First thing's first: this ‘omni-hybrid’ driver layout Bluesound is so pleased with works very well indeed. The Pulse M is not a big speaker in absolute terms, but it creates an open, wide-ranging sound that’s far larger than the cabinet from which it originates. There’s no particular sensation of a ‘sweet spot’, either, so you can be sure of getting a full account of what’s going on in sonic terms from pretty much anywhere in the room where the Pulse M is playing.

Arcam’s rPlaystreamer, in particular, offered improved sound in a compact unit at a substantially lower price. Consequently, the Node 2 dropped from five stars to three. This would seem to be the first Bluesound speaker that ‘design’ has happened to - until now, the company’s speakers have been staunchly utilitarian lookers. But the Pulse M is built (and to an impeccable standard) from a combination of high-quality plastic and acoustic cloth for its main body, with a glass surface for its top-plate. It’s a welcome advance in Bluesound’s thinking.That said, the Soundbar+ has depth and openness with vocals that is a real rarity for a soundbar. Whether it’s Perry Farrell's demented wailing on Ted..., or when swapping to the more sparse Tom’s Diner by Suzanne Vega, the Pulse Soundbar+ projects voices nicely and without any harshness. There's nice overall tonal balance, too, with well-judged, never-brash treble and naturally deep bass blending seamlessly with that textured midrange. Two passive 10-inch speakers deliver full range frequency response for accurate vocal and music reproduction

Group two PULSE Ms with the PULSE SOUNDBAR+ or POWERNODE and create a wireless surround sound system with dedicated rear channels. Three main listening modes can be engaged – music, movie and late-night – and there are two upmixing options that can be toggled on and off. Bluesound says that the Surround Upmixer takes any channel-based audio and synthesises it to a multi-channel Dolby surround configuration intended to make use of a set-up that includes the optional surrounds and sub. The top-end is bright and substantial, and there’s plenty of substance to treble sounds to underpin their shine. The Pulse M is capable of quite oppressive volume, but it doesn’t alter its characteristics even if you decide to listen at big levels - which is an especially welcome trait where the top of the frequency range is concerned. There’s no hardness or edge to treble sounds, no matter how loud you like to hear them.The same thing applies to streaming standards. The best wireless speakers will support a range of these so you can send audio directly from your phone, tablet or laptop over your home Wi-Fi network to your wireless speaker. The big three standards are Spotify Connect, Google Cast, and Apple AirPlay but others such as DTS Play-Fi and, for audiophiles, Roon Ready support are worth looking out for as well. The new Pulse range also supports Alexa Voice Control and Apple AirPlay 2– in line with all new 2i products on the new Bluesound 3.0 software – alongside two-way Bluetooth that offers the option of using it with wireless headphones as well as through that all-new driver array. Internet radio, podcast player, TV soundbar and smart technology control hub are just some of the roles the best wireless speakers can play. All-in-one wireless speaker systems capable of all of that aren’t as cheap as a regular Bluetooth speaker but there are plenty of reasonably-priced, feature-rich options for those on a budget. READ NEXT: The best Bluetooth speakers to buy this year Bluesound Pulse M review: What could be improved?