You could say Bose knows a thing or two about delivering compact loudspeaker products that look as good as they sound.
The venerable audio company continues to build on that tradition, showing integrators at CEDIA 2016 in Dallas a trio of solutions to boost Bose’s legacy and boost the bottom line of installers catering to design-conscious homeowners who don’t mind seeing their audio systems too.
Bose’s new sleek SoundTouch 300 measures 38.5 W x 2.25 H x 4.25 D inches. The wireless-friendly product features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth with NFC to pair with source devices, thereby enabling quick and easy streaming access to services such as Spotify and Pandora.
Its design is sure to please owners, as Bose wraps the SoundTouch 300 in a perforated metal grille sporting a glass top. Internally, the soundbar incorporates Bose’s PhaseGuide arrays to produce a spacious soundstage, according to the company; its QuietPort technology to deliver clean, impactful bass; and ADAPTiQ calibration to tailor the sound to the environment.
“With the SoundTouch 300, we’ve filled a gap in the market,” says Pete Ogley, general manager of Bose audio-for-video. “We pushed the boundaries of size, sound and design like nothing else available in the category. We added Bluetooth to Wi-Fi so you can stream anything, instantly. And because it doubles as a wireless music system and home theater system, you’ll get an incredible experience whether you’re listening to your playlists, enjoying Netflix or watching the game — all from one gorgeous speaker.”
Additionally, while the SoundTouch 300 can certainly sound off on its own, it can also wirelessly connect to other SoundTouch speakers for a multiroom solution, and be installed as part of a 5.1-channel system with Bose’s acoustically matched Acoustimass 300 bass module and/or Virtually Invisible 300 wireless surround speakers, the company notes.
Lifestyle 650 and 600 Systems Go Small
Bose’s heritage also includes small satellite speakers that produce big surround sound, and the company’s new Lifestyle 650 and 600 systems speak to that.
The Lifestyle 650 (pictured) boasts the company’s smallest sat speakers ever, four new OmniJewels that are just 1.84 W x 5.77 H x 1.84 D inches. Each includes new high-excursion transducers in opposing placement, that go in tandem with a slim center channel and bass module for a full system surround-sound install.
Looks wise, again, Bose has design in mind by utilizing brushed, anodized aluminum and curved console accented with polished glass.
Other features of the Lifestyle products match those of the SoundTouch 300, such as wireless capabilities via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth; advanced DSP; ADAPTiQ; and whole-home possibilities. There’s also 4K pass-through and six HDMI inputs, a universal RF remote and Bose’s Unify feature that takes users through simplified setup. The Lifestyle 600 has slightly larger satellite speakers plus a Jewel Cube center channel.
“For people who want the finest quality in sound, aesthetics, materials and build, there’s nothing else like it,” Ogley says. “When it’s seen and heard for the first time, it simply suspends belief.”
Availability, Pricing
Bose anticipates the SoundTouch 300 soundbar, Acoustimass 300 bass module, Virtually Invisible surround speakers, and Lifestyle 650 and 600 systems starting in October 2016.
Pricing is as follows: $699 for the SoundTouch 300; optional bass module $699; acoustically matched surround speakers $299; Lifestyle 650 and 600 systems for $3,999 and $2,999, respectively.
Integrators can check out Bose during CEDIA 2016 at booth 5312.
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