Ahh, surround sound. Once you have it, you never want anything else in your home cinema life. Except all those wires.
Enter Pulse Wireless Home Theater from Bluesound, a venerable audiophile company. The setup is actually a collection of three different devices. The Pulse Soundbar 2i ($899) serves as the base, delivering excellent, well-rounded sound. The bar is heavy and stylish, with speakers that angle upward slightly. A la Sonos, you control the entire experience through an app, BluOS.
Your rear speakers are a pair of Pulse Flex 2is ($299 each) — tiny, ultra-versatile Bluetooth speakers that can be plugged in anywhere in the room. They are potent in their own right, delivering strong vocals and quality bass. Linking them to the Soundbar 2i takes just a minute or two through the app.
The finishing touch is one of the smartest subs I've ever worked with, the Pulse Sub+ ($749). It's built to be stood on its side or hidden under a high couch or bed. It also comes with a wall-mounting bracket. This sub is both powerful and subtle. It can deliver impactful bass when you want it, but that bass never overpowers the rest of the sound.
If you're thinking about a wireless sound future, buy the soundbar now, add the Pulse Flexes later and finish with the Sub+. Your home cinema life will never be more enjoyable.
Ebenezer Samuel, Tribune News Service
