For decades, TV speakers have disappointed viewers with thin and muddy audio failing to live up to the visual quality of modern displays. Soundbars solve that problem by fitting proper speakers and amplification into a sleek package that fits beneath your TV without taking up space and adding the complexity of full surround sound systems.
The Bose smart Dolby Atmos soundbar brings premium audio technology from one of the most respected names in sound, and Amazon just dropped its price to an all-time low of $399 from the standard $499 tag. It puts a Bose soundbar with top-notch features at the same price point as generic mid-range soundbars without the brand reputation or expert audio engineering that Bose brings.
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Immersive Sound Technology
Dolby Atmos adds a third dimension of height channels to the traditional surround format, with the ability to place audio objects in space with pinpoint accuracy around and above you, rather than just from the left and right. It’s a spatial audio technology that makes movie soundtracks feel far more realistic, placing the sounds of helicopters passing overhead or rain falling from above in the correct places. To pull off this trick, the Bose soundbar features an acoustic architecture that somehow manages to shoehorn five separate transducers into its compact frame, including two upward-firing speakers that reflect sound off your ceiling to create the illusion of height channels.
TrueSpace technology denotes proprietary Bose processing that works beyond Dolby Atmos content. This intelligent system analyzes whatever audio signal you feed it, be it standard stereo music, older 5.1 surround soundtracks, or streaming content without spatial encoding. The processing upmixes those conventional formats to create a more enveloping and expansive sound experience from the soundbar’s multi-driver configuration.
A.I. Dialogue Mode addresses one of the most common complaints about modern audio mixing: voices getting buried beneath music and effects. This artificial intelligence system continuously monitors the audio stream, and identifies dialogue frequencies and dynamically adjusting the balance to ensure voices remain clear and prominent without completely suppressing the atmospheric sounds that create immersion.
Voice control integration provides hands-free operation thanks to integrated Amazon Alexa functionality. Adjust the volume, change inputs, play music, or even fire up other smart home devices-all are possible with voice commands and no need to pick up a remote. Bose Voice4Video takes it a step further: it allows you to take control of your TV and either the cable or satellite box through the voice system of the soundbar, consolidating several devices into one unified voice control interface.
It features just about every major wireless streaming protocol, giving flexibility in the way you send audio to the system. Bluetooth connectivity works with any phone, tablet, or computer for easy wireless streaming. Apple AirPlay 2 offers higher-quality wireless audio for iPhone and Mac users while enabling multi-room audio with other AirPlay speakers. Spotify Connect lets you control playback directly from within the Spotify app with improved stability and quality compared to standard Bluetooth. Chromecast built-in supports casting from thousands of compatible apps on Android devices and computers.
Physical connectivity includes HDMI eARC for easy TV connection and support for all audio formats; optical input is available for older TVs, and USB is for service updates. The HDMI eARC connection carries both standard audio and advanced formats like Dolby Atmos through a single cable while allowing the soundbar to respond to your TV remote’s volume controls.
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