Bluesound Soundbar+ and Flex 2i Review

Today, I’m checking out the Soundbar+ along with two Flex 2i wireless speakers for surround sound. The market for easy-to-use, yet great-sounding wireless audio solutions is growing day by day. Sonos and Heos continue to push the market forward and are now household names, can Bluesound break into this growing market?

Well…. this wasn’t fun. The quick setup instructions are quite simple and to the point. Remove everything from the box, plug into power, plug the into your TV (optical for me) and download the BluOS app. That’s where the simple stuff stopped. Bluesound relies on an app-based setup. I was able to see the Flex 2is but the soundbar did not appear. I tried a factory reset and the light on the front was blinking, meaning it’s in Wi-Fi connection mode but still, no dice. And when I tried to add the Flex 2is as surround channels, it gave me an “unexpected error”. To fix all this, I deleted the app, factory reset everything, and hardwired the soundbar to my network. That did the trick. Setup time at this point – around 75 minutes.

Once everything was finally working, it was time to get the zone set up. Bluesound calls it a “fixed group” (think room) and is very easy to set up. The app asks you which surround is behind you to the right, and it does the rest. I did some adjustments to volume levels, and I was all set. You then can select the source and add music services. Now time to listen! Total time after letting the speakers all update their firmware, where the app forces you to update each one separately (and wait on the page each time), and I am at 85 minutes total setup time, ouch.

I noted that Bluesound includes wall mounting hardware for the Soundbar+. They also included two little legs so you can place it flat on an entertainment center like I did. It works well and helps project the audio into the room. Other brands sell the bracket separately, so this is a nice value-add.

Once the not-so-fun setup was out of the way, I finally got to listen to the system. I really liked thesound; everything was clear and crisp. TV and movies stayed composed and easy to listen to, I thought the Flex 2i surrounds were fantastic, probably the stars of the show here. They had a clear presence in the room but always remained balanced with the rest of the mix.

If you are considering this system, I highly recommend getting a sub. Now the cool thing is unlike Sonos, you can just plug any sub you want into the soundbar! Boom, that really helps fill in the low end without breaking the bank. The highs were nice and clear. The soundbar felt a bit short in the lower midrange. I watched Transformers 2 to really get a feel for this setup. My only actual complaint against the way this system sounds is the low max volume though my listening room is 20’x30’ with 15’ ceilings. I expect the Soundbar+ is better suited for a smaller space. Although it’s rare that I actually watch movies loud, it’s good to really see what a system like this can do. I can confirm there is no distortion at max volume. It sounded good!

The BluOS app works great once everything is installed but isn’t for someone looking for a simple audio system. Lots of adjustments can be made and it’s not as simple as others I’ve tried. The fixed group term is a bit confusing at first. You don’t need to be an expert to use it, but less tech-inclined people may struggle. If, however, you are an audio lover wanting to get into a wireless system, then you will be right at home.

The BluOS app never crashed or had any issues (other than setup) and worked flawlessly for the entire review. Music is easy to find, it’s clear what Bluesound wants you to do when using the app and that’s music! Add to that the many adjustments and tweaks that are available, it really pushes Bluesound ahead of its competitors here.

A rocky setup time clouded this review, but I try to push past things like that and just focus on the audio (ever set up a high-end turntable?). The sound from the Soundbar+ and Flex 2i speakers was great, crisp, and clear all day. The surrounds really shined here, probably some of the best surround sound with a wireless system I have heard to date. I think with some tweaks here and there, Bluesound will be going toe to toe with the big guys. Should you consider this system? Yes, but be aware it’s not a plug-and-play affair, it does take some effort to get it just right. If they can fix the setup woes, this will be a rockstar of a system.