The appropriate soundbar may enhance your listening experience, while the wrong soundbar may not provide much of an upgrade over your existing factory speakers in terms of sound quality. Given that you’re unlikely to purchase both the Bose Solo 3 and the Solo 5, which is the best option? Both have been put through their paces, and the results can be seen in our Bose Solo VS Solo 5 headphone comparison.
Features of Both Sound Bars Compared:
Design
In addition, since the Bose Solo is a pedestal-style soundbar, it can support the whole weight of your television set. The remote sensor for your television will remain open, ensuring that it does not interfere with the operation of the remote control. However, even though a stand-type soundbar would not need installation on the wall, it is possible to do so if you choose.
The Bose Solo 5 is a soundbar with a more classic style, which is shaped like a bar. When compared to the Solo, it is more compact and lighter.
The Bose Solo 5 offers more versatility in terms of placing possibilities, however we don’t recommend using it as a TV stand since it is not built to sustain the weight of your television set.
Despite the fact that the Bose Solo is intended to be used as a stand, it is only capable of supporting television sets weighing up to forty pounds. The Solo would be ideal to install if you have a bigger TV that weighs more than this amount of weight.
When you first pull the Solo and the Solo 5 out of the package, they have a premium feel about them. Each of them also has a matte brushed surface that is very robust and scratch-resistant. In any decor, the basic black design would look great.
Connection
In the rear, you’ll find the connection ports for the two soundbars. The analog, optical, and coaxial inputs are the only ones available on the Bose Solo, which is a limited number of options. Even though the Solo and Solo 5 do not support HDMI, the optical connection is capable of delivering crystal-clear music to your ears.
Dolby Digital is supported by both the Bose Solo and the Bose Solo 5. This indicates that the soundbars are capable of decoding audio quality at that level. Dolby Digital is the industry standard for stunningly clear and spacious sound, which we’ll go over in further detail later.
The Bose Solo 5 features three inputs as well, one of which is different from the Solo’s input. Connecting through optical, coaxial, or auxiliary cables are all options. A feature that the Bose Solo is missing is Bluetooth.
The Solo 5 can stream content from a variety of mobile devices thanks to the built-in Bluetooth.
Sound
As is typically the case when comparing soundbars, the sound quality of the Bose Solo VS Solo 5 comparison is a significant thing to consider. The sound quality of the Solo and the Solo 5 are almost identical.
Both the Solo 5 and the Bose Solo are devoid of any sound-adjustment options or sound modes. There is a crisp conversation mode pre-programmed within the Solo 5, and the Bose Solo is well-balanced in terms of overall sound quality.
To put it another way, you receive the settings straight out of the box with no space for customization or modification. There is a limit to how much sound they can make due to the fact that they are both rather small designs.
Again, the tiny size of the Bose Solo 5 may be a disadvantage in this situation, but it all depends on the size of your television. The manufacturer speakers are larger in proportion to the size of the television, which implies that a larger soundbar is required to meet and surpass the size of the factory speakers.
Bluetooth
The Bose Solo 5 is the only model with Bluetooth built-in, as we previously said. For those of you who consider this to be a critical feature, the option should be quite apparent. This feature is not available on the Bose Solo headphones.
When you use the Solo 5, you’ll be able to stream music and enjoy any other entertainment from your mobile devices thanks to the increased audio provided by the soundbar.
Control
Both headphones come with remote controllers, however the remote for the Bose Solo is smaller and more fragile in comparison to the universal remote [1] that comes with the Bose Solo 5 (see image above).
The remote control has a straightforward appearance that complements the basic design of the Bose Solo. All of the buttons are well labeled and there are just four of them in total. These are the most fundamental restrictions, and they are pretty much all that the majority of people need in the first place. You have the ability to adjust the volume up and down, as well as the power button and the mute button, on your device.
Because the Bose Solo remote is not a universal remote, it will only operate with the Bose Solo, which is a bummer. A whole different degree of convenience is provided with the Bose Solo 5, on the other hand.
All of your gadgets, including your television, may be controlled via its remote. The users will find it more convenient since they will no longer have to hunt for a separate remote control each time.
A display and control panel are not included on either the front or the rear of the Bose Solo and Solo 5. Both approaches will need a significant amount of reliance on the remote, as a result. If you don’t need a display screen, there are other excellent options, such as the Samsung HW-J450 soundbar.
Setup
There is no difficulty in configuring any of the soundbars. A plug-and-play design is used by both devices. To get started, all you have to do is connect it to your television using the given wires and configure the appropriate parameters on your remote control.
Regardless of the soundbar you choose, you must make certain that the connections are compatible with your television. Be aware that none of the soundbars has an HDMI port. On the Solo 15, there is no such feature.
Conclusion: Bose Solo OR Solo 5?
After a few weeks of testing, our specialists have concluded that the Bose Solo is sufficient for all of the essential functions. However, the Solo 5 is a great option if you want Bluetooth and a few extra features.
Not that the Bose Solo is a bad soundbar. Setup and use are a breeze thanks to this device’s no-fuss design. When put immediately beneath your TV, it won’t interfere with your TV’s remote sensor.
