When it comes to sound quality, it’s well-known that Bose is one of the best brands on the market. For over 60 years the brand has been the king of producing stellar quality hi-fi systems, and more recently, smart speakers and soundbars.

Today we’ll be discussing Bose’s line of soundbars. We’ll be taking you through the best models, the key features, and whether or not these soundbars are really worth the steep price tags. 

First of all though, what is a soundbar? 

A soundbar sits beneath your TV and is essentially a speaker which aims to create the effect of surround sound. 

The benefit of a soundbar as opposed to a full 5.1 system, is that they’re more compact, don’t require separate speakers, and usually provide just as good a quality of sound. 

The Best Bose Soundbars

There are a few Bose soundbars to choose from, but we’re going to focus on the most popular and those that offer the best features and quality of sound. 

Bose Smart Soundbar 700: Premium Bluetooth Soundbar

According to Bose, this is their best soundbar yet, featuring immersive sound, deep bass, and easy access to your favorite shows and movies thanks to Alexa integration and Google Assistant. 

Design 

The soundbar 700 measures 38.5” x 2.25” x 4.25”. It has a tempered-glass top, wraparound metal grille, and is designed with clean lines for a modern look that effortlessly blends with your room’s decor. There’s no buttons for a perfectly minimalist look and it’s narrow and short enough to fit between the legs of almost any TV that’s at least 50 inches, or you can wall mount it if you prefer.

The real magic takes place beneath the exterior however: and this soundbar features custom drivers and proprietary technologies to deliver clear, spacious sound. While the glass top is stunning, the only drawback is that it’s easily marked by fingerprints, though Bose does supply you with a microfiber cloth to keep these at bay. 

Sound quality 

Behind the grille, you’ll find a series of center midrange drivers and a tweeter, which are responsible for providing most of the direct sound you hear. One of the best features of this audio system is that the dialogue sounds clear and enhanced thanks to the dialogue reproduction feature which provides excellent separation from background sounds. 

On the sides of the bar are Bose’s PhaseGuide arrays – specially designed tunnels that project sound out to the sides of the soundbar, creating a more immersive surround-sound experience that’s perfect for movie nights. 

While the Soundbar 700 provides a sense of depth and width, it is lacking the low-end bass of a full home theater system. However, this is due to the compact design of the 700, which would struggle to provide such powerful bass. Nonetheless, the Bose still provides significant bass, plus you have the option of adding an optional Bose Bass Module for an additional cost.

Connectivity 

One of the best things about the Bose soundbar 700 is that it provides hands-free voice control with integrated Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, as well as a noise-rejecting mic system that listens in every direction to pick up your voice. 

What’s more, the exclusive Bose Voice4Video technology expands your Alexa capabilities, allowing you to control this smart soundbar, your TV, and your cable/satellite box with one voice command, plus you can conveniently make or take calls hands-free, phone-free, and free of charge. 

You can also stream your favorite music and more via Bluetooth connection, your home Wi-Fi network, Apple AirPlay 2, or Spotify Connect. Adjusting the levels of the soundbar is also super easy. Simply use your voice, the Bose Music app, or the context-sensitive universal remote to control what you hear. 

Pros 

• Sleek, clean design 
• Hands-free voice control 
• Excellent surround sound 
• Bluetooth connectivity 
• Pairs with Bose headphones for private listening 

Cons 

• Expensive 
• Lacking slightly in low-end bass 

Bose TV Speaker- Small Soundbar

If you’re looking for a smaller alternative to the Bose soundbar 700, why not consider this smaller Bose soundbar? 

Design 

The compact design of this soundbar means it stands just over 2″ tall for easy placement in front of your TV or mounted to a wall via brackets. The overall dimensions are 2.21″ H x 23.38″ W x 4.02″ D, and the design is simple and understated, so it won’t draw much attention. It has a less modern and luxurious design than the soundbar 700, but because it doesn’t have a glass top, you won’t have to worry about fingerprint marks. 

Sound quality 

This small soundbar clarifies speech and is a simple fix for better TV sound. While it won’t provide a booming home cinema experience, it’ll definitely enhance dialogue by reproducing speech and vocals clearly and accurately, and there’s even a dialogue enhancement feature that allows you to listen to your favorite podcasts and TV shows in their best audio quality. 

The overall sound profile is quite neutral, with a balanced mid-range. Even though there’s a “BASS” button on the remote which can add extra depth, like the other Bose speakers, without a dedicated subwoofer, the soundbar lacks low-bass for some genres of music and a booming cinema experience.

This smaller Bose soundbar is lacking in terms of sound customization features, including an EQ or an auto-volume mode. It also doesn’t get very loud, and when played at max volume there are compression artifacts, so it’s perhaps not ideal for use in a crowded party. 

 Connectivity 

The Bose small soundbar features Bluetooth compatibility, so you can wirelessly stream your favorite music and podcasts. There’s also a convenient Bluetooth button on the remote to easily pair your device.

Pros 

• Perfect size for adding a sound upgrade to a small TV/ space 
• Bluetooth compatibility 
• “Dialogue mode” button on remote for enhanced clarity 
• “Bass” button on remote for boosting bass 

Cons 

• Lacks sound customization features 
• Doesn’t get very loud

Bose Smart Soundbar 300

The Bose smart soundbar 300 is a good midpoint between the two mentioned above. It offers built-in Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant and is slightly larger than the small Bose soundbar, but smaller than the Bose 700. 

Design 

The Bose soundbar 300 features a sleek design and measures 26.58″ x 4.02″ x 2.21″, making it perfect if you’re looking for something bigger than the small Bose soundbar, but not quite as big as the 700. It’s finished with a matte top and has a modern, understated design that easily slips underneath your TV or can be mounted to the wall. 

Sound Quality 

The soundbar 300 is equipped with 5 full-range drivers that deliver wide, clear sound that’s perfect for TV, movies, games, and more. It’s lacking in low-bass like the other Bose soundbars, however, it’s still able to produce some punch and boom making it great for movie nights. 

It has a v-shaped sound profile overall, with balanced mids and a bright treble range that makes it ideal for rock and pop music. It’s more than capable of accommodating most audio content, and while it doesn’t have any EQ presets, it does have bass and treble adjustments.

Connectivity 

This soundbar features a built-in Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for hands-free voice control and a noise-rejecting mic system that listens in every direction for your voice. The Bose Voice4Video technology expands your Alexa capabilities, allowing you to control the soundbar, TV, and your cable or satellite box with 1 voice command. You can also listen to your favorite music by pairing your device with this wireless soundbar to stream your favorite music and more. 

Pros 

• Ideal size and sleek design 
• Accommodates a wide range of audio content 
• Bass and treble adjustments 
• Built-in voice control 
• Bluetooth connectivity 
• Private listening with Boss headphones 

Cons 

• No EQ presets 

Is a Bose soundbar worth it? 

The Bose soundbar range is growing year on year, and the current range offers several options for different listening habits and budgets. 

At the top of the spectrum, you’ll find the Bose soundbar 700 which has all of the features you could possibly want in an ultra-sleek and modern glass-top design. The Bose soundbar 300 and TV soundbar are cheaper options, but they’re also more compact, so they’re a good choice if you have less space (and a smaller budget) to work with. 

All of the speakers we reviewed lacked low-end bass, seen as they don’t have a dedicated subwoofer, though generally, they provide a high quality of sound that’s great for enhancing dialogue and listening to your favorite podcasts and music, as well as enjoying home movie nights. 

You should also bear in mind that Bose soundbars don’t support Dolby Atmos content found on many 4k Blu-rays or some streaming services, so you won’t get a fully immersive experience when watching movies.

We’re not sure the Bose soundbar 700 lives up to its price point, but the other two options are ideal if you’re looking for a similar product for a cheaper price. The Bose soundbar 300 provides most of the features of the 700, in a cheaper and more compact design. 

Last update on 2023-02-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API