Tvee 25 Soundbar Speaker and Wireless Sub

What, you may be asking, does a product that installs in mere minutes have to do with custom integration? A product so simple it doesn’t even come with its own remote control? A product that seems designed to replace the more sophisticated (and profitable) sound systems you install?

Dialogue clarity from Boston Acoustics’ Tvee 25 is astounding given the soundbar’s pair of little 1.5-inch x six-inch drivers.

On the surface, Boston Acoustics’ Model Tvee 25 soundbar speaker and wireless subwoofer appears to be as purely “consumer” as any product could possibly be. It boasts surround sound(ish) performance in a simple, stylish, truly plug-and-play package, eliminating the need for tons of wires, lengthy setups, and, well... you.

But as my Pawpaw was fond of saying, “The best way to get rid of an enemy is to make ’im your friend.” So if you’ve pooh-poohed soundbars in the past (and who could blame you, really?) it may be time to make amends.

Because, let’s face it, odds are that not every display you install in a home is going to be attached to a bonafide sound system. And every flat panel you install sans-sound is a veritable black hole of profits.

I’m not implying that selling the Model Tvee 25 is going to make you rich, but after spending a few weeks with this little soundbar, I think it’s nice little way to add value to a simple TV setup– value for both you and your client, that is–without much fuss on the part of either of you. Setup, as I said, is incredibly simple, mostly because the Tvee 25 offers only a few inputs. Unfortunately, there’s no HDMI, but it does have RCA stereo ins, a very well-placed optical input (positioned laterally within a recess, which keeps the optical cable neatly tucked away in the event of wall mounting), and an auxiliary input for portable media players.

If you’re only hooking up one source–a DVR, perhaps–you really only need connect the included optical cable, set the subwoofer and soundbar to the same wireless channel (of which there are four, in case you install multiple Tvee 25 systems in the same home), and press a few buttons to teach the TVee 25 the volume and sound mode functions of your IR remote. Adding more devices can potentially, but not necessarily, complicate things a little. I found it easy enough to route my DVR, Blu-ray player, and media box through my TV, and route the display’s optical output to the soundbar. If you go this route, you will definitely want to disable the TV’s internal speakers, lest their thin, tinny sound mingle with the Tvee 25’s more luscious audio output.

This puppy sounds amazingly good for what it is. Granted, even with its faux surround processing (an upgrade over Boston Acoustic’s stereo-only soundbar offerings of the past), the Tvee 25 isn’t going to deliver the sound quality of an actual surround sound system. But it’s a bigger upgrade over standard TV sound than I would have imagined. Dialogue clarity in particular is, quite frankly, astounding given the soundbar’s pair of little 1.5-inch by six-inch drivers.

Likewise, the systems’ little six-inch wireless subwoofer isn’t going to rattle any rafters, but as long as you position it well, it adds a way more oomph than you’d get from a TV alone, enough so that the bass-heavy showdown between Sex Bob- Omb and evil twin DJs Kyle and Ken from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World actually packs a bit of rumble. Yes, if you crank the volume, the subwoofer gets a weensy bit bloaty. But if you stop thinking about the Tvee 25 as an alternative to a dedicated sound system and think of it as an upgrade to stock TV sound, the audio quality is surprisingly satisfying. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it’s in an entirely different aural class from most soundbars I’ve listened to. I never found myself thinking, “Who needs surround speakers?” but the Tvee25 does deliver a rich, penetrating sound that adds as much depth to action scenes as is does clarity to the talky bits.

Musical performance is also better than you would expect. It’s not mind-blowing. For instance, you will never find yourself waxing poetic over the imaging or soundstage, but with Music Mode engaged (which, as far as I can tell, merely disengages the Tvee 25’s faux surround processing), everything I threw at the Tvee 25–from old school hip hop like RUN D.M.C. to easygoing indy fare like Alex & Sam–sounded appropriately hip-hoppy or easygoing and indy. Crank the rock too loud and things get a little ooky, but not nearly so quickly as you’d expect.

If you’re doing demos in your showroom, though, perhaps the most effective thing you can do with the Tvee 25 is play it for a bit and then turn it off. As soon as your clients hear the difference between this and built-in TV speakers, it’ll practically sell itself.

201.762.6429 | www.bostonacoustics.com

Kudos

The Model Tvee 25 is an incredibly-simple-to-setup upgrade over standard TV sound for those rooms in which a dedicated audio system isn’t an option.

Concerns

It’s so easy to set up, the client might feel like they don’t you.

Product Specs

■ System Power
■ 150 watts
■ Soundbar: Dual 1.5 x six-inch Drivers
■ Subwoofer: Six-inch Woofer
■ Dimensions: (HxWxD)
■ Soundbar: 4-7/16-inch x 31.5 x 4-7/16-inch (112 x 800 x 112mm)
■ Subwoofer: 9.5-inch x 10.5-inch x 11-inch (241 x 266 x 280mm)