Bose Wave SoundTouch Music System IV Review 

Sound

For a speaker that only uses 60W of power, the SoundTouch is surprisingly loud with a meaty, well-defined bass response. The balance between mid-range and high frequencies is exceptional.

The detail the SoundTouch produces is what’s most impressive about this speaker. Bose has gone above and beyond regarding the audio experience this stereo system offers, all thanks to the Bose Wave speaker technology. This technology enables the SoundTouch to deliver high-quality, room-filling audio without any distortion, even when playing at high volumes. It’s an immersive audio experience, and in certain rooms, you can’t pinpoint the audio coming from the SoundTouch. It’s something you have to hear to understand fully.

Inputs

The SoundTouch offers multiple input options, including ⅛-Inch AUX, USB, and Bluetooth. In addition, there is a built-in CD player, AM/FM radio, and WiFi with an Ethernet port. There’s also a ⅛-inch headphone output. All the inputs and outputs are located at the rear of the SoundTouch, keeping the visual parts of the speaker clean and uncluttered.

Design

Moving on to aesthetics, the SoundTouch features a sleek, modern design that will look good in any room. The unit has no buttons cluttering the surface, with only an LCD, CD player, and two speakers visible.

So, without buttons, how do you operate the SoundTouch? Of course, there is a remote and app, but the SoundTouch also incorporates a touch feature (hence the name SoundTouch). A touch-sensitive pad is located at the top center of the SoundTouch. Placing or tapping your hand in this area will power the SoundTouch on and off and snooze an alarm.

One of the simple yet excellent features of the SoundTouch is the ability to set two different daily alarms. This is useful if you and your partner wake up at separate times or if you just need two reminders in the morning to get out of bed! The alarms can be set to go off with any of the inputs, including one of your favorite streaming services, via the saved presets.

SoundTouch App

The SoundTouch comes with the SoundTouch app, which allows you to connect the system to streaming services like Spotify or Pandora, internet radio stations, and podcasts. Within the app or using the remote, you can program up to six presets. What these presets are is entirely up to you. Each preset can be programmed as a song, artist, album, playlist, internet radio station, or podcast. Switching between the presets can be done using the app or the SoundTouch remote control.

Controls

The remote is ultra-compact, fitting neatly in the palm of your hand. It’s easier to initially set everything up using the SoundTouch app and then use the remote to operate the system. The 26-button remote lets you access and control the SoundTouch quickly and easily. The standard audio control buttons include volume up/down, play/pause, track skip, AM/FM tuning, Bluetooth pairing, CD eject, mute, and power on/off/alarm stop. Buttons labeled 1-6 allow switching between presets, and you also have a button for each audio input. Lastly, there are three buttons for setting up your alarms and two for liking and disliking tracks.

Many streaming services allow you to like or dislike tracks which helps the service learn what music you like. These buttons are usually only found within the stream service app which means you have to be in the app to make your selection. Having these buttons on the SoundTouch remote means you can quickly access these features, which will obviously then be saved to your streaming service preference. It’s only within the last couple of years manufacturers have started incorporating this feature into their products, so it’s somewhat unique to find in a home stereo system.

Bose Wave vs SoundTouch

Alexa Compatible

Another modern feature is integration with Amazon’s Alexa. While SoundTouch doesn’t have Alexa built-in, the system is compatible with Alexa. This means if you own an Alexa device like an Echo Dot, Echo, or Echo Plus, then you can pair this to your SoundTouch over a WiFi connection. Unfortunately, the SoundTouch doesn’t have a built-in microphone, so you can’t use the system with voice services like Siri or Google Now.

Conclusion

Regarding audio quality, the SoundTouch is on another level compared to the competition. The SoundTouch has audio characteristics for everyone. There is a nice chunky, low-end response for bass lovers, but the noise and audio clarity are unpleasant for those who love classical music.

At $599, the SoundTouch is a little expensive, but it’s well worth every penny. This is a stereo system that’s built to last and will easily live in your home for many years without any issues. The SoundTouch is available in black or platinum silver espresso.