Bose Soundbars: Clear Sound and Premium Design for Every Home

Explore the premium design and balanced sound of Bose soundbars, offering clear audio and easy expandability for your home theater setup.

Why Choose Bose Soundbars?

We’ve tested 12 Bose soundbars to bring you the lowdown on what makes this brand stand out. Bose is renowned for crafting high-quality audio devices that combine durability with sleek, premium design. While their soundbars may not boast extensive sound customization options, they deliver a balanced and neutral sound profile, making them easy to use for most listeners.

One great feature? You can easily expand your system later by adding satellite speakers or external subwoofers, enhancing your home theater’s flexibility and sound depth without hassle.

Top Bose Soundbars: In-Depth Reviews

Best Overall Bose Soundbar: Bose Smart Ultra

• Mixed Usage: 7.3
• Dialogue/TV Shows: 7.3
• Music: 7.7
• Movies: 7.1
• Channels: 5.1.2

The Bose Smart Ultra is the cream of the crop in Bose’s lineup. This 5.1.2 system is the next evolution after the Bose Smart 900, packing noticeable upgrades like AI Dialogue enhancement, which boosts sound clarity for movies and TV shows. It even has a built-in subwoofer to pump up the bass frequencies.

Despite being a standalone soundbar, it supports multichannel audio like Dolby Digital and Dolby Atmos, delivering immersive sound right in your living room. Want even more punch? You can add a Bose Bass Module 500 subwoofer or satellite speakers later to really fill the space with sound.

Plus, the Smart Ultra features ADAPTiQ room correction technology that tweaks sound based on your room’s unique acoustics, resulting in crisp vocals and bright instruments. You can also adjust bass and treble to your liking. Built-in Alexa voice control makes hands-free operation a breeze.

Best Mid-Range Soundbar: Bose Smart Soundbar

• Mixed Usage: 7.2
• Dialogue/TV Shows: 7.3
• Music: 7.3
• Movies: 7.0
• Channels: 3.0.2

If you’re looking for a solid mid-tier soundbar, the Bose Smart Soundbar is a fantastic pick. It updates the previous Smart Soundbar 600 with a few handy tweaks, like support for Bose Ultra Open Earbuds. Although it’s a smaller 3.0.2 configuration designed for compact rooms, it lacks room correction but still delivers a wide soundstage thanks to side-firing speakers and TrueSpace technology.

This soundbar supports Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital for movies and streaming, providing a rich audio experience with minimal lag. The sound is well-balanced, with clear vocals and instrument separation that exceeds expectations for its size. However, it doesn’t have the deep bass punch you get from larger systems, but you can always add a subwoofer or satellites later on.

Adjustments include high and low frequency controls, an AI Dialogue mode for crystal-clear speech, and Wall EQ for better sound when mounted. If space is tight and you don’t need advanced room tuning, this soundbar is a solid choice.

Best Budget Bose Soundbar: Bose TV Speaker

• Mixed Usage: 6.2
• Dialogue/TV Shows: 6.7
• Music: 6.6
• Movies: 5.6
• Channels: 2.0

For those on a budget, the Bose TV Speaker delivers great value. Measuring just under 24 inches wide, it fits effortlessly under smaller TVs and monitors, even taking up less room than the compact Bose Smart Soundbar.

This 2.0-channel system isn’t as versatile as Bose’s pricier models but excels at dialogue-heavy content like podcasts and TV shows. Its neutral sound profile keeps voices and lead instruments clear and present. While it can't pump out booming bass for EDM or hip-hop, you can always plug in a separate subwoofer if that’s your thing.

It lacks Dolby Atmos support and converts surround sound to stereo, so the soundstage is narrower, making this a straightforward "plug and play" upgrade for your TV speakers. Bluetooth is the only wireless option, keeping it simple and user-friendly.

How Bose Soundbars Stack Up Against Competitors

Pros:

• Balanced Sound Profile: Bose soundbars tend to deliver well-balanced, neutral audio ideal for a variety of content, even if deep bass is missing without a subwoofer.
• Thoughtful Design: These soundbars are built with premium materials and offer a sleek and sophisticated look that complements any setup.
• Expandable Systems: You can easily add subwoofers or satellite speakers to expand your home theater system later on.

Cons:

• Lack of Deep Bass: Without an external subwoofer, Bose soundbars don’t quite hit the deep bass notes that energize certain music genres.
• No Height Channels on Some Models: Many don’t support Dolby Atmos height channels, limiting immersive experiences on 4K Blu-rays or streaming platforms.
• No HDMI-In Ports: Bose soundbars can’t serve as hubs for external devices like Blu-ray players, meaning you’ll need extra cables or a separate hub.

Bose vs. Samsung

Samsung offers a wider range of soundbars with more customization and multiple physical inputs for pass-through video. Bose, on the other hand, uses psychoacoustic technology to create a broader sound experience beyond the physical speaker size.

Bose vs. Sonos

Sonos and Bose compete head-to-head in the soundbar market. Sonos models typically support DTS content and offer excellent in-home streaming if you have other Sonos products. However, Sonos apps may be less reliable on Android devices, and their sound tuning features differ. Bose focuses on ease of use and consistent audio quality without overwhelming customization options.

Bose Soundbar Product Lineup

Bose’s soundbar lineup is concise, with premium models staying on the market for several years rather than cycling out annually. Here’s a quick guide:

• Smart Soundbar Series: Supports Dolby Atmos and features built-in voice assistants for hands-free control.
• Solo: Discontinued compact soundbar for small spaces.
• TV Speaker: Separate unit designed to upgrade your TV’s built-in speakers.

Generally, higher model numbers mean more channels and features.

Final Thoughts

Bose soundbars are a great choice if you want a well-built, neutral-sounding system that works well right out of the box. Though they may lack some advanced sound tweaking features and HDMI inputs found in competitors, their straightforward design, decent expandability, and consistent audio quality make them ideal for users who want hassle-free, premium sound.

“The panel reproduces voices and lead instruments with high clarity, while adding a bit of brightness to the mix.” – Bose Smart Ultra Review

FAQs

• What makes Bose soundbars stand out?
  Bose soundbars offer balanced, neutral sound with premium build quality and easy expandability.
• Can I add a subwoofer to a Bose soundbar?
  Yes, many Bose soundbars allow you to add external subwoofers and satellite speakers for enhanced bass and surround sound.
• Do Bose soundbars support Dolby Atmos?
  Some models, like the Smart Ultra and Smart Soundbar, support Dolby Atmos, but budget options like the TV Speaker do not.
• Is room correction available on all Bose soundbars?
  No, room correction with ADAPTiQ is generally available on higher-end models like the Smart Ultra.
• Can I use Bose soundbars with voice assistants?
  Yes, many models come with built-in Alexa support for hands-free control.

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