If you’re looking to upgrade your home entertainment audio experience, a soundbar is an excellent investment. Soundbars pack the audio punch of a full home theater system into a single, sleek unit that sits neatly in front of or mounted beneath your TV.
Bose and Klipsch are two premium consumer audio brands that manufacture some of the best soundbars on the market. But which company makes the superior soundbar?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll compare Bose and Klipsch soundbars across critical factors like price, size, audio technology, and more. By the end, you’ll know exactly which soundbar brand is the better option for your needs and budget.
Bose vs. Klipsch Soundbars: Key Differences
Before we dive into the specifics, here is a high-level overview of how Bose and Klipsch soundbars compare:
Bose Soundbars
- Typically smaller and more compact
- Weigh less
- Have lower power output (wattage)
- Engineered for highly optimized audio reconstruction
- Proprietary audio technologies like Dialogue Mode and TrueSpace
- Tend to be more expensive
Klipsch Soundbars
- Typically larger and bulkier
- Weigh more
- Have higher power output
- Focus more on audio accuracy and dynamic range
- Use less proprietary technology
- Tend to be more affordable
Now let’s explore these key differences in more detail.
Size and Dimensions
One of the most noticeable differences between Bose and Klipsch soundbars is size.
Bose soundbars tend to be smaller, slimmer, more compact units compared to Klipsch. For example, the Bose Smart Soundbar 300 measures just 2.2” x 3.4” x 4”, while the Klipsch Cinema 600 is a far bulkier 45” x 2.8” x 4.2”.
Bose focuses intently on keeping its soundbars as small and unintrusive as possible. The company uses proprietary audio reconstruction technologies (which we’ll discuss shortly) to squeeze impressive sound from a tiny box.
Klipsch soundbars don’t hold size reduction as a top priority. The company favors achieving higher power, fidelity, and dynamic range over compactness. So Klipsch soundbars end up much larger.
If size and form factor are important considerations for you, Bose soundbars are the better choice. Their small dimensions make them easier to mount below TVs or place inconspicuously around your home entertainment setup.
However, if raw audio muscle matters more than size, Klipsch’s bulkier soundbars pack quite the sonic punch.
Weight and Portability
As you might expect from their size differential, Bose soundbars tend to be lighter while Klipsch models are heavier.
For example, the aforementioned Bose Smart Soundbar 300 tips the scales at a feathery 5.1 lbs. Compare that to the 17.15 lb Klipsch Cinema 600.
Does weight really matter for a soundbar? In most cases, no. Soundbars are generally meant to be semi-permanent TV audio attachments. So you won’t be moving them around frequently where weight becomes an issue.
That said, lighter soundbars may have some small advantages:
- Easier mounting with less robust brackets/hardware
- Simple to reposition if needed
- More portable if you want to travel with your soundbar
But for most users, soundbar weight shouldn’t factor heavily into your buying decision. The audio performance is far more important.
Power and Loudness
One spec where Klipsch soundbars clearly dominate is raw power output.
Klipsch soundbars routinely boast wattages in the 400-600 watt range. For example, the Cinema 600 churns out a thunderous 600 watts of peak audio power.
By contrast, popular Bose offerings like the Smart Soundbar 300 and Soundbar 500 max out at a modest 100-120 watts.
Does this mean Klipsch soundbars play significantly louder than Bose models? Not necessarily. There’s more to loudness than just high wattage output.
Bose soundbars achieve excellent sound levels thanks to highly optimized speaker components and the company’s audio reconstruction technologies. The custom drive units in Bose soundbars require less “juice” to produce ample loudness for any room.
That said, if you truly want bone-rattling, earth-shaking volume from your soundbar, Klipsch is tough to beat. Audiophiles looking for booming decibel levels will certainly favor the Cinema 600 over the Soundbar 500.
But for most buyers’ needs, the loudness levels from Bose soundbars will suffice. The power output difference becomes less noticeable unless you’re constantly cranking volumes to the maximum.
Audio Technologies
Here’s where Bose pulls ahead in the soundbar technology race. The company employs several proprietary audio innovations to squeeze remarkable sound from such compact speaker packages.
Videostage – This Bose technology analyzes audio signals to identify voices and orchestration. It then applies specialized processing to dialogue and music elements so you can hear every line and note clearly.
TrueSpace – TrueSpace separates audio channels and redistributes them to give the immersive listening experience of a surround sound system from a single Bose soundbar speaker.
PhaseGuide – PhaseGuide technology beams specific audio frequencies to targeted locations in the room instead of blasting sound equally in all directions. This creates a wider, more enveloping listening experience.
ADAPTiQ – ADAPTiQ room calibration further customizes the output of Bose soundbars based on their positioning within your unique room environment.
By contrast, Klipsch soundbars do not employ extensive proprietary processing. The company favors a “pure signal path” philosophy that avoids excessive audio manipulation in favor of accuracy. For the hardcore audiophile, this can result in a more genuine and uncompromising listening experience.
However, for most casual listeners, Bose’s sophisticated processing produces an exceptionally immersive soundbar experience that rivals a dedicated surround system. The advanced audio engineering in Bose soundbars helps compensate for their smaller drivers and enclosures.
Connectivity and Control
Modern soundbars offer multiple wired and wireless connection options to hook up your other home entertainment devices like game consoles and streaming media players.
Both Bose and Klipsch soundbars include key ports like HDMI ARC, optical digital audio, auxiliary, and USB. So they easily integrate into your TV setup and communicate with other equipment in your home theater.
For cable-free streaming, soundbars now feature both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth as well. This lets you play audio from services like Spotify as well as your smartphone/tablet library.
While their core connectivity options are similar, Bose soundbars do offer two useful exclusives:
AirPlay 2 – This Apple technology provides direct Wi-Fi streaming from iOS/Mac devices and syncs multi-room audio across AirPlay-compatible speakers.
Voice control – Select Bose soundbar models feature Alexa and Google Assistant built right in. So you can change volume, switch inputs, queue playlists, and more completely hands-free.
Overall, both companies tick all the key boxes for wired and wireless connectivity. But Bose pulls ahead slightly thanks to AirPlay 2 and hands-free voice assistant capabilities.
Sound Quality
This is the million-dollar question: which company produces better sounding soundbars?
Assessing sound quality ultimately comes down to personal listening preferences. However, based on expert reviews and customer feedback, a few key observations emerge:
Bose
- Sophisticated audio processing creates incredibly immersive, “3D” surround effects from even basic models
- Proprietary technologies optimize dialogue intelligibility
- Uniform, consistent performance across different volume levels
- Bass is smooth and tightly integrated though not overpowering
Klipsch
- More genuine, authentic sound closer to source material thanks to less manipulation
- Excellent audio dynamics and definition especially in mid to high frequencies
- More powerful, chest-thumping bass response
- Crisp, articulate dialogue reproduction
- Can sound slightly harsh or uneven at high volumes
Again, there are no definitives when evaluating sound quality. You really need to listen to both brands yourself and decide which you prefer.
That said, for impressively wide, immersive audio from a single bar, Bose is hard to top. Klipsch shines when you want uncompromising accuracy and high-fidelity response.
Price and Value
In terms of price tags, Klipsch soundbars are generally more affordable than comparable Bose models. However, Bose soundbars often provide greater overall value.
For example, the Klipsch Cinema 400 retails around $250 while the similar Bose Smart Soundbar 300 costs about $330. So at first glance, Klipsch offers better value.
However, when you factor in Bose’s proprietary audio innovations like ADAPTiQ and PhaseGuide, integrated voice control, multi-room AirPlay 2 streaming, smarter processing, and more, the value pendulum swings back towards Bose.
You simply get more advanced, user-friendly features from Bose soundbars, even at slightly higher prices. So they can justify the extra cost for many buyers. Of course, budget is still a consideration for most shoppers.
Here’s a good rule of thumb when weighing Bose vs. Klipsch values:
- For great sound at the lowest prices, choose Klipsch
- For the ultimate blend of technology, design, and performance, go Bose
Either way, both companies produce excellent soundbars. You really can‘t go wrong with such premium audio brands.
Bottom Line
Bose and Klipsch are two of the most respected names in the consumer audio space. With decades of experience crafting high-end speakers and components, their soundbars represent the pinnacle of style, engineering, and performance.
Based on their differing expertise areas, here is an easy way to summarize the brands:
Bose soundbars shine thanks to their sleek, compact aesthetic, sophisticated processing technologies for immersive audio from small enclosures, and excellent dialogue reproduction.
Klipsch soundbars dominate with their brute power output, uncompromising audio accuracy, and dynamic, highly defined sound.
So choosing between Bose vs. Klipsch comes down to what you value most in a soundbar: convenience, surround effects, purity, muscle?
You can confidently buy either brand knowing you’re getting world-class engineering and construction. Any model from Bose or Klipsch will give your TV shows, movies, and music new life.
