Bluesound's Pulse Cinema is a significant step forward for the Canadian company, offering a top-notch Dolby Atmos soundbar experience that rivals its main competitor, Sonos. The Pulse Cinema boasts a 500-watt, 3.0.2-channel array of drivers and up-firing technology, providing an immersive cinematic audio experience with impressive levels of detail.
One of the standout features of the Pulse Cinema is its ability to deliver exceptional dialog clarity in TV audio. Voices are well-centered and easy to understand, even in scenes with multiple background and surround sounds. The soundbar's processing also rewards critical listening with details that other soundbars fail to communicate.
When it comes to music reproduction, the Pulse Cinema truly shines. The detail and clarity translate beautifully from movie and TV show content into music, creating an astonishingly clear separation of elements and a wider soundstage than its competitors. However, the lack of EQ settings is still a drawback, potentially causing fatigue for some listeners.
The BluOS app, which controls the Pulse Cinema, has a fast and intuitive interface that makes managing multiple Bluesound speakers or devices from other brands easy to use. Music streaming services like Amazon Music, Tidal, Qobuz, and Deezer are also supported, although limitations in AirPlay and native Apple Music access may be frustrating for some users.
The Pulse Cinema is the company's best soundbar to date, offering a killer choice for music lovers who value high-quality audio reproduction. However, at $1,500, it may not be worth waiting for until Bluesound resolves its software issues and adds more features. The same price point could get you a Sonos Arc Ultra and two Era 100s for an immersive 9.1.4-channel setup or a massive system from Samsung that beats them all.
Overall, the Bluesound Pulse Cinema is a worthy alternative to Sonos' top-tier soundbars, offering exceptional audio quality and features like Dolby Atmos support at a premium price point.
One of the standout features of the Pulse Cinema is its ability to deliver exceptional dialog clarity in TV audio. Voices are well-centered and easy to understand, even in scenes with multiple background and surround sounds. The soundbar's processing also rewards critical listening with details that other soundbars fail to communicate.
When it comes to music reproduction, the Pulse Cinema truly shines. The detail and clarity translate beautifully from movie and TV show content into music, creating an astonishingly clear separation of elements and a wider soundstage than its competitors. However, the lack of EQ settings is still a drawback, potentially causing fatigue for some listeners.
The BluOS app, which controls the Pulse Cinema, has a fast and intuitive interface that makes managing multiple Bluesound speakers or devices from other brands easy to use. Music streaming services like Amazon Music, Tidal, Qobuz, and Deezer are also supported, although limitations in AirPlay and native Apple Music access may be frustrating for some users.
The Pulse Cinema is the company's best soundbar to date, offering a killer choice for music lovers who value high-quality audio reproduction. However, at $1,500, it may not be worth waiting for until Bluesound resolves its software issues and adds more features. The same price point could get you a Sonos Arc Ultra and two Era 100s for an immersive 9.1.4-channel setup or a massive system from Samsung that beats them all.
Overall, the Bluesound Pulse Cinema is a worthy alternative to Sonos' top-tier soundbars, offering exceptional audio quality and features like Dolby Atmos support at a premium price point.