Meet Maggie, PCMag'sThe Bose Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer ($899) is custom-made for the company's new range of audio products, which includes the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar ($1,099) and Lifestyle Ultra Speaker ($299). I like its modern looks, simple connectivity, and the rich low-end it brings to my living room. It's a natural extension of any system that includes the Bose Soundbar and Speaker, adding that extra bit of thump to my favorite content. If you're on board with Bose, it's a perfect match for the latest gear, but if you're using another system, consider a more flexible option.
The Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer is a near-cube, measuring roughly 12.9 inches tall, 11.6 inches wide, and 11.6 inches deep. It weighs 33.7 pounds. In other words, it's not small. And while it looks nice, I prefer the rectangular shape of the Sonos Sub 4, which makes it easier to slot next to furniture. Bose's subwoofer has a mostly plastic build, with a glass panel on top that matches the accompanying soundbar. It comes in Black or White Smoke. I received the White Smoke model.
Internally, there's a single 10.5-inch woofer doing the work. This is the same core acoustic package Bose used in the Bass Module 700, though Bose says it has improved processing.
Bose expects you to connect the sub to your other Bose components wirelessly. The sub pairs over Wi-Fi with about 30 feet of practical range, which is plenty for most living rooms. The subwoofer can only be paired wirelessly with the new Lifestyle Soundbar, so don't expect to buy it and use it with an older Bose soundbar over Wi-Fi. There is, however, a 3.5mm jack on the back that lets you connect the sub directly to an existing Bose soundbar. You can't connect the sub to non-Bose equipment. There are no speaker connectors, no crossover controls, and no general RCA jacks for receiver input. Power is standard AC via the included cord. There's no battery power, so it needs to be relatively close to an outlet.
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Bose recommends placing the sub on the floor against the same wall as the TV and soundbar, and explicitly warns against placing it on shelves, in cabinets, or tucking it inside furniture. Finding the perfect spot can be tricky, depending on your room's layout.
You'll set up the subwoofer in the Bose app, and I found it a simple process. If you're setting up a Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar at the same time, Bose will walk you through the soundbar first, then the subwoofer, and any surround speakers. The entire experience for the subwoofer, soundbar, and surround speakers took me about 10 minutes.
There are some dedicated controls for the subwoofer, though they are limited. Bass levels are the only setting you can adjust manually. It lacks controls for crossover frequency, but you don't really need them, since the subwoofer is designed to work within Bose's ecosystem and automatically selects the right frequencies.
The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer meaningfully improves the bass response of a system with the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar. On its own, the soundbar's bass response is solid for the price range, but not as good as the Sonos Arc Ultra. With the subwoofer, they're more or less neck-and-neck, and you'll likely have no problems with the bass extension unless you're used to truly massive subwoofers.
The subwoofer's benefits are best heard on bass-heavy tracks, like The Knife's "Silent Shout." Without the subwoofer, the track lacks depth. Add the subwoofer, and you've got a much more well-rounded sound, with bass that's present but not overpowering. If you want to make it overpowering, you can, but it won't be by default. This is a good thing.
Another good example is Kendrick Lamar's "Loyalty." On this track, the soundbar struggles to produce the sub-bass that runs through much of the verse and chorus. With the subwoofer, it's able to play all but the lowest of those notes, and even that lowest note still finds some space in the mix to rumble.
Perhaps more important is the difference it makes when watching movies. Explosions, sound effects, and background music all benefit from the improved bass response, which makes the viewing experience more immersive. In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the booming sound effects in the opening scene bring a whole new dimension to the experience: The movie sounds much more like it did in theaters.
The subwoofer is an important component of Bose's new system. The Sonos Arc Ultra impressed me with its ability to produce strong bass without a subwoofer. Bose's new soundbar doesn't have the same effect. Sonos is an edge case, so that's hardly something to hold against Bose—but a subwoofer is going to give content the bass that the soundbar on its own can't physically produce.
Final Thoughts
(Credit: Christian de Looper)
Bose Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer perfectly complements Bose's new Lifestyle Soundbar and Speaker, adding that extra low-end oomph that enriches most audio content. It looks great, delivers thumpy bass, and syncs seamlessly with other Bose components, whether over Wi-Fi or a wire. It's a little pricey, and I wish it were compatible with non-Bose equipment, but you'll find it rounds out your Bose living room in style. If you're a Sonos household, you'll need to consider a Sonos sub instead.
About Our Expert
Christian de Looper is a freelance consumer tech reporter based in sunny Santa Cruz, California. With a Bachelor's Degree in Music Technology, Christian leverages his industry knowledge to review audio products for PCMag, including Bluetooth headphones and speakers. He also contributes to Tom’s Guide, Digital Trends, Mashable, ZDNet, and others, where he reviews audio, mobile, smart home, and computing gear.
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