What Hi-Fi? Says $299 Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker Trails Sonos Era 300
Updated
Updated · What Hi-Fi? · Jul 13
What Hi-Fi? Says $299 Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker Trails Sonos Era 300
1 articles · Updated · What Hi-Fi? · Jul 13
Summary
What Hi-Fi? gave Bose’s new Lifestyle Ultra Speaker a mixed verdict, saying the $299 wireless speaker sounds clear and controlled but is ultimately less engaging than similarly priced rivals.
Against the £359/$359 Sonos Era 300 and $299 Apple HomePod 2, the review said Bose’s sound can feel thin and dynamically flattened, even after bass EQ tweaks, though bass remains taut and well integrated.
Features were a stronger point: the 1.3kg speaker supports AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Alexa, Bluetooth 5.3 and 3.5mm input, and can pair with Bose’s new Lifestyle soundbar and subwoofer.
The review also flagged execution issues, notably stereo pairing problems that sometimes left two test units audibly out of sync, with Tidal Connect and Qobuz Connect still due in later firmware updates.
The verdict underscores Bose’s difficult return to the premium multi-room market, where Sonos and Apple already offer more convincing ecosystem speakers at similar prices.