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(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
Now it’s the turn of the company’s soundbar range, with the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar being introduced as the replacement model for the previousBose Smart Soundbar 900. That’s an Ultra-ification triple threat completed, with this new soundbar adding artificial intelligence (AI) to try and outsmart itsSonos Arccompetition in the bid forthe best soundbarcrown.
Based on the press images, which are among the most red and gothic I’ve ever seen (as you can see on this page), it looks as though Bose means business. But what exactly can AI do in a soundbar setting and why can this, supposedly, elevate the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar to beat its peers?
I’m going to quote Bose here directly to give the company’s justification: the Smart Ultra Soundbar features an “A.I. Dialogue Mode to balance voice and surround sound for ultra-crisp vocal clarity. Using machine learning to listen to millions of content clips, the soundbar automatically adjusts tonal balance, making spoken words easier to hear without losing any impact of immersive sound effects.” Sounds impressive – and is something many soundbars struggle to deliver.
Image1of4(Image credit: Bose)(Image credit: Bose)(Image credit: Bose)(Image credit: Bose)
Image1of4(Image credit: Bose)(Image credit: Bose)(Image credit: Bose)(Image credit: Bose)
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(Image credit: Bose)(Image credit: Bose)(Image credit: Bose)(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)(Image credit: Bose)(Image credit: Bose)(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
(Image credit: Bose)
However, while I’m yet to test this feature in person – the Smart Ultra Soundbar won’t ship until the week commencing 10 October 2023 – it’s not the first to try and tackle the balance of speech. Indeed, that key competitor, theSonosArc, features a Speech Enhancement mode – andin T3’s reviewwe stated that “speech is emphasised out of soundtracks clearly.” So it sounds like game on to me!
The Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar measures 5.8cm/2.3in so is nice and shallow to fit below various TVs, while at 104.5cm/41in long and 10.7cm/4in deep I suspect it’ll be best matched withthe best 55-inch TVsor larger. There’s anHDMI eARC portfor handing over the audio to your screen too.
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The price, at £899/$899 onBose’s pre-order pagefor either the black or white finish models, actually sits it above the Sonos Arc – making both soundbar options, which are single box solutions without subwoofers included, confidently placed at the upper end of this market.
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