What is Personal Surround Sound and how does it work?

Speakers
Open Ear

Imagine having theatre-calibre audio in your living room. With Bose Personal Surround Sound, you can transform your Bose Smart Soundbar or Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar into a powerful surround system setup with immersive, cinema-quality sound by using your Bose Ultra Open Earbuds.

Feel free to watch Andres Vidoza’s explainer video or read on for an in-depth look.

Bose Personal Surround Sound’s power

Your experience viewing television and movies takes on a whole new dimension with Personal Surround Sound. Your Bose soundbar’s room-filling sound combined with the personalized audio from your Ultra Open Earbuds will provide a sound experience that can rival many home theatre configurations.

A traditional home theatre system has several shortcomings that this cutting-edge technology addresses. You won’t have to worry about finding the ideal listening position, speaker arrangement, or room measurements. No matter where you are in your space, Bose Personal Surround Sound adjusts accordingly to provide the best possible audio experience.
A TV, Bose Smart Soundbar, and Bose Ultra Open Earbuds for Personal Surround Sound.

Create a new level of immersion

The secret of Personal Surround Sound is its capacity to produce a multifaceted audio environment. It improves your viewing experience in the following ways.

Accurate sound positioning

When you use Bose Personal Surround Sound, audio cues will be heard exactly where they should be. Suppose a character calls to the left from off-screen. If that’s the case, the voice will sound realistic and immersive, coming from your left. Action scenes will make you feel as though you’re in the middle of a storm, with sounds that swirl around you as opposed to directly at you.


Your viewing experience will seem even more realistic because of this precise placement. Consider watching a nature documentary where the sounds of the rainforest envelop you, or a war film where you can clearly hear gunfire coming from all sides. You can hear the action in greater detail than ever before thanks to this level of audio precision.



Delivering subtle details

Subtle audio elements that tend to get lost with built-in television speakers come to life with Personal Surround Sound. The gentle crackle of a campfire will transport you to the location you’re watching on screen. You’ll get chills from whispered dialogue that’s played directly into your ears.


Through the integration of your Ultra Open Earbuds’ personalized audio and the power of your soundbar, Personal Surround Sound produces an incredibly immersive experience.
Friends watching TV with a Bose Smart Soundbar on a TV console.
Bose Smart Soundbar and its remote control.

How it operates

A man using the Bose App on his smartphone to control his Bose Ultra Open Earbuds.

Traditional surround sound systems frequently call for intricate arrangements with numerous speakers positioned all over a room. With the help of Bose’s patented technology, Personal Surround Sound makes this easier by simulating side and rear audio channels through your Ultra Open Earbuds.


The open-ear design lets you hear your best quality soundbar filling the room with audio in addition to the simulated surround sound. You are fully immersed in the action thanks to the rich, multifaceted soundscape produced by this layered approach.


The soundbar handles the front channels and creates a large soundstage and the primary audio output. In the meantime, the Ultra Open Earbuds handle the side and back channels, simulating speakers behind and beside you with sophisticated audio processing.

Setting up Bose Personal Surround Sound

Using the Bose App, turning on Personal Surround Sound is simple. After updating the software on your devices and app to the most recent version, perform these actions:

  1. Verify that your TV is linked to your Bose Smart Soundbar or Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar.
  2. Connect your mobile device to your Bose Ultra Open Earbuds and turn them on.
  3. Choose your soundbar when you launch the Bose App.
  4. Locate the Personal Surround Sound option in the settings menu.
  5. When prompted, pair your earbuds with your soundbar by following the instructions onscreen.
A woman putting on her Bose Ultra Open Earbuds.
A TV and a Bose Smart Soundbar on a TV console in a living room.

Once set up, you can toggle Personal Surround Sound on and off as desired, allowing you to easily switch between personal and shared listening experiences.


One of Personal Surround Sound’s main benefits is how easy it is to set up. Using the Bose App, you can set up Personal Surround Sound in a matter of minutes, as opposed to typical surround sound systems, which frequently need professional installation and calibration.

Ideal content for Bose Personal Surround Sound

Although Personal Surround Sound improves most audio content, it excels in particular media types:

  • Movies and TV shows: The extra dimension of Personal Surround Sound greatly enhances action-packed movies and gripping TV shows. Imagine watching an enormous sci-fi movie where the sounds of other worlds envelop you, or an intense car pursuit where you can hear engines roaring from every direction.
  • Nature documentaries: Feel the outdoors, complete with rustling leaves and lion roars. Personal Surround Sound deepens your immersion and engagement with educational content by taking you to the heart of the Amazon rainforest or the ocean’s depths.
  • Music videos and concert films: Imagine you’re front row at your favourite band’s concert, surrounded by excited fans. With Personal Surround Sound, you can feel the thrill of being right there at the venue and distinguish individual instruments, just like at a true live event.
  • Video games: Identify enemy locations and fully enter the game world with the aid of accurate auditory cues. This can offer you a big advantage in competitive games, and it can add realism and depth to the virtual world in story-driven games.
  • Sports broadcasts: Although not specifically addressed previously, Personal Surround Sound has a lot to offer sports broadcasts. The noise of the crowd and the sounds of the game can make you feel as though you are in the stadium.
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds and the Bose Smart Soundbar.

Home audio’s future

Home audio technology has advanced significantly with the release of Bose Personal Surround Sound. Bose’s immersive audio solution is adaptable and flexible, combining the power of an excellent soundbar with the customization of open earbuds to suit your needs.

A number of issues that home theatre aficionados have long faced are addressed by this technology. Many homes may not be able to accommodate many speakers and a certain room layout that are required by traditional surround sound systems. They usually feature a “sweet spot” as well, which is a single place where the sound quality is best. These problems are resolved with Personal Surround Sound, which offers an immersive experience that moves with you.

Furthermore, a degree of personalization that is difficult to accomplish with conventional systems is provided with Personal Surround Sound. With the side and back channels going straight to your ears, you can enjoy a completely immersive experience without bothering other people in the room. This makes it perfect for late-night viewing or for homes with varying audio tastes among residents.

Featured in this story

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds tdt
Colour:  Moonlight Grey
Exclusive colour
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds

Price is:  $379.00

Bose Smart Soundbar tdt
Colour:  Black
Bose Smart Soundbar

Price is:  $609.00

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