If you are one of those people that don’t have enough space for a good 5.1 surround sound system, then the Bose Solo 5 is the right choice for you. Based on its dimensions we can say that it is definitely on top of our list of most compact soundbars so if you are looking for something that will easily slip under your TV, or you plan to use it in a smaller room, think about it.
However, although some people will be attracted by the size, we must inform you that it comes with some specific issues. So, let’s take a closer look at the good and the bad sides of Bose Solo 5.
Build and Design
When taking a look at the design of the Bose Solo 5 we have to say that it’s pretty simple and straightforward and it looks like the main goal was to be able to place it under any TV with no problems.
This soundbar doesn’t have any additional buttons or switches that may make it look a bit complicated for use. There is just quality black plastic on the sides and the top, and a simple black grille on the front. Thanks to this the soundbar is pretty lightweight but it gives the impression of being well built. So, if you are into simplistic and well-designed audio equipment, you will definitely find the Bose Solo 5 interesting.
There are two drivers behind the grille. They are both in the center of the case and they are specifically positioned to a certain angle so that they can provide a wide sound field. There are also some LED lights that indicate when specific features are on, and when you change the volume, they start blinking.
The remote that comes with the soundbar could be more compact as well, but it works well. A good thing about it is that you can program the remote to work with your TV or any other infrared device.
The connectivity capabilities of the Bose Solo 5 are great for the price. It supports Bluetooth, and also has auxiliary, optical and coaxial ports. The Bluetooth connection is excellent for streaming media from other Bluetooth enabled devices.
One of the features that impressed us most is the auto-wake option. This practically means that when the soundbar detects an audio signal it will turn on automatically, and also if there is no audio signal for about an hour it will power off.
And for the other things on this soundbar we can say that they are pretty standard. There are no dozens of settings and options and sound modes to play with. All you can do is plug it in and enjoy. And we mean, really enjoy it because everything works great.
And one more thing, your TV speakers should be turned off in the settings. Please remember this when you connect the soundbar to your TV.
Sound Quality
When it comes to sound quality, it seems like the compactness of this soundbar negatively affected the sound quality. This is probably the reason this soundbar will perform much better when connected to a smaller TV than to a large one, and it will perform better in smaller rooms than in larger ones.
The voices are clear and, in most cases, you won’t have to activate the dialogue mode. However, although this soundbar will greatly improve the audio on most TVs, we have to mention that the bass is not that good. This practically means that you won’t be impressed with the action scenes or explosions while watching a movie. Of course, the soundbar has a bass boost feature included but you will have to agree to sacrifice the midrange clarity a little. And when you turn on that bass boost option, you will have the feeling that it simply isn’t enough.
There are also other shortages of the Bose Solo 5 subwoofer in terms of not much detail and it has the tendency to fall flat dynamically. As a result, you won’t get that excitement and tension with the soundtracks like when using a high-quality soundbar.
If you are interested in listening to music, the soundbar’s ability to be paired with your Bluetooth audio source will amaze you. Simply selecting the Bluetooth icon will pair them without any problems. You will be more than satisfied when you start streaming music from Spotify.
To sum things up we have to say that the bass could be better, it lacks some details and in terms of dynamics it just has to be improved further. We hope to see these issues resolved with the next model and then we can say that we have the perfect compact soundbar in our hands. Until then we can only hope that these things will be fixed.
Are You Ready to Decide?
Now, when we have said almost everything, we can agree that the Bose Solo 5 is a well-designed and uncomplicated soundbar built with two goals in mind – to improve the audio coming from your TV and to look great whenever you place it. And to be honest, it fulfills these goals pretty decently.
Maybe the only problem with the Bose Solo 5 is that besides these two goals, it doesn’t do anything else to add up to its value. Its competitors are better, maybe not in terms of size and ease of use, but when it comes to performance, they are better.
We highly recommend this soundbar if you are looking for a compact soundbar to improve the audio of your TV. However, if you are looking for something more, maybe it would be better to look at something else. Luckily, we have a nice selection of the best soundbars on the market this year and you can find them here. We are pretty sure you will find something that will suit your best and not only improve your TV audio, but put your listening experience to a completely new level.