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

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

Both models can be placed flat or hung on the wall, and the aluminum-fabric construction ensures they look elegant in any living room.

Atmos and Power – Differences Between Models

The biggest distinction is visible in the configuration of channels 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 areas.

• Pulse Cinema Mini is a classic 2.1 system, with 280 W power, which still provides the effect of virtual heights in Dolby Atmos.

As Matt Simmonds, product manager at Bluesound, says:

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

Expansion to surround – without wires and an amplifier

Bluesound, like Sonos, focuses on easy expansion. Both models wirelessly cooperate with the SUB+ subwoofer and rear speakers, creating a complete surround system. You can also connect the subwoofer wired – but as the company emphasizes, the equipment is designed “wireless by design”.

We connect to the television via HDMI eARC, and HDMI CEC ensures that everything can be controlled with the TV remote. No additional remotes required.

Streaming and Restrictions

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, it lacks 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 important to remember that the lack of DTS support means the signal must be converted to PCM on the TV or player side.

Price and Availability

Both models are already available for pre-order, and global shipping will start on September 24.

Specifications