Last Updated: October 13, 2020 (Refresh Now)
Bose Solo 5 TV Soundbar Sound System with Universal Remote Control Black
Last Updated: October 13, 2020 (Refresh Now)
7.6
SCORE
/10
Total Reviews
955
Old Reviews
528
Unverified
108
Spam Test
PASS
Yes
BLUETOOTH
0.14 meters
SIZE
Yes
3.5 MM JACK
Review Analysis - 319 recent, verified reviews
Detailed Mode
Sound Quality
180bar, tv, speakers, sounds, sound
+89%
-11%
" ... Excellent Bose Sound Bar! ... "
" ... This was purchased for sound clarity. ... "
" ... My sound in my living room is so much better than my speakers for me qled tv. ... To expectation of sound. ... "
" ... I bought this as a gift and I have been given so many positive feedback , especially that the sounds is nice and clear, and the best part is that it doesn’t take much room. ... "
" ... It has a clean sound all i am missing is the subwoofer. ... Great sound and most importantly my wife approved. ... "
" ... For once a sound bar that delivers on dialogue. ... "
" ... Music sounds clear. ... "
" ... Sound is good ... "
Volume
46loud, room, speaker, sound bar, living room
+59%
-41%
" ... Sound quality is great for the price, fills the room nicely and the dialog is very crisp. ... "
" ... I love the sound of this sound bar for my smaller bedroom. ... "
" ... Not lights to show how much volume you are using or when the unit reaches max volume. ... Sound is clear and deep enough to fill the room nicely. ... "
" ... This is a really great speaker bar. ... "
" ... Yes, this sound bar helps mitigate the up and down volume issue that was driving us crazy. ... "
" ... I live in a 1 bed apt so it’s plenty loud for me . ... "
" ... It fills my room with clarity. ... "
" ... Very respectable sound from this speaker. ... "
Remote
37universal, tv, control, sound bar, bose
+57%
-43%
" ... The universal remote truly has done every feature (except eject bluray) on all my devices so far. ... "
" ... The Fire Stick remote works just fine. ... "
" ... Remote is awesome, have not tried the universal remote option yet. ... "
" ... I’m an electronics idiot and was able set it up and program it to my cable remote. ... "
" ... A hidden value with these solo models is the beast universal remote that comes with it. ... "
" ... Just don’t lose the remote as there are no other ways to control it. ... The remote that comes with does a great job of replacing other remotes you may have laying on your coffee table. ... "
" ... The last thing would be the remote. ... I have a relatively new Samsung TV and I haven't been able to use the universal remote with my TV, I've looked everywhere tried a whole bunch o codes and nothing. ... "
" ... The universal remote works for TV (Samsung). ... "
Ease of Use
35set, easy to install, setup, easy to hook, sounds great
+97%
-3%
" ... Easy to set up ... "
" ... The sound quality is fantastic, easy setup and doesn't take up any space at all. ... "
" ... Easy to install and use. ... "
" ... Super easy to install and sounds great! ... "
" ... Good sound and easy to use! ... "
" ... Time outs, starting up all easy to do. ... "
" ... Easy to hook up, and I am not a wizard at electronic hook-ups. ... "
" ... Ease of use is pretty straight forward and user friendly . ... "
Bass
31sound, base, bose, sub woofer, sound quality
+68%
-32%
" ... Bose is known for its sound quality. ... "
" ... Need to have a sub-woofer if you need that high base. ... "
" ... Initially it didn't knock my socks off, however once I began playing with the bass settings I was blown away. ... This little speaker puts out very good bass it won't shake the walls hehe but you will definitely feel it when it counts. ... If you're in an apartment like me and want to enjoy good bass and clarity without becoming a nuisance then this is surely for you. ... Just play with the bass until you reach a level that is pleasing to you, increasing the bass is what really brings this soundbar to life. ... "
" ... It's got the typical Bose quality but what makes it great is 1) the sound is perfect - meaning no sub woofer is necessary and 2) the wall mount bracket (sold separately) makes for a super clean looking installation. ... "
" ... The bass can use improvement, it’s not bad but a little more is needed even after maxing it but it will do. ... "
" ... It has a clean sound all i am missing is the subwoofer. ... "
" ... Base response is a lot better but if you like thumping base buy a sub woofer. ... "
" ... Being a Bose product I expected good sound quality and its there with good mids and highs but suffers from not having a ton of base. ... There is an option to boost the base but I would seriously look at getting a sub woofer. ... "
Price
31money, worth, 200, soundbar, sound quality
+84%
-16%
" ... especially for the price. ... "
" ... Worth the money. ... "
" ... The price is way to high. ... I could have just kept using my old system and saved my money. ... "
" ... For sound bars this is definitely on the lower end for price. ... "
" ... I really researched a lot but when I came to a Bose at this price I was shocked. ... "
" ... I couldn’t believe the improvement over the stock speakers for the price. ... "
" ... It surpassed my expectations. ... "
" ... The soundbar is compact and value for money. ... "
Device Compatibility
24bluetooth, bose, sync, soundbar, smart tv
+92%
-8%
" ... Much easier to understand dialogue on the tv ... "
" ... Great TV soundbar! ... "
" ... Started a home theater. ... "
" ... Very clear and easy to sync with tv etc ... "
" ... We are using it with our Alexa and streaming music. ... "
" ... We love that you can also connect to bluetooth for music. ... "
" ... It works so well and hooked up to my tv with a breeze . ... "
" ... Seamless compatibility with Windows 10. ... "
Setup
20setup, easy to install, instructions, set, tv
+95%
-5%
" ... Easy to install! ... "
" ... Easy setup for using with TV, Cable & DVD. ... "
" ... Installation was easy, except I had to power my devices on and off a few times before the sound bar synced with them. ... "
" ... The sound quality is fantastic, easy setup and doesn't take up any space at all. ... "
" ... Set up was really easy. ... "
" ... Easy to install, easy to operate. ... "
" ... Hooking it up was very quick and easy. ... "
" ... Super easy to install and sounds great! ... "
Bluetooth
18connect, tv, speaker, music, connection
+83%
-17%
" ... Has blue tooth, digital optical inputs as well. ... "
" ... It connects easily to phone with bluetooth ... "
" ... Plug and play with Bluetooth. ... "
" ... We use it for watching tv/movies, and it’s been great to use as a Bluetooth for our music from our phones too. ... "
" ... We love that you can also connect to bluetooth for music. ... "
" ... I do like the compact size of the soundbar, and it works well as a Bluetooth speaker for music from my cell phone. ... "
" ... Bluetooth works with all my devices. ... "
" ... Bluetooth is flawless as is optical from a TV pass through. ... "
Product Reliability
16years, stopped working, purchased, year, working
+25%
-75%
" ... Mine just stopped working after 18 months. ... "
" ... This wasn't always this way, only the last few months. ... "
" ... Lasted a year and went bad! ... "
" ... And after a week, it stopped turning the car on. ... "
" ... Crap, crap, crap. ... Not loud enough and stoped working 40 days after. ... "
" ... Years later, it crapped out, so wanted to get another. ... "
" ... Had my eyes on this for almost a year. ... "
" ... This product is less then 2 years old and no longer works. ... "
Size
14sound, small, sleek, sounds, nice
+93%
-7%
" ... I have bose portable speaker which is much smaller but sounds a lot better. ... "
" ... What we like is the size. ... "
" ... It’s sturdy,simple, sleek, has weight so you feel like it’s built well but not too heavy to carry . ... "
" ... The size is perfect. ... "
" ... Great sound for a small size. ... "
" ... Small but mighty sound! ... "
" ... Big sound with a small size. ... "
" ... It is a sleek, small bar with lots of great sound. ... I was looking for a small, sleek, but nice sounding bar that was not TOO expensive, and I didn't want a lot of extra speakers . ... "
Capacity
12living room, house, tv, sound bar, smaller
+100%
" ... Perfect match for my room. ... "
" ... It fills my room with clarity. ... "
" ... So, it sits in the box on my living room floor until we decide what to do with it. ... "
" ... Used this for an outdoor tv area. ... "
" ... But as it turns out, it is perfect for our entertainment area. ... "
" ... Bought this for a vacation house for the Master Bedroom. ... "
" ... It’s not gonna blow you away if you are expecting to shake the roof off your house. ... "
" ... We added this to our meager living room set up and were astounded. ... "
Controls
11button, control, voice, level, remote
+27%
-73%
" ... Does not adjust with TV volume ... "
" ... pushing the bass button once then doing the volume up gives no indication of where you are at bass wise . ... "
" ... How much i wish they would've at least included a physical button for such a basic function like adjusting volume, oh well its an expensive paper weight now :( ... "
" ... The unit is basically worthless as even when you control it, there is no feedback to indicate sound level setting. ... "
" ... Would have liked to have kept this but not having a back button is a deal breaker. ... "
" ... There is no indicator for volume level so you have no idea where you are. ... "
" ... The OK button doesn’t work. ... "
" ... It has a base control but it is difficult to set as it uses mysterious flashing lights that don't correlate to the changes in sound. ... "
Cables
10sound, wires, optical, system, surround
+80%
-20%
" ... No comparison in sound but it didn’t take all day to hook up and no wires. ... "
" ... I was sold the right cable and hook up was easy. ... "
" ... It sounds nice on cable tv but this didn’t fulfill the purpose of why I bought it. ... "
" ... Oh—I purchased a better quality cable instead of using the one provided with the unit and that definitely helped. ... "
" ... Good sound quality for a stand-alone audio product, and good for apartment dwellers like me that are unable to drill hoels & run cable in walls for a "true" total surround sound system. ... "
" ... I thought it was my cables at first, or maybe interference, but I plugged in a *$100 CHEAPER* competitor's solution and got amazing sound. ... "
" ... We had a very old “surround” system and this is actually better - plus, no little speakers to place all over the room, and no wires. ... "
" ... This sound bar came with the optical cord, so everything needed for the best connection was included. ... "
Call quality
10hear, dialogue, button, talking, talk
+70%
-30%
" ... The sound is great and I really like the voice pickup. ... "
" ... Dialogue button enhances voice ! ... "
" ... For the price the voice enhancement makes it the best bang for our buck. ... "
" ... The sound is awesome and I can already tell a huge difference in the dialogue I hear. ... Much more easier to hear characters speak when they are talking low or in a noisy environment. ... "
" ... The voice enhancer is an easy one button to activate. ... "
Returns
8return, even, returned, refund, item
-100%
" ... I should have returned the unit but didn't. ... "
" ... this item doesn't work and return window has closed even though I purchased last month. ... "
" ... I will be returning the item for a refund. ... "
" ... So now I can't even return it. ... "
" ... I am in the process of returning. ... "
" ... Wish I could have gotten my money back. ... "
" ... It took us so long to get an expert here to check it out that it was non-returnable. ... "
" ... I then reached out to the support staff to either return the product or to get a refund and I've not heard anything from the company since 2018. ... "
Design
8sound, small, sleek, design, nice
+100%
" ... It looks straightforward. ... "
" ... I was looking for a small, sleek, but nice sounding bar that was not TOO expensive, and I didn't want a lot of extra speakers . ... "
" ... Sounds and looks great!! ... "
" ... Excellent sound - sleek design. ... "
" ... Small and stylish it looks great below the screen. ... "
" ... It looks great. ... The quality feel is there. ... "
Software Platform
7tv, remote, netflix, instructions, google
+57%
-43%
" ... Seamless compatibility with Windows 10. ... "
" ... I just hooked this up to my Samsung 55” Smart TV. ... "
" ... Buena opción para espacios pequeños, buen calidad de sonido y fácil de instalar. ... "
" ... We are using it with our Alexa and streaming music. ... "
Display Clarity
7screen tv, big screen, system, small, made
+100%
" ... I use it for a flat screen TV and so much better than the slightly cheaper sound bars out there. ... "
" ... It improves sound from wide screen TV, but not as good as full sound system. ... "
" ... It is not super large and fits perfectly with the 42 inch tv in my hubny dart room. ... "
" ... This system immediately made mt big screen sound match the picture. ... It is so amazing I am going to get another one for the bedroom big screen. ... "
" ... Small and stylish it looks great below the screen. ... "
Ports
7tv, cable, using, use, setup
+57%
-43%
" ... it does not use HDMI unfortunately but is a good loud clear sound j have it connected to a projector for outside use and it powers my 1/3rd acre properly ... "
" ... Nice to have two options for your connection to the tv instead of having to use your hdmi port. ... "
" ... Easy as heck to hook up to my smart tv using the supplied optical cable and bought a cheap wall mount bracket setup here on amazon for $10. ... "
" ... Easy setup for using with TV, Cable & DVD. ... "
Frequencies
6mids, highs, good, bass, price
+67%
-33%
" ... Being a Bose product I expected good sound quality and its there with good mids and highs but suffers from not having a ton of base. ... "
" ... The mids sound decent and the highs are good. ... "
Comfort
6+50%
-50%
" ... To be fair, I wear 2 hearing aids and don't hear high frequencies well at all. ... "
" ... Pulled the trigger and wish I hadn't. ... "
Video Playback
5movies, love, use, tv, sound
+100%
" ... Makes video more engaging. ... "
" ... I love movies. ... "
" ... We use it for watching tv/movies, and it’s been great to use as a Bluetooth for our music from our phones too. ... "
" ... It ups the whole experience of watching a movie. ... "
Device Stand
5tv, mounted, wall, soundbar, get
+80%
-20%
" ... Mounted on top of the TV. ... "
" ... Skip the $20 official wall mount that they offer. ... "
" ... Easy as heck to hook up to my smart tv using the supplied optical cable and bought a cheap wall mount bracket setup here on amazon for $10. ... "
Fit
5well, tv, stand, set, fits
+80%
-20%
" ... and this fit all my check boxes! ... "
" ... I quite liked the sound quality of this bar and it fit well on the stand so I was pretty happy. ... "
" ... I use this on my second TV and it fits that use very well. ... "
Apps
4sound, netflix, app, tv, quality
+50%
-50%
" ... The instructions are awfully written use Google and YouTube ... "
" ... The back function won't work with any of the apps, Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu. ... "
Build Quality
3sleek, size
+100%
" ... Needed a sturdy quad cane my surgeon recommended. ... "
" ... It feels sturdy. ... "
" ... It’s sturdy,simple, sleek, has weight so you feel like it’s built well but not too heavy to carry . ... "
Review Spam Test PASS
In order to keep our review summaries as accurate as possible, we aggressively detect fake reviews. We use various signals to detect unnatural patterns and will gradually expose them here.
PASS
Review Count Per Reviewer
PASS
Unverified Review Streak
PASS
High Velocity Reviewers
PASS
Inactive Reviewers
PASS
Reviewer History Overlap
Specifications
Body
Size: 0.14 meters
Connectivity
Bluetooth: Yes
3.5 mm Jack: Yes