I tested Boses new Ultra speaker heres what surprised me most

Bose waited a long time to release a new home theater product, and when they did, I could not resist trying it out.Bose’s Lifestyle collection features both a flagship speaker and soundbar, and as someone who’s tested almost 50 different speakers over the past five years — yes, really — I was eager to see if Bose’s new Ultra speaker was worth the $300 price tag and whether it could replace my current living room setup.Pros:Cons:The speaker itself comes packaged well and has some weight to it out of the box.I plugged it in — it’s not wireless — using the included cable and set it in the corner of my living room.

It’s pretty compact for what’s touted as a room-filling speaker, and since it has a minimalist mesh design, it blends well with any space, no matter how big or small.I got it in the black colorway, but it’s also available in white.

The Bose website also has a limited edition Sandstone color.Note: It does cost an extra $50.Weight: 3.7 pounds | Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Aux | Adjustable EQ: Yes | Voice Control: AlexaOnce plugged in, I scanned the QR code to download the Bose app.

From there, the setup took less than five minutes.Once connected to Wi-Fi, the Bose Ultra speaker can cast music directly from your phone.

Alternatively, it can use Bluetooth to connect to the speaker too.There’s also an aux option in case you want to connect it to a turntable.The device can be controlled by touch controls up top through the app, as well as with voice commands.

It’s intuitive, and you don’t need to be a techie to understand how this speaker works.If you are an audiophile and prefer EQ adjustability, you can do it through the Bose app, but trust me, none of that is necessary to enjoy this.Many companies will say their speaker delivers room-filling sound, but few deliver on that promise.

Bose is an exception.The first time I heard this speaker fill my living room, I understood exactly what Bose was going for.The sound is warm, imm...