As demand for Soundbars explode, Canadian Company Bluesound has just lifted the bar with the release of the first soundbar to deliver high res streaming.
I heard the $1,799 Bluesound Pulse yesterday and the 24-Bit/192KHz audio resolution output is significantly better than anything I have heard before from a soundbar.
According to the company, the soundbar will use a three-way speaker configuration with tri-amplification, meaning that each driver will have its own dedicated channel to achieve high quality sound. The Soundbar will support 24-Bit/192KHz audio resolution as well as Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) streams
In terms of features, the Pulse Soundbar should be able to support MP3, AAC, WMP, Ogg, FLAC, and ALAC files, either streamed via aptX Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Ethernet connections or through a USB. There’s also an IR sensor, so you’ll be able to use your existing TV remote to control the volume or mute the soundbar.
The great thing about this soundbar is that it cannot only deliver high res music, it is able to take advantage of Dolby audio technology now being delivered for 4K Ultra High Definition movies.
Intended for use with flat panel displays 42″ or greater, the PULSE Soundbar ($1799 RRP) will be available in Australia from October.
The Company claims that their new offering is all about sonic performance, supporting audio resolutions of 24 bits and up to 192kHz sampling rate.
It also supports Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) high-resolution audio streams, another first in the soundbar category.
The Soundbars sound quality can be compared to fine audiophile speakers, delivering life-like realism, detail and dynamics to soundtracks and movies alike.
The Pulse has a true 3-way speaker configuration with tri-amplification. This means that each driver has its own dedicated amplifier channel, and that we use a powerful DSP for the crossover filters.
Each driver is custom developed for this application and includes individually optimized chambers for ideal speaker operation and isolation. The stylish black cabinet is made from extruded aluminium, a premium material typically only found in speakers costing many thousands of dollars – prized for its unyielding rigidity and strength, while allowing the largest possible interior volume due to thin wall construction.
Another neat feature is the magnetic covers that can be easily stripped away.
The deep bass extension of this Soundbar, is made possible by a variety of factors, including a large chamber volume, passive radiators, and DSP equalization. Its bass performance is flat to 70 Hz and only down 3 db @ 55Hz, remarkable for such a slim enclosure. For those who desire even more bass, later this fall Bluesound will be offering the PULSE SUB ($999). For owners of conventional wired subwoofers, Bluesound will offer a dongle to directly connect the Soundbar to their existing subwoofer.
Like all Bluesound PULSE models, the acoustic design and speaker voicing is performed at Canada’s National Research Council by renowned speaker designer and engineer, Paul Barton.
The Power and Reach of BluOS
The PULSE Soundbar features BluOS, a proprietary music-only operating system powered by an advanced ARM processor and precision master clock running at 1GHz. This allows support for almost all audio codecs including MP3, AAC, WMP, Ogg, FLAC, ALAC, and true hi-res audio including MQA.
Local music can be accessed via Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet anywhere on the network including NAS drives and computers, in addition to over millions of songs that can be streamed from a dozen or more music services that are natively integrated. Other inputs include Optical and Analog for connecting to your TV and USB for memory drives loaded with music. Bluetooth, with the high fidelity aptX codec, is also included to allow direct streaming from your smartphone, tablet or laptop. The PULSE Soundbar also includes an IR sensor with learning function (TV Connect) to allow your existing TV or universal remote to operate basic sound functions like volume and mute.
