Pulse Plus ACTIVE40PRO-WH 5 Inches Active Speakers (Pair), 40W RMS, White

Product Information

Key specs – Drivers: 2; Wireless: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Chromecast; Voice Assistant: Google Assistant; Remote: No; Companion App: No (controlled via Google Home); Dimensions: 175 x 124 x 78mm; Weight: 1.2kg Of that power, 50W is used to drive an upward-firing 133mm mid/bass driver that sits behind an acoustic reflector that’s shaped to disperse the driver’s higher frequencies as far and wide as possible. It’s accompanied by a couple of 19mm tweeters driven by 15W of power each - they’re angled out at 45-degrees from each other in a further effort to create as wide a soundstage as possible. Bluesound calls this layout ‘omni-hybrid’.

The key is to look for one that fits with the devices you already own. Although some support multiple digital assistants, the vast majority support one or another so be careful which you buy if this is a priority. Key specs – Drivers: 2; Wireless: Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay 2; Voice Assistant: No; Remote: No; Companion App: Yes; Dimensions: 406 x 60 x 559mm; Weight: 4kg Two passive 10-inch speakers deliver full range frequency response for accurate vocal and music reproduction

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The Gen 2 model listed here added increased memory and updated the speaker’s processor but it’s otherwise identical to the original, which sounds great wherever you position it thanks to Sonos’ TruePlay feature, which tunes the EQ automatically according to the resonances of your room. The effects aren’t always dramatic but Trueplay always manages to improve the Sonos One’s already impressive audio output. There’s a flip-side to this arrangement, though - and that’s the slightly vague nature of the (admittedly very large) soundstage it creates. It’s just not the most explicitly defined - different instrumental strands or occurrences in a recording don’t stay in their lane quite as strictly as they should, and there can be some overlap and smearing. It’s not especially pronounced, you understand, and far from fatal - but it’s a factor nevertheless. With just a cursory glance at the Node 2i’s spec sheet, nothing much appears to have changed between the models to dictate so dramatic an upturn in this generation’s sonic performance. However, Bluesound has worked on improving its wireless streamer, and not just in the places you may expect. Given its larger-than-average and forward-facing drivers, we had high hopes for the Bluesound Pulse Soundbar+ as a music speaker, so it's with some disappointment that we have to declare it merely decent on that front.

There are no physical ports on the MS50A but you do get both wireless and Bluetooth connectivity, as well as support for Apple AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect. That ensures it’s very well-equipped for streaming and you can even integrate it into a multi-room system using the Alexa app should you wish. Top-performing drivers deliver a powerful listening experience greater than other all-in-one speakers.Wiring it into our reference system, it is clear that this is a different animal altogether to its predecessor. While its richness across the frequencies is retained, the soundstage appears more open, with even more granular detail fed in. The same thing applies to streaming standards. The best wireless speakers will support a range of these so you can send audio directly from your phone, tablet or laptop over your home Wi-Fi network to your wireless speaker. The big three standards are Spotify Connect, Google Cast, and Apple AirPlay but others such as DTS Play-Fi and, for audiophiles, Roon Ready support are worth looking out for as well.