Are you trying to decide between a Sonos or Bose soundbar for your home theater setup? As leading soundbar manufacturers, Sonos and Bose both provide exceptional audio performance to dramatically improve your TV, movie and music playback over built-in speakers.
To help you pick between these premium brands, I‘ve put together an expert soundbar comparison, so you can determine which is the right fit based on your budget, features needs, sound quality preferences and aesthetic style.
I‘ll begin with a brief company background on both Sonos and Bose before diving into how their latest soundbars stack up – from small budget-friendly models right up to advanced Dolby Atmos home cinema bars.
You‘ll also see how their wider product ecosystems compare for whole home multi-room audio. Let‘s dive right in…
Brand Histories: How Sonos And Bose Soundbars Emerged
First, when did Sonos and Bose get their start and how has their soundbar tech advanced over time? Getting into some sound history provides useful context!
Sonos:
Founded in 2002 by John MacFarlane, Tom Cullen, Trung Mai and Craig Shelburne, Sonos aimed to redefine home wireless audio with a sophisticated mesh system connecting modern streaming music sources.
[*Sonos Our Story Page]“Sonos began with a crazy idea – what if there was a wireless hi-fi system that not only sounded amazing on its own, but could also wirelessly sync with other speakers?”*
After launching the ZP100 zone player in 2005, Sonos spent the next decade honing their Trueplay room-correction software and patented wireless architecture to deliver flawless synchronization between different rooms. This is what paved the way for their soundbars like the Playbar in 2013.
Switching to more recent times, the 3rd generation Sonos Amp launched in 2020 alongside the Sonos Arc – their first soundbar with Dolby Atmos 3D spatial audio support. This brings us up to Sonos‘ current flagship immersive home cinema lineup.
Bose:
Dr. Amar Bose founded his namesake company in 1964 after years of acoustic research at Harvard and MIT led to several speaker innovations. In Amar‘s words:
“Back in 1964, our focus was clear: to develop new technologies, design products that sounded impressive and looked beautiful.”
Despite some initial failures like the infamous Bose 2201 system, the iconic 901 direct/reflecting speakers released in 1968 put Bose on the map as an emerging audio brand. Their profile was further boosted when NASA used Bose headsets for ground control communications during Apollo 11’s moon landing.
Bose continued chasing audio innovations like noise cancellation and spatial soundscaping. While they entered the home theater realm much earlier, it was really in 2018 that Bose revamped their soundbar lineup in response to Sonos’ success.
The current flagship Bose Smart Soundbar 900 was launched in 2021, showing how seriously Bose is taking cinematic Dolby Atmos performance to contend with premium releases from Sonos like the Arc.
Now that we’ve covered some background history, let’s see how the latest soundbars from Sonos and Bose compare…
Soundbar Lineup Comparison: Sonos vs Bose Models
Here is the current range of soundbars offered by Sonos and Bose:
Sonos Soundbars:
- Sonos Beam 2nd Gen (Dolby Atmos, Launched 2021)
- Sonos Ray (2.0 Channels. Launched 2022)
- Sonos Arc (Dolby Atmos, Launched 2020)
Bose Soundbars:
- Bose Solo 5 TV Sound System (Launched 2016)
- Bose TV Speaker (Launched 2018)
- Bose Smart Soundbar 300 (Dolby Atmos, Launched 2021)
- Bose Smart Soundbar 500 (Dolby Atmos, Launched 2019)
- Bose Smart Soundbar 700 (Launched 2018)
- Bose Smart Soundbar 900 (Dolby Atmos, Launched 2021)
Glancing at these lineups, you‘ll see both brands cater for different budgets and room sizes. But today I‘m going to focus on comparing the two flagship models targeted at premium home theaters – the Sonos Arc vs Bose Smart Soundbar 900.
Stick around as I pit them head to head on audio fidelity, format support, connectivity protocols and vocal assistant integration!
Flagship Soundbar Showdown: Sonos Arc vs Bose 900
Occupying the top tier in their respective catalogs, the Sonos Arc and Bose Smart Soundbar 900 directly compete for discerning home cinema buyers looking for fully-immersive Dolby Atmos playback matched with cutting edge connectivity.
Here‘s how they two heavy hitting sound platforms match up across the crucial categories:
Design and Build Quality
- Dimensions – Both soundbars share a similar depth around 4 inches high to discreetly fit under most TVs. The Arc stretches longer at 45 inches while the Bose 900 hits 41 inches wide.
- Finish – You can choose the Sonos Arc in sleek black or white finishes. Bose only offers the 900 in classic black.
- Controls – You‘ll find touch sensitive controls up top on the Arc vs physical backlit buttons on the 900. Either allows easy media adjustments in the dark.
No major differences on aesthetics. Both deliver stylish angular soundbars using premium textured plastics that feel built to last.
Audio Fidelity and Dolby Atmos
This is where their performance really distinguishes itself. Let‘s get technical!
- Speaker Drivers ─ The Sonos Arc houses 11 Class-D digital amplifiers powering 11 acoustic drivers including elliptical woofers. This includes upward firing drivers enabling Dolby Atmos height cues versus just a single Bose transducer.
- Trueplay Tuning – Exclusive Sonos tech custom tailors the Arc‘s sound profile to acoustics using advanced microphone analysis. One reviewer achieved a 20% audio boost!
- Sound Enhancement – While the Bose 900 has TrueSpace processing, most experts agree that the Arc‘s hardware and software combo delivers more detail and scale.
The figures indicate Sonos edges ahead for Dolby Atmos clarity. But both will still bowl you over with surround spatial sound compared to flat boring TV speakers!
Smart Features and Voice Control
Both options here are loaded with connectivity:
- Music Services ─ No gaps for streaming with Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora etc integrated
- Voice Assistants ─ Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant built in. Bose adds their own Voice4Video mode but performance seems comparable
- Wireless Protocols – WiFi, Apple AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth all supported
- Smart HA Compatibility – Control smart bulbs, thermostats etc via either platform
For dynamically accessing content, you can‘t fault either system. Just utter a voice command or cast from your phone for instant joy!
Soundbar Price Comparison: Which Offers Better Value?
Given the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 and Sonos Arc occupy the premium end of the market with identical $899 price tags, you might be wondering which gives better value.
Factoring in the audio hardware differences and highly praised performance reviews of the Sonos Arc, I believe it justifies its ticket the most here.
You‘re getting more advanced Dolby Atmos speaker tech enabling crisper overhead effects and a wider sound stage. Bose comforts itself with proprietary algorithms like TrueSpace to simulated immersive sound convincingly from fewer drivers.
But ultimately, the Arc‘s 11 channel architecture including dedicated up-firing elements demonstrates Sonos is more committed to leading the way with impactful object-based three dimensional sound.
That said, the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 remains an incredible immersive listening machine in its own right. And his mid-range siblings offer plenty at more affordable points like the Bose Smart Soundbar 500.
Verdict: Sonos Arc Wins As Best Premium Dolby Atmos Soundbar
Analyzing the flagship releases from Sonos and Bose in depth shows we have an incredibly close match between two masterful modern soundbars.
However, on balance across audio fidelity, format support, voice assistant functionality and wireless specs, the Sonos Arc clinches it – if only by a slight margin owing to finer Dolby Atmos precision.
But Bose shouldn‘t hang their heads. Their Smart Soundbar 900 remains a lifestyle-friendly powerhouse sound platform at a fair ticket. It may make sense for those already invested or partial to the brand.
Still, as an overall package, the Sonos Arc represents a superior sounding commitment advancing the state of home cinema audio innovation. It deserves its plaudits.
Hopefully this gives you the tech intel and context you need to pick your next soundbar winner! Let me know if have any other questions.
