CEDIA 2016

Bose aggressively downsized satellite speakers long before it became fashionable. The new Lifestyle 650 system continues the campaign with the OmniJewel, Bose's smallest satellite yet.

The Lifestyle 650 is a closed system with four satellites like the one pictured plus a wider center and compact sub. Inside the tiny but heavy extruded aluminum enclosures of the sats and center are drivers in opposing pairs whose output is shaped by a deflector that aims to reproduce a 360-degree horizontal soundfield. All amps, room correction, and wireless niceties live in a glass-topped control module. The demo showed off a surprising adeptness with vocals.

The original, slightly larger, but still very compact JewelCubes are still in the line, but their new home is the Lifestyle 600 system. Bose also showed its skinny SoundTouch 300 soundbar. Prices: Lifestyle 650, $4000; Lifestyle 600, $3000; SoundTouch 300, $700. Shipping in October.