Bluesound challenges Sonos – new soundbars Pulse Cinema and Cinema Mini!

Canadian Bluesound enters the ring with Sonos, presenting two soundbars designed for home cinema – Pulse Cinema and Pulse Cinema Mini. This is a response to the Sonos Arc Ultra and Sonos Beam models, but in a more audiophile edition, with power, Atmos, and full integration with the BluOS multiroom system.

Both models can be placed flat or mounted on the wall, and the aluminium-material construction makes them look sleek in any living room.

Atmos and Power – Differences Between Models

The biggest distinction is seen in the channel configuration and power:

• Pulse Cinema is a 3.2.2 system with 16 drivers (including upward-firing speakers) and 500 W total power. This solution is designed for larger TVs and spacious rooms.

• Pulse Cinema Mini is a classic 2.1, with 280 W power, which still delivers the virtual height effect in Dolby Atmos.

As Matt Simmonds, Bluesound's product manager, says:

“We wanted to create soundbars that not only sound great – they also had to be simple to use on a daily basis. In a sleek, low-profile form, they offer cinematic sound without the typical AV mess.”

Expand to surround – no cables or amplifier

Bluesound, like Sonos, focuses on easy expansion. Both models wirelessly connect with the SUB+ subwoofer and rear speakers, creating a complete surround system. It's also possible to connect the subwoofer wired – but as the company emphasises, the equipment has been designed “wireless by design”.

We connect to the TV via HDMI eARC, and HDMI CEC means we can control everything with the TV remote. No extra remotes.

Streaming and Limitations

On board, we find Bluetooth, Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2 via Wi-Fi and full support for BluOS multiroom (20+ services, including Tidal and Qobuz). However, there is a lack of Chromecast.

AirPlay 2 allows you to pair the soundbar wirelessly with Apple TV 4K, although with Bluetooth, the quality depends on the TV and is limited to stereo. It's also worth noting that the lack of DTS support means that signal conversion to PCM is required on the TV or player side.

Price and Availability

Both models are already available for pre-order, with global shipping commencing on 24 September.

Specification