Bose Solo 5 soundbar Black Friday deal beats Prime Day price – but should you buy it?

Bose Solo 5 soundbar Black Friday deal beats Prime Day price – but should you buy it?
(Image credit: Bose)

Black Friday week is in full swing and Amazon has dropped the price of the Bose Solo 5 soundbar from £239 to just £149 (opens in new tab). That's £20 cheaper than it was on Prime Day!  

There's lots to like about Bose's entry-level soundbar, including wireless Bluetooth connectivity and bass control for adding extra punch to movies. But is the Solo 5 really a good deal... even at £149?

What Hi-Fi? put this product through its paces long before today's Black Friday shenanigans, and we'd be happy to give you an honest assessment... 

Bose Solo 5 soundbar £239 (opens in new tab)

Bose Solo 5 soundbar £239 £149 at Amazon (save £90) (opens in new tab)
(opens in new tab)At just 55cm wide, the Bose Solo 5 is compact enough slot in front of any TV. It's easy to use and projects dialogue with confidence and clarity. The universal remote is a nice touch, too. A step up from your TVs sound at an affordable price.

The Bose Solo 5 is a simple and affordable way to upgrade your TV's speakers and features wireless Bluetooth connectivity for streaming music from a phone or laptop. 

Set-up is a breeze, and it can be wall-mounted or placed on a TV stand. Connections come in the form of optical or coaxial digital cable. And there's the added bonus of a universal remote control that allows you to command your TV speaker, Bluetooth devices and more.

Unfortunately, the dimensions of the Bose Solo 5 work against it as soon as you start listening. Voices are projected well and the presentation is surprisingly full-bodied, but the Solo 5 lacks punch. Even with bass boost, it falls short when it comes to big explosions or action scenes.

So, should you buy a Bose Solo 5 for £149 at Amazon (opens in new tab)

There's no doubt that this soundbar is a big improvement on the thin, hard sound that many of today's slim TVs tend to have. It's a lot of soundbar for the money, made by a premium brand, and available with a decent, Prime Day-busting discount.

However, if you want some serious punch, we'd suggest checking out some of the many other Black Friday soundbar deals offer right now, or upping your budget (if you can) and going for one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars. Decisions, decisions...

MORE:

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Hit the heights with the best Dolby Atmos soundbars

How to improve your TV's sound: budget and premium options for better audio

Tom is a journalist, copywriter and content designer based in the UK. He has written articles for T3, ShortList, The Sun, The Mail on Sunday, The Daily Telegraph, Elle Deco, The Sunday Times, Men's Health, Mr Porter, Oracle and many more (including What Hi-Fi?). His specialities include mobile technology, electric vehicles and video streaming.