Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speakers Target Sonos with Alexa+ and 7.1.4 Modular Audio

Bose is taking a play from Sonos by introducing the Lifestyle Collection and trying to make home audio modular and easy to set up. The new entry-level lineup consists of a wireless speaker, a Dolby Atmos-ready soundbar, and a subwoofer that consumers can buy piecemeal and scale up as needed. 

Beginning with the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker, the $300 compact unit is a plug-in speaker for bedrooms, kitchens, and offices, but its three-driver layout, including an up-firing driver, is meant to do something bigger than background music: create a room-filling sense of height and space.

The unit can be used by itself, paired for A/V stereo, or (when used with the Ultra Soundbar) become the rear L/R/height channels. Moreover, using an internal r-shaped acoustic tube called QuietPort (also found in the subwoofer), the Ultra Speaker is claimed to have plenty of low-end muscle, despite its size.

For those looking for a home theater upgrade, the soundbar might be the most consequential piece. Bose says the Dolby Atmos-capable Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar is its first major soundbar redesign in more than a decade, and it brings six full-range drivers, a center tweeter for dialogue, and two PhaseGuide drivers for steering sound outward. The only questionable design choice on this unit is the glass panel at the top, which when placed beneath a TV will likely be reflection hell.

As for the sub, the Ultra Subwoofer uses CleanBass and (again) QuietPort acoustics to deepen the low end while freeing the soundbar/speakers to focus on voices and detail. Bose is also making the system expandable, so users can tack on two Ultra Speakers and the double the sub count to push the setup into a 7.1.4 arrangement. And yes, there is a calibration system. Bose's CustomTune tool will use your phone's mic to analyze your living space to get the most out of the speakers.

The entire lineup has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity plus it supports Alexa+, Google Cast, AirPlay, and Spotify Connect. Controlling the devices can be done through the Bose app, but since this set is an open ecosystem, they can be managed—along with speakers from other brands—with AirPlay or the Google Home apps. 

Check out the speakers here: