There's something so appealing about a soundbar. Soundbars, which are able to deliver the experience of a complete sound system with multiple speakers in a single product, have enjoyed great popularity over the last decade. Their rise can be traced in tandem with the increasing popularity of smart TVs, which are helping to bring a cinematic experience into the home. Soundbars and their surround sound capabilities are part of that experience. But which soundbar is the best? And how do two popular options work thatSonosThe book vsBose900, stack against each other?
Of course theSonos Arcvs Bose 900 debate cannot be resolved with a simple answer. To find an answer, let's start with a full comparison of theSonosArc vs Bose 900. From there we will compare their respective specs side by side. After that, we go through the company stories and review the pros and cons of eachSoundbar. Once that's done, we'll have a much better idea of which soundbar is best. Let's break things down below.
Sonos Arc vs Bose 900: Full Comparison
Primarily both theSonos Arcand theBose 900are top-of-the-line soundbars that offer amazing sound quality at a premium price. These two soundbars from Sonos and Bose are among the most luxurious soundbars available on the market today. Both cost just under $900, these twoDolby Atmos-enabled soundbars are undoubtedly the most expensive and premium of their kind, but you're paying for unmatched audio quality and exceptional design. In other words, both Sonos andBoseprove to be worth the high price.
Unfortunately, they cannot both be winners. There are notable differentiators. For one, the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 has nine internal speakers. The Sonos Arc, on the other hand, has two additional speakers for a total of eleven internal speakers. However, the Bose 900 is newer than the Sonos Arc by over a year - meaning it's the newer, more up-to-date audio technology. In addition, each soundbar has its own proprietary configurations. For example, the Sonos Arc has something called Trueplay fine-tuning, while the Bose 900 has ADAPTiQ audio room calibration.
Aside from those differences in audio tech, the two soundbars have a simple size difference worth noting. The Sonos Arc is slightly larger than the Bose 900, coming in inches taller, wider, and lower than its closest competitor. It's also about a pound heavier. This is certainly due to the inclusion of two additional speakers in the Sonos Arc compared to the Bose 900. As you can clearly see, these are two exceptional soundbars, each with their own pros and cons. But still: what is better?
Side-by-side comparison: Sonos Arc vs. Bose 900
| Sonos Arc | Bose 900 | |
|---|---|---|
| developer | Sonos | Bose |
| Approved | 10. June 2020 | 23.09.2021 |
| Preis | $899 | $899 |
| size | 3,4″ H x 45″ B x 4,5″ T | 2,29″ H x 41,14″ B x 4,21″ T |
| main features | 11 internal speakers, Trueplay tuning, touch controls | 9 internal speakers, Voice4Video Smart Assistant technology, ADAPTiQ audio room calibration |
| Dolby Atmos enabled? | And | And |
Sonos Arc - The Premium Smart Soundbar for TV, Movies, Music, Gaming and More - White...
- All-New Sonos Arc - Bring all your entertainment to life with the brilliantly realistic sound of Arc with Dolby Atmos. Enjoy control with your TV remote, voice, Sonos app, Apple AirPlay 2 and more.
- 3D sound with Dolby Atmos - Experience shows, films and games with the precise and immersive sound of Dolby Atmos.
- Tuned for Perfection - Enhanced Trueplay tuning technology optimizes sound for the unique acoustics of the room.
- Immerse yourself in music - Stream music, radio, podcasts and more from your favorite services with the Sonos app or Apple AirPlay 2 when the TV is off.
- A truly powerful soundbar - Eleven high-performance drivers produce vivid detail and impressive bass.
$849,00
5 important facts about Sonos and Bose
- MIT - the Massachusetts Institute of Technology - is the majority owner of the Bose Corporation. Founder Amar Bose worked at MIT for years, and the university helped him promote the speaker brand in the 1960s and 1970s.
- Bose has ventured far beyond thatHome speakersto create headphones, car radios and more. Sonos, on the other hand, hasn't strayed outside of multi-room audio products.
- While Bose simply prioritizes speakers of all types, Sonos focuses on creating audio systems that can be spread across multiple rooms.
- Bose doesn't release specifications for its speakers or audio products, and numbers don't do justice to the listening experience.
- Sonos has an exclusive partnership with IKEA to create more affordable, slimmer versions of their speakers.
The Story of Sonos
Sonos was founded in 2002 by John MacFarlane, Craig Shelburne, Tom Cullen and Trung Mai. However, the manufacturer of multi-room audio products started under a different name: Rincon Audio. They stayed with Rincon until 2004, when the first Sonos products were officially ready for their debut at a handful of major industry events. (Namely, the June conference “D2: All Things Digital” and the Digital Music Summit in December). The first Sonos products - the ZonePlayer 100 and Controller, also known as the ZP100 and CR100 - were released in January of the following year.
Over the next five years, Sonos continued to release various audio products for multi-room audio setups. They were slow to succeed initially, but after a few years in the market, Sonos really started to catch on with consumers. This accelerated with the release of the company's first soundbar in 2013: the PLAYBAR. A few years later, in 2017, Sonos doubled down on soundbars with the PLAYBASE. This soundbar is specially designed forTV. 2018 brought the Sonos Beam, which brought intelligent assistant support to soundbar technology. Then, in 2020, the Sonos Arc: the company's most impressive soundbar yet.
Over the past 20 years, Sonos has partnered with over a hundred different music services. These include Spotify, Pandora, and iHeartRadioAmazon Music, among countless others. In addition to such broad compatibility with so many music services, Sonos products are also compatible with all major virtual voice assistants. Sonos works with Amazon's Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple's Siri. (Of course, for true Siri compatibility, you'll need to use Apple's Home app.)
Evil Legacy
The rivalry between Sonos Arc and Bose 900 didn't really start until 2021 with the release of the latter, but Sonos and Bose have been in close competition for much longer. In fact, Bose Corporation predates Sonos by almost 40 years. Founded in1964By MIT Professor Amar Bose, Bose has been known for speakers and home audio systems since the release of the Bose 2201 in 1966. However, this first Bose release fell quite short of the excellence the brand is known for today. They didn't see true success until the release of the Bose 901 in 1968.
Comprised of nine speakers, each with a specific purpose, the Bose 901 popularized the idea of home surroundKlangand remained a key part of the Bose lineup through 2016. The Bose 901 was successful enough not only to undo the damage done by the Bose 2201, but also to take the audio equipment company to brand new heights. Bose released its first soundbar in 2011 - the Cinemate 1 SR. By 2012, they had become the best selling retail storehome theatersystem manufacturer in America.
They followed the Cinemate 1 SR with the release of the Lifestyle 135. In truth, it was more or less the same product as the Cinemate, just coupled with an AV receiver instead of oneTV. While these soundbars were as functional and reliable as any other Bose product, it wasn't until the release of the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 that the company truly brought its best technology to the table. Before the Bose 900, the Cinemate 1 SR, the Lifestyle 135 and Co. left something to be desired. The Bose 900 effectively expanded the company's soundbar offering from a mere accessory to a full-fledged all-in-oneKlangSystem.
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Bose Smart Soundbar 900 Dolby Atmos with Alexa Built-In, Bluetooth Connectivity - Black
- Bose Smart Soundbar 900 — It's the most immersive Bose soundbar with voice control. Two custom-designed, upward-firing dipole speakers work in tandem with Bose technologies to make it feel like sound is coming from all directions - even from above
- Dolby Atmos Soundbar — This wireless Bluetooth soundbar adds an extra dimension to your sound. Bose's proprietary TrueSpace spatial processing analyzes and blends sounds for an enveloping listening experience in Dolby, Stereo and more
- Sleek Design - From the quality of materials to the construction and finishes to the controls, Bose owned every detail to make a Bluetooth soundbar speaker that looks as amazing as it sounds
- Built-in voice assistants (Alexa and Google Assistant) - Noise-cancelling microphones work together to listen to your commands in any direction, even when the music is playing loud. If you want privacy, simply disable the microphones with the microphone off button
- Soundbar with Voice Control — Bose's exclusive Voice4Video technology expands your voice capabilities like no other smart soundbar. In addition to controlling your Dolby Atmos soundbar, you can control your TV, cable and more with just your voice
Pros and cons of Sonos Arc vs Bose 900
| Benefits of Sonos Arc | Disadvantages of Sonos Arc | Benefits of Bose 900 | Disadvantages of Bose 900 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Has more speakers than the Bose 900 | More than a year older than the Bose 900 | Smaller and lighter than the Sonos Arc | Has two fewer speakers than the Sonos Arc |
| Compatible with 100+ music streamers and all major smart virtual assistants | Pretty expensive at $899 | Bose has decades of experience with Sonos | The price of $899 is not very affordable |
| Sonos is less secretive with its audio specs compared to Bose | While the eleven internal speakers are powerful and of high quality, a proper surround sound system is still superior | Features Bose's ADAPTiQ audio room calibration | Cannot deliver the same type of surround sound experience as a proper surround sound system |
| The Sonos Arc delivers more internal speakers for the same price as the Bose 900, making it a better deal | Less experience in the loudspeaker industry compared to Bose | Far newer than the Sonos Arc, making it the more up-to-date product | Bose's secrecy about its audio specs raises more than a few questions about its true quality |
Sonos Arc vs. Bose 900: Who Has the Best Soundbar?
So now that we've had a look at afull comparison, reviewed the full histories and weighed the pros and cons of each, the question remains: Sonos Arc vs. Bose 900 – which soundbar is really the best option today? Considering the total number of internal speakers in the Sonos Arc, the greater amount of innovation in Sonos, and the sheer compatibility that Sonos offers, it seems more than fair to call the Sonos Arc the winner here.
It also goes beyond these benefits. Sonos is more open about the quality of its audio technology, unlike Bose, which prefers to keep it secret. Sonos is also more focused on in-home audio products, unlike Bose, which has spread its product line fairly thinly across a number of different niches. All in all, Sonos is the clear winner. (That's not to say the Bose 900 isn't a bad product by any means - only second only to the Sonos Arc.)
Next…
Interested in more comparisons? Click on the links below:
- Apple Music vs Spotify: Full Comparison:They're both two of the most popular music streaming options, and they both cost the same. So which one should you choose? We examine their features and the options they offer so you can make an informed choice.
- Nothing Ear 1 vs Airpods Pro: How Do They Compare?The former are active noise canceling headphones with Bluetooth at an affordable price. But how do they hold up against the latter? Find out here.
- Monitors vs Televisions (TVs): What's the Difference?Which of them has higher resolution and refresh rate? And which of them has built-in streaming? Find out the answer here along with other key differences between these devices.
Last update on 12/19/2022 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Sonos Arc vs. Bose 900: Which soundbar is the best? FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Which soundbar is cheaper, the Sonos Arc or the Bose 900?
Coincidentally, the Sonos Arc and Bose 900 both cost the same price: $899.
Which came first, the Sonos Arc or the Bose 900?
The Sonos Arc came out more than a year before the Bose 900.
Which company came first, Sonos or Bose?
Bose predates Sonos by several decades. The former was founded in 1964, the latter in 2002.
Who owns Bose?
Bose is owned by MIT, which received controlling interest in the company after founder Amar Bose gifted it to them. MIT was his former employer.
Are the Sonos Arc and Bose 900 compatible with Dolby Atmos?
Yes, both the Sonos Arc and the Bose 900 are Dolby Atmos enabled.