Sony HT- S350 vs Bose Solo 5 Tv: Review

Design & Build Quality:

The Sony HT-S350 has a sleek black finish and a simple, clean design. If you have kids and don't want the sharper edges that other bars have, the rounded corners are a nice touch, but other than that, there's nothing special about the design. The 35-inch Sony HT-S350 is not as big as other midrange and high-end soundbars. A metal grill on the front of the subwoofer and soundbar makes them look good together and matches the design of the room. On the side of the device, there are buttons that can be controlled by touching them. You don't have to worry about hiding the infrared blaster on your TV.

The Bose Solo 5 soundbar doesn't have any screens or buttons. It's a small soundbar that won't take over what you already have. The right place for it is under the TV. This bar can be controlled by a remote and, other than the black grilles on its front and top. This won't stand out, making it a superb choice for blending in with your other furniture. Two angled drivers in the soundbar make the soundstage wider and fuller. With the LED lights, you can see if the soundbar is on or off and how loud it is getting or getting quieter.

Winner: Tie

Channels:

Since the Solo 5 only has 2.0 channels and the HT-S350 has 2.1, this is a big difference.

The Bose Solo 5 Soundbar is a 2.0 soundbar and doesn't have subwoofers, so it's hard to make surround sound with it. This type of soundbar clearly doesn't have any extra woofers or frequency response upgrades for people who like their music to have more bass than usual and want a more detailed sound overall. However, Any 2.0 soundbar will work to improve and boost sound if you are looking for just an upgrade to your TV speaker.

The Sony HT-S350 2.1 system is a good choice if you want better sound than your TV's built-in speakers but don't require really immersive sound. Also, because they take up less space, 2.1 soundbars are better for rooms with limited space. This soundbar has 2.1 channels and a strong subwoofer to make the low frequencies sound better.

Winner: Sony HT-S350

Features:

Since there are no physical buttons on the Bose Solo 5, the remote that comes with it can be used to control both the TV and the audio system. When you use this device to change the settings, an LED light behind the grille flashes to show that your command has been received and is being carried out. The manufacturer of the Solo 5 provides a device control application. Even though this volume control doesn't have a lot of different audio settings for movies, TV shows, news broadcasts, music, and other media, the conversation mode makes watching movies a lot better. Bose also has some cool extras, like an auto-wake feature that turns on the soundbar when it hears something. After 60 minutes of not being used, it will turn off by itself.

The HT-S350 comes with a black, rectangular remote that is 6.2 inches long and has buttons for power, TV, Bluetooth source, Auto, Cinema, Music, Night, and Voice sound modes. Dolby Atmos audio cannot be played on the HT-S350 or the Solo 5. In this comparison, the devices that can't handle surround sound because they don't support DTS:X are immediately ruled out. Sony's S-Force Pro Front Surround technology is built into the HT-S350. It is said to simulate a real surround sound experience without separate rear speakers.

Winner: Sony HT-S350

Connectivity & Inputs:

Both soundbars have the usual set of inputs, including optical, coaxial, and auxiliary, as well as Bluetooth for streaming music wirelessly. The sound quality doesn't change much or at all when you send music from your phone using Bluetooth to the soundbars for your TV.

One feature that neither model has is a wireless Wi-Fi interface. All the soundbars included in this evaluation are Bluetooth-enabled. Only the HT-S350 supports the HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC). Both do not support USB device connections.

Winner: Sony HT-S350

Sound Performance:

Even though both of them are small, they can fill spaces with sound that are much bigger than 20 square meters. These models sound best in the middle, which is the most important frequency range for a speaker this size.

We were happy with the sound quality of Bose Solo 5, but it seemed like the tweeter was lost in the mix. We didn't think something so small would have much bass, but even at full volume, it sounded full and strong. Even though the stereo sound stage isn't very big, the balance between left and right isn't too bad.

The HT-S350 can put out up to 320 watts of power, so it can get pretty loud. However, it is essential to have realistic expectations. The subwoofer tilts the frequency range a little bit toward the low end, but the highs seem to be usually pretty clear as well.

For Movies:

The Bose Solo 5 doesn't do well when it comes to watching movies. Not being able to play Dolby Atmos content forces a downmix from 7.1 to 2.0. Due to this, the sound that comes out of it is less all-encompassing. Because this sound profile doesn't have low bass, it doesn't have the satisfying thumps as well as rumbles that should go with intense scenes. And the sound level is always easy to handle. There is a setting called "bass boost" that can make the low end sound fuller, but it can also make the midrange sound less clear.

The only thing the Sony HT-S350 soundbar has going for it is that it works with Dolby Digital. If you need a more immersive listening experience, you'll have to look elsewhere, as none of the more contemporary surround sound codecs are available here. Even though we usually use the Standard mode, we discovered that the various modes, especially Cinema, had a lot to offer as well. Most of the time, the movie mode worked best. If the bass is indeed thumping in movies and TV shows, you can really "get into the action." You can change the subwoofer's volume from very quiet to very loud.

Winner: Sony HT-S350

For TV Shows:

The Bose Solo 5 is a great choice for watching TV shows or movies with a lot of talking. Sounds come through loud and clear even though there is no true center channel. Even without the mode, it was easy to understand what was being said. The conversation mode is great for people who have trouble hearing because it not only makes the spoken words louder but also decreases the bass to make them easier to understand.

The Sony HT-sound S350's profile can playback voices with a respectable level of clarity, but the sound is damp and dark. Voices come through pretty clearly, but because the mid-range is well-balanced, they may be a little muffled. TVs have a built-in preset equalizer, and one of the settings is made to help people talk. But because there isn't a dedicated center channel, it's hard to figure out where voices are in the sound field.

Winner: Bose Solo 5

For Music:

When playing music, the Bose Solo 5 soundbar gave out high-quality sound. The mids and highs have been very clear, but the low end could be better if you changed the bass from the factory setting. Since the Bose Solo 5 doesn't have a virtual mode or a front stereo output, it's safe to say that customers shouldn't expect this product to create a full-scale surround effect. All the sounds you hear will come from just one speaker. But the stereo separation isn't very good, and the soundstage isn't huge, so when you watch movies or TV shows, the sound won't be as immersive as it would be with bigger speakers.

The vocals and lead instruments sound pretty clear on the Sony HT-S350, but sometimes they have a sad tone. When surround sound is downmixed to stereo, the result is not very impressive. The midrange is well-balanced, so vocalists and lead instruments can be accurately represented. There is a volume control for the subwoofer, but there are no separate controls for the bass and treble. This means that the sound can only be changed to suit your tastes. People who like music with a lot of bass might be upset by the lack of a strong subwoofer.

Winner: Sony HT-S350

Conclusion

The Bose Solo 5 TV Sound system is an excellent way to update your TV's speakers and don't be fooled by its small size. The Sony HT-S350 is easy to set up because it has a soundbar and a subwoofer. Sony HT-S350 is a great soundbar and sub for most people who want to improve the sound of their TV. The Sony HT-S350 is an obvious step up from the Solo 5.

Sonos Beam might be a good choice if you want a soundbar that can get louder and isn't too big.