, The Truman Show. When Kristof talks to Truman, his voice echoed thunderously from directly above me as if he was in the heavens. Music playback also benefits from the surround setup. A lot of streaming services support spatial audio such as Apple Music. Playing a Dolby Atmos track brings the entire surround system to life and envelops you in the music. Bose has done an excellent job designing this entire line of products to work either individually or as a complete system. However, one downside is that the speaker is not compatible with anything other than the soundbar and subwoofer in the Lifestyle Ultra lineup. Those with older soundbars would need to upgrade. Pros: - Premium build quality - Compact design - Wireless and Bluetooth connectivity - AirPlay and Google Cast support - Multiroom functionality - Alexa and Alexa+ support - Easy setup through the Bose app - Excellent surround immersion - Works seamlessly with the companion soundbar and subwoofer - 3.5mm wired input Cons: - Only works as surrounds with the LifeStyle Ultra Soundbar Overall – The Lifestyle Ultra Speaker is an excellent addition to the Bose home theater ecosystem. While the soundbar alone already sounds fantastic, adding the surround speakers makes movies, games, and music feel dramatically more immersive. I highly recommend a pair of speakers if you already have the soundbar.

I'm currently using these Bose LS Ultra Speakers as part of the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Home Theater set. I have them configured as my rear surround speakers. While the Bose LS Ultra soundbar does a very good job of simulating virtual surround sound on its own, these are absolute game changers once added to the system. I was initially surprised to discover that, in such a small form-factor, Bose managed to design a speaker with a three-driver array: two front-facing drivers and one up-firing driver. They also feature a rear-port designed to optimize bass response. Once I discovered this, it made sense how even a single one of these speakers was able to produce big sound! While I won’t be using these much for 2-channel stereo listening, I was pretty impressed by the clear mids, highs, and surprisingly strong low-frequency output they produced when I temporarily removed them from my home theater configuration and paired them in a stereo setup for music listening. The bass was surprisingly punchy for it's size. Where I really had a ton of fun with these, though, was while listening to Dolby Atmos music when they were configured as rear surrounds as part of the full Bose LS Ultra home theater system. Talk about an immersive 360-degree audio experience! When listening to "California Magic - Doey Joey Remix" by "Goose" in Dolby Atmos, I could hear different instruments and effects coming from all around the room. Listening to Dolby Atmos music with these LS Ultra Speakers as surrounds is something that has to be experienced in person, as words can't quite capture it. Where these LS Speakers truly shine is when they're part of the full Bose LS Ultra home theater system. Watching the initial climbing scene in Netflix's new movie "Apex", as the weather turned brutal, was like being on the mountain with the characters. I could hear rocks falling from every which way. Gusts of wind darted above me and then quickly changed direction from left to right in my living room. It truly felt like I was in the theater! A customization option that I love on the Bose app is the ability to increase or decrease the volume of the surrounds. Based on my unique setup in my living room, I've had to place one of my rear surrounds about 10 feet away and the other one about 15 feet away; not ideal, but it's what I have to work with. However, because Bose gives me the ability to turn up the volume of the surround speakers even when paired to the system, I'm able to compensate for their distance and still get the same level of performance as if they were a lot closer. This made a world of a difference for my particular setup! I found that for most movies or shows, I like to leave them at around +7 to make up for some of that distance. Lastly, I was extremely pleased to see Bose do away with the large power adapters on their surround speakers. In the past, some of Bose's "wireless" speaker solutions (such as the Bose Surround 700 series) still required speaker wires running from the back of each speaker to a bulky wireless receiver/power module. Thankfully, this is no longer the case with the Bose LS Ultra speakers. All that's required is a standard AC power cable, which makes them that much easier to blend into your living room. If you're thinking of picking up the LS Ultra soundbar and subwoofer, or simply want a small form-factor multi-room stereo music solution, I highly recommend these speakers!