The Bose Solo vs Solo 5 : A “Bassic” TV Sound System vs A Soundbar
Bose Solo vs Solo 5 – Let’s Jump In.
If you’re reading this it’s because you’re considering buying either a Bose solo 5 tv sound system or the Solo model. Unless you’ve got deep pockets, chances are you’ll be buying just one of these items, but which one? We’ll look at both here and give you some information to help decide. After all, if you’ve invested in a good tv, you need great sound. Yeah?
A Product Review And Comparison Between The Bose Solo TV Sound System & The Bose Solo 5 Soundbar
From the forerunner of audio systems comes the updated version of the first variant of a mid-range priced array of home audio devices, the Bose Solo TV System for flatscreen televisions. The Bose Solo possesses a welcome difference from conventional soundbars, contrary to how Batman would want it, not so much in function, but in fashion, in that it is more of an “under-tv speaker” than a sound “bar”. The Solo TV Sound System is designed to be placed right below the TV rather than separately. Hereby providing the flexibility of not using up much surface area.
The speaker has a height of a mere 3 inches, ensuring that the TV isn’t raised too much either. Bose recommends placing TVs not heavier than 40lbs on the Solo, and that covers many 40 inch- and most 32 inch TVs. The speaker itself weighs a meager 7.5lbs. If you need this installed by a professional, that’s easy to arrange.
Solo Overview
True to Bose’s well proven philosophy of providing better sound through research, the Solo promises an enhanced sound experience, far superior to any TV’s inbuilt speaker. The research in the case of the Solo, however, is directed more towards maintaining the speaker’s simplicity. This is seen in its sleek one-piece design, its rounded edges and soft finish. This simplicity is seen better in the Solo’s remote, a cozy, aesthetically endearing device requiring one CR2 battery that has merely eight buttons arranged in two vertical rows.
Size Matters?
Measuring 12.2 in x 20.8 in area, the Bose Solo should fit snugly into any TV stand, leaving plenty of room for other home theatre accessories. And yes, there’s very little need to worry about those messy wire entanglements. The Solo requires just two cables: the power and the audio cables. Solo provides two options for the audio cable, based on the capacity of your TV, and both these cables, and the power cable come along with the product. The product also comes with a wall mount for the speaker as an additional option to place the speaker.
There’s an ordinary analog (AUX) cable and an optical digital audio cable, both having separate slots on the speaker device. Bose recommends using the digital cable for better audio quality. Also suggests using the analog cable for TV connection only if the digital slot is not available on the TV.
Bluetooth Connectivity
A serious disadvantage of the original Solo in 2012 was the lack of Bluetooth connectivity. Now this version comes with this option as well, providing the superior audio quality and seamless connection that one would expect from Bose. The product, however, does not have a display, and it would have been a good idea to have a screen that indicates the volume level and mute status. However, the TV should indicate these details, and they wouldn’t exactly be the drawbacks of the Bose Solo. The power on/off status is indicated, as expected, by the color of the light on the system status indicator bulb.
A huge plus point with this sound system is its easy installation. One barely needs to refer to the instruction manual, since the process is really simple and extremely straightforward. All one needs to do is connect the power and audio cables and one is good to go.
Bose Solo 5 Review
The Bose Solo 5 Soundbar, a slightly more expensive and yet mid-range priced product, has an even more sleek design. Complete with a speaker area of 2.6 in x 21.6 in and a height of 3.4 in. The Solo 5, however, is more of a sound bar in a traditional sense. Thus it’s positioned to stand separately. The speaker weighs only 3.73lbs, and the entire shipping weight comes up to 8.2lbs. The soundbar comes with the analog and optical digital audio input cables, the power input cable and has Bluetooth connectivity. It also comes with an optional wall mount, which is priced extra.
A major advantage of the Solo 5 is that it has a Universal Remote, capable of controlling your television as well. Removing your need to carry two remote controllers, one of the TV and one for the soundbar. However, it goes back on the promise of the Solo’s design for space conservation, thereby bringing in the requirements of the classic soundbar in terms of space and mounting.
The installation of the Solo 5 is as simple as that of the Solo TV System. So there’s no need to worry there. Its compact design ensures minimum space requirement and is hence a better choice than the Solo.
Both the Solo and Solo 5 carry a one-year warranty in the US from manufacturing defects.
Bose Solo vs Solo 5 Conclusion
Overall, the Bose Solo 5 embodies all the best features of the Bose Solo. We think it’s a significantly more advanced product than the latter. By bringing its extra features at a slightly higher price, and would certainly be our recommendation among the two. Especially for an enhanced home TV audio experience.
