I tested Bose’s Lifestyle Ultra soundbar, and it sparked a ‘too much bass’ debate in my home

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Bose has a long history in home theater, but lately, the company has focused more on personal audio and wearable devices. Because of this shift, its home theater offerings have seen little change, with only a handful of soundbars, rear speakers, and subwoofers available.

Also: Forget the soundbar: How I upgraded my TV audio with spare Bluetooth speakers

Even so, Bose hasn’t forgotten its home theater roots. The new Lifestyle Ultra series — which includes a smart speaker, soundbar, and subwoofer — signals that the company plans to stay in the home theater space.

I tested the $1,099 Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar for a week, replacing my trusted Sonos Arc with Bose’s newest model. Since the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar sits in the same price bracket as premium options from Sonos and Sony, Bose has a lot to prove.

Upgrades you can see — and some you can’t

The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar features a nine-driver setup, including two upward-firing speakers, four front-facing drivers, a dedicated center tweeter, and two side-firing speakers. On its own, it produces a 5.0.2-channel sound experience.

Internally, the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar is very similar to its predecessor, the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar, as both use the same nine-driver configuration. That said, Bose has added several improvements to the new model: an AI-driven speech enhancement feature, a room-calibration tool that uses built-in microphones, proprietary spatial audio upmixing technology, and better bass performance.

Bose has given its high-end soundbar a welcome visual refresh, adding a glass panel across the top and a touch-sensitive control dial on the right edge. The company also replaced the boxy corners with rounded ones, giving the bar a sleeker, more contemporary appearance.

In general, the soundbar performs well — it handles the midrange frequencies particularly effectively. Dialogue comes through clearly thanks to the dedicated center channel, and Bose’s AI-powered voice enhancement sounds more natural than what some rivals offer. However, without separate rear speakers, the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar can’t deliver a truly immersive surround sound experience on its own.

Bass that goes too far

On top of that, the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar’s bass output is underwhelming, making the optional Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer a must-have for anyone who wants real low-end punch during movies and TV shows. Adding the subwoofer would not only enrich the lower frequencies but also take some of the burden off the soundbar when it comes to reproducing deep bass.

During action-heavy sequences in “Dune: Part Two,” the deep rumble of the film’s score frequently caused the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar to vibrate, which in turn shook my TV stand and created an irritating rattling noise. Some listeners might enjoy that dramatic effect, but I certainly didn’t.

Also: Why the ‘Subwoofer Crawl’ is the only way I found the bass sweet spot in my living room

By comparison, my first-gen Sonos Arc Ultra didn’t produce the same issue when playing the identical scene from the same film. The Sonos soundbar delivered tighter, more controlled bass, although Bose’s midrange was louder and more detailed.

Still, the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar is priced at the same $1,100 as the Sonos Arc Ultra, Marshall Heston 120, and Samsung HW-Q800H — all of which offer deeper and, crucially, more precise bass.

A significant limitation

One of the strongest aspects of the Lifestyle Ultra lineup is its open ecosystem, which supports multi-room audio through Google Cast and Apple AirPlay. However, the Lifestyle Ultra series is not backward compatible with Bose’s older home theater products, which is a notable oversight.

While Bose’s current home theater lineup is limited, having all its products work together seamlessly would be a real advantage. Broad device compatibility is exactly what gives Sonos and Sony an edge over Bose in this area. According to Bose, the only older product you can connect to the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar is the Bose Bass Module 700 — and that’s the extent of it.

ZDNET’s buying advice

The Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar is a solid product — arguably Bose’s best soundbar yet, with refined audio technology, an elegant design, and an open ecosystem for wireless streaming. That said, the Sonos Arc Ultra carries the identical $1,099 price tag. If you’re after bigger, more cinematic sound for your living room, Sonos delivers a better experience.

Also: Your TV can sound a lot better: 7 easy but unexpected ways to improve audio quality

That said, the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar excels at music playback and comes packed with smart speaker capabilities, including Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, and built-in Alexa. So it’s a great pick for anyone who wants a smart speaker that doubles as a soundbar, rather than someone primarily focused on immersive movie audio.