What’s in a name? With the Bose TV speaker (available on Amazon for $249), everything. This mid-sized soundbar upgrades your TV’s built-in audio system. It doesn’t offer the extra features of more complex soundbars and instead focuses on quick setup and ease of use. It offers bigger, richer sound than your solo TV, and its Bluetooth connection opens the door to music and podcasts, but users looking for a little more customization will be left wanting.
Though light on features, the Bose TV speaker offers easy setup and impressive sound without breaking the bank.
About the Bose TV speaker
Here’s an overview of the soundbar’s key features:
Height x Width x Depth: 2.2 x 23.4 x 4 inches
Speakers/Channels: Three channels (left, center, right)
Wireless connection: Bluetooth 4.2
Wired connection: HDMI ARC, optical, AUX
Smart features: None
Sound Formats: Dolby Digital, PCM
Video support : N/A
Colors: Bose Black
Optional upgrades: Compatible with Bose Bass 500 and 700 modules
Bose is one of the biggest names in home audio, and the TV speaker is an outstanding example of that experience. It cuts out all the extraneous stuff and is for those looking for an easy setup and quick upgrade. The bar sounds good and can be loud for its modest size, offering an audio upgrade that is immediately apparent. It adds utility by easily connecting to smartphones and tablets to listen to music, audiobooks or podcasts via Bluetooth. If you like spoken content, the speaker has an alternative dialogue mode that brings voices to the fore and increases their clarity.
This ease and simplicity comes at a cost. The TV Speaker doesn’t offer the same level of customization as competing options, such as Sony’s HT-S350 or even Vizio’s cheaper V21-H8. There’s only one alternative sound mode for dialogue and the tone control is limited to bass only, making it a one-size-fits-all option. There’s also no subwoofer, so while it can be loud and sound good, it doesn’t have the same cinematic capabilities as some of the competing soundbars on our list of best soundbars under $300.
What we like
Setup is quick and easy (and using it is even easier).
Connecting the TV Speaker to your TV is quick and easy, so even tech-dreading users should be in good shape. The device supports audio via HDMI ARC, optical, and analog connections, and you only need to plug a single cable from the soundbar into the corresponding port on your TV.
Depending on the model of your TV, you may need to disable the sound from its built-in speakers or enable HDMI ARC. On my TCL 6-Series, I could do both things by simply going to the menu on my TV. The only downside is that Bose only includes an optical cable in the box, so if you need to connect via HDMI (or with an auxiliary cable), you’ll need to bring your own. Connecting via HDMI ARC is preferable if available, as it allows you to use your TV’s remote for power and volume control.
Once it’s set up, using the TV speaker is as intuitive as it gets. The soundbar is controlled using the included remote, which has buttons for volume, mute, bass and power, Bluetooth and TV inputs, and Dialogue mode (there are no physical buttons on the soundbar itself).
The simplicity of its design is intuitive and easy to learn, even if it’s your first soundbar. Depending on what you’re watching, you may want more or less bass, but I found that once I set it up, it rarely needed adjusting, leaving only volume and mute for sound controls. There is also a useful Auto Wake mode that can be activated by holding the power button for five seconds, allowing the unit to turn on at the same time as your TV.
The Dialogue mode is the only alternative sound mode offered by the TV Speaker. Like the rest of the device, it is simple. Pressing this button increases the midrange and brings voices to the forefront with increased clarity. It’s a brilliant choice for podcasts, YouTube videos, audiobooks and other forms of spoken content. This mode is especially useful when you’re performing tasks in a nearby room. The increased sharpness allows words to be heard clearly despite house noise.
Like almost all soundbars, the TV Speaker also supports Bluetooth connection for wireless sound. This feature is dominant for streaming music from your phone, but it’s a bit more complicated to set up. By holding down the Bluetooth button on the remote, the soundbar enters pairing mode and can then be selected from your device’s Bluetooth menu. From there, every time you press the Bluetooth button on the remote, the sound bar automatically reconnects to the paired device.
It’s an enormous improvement over built-in speakers
Bose has a reputation for delivering excellent sound quality in its products, and that’s certainly the case here. The TV Speaker uses a three-channel speaker arrangement (two stereo speakers and a center channel) and can produce rich, detailed sound for its price, regardless of the content.
The speakers are forward-facing, which doesn’t give the same sense of scale as the upward-facing speakers found in Dolby Atmos soundbars. That said, the dynamic range is excellent. Even at low volume, I could hear every bit of dialogue and atmospheric detail in the Disney Channel series Loki, as my TV’s built-in speakers let me straddle the volume knob between scenes. Omitting a subwoofer, built-in or external, means the TV Speaker lacks the punch and rumble of 2.1 soundbars, but it’s still an enormous improvement over your TV alone.
The musicality of the full-range speakers really shines when presented with music streaming through the bar’s Bluetooth connection. Again, you won’t find powerful bass, but the TV Speaker could fill in enough bass to make songs sound full. Vocals, in particular, sound smooth, full of detail and texture, which is no surprise since the soundbar uses the same cinema-centric EQ preset on all of its inputs.
It blends into your home theater setup
The TV Speaker doesn’t steal your attention. It’s designed to fit into an existing entertainment setup and enhance the experience without getting in your way. Its simple black exterior and small size allow it to blend into an existing setup without becoming obtrusive. Bose even sells a wall-mounting accessory to make sure we can position it as seamlessly as possible.
The lack of wiring compared to a larger home theater setup, or even another soundbar with satellite speakers, allows your entertainment space to be clean with minimal effort.
What we don’t like
It’s oversimplified
The TV Speaker is simple. That’s a plus for many users, but at $249, Bose may have dumbed down this unit a bit too much. Except for the bass control and Dialogue mode, you’re limited to the basic sound signature, regardless of the type of content you enjoy. That means if you prefer a unique sound when listening to music over Bluetooth or watching an action movie on Netflix, you’re out of luck.
Compared to competing soundbars, like the Vizio V-Series 2.1, the TV Speaker is unique. Vizio’s option includes multiple content-based sound modes, virtual surround sound, an equalizer and an external subwoofer for a significantly lower price. The V-Series 2.1 is exceptionally comprehensive for its price, and the TV Speaker isn’t too far off from most of its competitors, but it’s clear that Bose isn’t trying to provide a complete audio system with this one device.
I also missed physical buttons on the soundbar itself. Without app support, a remote is the only way to control the device if you want to use optical or analog connections. If connected via HDMI ARC, you’ll be able to use your TV remote to control volume and power. Likewise, the TV Speaker can be controlled with a universal remote, so you won’t have to go to Bose for a replacement remote if the one provided is lost.
It doesn’t offer a great movie experience
The TV Speaker is an absolute improvement over the speakers built into most TVs, but it doesn’t have the cinematic prowess to turn your living room into a home theater all by itself. The lack of a subwoofer limits the amount of bass it’s capable of producing, and while it can certainly give a full sound, it’s not a device that will rumble your floors soon.
If you want to add more bass, you’ll need to purchase an external subwoofer. Plugging it in should be easy with a simple plug on the back of the bar, but that doesn’t mean it will be cheap. Bose says the TV Speaker is compatible with its Bass Module 500 and Bass Module 700, priced at $399 and $699, respectively.
Gamers might also find the TV Speaker lacking in space. Without upward-facing speakers or any sort of virtual surroundings, the verticality of the sound is weak. Call of Duty: Warzone was still perfectly playable for a hobbyist like me, but competitive gamers will still look for a gaming headset for its best position.
You may have to buy extra cables
As a speaker designed to be easy to install and use, it only includes optical and power cables in the box. The optical cable works with most modern TVs, but if you prefer to connect via HDMI ARC or the auxiliary (3.5mm) connection, you’ll need to bring your own. This can mean a frustrating trip to the store, between unpacking and using your new product. (You can also order an HDMI cable directly in advance.) The TV Speaker may be Bose’s entry-level soundbar, but it misses the mark by not providing everything users might need right off the bat.
Should you buy it?
Yes, but only if you need exceptional simplicity.
The Bose TV speaker is a quick and easy way to enhance your TV experience. The listening experience is pleasurable, but it’s the ease of use that makes it an interesting option. In minutes, you can integrate it into an existing TV setup and get impressive sound, assuming you have an optical connection or other necessary cables. With only volume, bass, and dialogue mode to choose from, it’s simple to use, making it an especially excellent choice for users who aren’t necessarily tech-savvy.
That said, at $249, it’s an expensive option for what’s actually provided. The lack of a subwoofer limits the amount of bass it can produce and the cinematic experiences it can create. Similarly, there’s no form of virtual surround sound to add depth to movies and games, nor are there any additional sound modes for music or sports. At under $300, we expect some limitations, but the simplified nature of the TV Speaker is remarkable.
If you don’t need such simple things and also want to save a few bucks, the Vizio V-Series 2.1 is a great alternative. It adds each of the missing features listed above and adds Wi-Fi streaming on top for less than $200.
If you like the simplicity of the TV speaker, but want a little more performance, the Klipsch Cinema 400 puts sound quality above all else for just $299. Bose’s own subwoofer, the Bass Module 500, is sold separately for $399.
If you don’t mind its limited feature set for the price, the Bose TV speaker is still a solid option. Its quick setup, ease of use, and excellent sound quality make it an interesting option for users who want to learn less the technology and more time enjoying their content, even if they have to pay a little more for it.
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