106

Bose Tv Speaker Review

True Score

73
69
4

Experts

89
14.2k

Consumers

Product Awards

GR Certified

Customer Favorite

Expert Rankings

Equipped with a smart dialogue enhancement function, the Bose TV Speaker excels at TV dialogue, but is not good for movies. It has among the most natural-sounding  2.0 soundbars for TV shows and music.

$279.00

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Product Snapshot

Overview

Bose TV Speaker is a 2020-model, entry-level soundbar that boasts natural-sounding audio for televisions. Although it has a neutral sound profile, delivering pleasant stereo content, it’s not as immersive as 5.1 soundbars.

You can find devices with a wider soundstage on our list of the best 10 speakers. It also has a dialogue enhancement function that optimizes the sound quality of human voices in TV shows.

This system is a standalone product that functions without any additional satellite speakers, just like the most popular soundbars in the industry today. It only has Bluetooth technology, for streaming music, and podcasts effortlessly.

An Optical port and a single aux port connect to TVs seamlessly. This system is quite responsive, featuring a very low latency over ARC and Optical.

That said it doesn’t support Dolby Atmos and users would need to buy an optional bass module to get that deep bass that brings out the most in movies and games.

Read to the end of this Bose TV Speaker review, and be sure to check out our Bowers & Wilkins Formation Bar review If you need a speaker with built-in Amazon Alexa.

Consensus

our Verdict

Editors hailed the connectivity options and impressive sound profile of the Bose TV Speaker, endorsing it for TV dialogue. Experts at Digital Trends love its neutral sound profile, which results in accurate music and natural-sounding podcasts.

Testers from Reviewed admire its dialogue enhancement function, which tones down extraneous in-movie sounds, enhancing voices for clarity.

Although it has a bass slider for fine-tuning the level of thump, this model doesn’t come with a dedicated subwoofer, so it doesn’t produce the deep bass needed for action movies.

The system features low audio latency, synchronizing the video and audio feeds to perfection. It also doesn’t have a mobile app for adjusting settings remotely, and the speaker doesn’t get as loud as more advanced soundbars.

Editors criticized its surround soundstage, mentioning that it downmixes surround sound to stereo and doesn’t support Dolby Atmos.

if you prefer a unit with built-in Alexa and Google Assistant, check out our Bose Home Speaker 300 review and see our Denon Home Sound Bar 550 review if you require EQ presets.

Reason to Buy

  • Neutral soundscape out of the box
  • HDMI ARC and analog audio ports provide hassle-free connections to TV
  • The dialog enhancement feature is good for TV shows
  • Bluetooth technology enables wireless streaming.

Reason to Avoid

  • Doesn’t get very loud, so it is unsuitable for very large rooms
  • Lacks an auto volume mode
  • Doesn’t have voice assistance or a mobile app for changing settings
  • 2.0 channel design is not ideal for 5.1 surround sound
  • So-so low-bass

Bose Tv Speaker Specs

Bluetooth EnabledBluetooth EnabledYes
DepthDepth4.02"
Dialogue Enhancement FeatureDialogue Enhancement FeatureYes
Energy Star CertifiedEnergy Star CertifiedNo
HDMI ARCHDMI ARCYes
HeightHeight2.21"
Number of Audio ChannelsNumber of Audio Channels3
SubwooferSubwooferOptional (sold separately)
Surround Sound SupportedSurround Sound SupportedDolby Audio
Voice AssistantVoice AssistantNo
Wall MountableWall MountableYes
WeightWeight5.94 lbs
WidthWidth23.38"
Wireless ConnectivityWireless ConnectivityBluetooth
Wireless Subwoofer ConnectivityWireless Subwoofer ConnectivityNo
Works WithWorks WithBluetooth, Remote Control

All Specs

Test Results

Low End Roll Off (Hz)63.496
High End Roll Off (Hz)16,731.295
Max Volume Test (db)90.1
Latency (ms)11
THD @ 80dB0.51

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Product Comparison

Bose Tv Speaker Review

True Score

73
82
NR
NR

Ranking

#

106

/

151

#

21

/

151

#

/

#

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Market Context

Bose TV Speaker is a 2020-model, entry-level soundbar that boasts natural-sounding audio for televisions. Although it has a neutral sound profile, delivering pleasant stereo content,…

Bose TV Speaker is a 2020-model, entry-level soundbar that boasts natural-sounding audio for televisions. Although it has a neutral sound profile, delivering pleasant stereo content, it’s not as immersive as 5.1 soundbars.

You can find devices with a wider soundstage on our list of the best 10 speakers. It also has a dialogue enhancement function that optimizes the sound quality of human voices in TV shows.

This system is a standalone product that functions without any additional satellite speakers, just like the most popular soundbars in the industry today. It only has Bluetooth technology, for streaming music, and podcasts effortlessly.

An Optical port and a single aux port connect to TVs seamlessly. This system is quite responsive, featuring a very low latency over ARC and Optical.

That said it doesn’t support Dolby Atmos and users would need to buy an optional bass module to get that deep bass that brings out the most in movies and games.

Read to the end of this Bose TV Speaker review, and be sure to check out our Bowers & Wilkins Formation Bar review If you need a speaker with built-in Amazon Alexa.

Featuring a 3.0 setup, the Sonos Beam is better for surround sound than the Bose TV Speaker. It also has sound enhancement features and a…

Featuring a 3.0 setup, the Sonos Beam is better for surround sound than the Bose TV Speaker. It also has sound enhancement features and a 94.1 dB peak SPL, getting louder than the Bose TV Speaker, which only manages 89.2 dB. However, unlike the Sonos beam, the Bose soundbar has Android-friendly Bluetooth, which instead has Airplay and Wi-Fi.

While the Bose TV Speaker is a 2.0-channel device that has a compact profile, the Bose Soundbar 500 is a larger speaker with a more…

While the Bose TV Speaker is a 2.0-channel device that has a compact profile, the Bose Soundbar 500 is a larger speaker with a more immersive 3.0 setup. As a result, the soundbar 500 provides better surround sound performance. Unlike the Bose TV Speaker, the Soundbar 500 has equalizer presets and an Ethernet port. and also has Wi-Fi and built-in AirPlay. Check out our Bose SoundBar 500 review for details.

The Bose Solo Soundbar Series II two and the Bose TV Speaker are similar 2.0 soundbars. With a built-in HDMI ARC port, the TV speaker…

The Bose Solo Soundbar Series II two and the Bose TV Speaker are similar 2.0 soundbars. With a built-in HDMI ARC port, the TV speaker is easier to connect to modern TVs than the Solo Series II, which doesn’t have such a port. You can learn more about the Series II soundbar in our Bose Solo Soundbar Series II review today.

Bluetooth Enabled

Yes

Depth

4.02"

3.9"

Dialogue Enhancement Feature

Yes

Yes

Energy Star Certified

No

HDMI ARC

Yes

Yes

Height

2.21"

2.7"

Number of Audio Channels

3

3

Subwoofer

Optional (sold separately)

na

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Score Card

E

Expert Score

69

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

89

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

73

Any product with a True Score above 70 is a Mixed Reviews

Expert Score Breakdown

  • Rtings
    103

    Category Trust Score

    69
    The Bose TV Speaker is acceptable for mixed usage. It’s a 2.0 bar that lacks… read more

    By:

  • Techgear Lab
    85.83

    Category Trust Score

    61
    For those looking to improve their home theater setup but don’t have a lot of… read more

    By:

  • Which?
    58.66

    Category Trust Score

    NR
    Bose is well known for its headphones and speakers, but it also makes a range… read more

    By:

  • Digital Trends
    75.48

    Category Trust Score

    80
    While the Bose TV Speaker may be considerably more expensive than bigger, bolder soundbars that… read more

    By:

Customer Score Breakdown

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