You are not the only one who loves to advance his house with the high-facility sound system and home theatre. It's a fantasy of the majority because it's the new trend. Buying a ticket for cinemas is a different experience, but what if you crave playing games, watching some TV shows, or an old movie? That's when you realize that having a spectacular sound system like Sonos Arc or Bose Smart Soundbar 900 is close to a must!
Alas! Dolby Atmos is the name that's popped up in our minds. And why wouldn't that be? A single-piece soundbar that's powered by Dolby Atmos sound technology and comes from Sonos or Bose can be your choice. Both of these speakers offer an alluring sound experience. The quality is pure, the package is well-equipped, and the accessories are in a never-ending competition. But which one is suitable for you? On what speaker should you invest your money?
We are talking about the easiest phase here. While the core components of these soundbars are not readily available, the prices are high. In simple terms, supply is low, and demand is high. But how much?
The soundbars can cost you ~$900. You won't find any sales on these soundbars either. So it's a tie here
Conclusion: Draw
Sonos Arc Design & Sonos Arc Controls
Both of the soundbars are aesthetically beautiful. But since we are here for some unbiased differentiation, let's start with the Bose Smart Soundbar 900.
You know well what an attractive beauty really is. The version 900 by Bose possesses such a design that it makes people go in awe. We consider this soundbar to be more aesthetically sound. The measurements define its body as two inches tall with 42 inches wide. There is a grill (metal) on the front that reaches the glass-top. Such an incredible single-piece soundbar by Bose is hard to find anywhere else.
The 900 is quite simple in certain areas, most notably its onboard digital display, which is nothing more than a flashing white LED pattern. It does, however, include a few controls on top, as well as a fully functional app that allows you to control things like basic EQ, smart assistants, and grouping with other Bose speakers to form a multi-room sound system, among other things. It also comes with a separate remote, unlike Sonos (check out Sonos arc review). You'll largely be utilizing your TV's remote if you connect via the HDMI ARC/eARC port, but it's a good backup.
You are waiting for Sonos, right? Well, Sonos also got a brilliant design and useful controls. You can't describe its quality in words. Instead, a lot of customers commend the utility of Sonos as one of the best on this planet. But Sonos troubled some customers.
The shape of Sonos Arc resembles more of a log than a soundbar. The height is over three inches, and the stretch is around 45 inches. When you place it somewhere nice, it just doesn't give the vibe Bose 900 gives.
But that's alright as Sonos Arc's performance is quite enjoyable. From the design and controls perspective, the Sonos Arc got only an LED display on the front to display what's happening. And that's it.
In terms of controls, the Sonos app is perhaps more feature-rich than Bose's, and the Arc is just as easy to use using your TV remote for basic functions like power and volume. Both soundbars may be controlled with voice commands using a variety of smart assistants.
There are more parallels than differences, as we'll discuss throughout, but Bose's Smart Soundbar 900 wins this round because of its advantage in analog controls and a more elegant design.
Conclusion: Bose Smart Soundbar 900 is the winner.
Sonos Arc Features
When you see the Dolby Atmos soundbar's features and connections, you barely find any differences. It's because these two pieces got a lot in common. Let's see what's similar first.
- Colors: Black, White
- Wi-Fi options: Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, multi-room audio
- Wired connection: Ethernet, HDMI ARC/eARC, optical input (Sonos requires adapter)
- Smart features: Amazon Alexa or built-in Google Assistant
- Dolby Audio decoding: Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD
So much in common tbh! The live streaming and shared network options in the common apps make the sound system more efficient. The usability has been made easy. Also, both of them are compatible with the Dolby Atmos sound control and the surrounding system.
The syncing capacity is brilliant. You can connect with your speakers inside your home at any range. But here is the line. Sonos provides multiple speaker sets, while Bose limits the collection beginning at $349.
Another difference is Bose 900 gives you Bluetooth connectivity. Sonos doesn't. If you are wondering how things will work then, platforms like Apple Music and Spotify work on Wi-Fi. So the matter is solved here. Don't worry about Sonos because it also gives you options like Tidal and Amazon Music.
There are no additional HDMI inputs on each bar. Because you'll need to connect Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, or other components to your TV directly, taking up valuable inputs, they're best suited for folks who stream most of their entertainment online. This may limit your ability to source uncompressed audio from various devices, depending on how old your TV is, albeit anyone with a basic HDMI ARC input can stream Dolby Atmos. You may need more information regarding this section.
When it comes to Blu-rays, Sonos' Arc soundbar has rudimentary DTS decoding (up to 5.1), whereas Bose's bar does not. If you have a lot of older material mixed in 5.1 around the house, this may influence your decision, but since you can't plug physical media into the bar directly, your TV also plays a part in the compatibility. Furthermore, neither bar provides DTS:X, Dolby Atmos' main competitor.
It's impossible to call this one. The Arc has additional options to connect with other speakers and decode your physical media, whereas the Bose bar has Bluetooth and an optical connection built-in. We'll refer to it as a new tie.
Conclusion: Draw
Now the truth will reveal itself. Apart from all the similarities, the performance of both these soundbars has some differences. There's no denying that Bose's bar is a powerful performer, especially considering its smaller size and lack of drivers compared to Sonos' system. Its sound quality is actually exceptional, with depth and perspective that elevates everything from brass instruments to gunfire to speech. It's a significant improvement over your TV speakers, as well as several lower-quality outboard audio options.
Although the Smart Soundbar 900's smaller upfiring speakers struggle to create powerful overhead effects, the system excels at bouncing virtual effects around the room, resulting in impressively immersive sound given its size. The bundled microphone headset helps with this by calibrating the sound to your room—Sonos' technology requires an iOS device to do so.
However, the fact that I keep referring to the size of the 900s in this comparison is telling. Simply, it lacks the overall strength and sound extension of the Arc. The Arc, for its part, offers plenty of depth and superior sound for all of your cinematic and musical excursions, including Amazon Audio Unlimited's recent inclusion of Dolby Atmos music streaming. When sourcing Dolby Atmos content, it goes even farther with remarkably powerful bass for a bar of its size, as well as more distinct overhead sound from the bar's upfiring drivers, to create a believable, hemispheric soundstage.
While you can add a subwoofer to either bar for a more immersive movie experience, the Sonos Arc performs better as an all-in-one sound solution thanks to its more drivers (four more than Bose's bar), larger bass, and overall more stunning Dolby Atmos immersion. That's why we call the Sonos Arc our favorite soundbar.
Conclusion: Sonos Arc is the winner.
The Game Winner : Arc Sonos Review
Want to buy the Sonos Arc premium sound bar?
The competition is close and it's hard to crown only one. But since we talk in numbers, Sonos Arc has won the game. Yay!
While both bars provide outstanding premium sound, the Arc is the preferred option for those who want a single bar to rule them all. It's simple to use, integrates well with additional speakers (grouped or in a surround arrangement), and comes with a comprehensive app to control it all. Most importantly, even without a wireless subwoofer, it delivers the auditory impact you'd expect from a single bar.
Bose's Smart Soundbar 900, on the other hand, is a powerful system that has the majority of the above functions, as well as more methods to connect and a slimmer, more elegant design that's much simpler to put under your TV and on your console. Its only significant flaw is that on its own, it isn't quite as cinematic or compelling.
Now it's all here to decide. Still, you can go for the other option depending on your need. But if you consider everything, your mind and heart will satisfy with Sonos Arc.
Verified
Rate your recent experience *