Bose SoundTouch 20 Wi-Fi Music System

Unusual acoustics

The Bose SoundTouch 20 is no ordinary wireless audio system. It is more difficult to set up than other wireless speakers, but for this complexity, it is ready to generously reward the listener.

The system has an unusual design for Bose devices, the front and back are covered with audio fabric, in the middle there are white inserts with a pattern. A transparent insert on the front is needed not only for beauty, there is a display with information about the radio station, track name, connection indication, etc. In general, the speaker fits well into any interior, although there are no frills here.

Fine tuning

The main feature of the system is a confused connection process. The column works only via Wi-Fi, and to connect to a smartphone, you need not only the proprietary Bose application, but also the SoundTouch Music Server PC programme. With the latest Bose SoundTouch 20, it connects to your home Wi-Fi network, updates the firmware, and is ready to go. On the one hand, it is more difficult than connecting a smartphone via Bluetooth. Not everyone likes that. Plus, the list of supported services in the SoundTouch app is limited. For example, there is no Google Music.

Remote control with quick launch buttons

The setup itself takes only 10 – 15 minutes and greatly expands the capabilities of the column. For example, you can stream music not only from a smartphone, but from a laptop, without any restrictions and links to services. There are 6 additional buttons on the remote control, and you can hang some quick functions on them: for example, start a specific podcast, playlist or radio station. With SoundTouch, you can combine multiple Bose speakers into one system and calibrate them for your room.

Well, with firmware updates, some useful innovations often arrive.

Quality versatile sound

The sound quality is traditionally Bose excellent. The speaker is based on four speakers, which are located at different angles to achieve an even distribution of sound throughout the room. The nature of the sound is rather neutral and omnivorous, there is no audiophile obsession with complex details, everything just always sounds good. For a universal column, this is what you need.