The Bose TV Speaker is an affordable soundbar that lets you upgrade your TV’s built-in speakers at a fairly reasonable price. Compared to Bose’s other mid-range and high-end soundbars, the Bose TV Speaker is simple and easy to use—it doesn’t come with any fancy features such as voice controls, Apple AirPlay and more. Its simplicity is actually one of its main selling points.
In this Bose TV Speaker review, we’ll compare it to popular soundbars such as the Sonos Beam, the Bose Solo 5 and the Bose Smart Soundbar 300, to find out if it is a worthy purchase. Here is a comparison chart for all four soundbars mentioned to start things off.
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Bose TV Speaker Review Comparison Chart
| Model | Bose TV Speaker | Bose Solo 5 | Bose Soundbar 300 | |
 |  |  |  | |
| Price | Check Price | Check Price | Check Price | Check Price |
| Dimensions H x W x D | 2.2 x 23.4 x 4 inches | 2.70 x 25.625 x 3.94 inches | 2.75 x 21.6 x 3.3 inches | 2.5 x 27.5 x 4 inches |
| Channels | 2.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| Ports | 1x HDMI ARC 1x Optical in 1x AUX in 1x Power input 1x USB (for service only) 1x Wired bass module (optional) | 1x HDMI ARC 1x Ethernet port | 1x Optical in 1x Aux in 1x Coaxial in 1x USB (for service only) | 1x HDMI ARC 1x Optical in 1x Bass Module connection 1x USB (for service only) 1x Power input |
| Wireless Playback | Bluetooth | WiFi Apple AirPlay 2 | Bluetooth | Bluetooth WiFi Apple AirPlay 2 |
| Remote Control | Yes | No | Universal | Yes |
| Audio Formats | Dolby Digital | Dolby Digital Dolby Digital 5.1 | Dolby Digital | Dolby Digital |
| Voice Controls | No | Alexa Google Assistant | No | Alexa Google Assistant |
Bose TV Speaker Review
Upgrading to the Bose TV Speaker from your TV’s speaker is worth it.
The Bose TV Speaker is an entry-level soundbar from Bose that offers simplicity and ease of use. It has a similar design to the higher-end Bose 500 and 700 soundbars that features a matte plastic top with metallic grills to protect the speaker. The soundbar has an unassuming design that just sits there without calling attention to itself, blending in with the TV.
At just 2.2 x 23.4 x 4 inches, the Bose TV Speaker is a compact soundbar that won’t take up too much space on your TV stand. It’s also low enough that it won’t obstruct the bottom part of the TV screen. If you have a wall mounted TV setup, the Bose TV Speaker has universal wall mounting holes at the bottom, so you can wall mount it as well.
In terms of connectivity, the Bose TV Speaker has an HDMI ARC port, an aux in and an optical in. It comes with just enough ports for your TV, Blu-Ray player and game consoles. The Bose TV Speaker is easy to set-up and even easier to use. The included remote is very basic and it has all the functions that you’ll need. As for wireless streaming, the soundbar supports Bluetooth connectivity but no WiFi.
When it comes to sound, the 2.0 Bose TV Speaker has a wide soundstage and its stereo response is great. The bass is a bit lacking, but the mid-range and high frequency are balanced and clear. Speech and ambient sounds can be heard clearly. For its price, the Bose TV Speaker is a worthwhile upgrade over built-in TV speakers.
Bose TV Speaker vs Sonos Beam
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Bose TV Speaker vs Bose Solo 5
The Bose TV Speaker and the Bose Solo 5 soundbars are similar in some ways, but the Bose TV Speaker has the advantage when it comes to connectivity and overall sound.
These two speakers are similar in that they offer simplicity and ease of use. They both have a compact design with a similar plastic top and metallic grills. The only advantage of the Bose Solo 5 over the Bose TV Speaker is that it comes with a universal remote. Other than that, the Bose TV Speaker wins in every category.
Both speakers can stream content via Bluetooth but not over WiFi. In terms of connectivity, the lack of an HDMI port on the Bose Solo 5 makes it less than ideal as your main speaker. This is not a problem with the Bose TV Speaker since it has an HDMI ARC port.
When it comes to sound, they are similar, but the Bose TV Speaker edges the Bose Solo 5 since the former has a more balanced mid-range. The Bose Solo 5 also has a balanced sound but when compared to the Bose TV Speaker, it doesn’t sound as good.
Bose TV Speaker vs Soundbar 300
The Bose Smart Soundbar 300 is more expensive since it has more channels, it sounds better and it comes with more features than the Bose TV Speaker.
Bose’s mid-range Smart Soundbar 300 is a sort of an upgraded Bose TV Speaker. They share the same aesthetics but the Bose Smart Soundbar comes with more features and since it is bigger and it is a 3.0 soundbar, it is able to produce better sound.
Some of its features include streaming over WiFi, Apple AirPlay 2 support and built-in Alexa and Google Assistant. All of these features are not available on the Bose TV Speaker.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 300 has a wider soundstage than the Bose TV Speaker and its bass response is tighter. The low frequency sound of the Bose Smart Soundbar 300 is also boomier and able to produce more punch, for a more satisfying sound. Its mid-range and high frequencies are well-balanced as well, so dialogues are clear and ambient sounds are detailed. Overall, it is the better soundbar than the Bose TV Speaker, but it is also more expensive.
Verdict
If you’re looking to upgrade the terrible speakers that come with your TV, the Bose TV Speaker is an excellent choice.
Due to how thin modern TVs are, there really is no way to install decent speakers in them. If you’re unhappy with how your TV sounds and you don’t want to spend too much on separate speakers, the Bose TV Speaker is a good upgrade at a fairly reasonable price. It is as simple as it gets when it comes to soundbars and it sounds very good overall. The Bose Solo 5 is another simple and easy to use soundbar but it doesn’t come with an HDMI port so we can’t really recommend it.
The Sonos Beam and the Bose Smart Soundbar 300 are both good options as well. However, they are more expensive since they have more features and they are able to output better overall sound. If you’re looking to get a smart soundbar with voice controls and a host of other features, you can’t go wrong with either.
FAQs
Yes, for its price, it’s an excellent upgrade over your built-in TV speakers.
The Bose TV Speaker is better than the Bose Solo 5 in almost all aspects. The only advantage of the Bose Solo 5 is that it comes with a universal remote.
Yes, you can stream content on the Bose TV Speaker via Bluetooth.
The best overall Bose soundbar is the Bose 700 while for the entry-level market, the latest Bose TV Speaker has taken over the Bose Solo 5 as the best choice.
Last update on 2021-07-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API