Finally, I found a room-filling soundbar that makes a subwoofer unnecessary for me

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The Bluesound Pulse Cinema soundbar is available from Amazon for just under $1,500
• You’ll get rich, dynamic, and room-filling, while not missing a word of dialogue
• The Pulse Cinema requires an app for control.

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When it comes to watching TV or playing games, I prefer my sound to fill a room with rich, dynamic, and accurate sound. To date, my favorite soundbar has been the JBL Bar 1000, and no other has come even close to topping that device.

My bar has been set very high.

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When I received the Bluesound Pulse Cinema, I was certain it would fall short of the JBL’s sound. After all, this soundbar didn’t include a subwoofer (although it does have a single RCA output for one), so how could it possibly compare to the bass produced by the Bar 1000?

Turns out, the Pulse Cinema delivers some surprises. Let me explain.

My experience

I connected the Pulse Cinema to my TV via HDMI eARC, which was significantly nicer than connecting via Bluetooth (with less delay and more codec support). HDMI also meant connectivity was easier and instantaneous. I would always prefer a wired connection for my soundbars over Bluetooth.

In other words, connecting the Pluse Cinema soundbar was simple.

Then came the app.

I don’t know about you, but I am so over everything requiring an app. I get it: It’s probably cheaper for manufacturers to rely on consumers for installing apps and using their phones as remotes (instead of having to build and ship a physical remote with the device).

Sometimes, these apps aren’t bad. In the case of the Bluesound Pulse Cinema, the app is bad. The UI is subpar, the controls are inadequate, and the overall experience is confusing. On top of that, the ability to alter the sound is, well, not there. 

There’s no EQ, which would be highly beneficial for this speaker. Additionally, you should be able to connect the soundbar to services like Spotify. Try as I might, the connection could not be made (even with my phone connected to my Spotify account).

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The app also has a bit of a learning curve, which really shouldn’t be the case.

But how does it sound? After all, that’s the single most important aspect of a soundbar. 

Fortunately, the sound produced by the Bluesound Pulse Cinema makes up for the issues with the app. Yes, it would greatly benefit from having a subwoofer connected, but even without a sub, the sound is rich and dynamic. 

There’s also something Bluesound calls Surround Upmixer, which turns channel-based audio into a virtualized surround sound. 

My JBL Bar 1000 includes two satellite speakers, which do a great job of filling a room with beautiful sound from every corner. That being said, the Pulse Cinema does a remarkable job of simulating surround. This feature is enabled by default, and you would expect to find satellite speakers conveniently placed around the room.

It’s really impressive.

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Also, even without a sub, you get a surprising amount of rumble and thump from the speaker. The average ear will not miss the subwoofer. I would speculate that the average ear might think a sub connected to the Pulse Cinema would be overkill.

The reason why this soundbar is able to deliver such amazing sound is due to its 16 drivers, including dedicated upfiring and center channels. The speaker arrangement creates a surprisingly wide 3.2.2 Dolby Atmos soundstage, and you’ll never miss a word of dialogue, a note of music, or a single detail.

Even listening to the latest episode of Fallout, with all the ambient sound, I had no issue hearing dialogue. To my surprise, the dialogue didn’t sound at all tinny (which is a pet peeve of mine). Voices sounded dimensional and lifelike. 

The look

Although I’m partial to the look of the JBL Bar 1000, the Pulse Cinema is a beautiful piece of tech. It’s a long pill-shaped speaker with a design scheme that isn’t interrupted by LED displays, lights, or anything else. It’s clean and elegant. And with the ability to use it either placed flat on a table (or TV stand) or mounted to a wall, this soundbar should fit in with nearly any aesthetic.

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But again, I go back to the sound, and the Bluesound Pulse Cinema delivers. I spent a few hours listening to the Pulse Cinema and when I finally went back to the JBL, I didn’t find myself thinking, “Whew, I’m glad I’m back to this.”

In fact, after going back to the JBL, I was surprised that the sound seemed a bit less dimensional than the Pulse Cinema — and that’s saying a lot.

ZDNET buying advice

The Bluesound Pulse Cinema isn’t cheap. At just around $1,500, you could certainly buy cheaper soundbars. Given that the JBL Bar 1000 can now be had for almost half the price of the Pulse Cinema, it’s a hard sell.

However, with the Pulse Cinema, you get more for less, as well as a higher level of flexibility. Having a soundbar that gives you the feeling of a subwoofer, without actually needing one (and taking up space), is a significant advantage. 

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I love a good subwoofer, but I’ve been in situations where having one just isn’t practical. In those cases, I’ve always felt a lack of low-end diminished the experience. You don’t have to worry about that with the Pulse Cinema, and that alone could make it worth the price.

I’d have a tough time choosing between the Pulse Cinema and the JBL Bar 1000. The Pulse Cinema delivers amazing depth, smooth mids, and brilliant highs — all from a single bar. So, if you’re pressed for space but still want booming, clear, dynamic sound, the Pulse Cinema is hard to beat.

The specs

• 3.2.2 Dolby Atmos soundbar with 16 drivers
• Built-in amplification and Dolby Atmos decoding
• Smart DSP with automatic orientation sensing
• HDMI eARC, optical, analog inputs simplified for TV setup
• Subwoofer output for wired or wireless bass extension
• Tailored surround sound with Pulse M, Pulse F,lex and SUB+
• Seamless multi-room streaming with BluOS
• Wall-mount bracket included
• Movie, Music, and Late Night listening modes
• High-res audio and MQA playback support