The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker is a compact, active home speaker priced at $299 that targets the wireless streaming era with its aim to deliver room-filling sound. It builds upon the established Bose Lifestyle legacy by offering big audio in a relatively small package, featuring a cylindrical design and a traditional look derived from its fabric covering, despite housing modern technology.
The unit weighs 1.66 kilograms and requires mains power since it does not contain an internal battery, making it unsuitable for portable or outdoor use.
Audio performance is managed by Bose’s proprietary TrueSpatial and CleanBass technologies. The TrueSpatial system utilizes three drivers, including an up-firing driver, which works with an internal woofer and a rear QuietPort acoustic opening to simulate a multi-speaker setup from just one box. Reviewers noted the sound quality was impressively big, crisp, and detailed even in large rooms. The bass is described as punchy and clean without muddling the mid-range or high frequencies.
The resulting sound signature is characterized as bright and punchy rather than warm or neutral. While this specific profile may not appeal to every listener, it delivers a detailed experience across diverse genres, including jazz, classical, and electronic music.
Functionally, the speaker is primarily designed for streaming audio from devices like smartphones, tablets, or WiFi equipment. It supports several major services, including Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, and Alexa+ voice controls. Connectivity options are robust, offering WiFi, Bluetooth 5.3, and a single 3.5mm auxiliary input for connecting record players.
The review highlighted limited physical inputs, noting the absence of optical or HDMI eARC connectivity, which restricts its use in more complex setups.
Controls include intuitive touch elements on the top surface, used for Bluetooth pairing, volume adjustments, media playback, and microphone functions. The setup process involves using the Bose app and a Bose account for WiFi connection and initialization, a process noted by the reviewer as somewhat cumbersome and time-consuming initially. However, once configured, wireless streaming and voice commands operated without issue.
The accompanying Bose app is minimal and offers limited customization; users can only adjust bass, mid, and high frequencies, lacking features like full equalization or room-tuning functionalities such as CustomTune technology. This lack of audio customization was cited as a drawback, though the reviewer mentioned it aligns with typical Bose product behavior.
The speaker’s versatility allows for pairing with a second Lifestyle Ultra Speaker to achieve true stereo sound, or integrating it into a home theater system as rear or surround speakers. However, this expansion is restricted solely to the Bose ecosystem. Direct connection to a TV or existing home theater setup requires the newest Bose soundbar.
A key technical consideration mentioned was that the up-firing driver performs best when there is adequate clearance above the unit, making placement on a bookshelf inadvisable.
The conclusion rates the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker as an effective solution for music streamers. It provides booming, crisp sound quality that leaves a strong impression in both small and large environments. Despite its stylish build and impressive performance, limitations regarding customization and connectivity were highlighted as notable drawbacks.
Overall, the product received an 85% rating, receiving sub-scores of 88% for performance, 80% for quality, 82% for features, and 90% for value. The final assessment confirms that despite limitations in setup flexibility and customization options, the speaker excels in delivering superior sound quality.
Source: TweakTown