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You don’t usually associate Bose with “budget-friendly,” but Woot’s current offer on the Bose Smart Soundbar 550 comes pretty close. It’s down to $169.99 for the next 12 days—or until it sells out—and that’s a noticeable drop from the $229 sale price it’s going for on Amazon . Just keep in mind this is a certified refurbished unit, which means it might have minor cosmetic wear but has been tested and approved by Bose to work like new, and includes a one-year manufacturer’s limited warranty. (Woot ships only within the 48 contiguous U.S. states, and unless you’re a Prime member, you’ll have to tack on $6 for shipping.)
The Soundbar 550 doesn’t look flashy (it’s just a low-profile rectangle), but it manages to do quite a lot in a relatively compact frame. It supports Dolby Atmos, and even when the content isn’t Atmos-encoded, Bose’s TrueSpace tech helps simulate that same immersive feel. Dialogue comes through crisp, and the spatial audio helps effects feel like they’re coming from all around, not just from the TV. The 550 packs five drivers, two of which fire upward to reflect sound off the ceiling and walls for a more immersive effect. It won’t replace a full surround system, but for a single unit, it’s an impressive upgrade.
You’re not locked into movies and shows, either—Bluetooth, wifi, Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and Chromecast built-in mean your playlists and podcasts stream just as easily. If you’re already in the Bose ecosystem, it gets even better. The Soundbar 550 works with SimpleSync, so you can pair it with other Bose headphones or Bluetooth speakers, or group it with other Bose devices for whole-home audio. Setup is mostly app-based through the Bose Music app, and there’s also HDMI eARC and optical connectivity if you want a wired setup.
