This week Roku announced the Roku TV Wireless Speakers. While this product marks a departure from the company’s usual hardware options, it’s only a slight departure as in spite of these being wireless speakers, they are designed specifically to enhance the TV experience. In fact, Roku states they have been “designed exclusively for Roku TV.”
In principle, these do just seem to be Bluetooth speakers so as well as being able to connect to a smartphone and play music — like traditional Bluetooth speakers — they are likely to be compatible with any TV or STB that is also Bluetooth-enabled. Where the Roku TV experience in particular will find added benefit is through the included remote control. As the remote is a Roku TV Voice Remote and therefore will work more seamlessly with the Roku TV experience, including facilitating voice commands. Adding to the remote aspect, these speakers also come packaged with a second “Roku Touch tabletop remote” which basically is a laid-flat remote that can be positioned anywhere in the home to provide additional on-demand control of the speakers.
With these being speakers aimed at the TV market they are in-part designed to provide a more immersive listening experience which can be understood as specifically capable of highlighting dialogue and other nuance sounds that might be missed via a normal TV’s speaker setup. Although on a wider speaker point, Roku states they also deliver “vibrant high-frequencies and rich bass” which should prove beneficial when used in a traditional Bluetooth speaker manner. There are also some additional advanced features included, such as “Automatic Volume Leveling,” which will look to adjust the volume based on the TV content resulting in a more comfortable and consistent audio experience. For example, less loud when a loud scene is playing out and louder during quieter scenes. As for the price, the Roku TV Wireless Speakers will cost $199.99 when they become available to buy – Roku expects to start shipping orders out in “late October.” However, those who pre-order before July 23 will be able to save 25-percent of the launch price as Roku is currently accepting pre-orders at $149.99. From July 24 and up to October 15 buyers will still be able to save compared to the expected retail price with the Roku TV Wireless Speakers set to be available to pre-order for $179.99.
Pre-order Roku TV Wireless Speakers