The Bose Solo 5 is a decent soundbar when it comes to stereo content, but it won’t be ideal for a good surround sound experience. It has quite good and neutral audio playback, but this bar lacks a bit of bass, which can be partially explained by the fact that it lacks a wireless subwoofer. This means that it will not be ideal for heavy bass content. It is also not compatible with Atmos and height channels, which will not be ideal for movies, and is not even compatible with DTS, which is quite common on Blu-ray discs. On the plus side, this bar is well built and will be a decent choice for audio content like podcasts, audiobooks, and TV shows where dialogue is the most important factor.
Sub-pair for movies. The sound profile is pretty good, but it lacks under-bass, which will greatly affect the film’s scores. This soundbar also lacks height channels and is not compatible with Atmos, resulting in a less immersive experience than a high-end bar that offers it. The Solo 5 also has a mediocre soundscape due to its small size, but still sounds pretty decent with stereo content. Thanks to its configuration, all 5.1 surround content will be reduced to 2.0. There is also no support for DTS, even via optical cable, which is disappointing.
It’s fine for mixed use. The Bose Solo 5 sounds decent, mainly because of its small size, but only with stereo content. It is not too strong and also lacks a bit of bass. It also lacks atmos height channels and support, making it a wrong choice for movies. It may also not be the best choice for low-heavy music genres. On the plus side, it has great media and triple playback and will work decently well for dialogue content like podcasts, audiobooks, and TV shows.
It’s very good for music. This Bose Solo 5 soundbar has a decent sound profile, but particularly lacks bass, which negatively affects its performance with some genres of low-heavy music. The sound scenery is also quite disappointing due to the small size of the bar. You can’t make the bar too noisy, but it should be enough for occasional listening sessions. It won’t be ideal for large rooms or crowded environments like at maximum volume, such as the bar distorts and compresses the bass a bit. On the bright side, it is easy to play content from your phone thanks to its Bluetooth compatibility.Photo:Bose
High quality soundbar for dialogue and TV shows. The Solo 5 has a good neutral audio profile, with accurate voice playback and dialog-related frequencies. It’s not too strong, but most people will find that the bar is strong enough for content like podcasts and audiobooks. Unfortunately, it does not have a dialog enhancement feature, but it will continue to work well for normal use.