What Ships
Bluesound's Pulse Cinema ($1,499) represents a bet that enterprise and home office users will pay premium prices to eliminate the subwoofer box from their AV setups. The soundbar includes built-in bass drivers designed to match what separate subs deliver, plus Wi-Fi streaming, voice control integration, and multi-room capability through Bluesound's ecosystem.
The device targets the same hybrid home/office space as Sonos Arc Ultra (also subwoofer-optional, £999), though Bluesound positions as a step up with higher-end audio processing.
The Trade-offs
No physical controls. Everything routes through Bluesound's app - volume, inputs, EQ adjustments. This is fine until it isn't (app updates, network issues, guests trying to use your system). The lack of a basic remote feels like an oversight at this price point.
The bass performance genuinely surprises. Not audiophile-grade, but substantially better than most integrated soundbar bass attempts. You're getting usable low-end without the placement headaches of a separate sub. For small conference rooms or apartments where a subwoofer creates neighbor friction, this matters.
Dialogue clarity is excellent - a specific problem soundbars often fumble. Vocals stay intelligible even during complex action sequences, which translates to clearer conference calls in office deployments.
Context That Matters
The soundbar market is moving toward integrated bass solutions as driver technology improves. Sonos Arc Ultra claims 2x bass output versus its predecessor using 14-driver arrays. Bluesound takes a similar approach, betting improved drivers can replace dedicated subs for most use cases.
The RCA subwoofer output exists as an expansion path, not an admission of failure. Connect a sub later if needed; the soundbar doesn't require it out of box.
The Real Question
Is eliminating one box worth $1,499? Depends on your setup constraints. Small rooms, strict aesthetics requirements, or situations where subwoofer placement creates problems - the Pulse Cinema solves actual issues. Large spaces expecting theater-grade bass - you'll still want the separate sub.
The JBL Bar 1000 referenced in the original piece includes a subwoofer and detachable rear speakers for similar money. That's the comparison point: integrated convenience versus component flexibility. Neither approach is wrong; they solve different problems.
Worth noting: Bluesound supports hi-res audio formats and integrates with whole-home audio systems, adding value for users already invested in that ecosystem. If you're starting from scratch, the ecosystem lock-in matters less.