When it comes to audio devices, both Sonos and Bose are major competitors in the audio industry.
You are choosing between two remarkable manufacturers.
I don’t blame you for having trouble deciding between the Sonos Arc and the Bose soundbar 700; both are excellent soundbars.
You can’t go wrong with any of them. Take my word for it.
However, one can excel in some areas while falling short in others, and vice versa.
I’ll try to break down both soundbars so you can choose the one that best suits your needs.
Let’s meet those soundbars without wasting any more time.
Introducing The Soundbars
Before jumping and comparing their design and sound quality, let me throw a few shorts and introduce both of them.
Sonos Arc
Sonos is a brand that provides audio devices in pretty much every spectrum, from home speakers to soundbars.
What I appreciate about them is that they follow through on their promises. What I mean by this is that Sonos doesn’t make hollow claims.
The Sonos Arc is proof that they are capable of making incredible devices.
Moreover, Sonos products are topping all the charts on different e-commerce platforms.
Bose Soundbar 700
The Bose Soundbar 700 soundbar is another audio device from Bose’s well-known 700 series.
This collection includes premium quality headphones, house speakers, subwoofers, and even a soundbar.
Great sound quality and appearance are expected from a Bose product.
It does, however, come at a price that is hard to swallow, but we will see if it can compensate for it.
Diving Into Their Design and Functionalities
As previously stated, both manufacturers are known for producing high-end equipment, which includes not only their pricing but also their design.
Both soundbars feature the minimalistic and discreet design that we are used to seeing on their other products.
However, the Bose Soundbar 700 is a bit more compact, measuring 97.5 cm x 5.5 cm x 10.5 cm. The Sonos arc is larger, being 114 cm long, 8.7 cm wide, and 12 cm high.
If I had to choose which product appears more premium, I would choose Bose solely for that reason.
On the top side of the Bose Soundbar 700, there is a glass that covers it, giving it the luxurious look that we are talking about while the front of the bar is protected by a metal grille on both sides.
The Sonos Arc, on the other hand, has two plastic grillers with a black plastic mesh between them.
What distinguishes them is that the Sonos Arc has a circular design, whereas the Bose Soundbar 700 has a rectangle shape.
So there’s no clear winner when it comes to aesthetics between the soundbars.
It is entirely up to you to make this decision.
Choose Sonos Arc if you want a futuristic vibe. If you want a soundbar with a traditional and clean design, the Bose Soundbar 700 is the way to go.
Connectivity
However, we have to give it to Bose when it comes to connectivity.
Sonos Arc does not have built-in Bluetooth connectivity, despite the fact that it can use wireless connectivity.
The Bose 700, on the other hand, is equipped with one.
Both speakers include Sonos and Google Assistant, with the exception that Sonos is not “friendly” with Android Apps despite having a google assistant. Make sure you take that in as well. Also to not forget the Bose Music App, which will let you stream music.
Controller
Sonos Arc doesn’t come with a remote controller, meaning you will have to operate through the soundbars buttons or use the iOS and Android app which is Sonos S2.
Flipping the coin, the Bose 700 includes a remote for controlling your device. There will be six presets available.
Features
The support of both ARC and eARC in the HDMI ports provides a common ground where both speakers “agree.”
However, Sonos Arc has the upper hand this time because it supports Dolby Atmos Content, MAT, Dolby Plus, Dolby Digital, and TrueHD.
The Bose 700, on the other hand, can only play DTS and Dolby Digital audio.
What’s important is that both soundbars provide 3D surround sound capability.
You can also add an extra subwoofer to each soundbar to take things even further.
Sound Quality, How Do They Sound?
When it comes to performance, things start to take a turn.
The Sonos arc, for example, supports more audio formats and has superior overall sound quality.
This is mostly due to the 8 woofers it employs to provide powerful bass.
The Bose 700, on the other hand, lacks woofers.
While that makes the Sonos Arc great for overall use, the Bose 700 is the superior pick for streaming and listening to music.
There may be distortion because the Sonos Arc is loud and has a lot of bass output, which isn’t very pleasant when listening to music.
Although I believe the Sonos Arc is the victor in this scenario due to sound quality, both soundbars provide top-tier sound performance, and watching
Sonos Arc or Bose 700: Which is better? , Conclusions
Sonos Arc
Due to having better audio inputs, Sonos Arc has the upper hand when it comes to watching TV Shows, hearing dialogues, or just a movie theater in general.
Not only that it is also a great overall pick that can work for things like gaming. However, I would really recommend it for listening to music especially.
There were also a few drawbacks it came along with, which I think are no big deal, such as the lack of a controller having a minimalistic design while being larger.
Bluetooth connectivity, however, might be something serious to consider, but as I said it still can be used wirelessly.
- Great Surround Sound
- Simple and Discreet Design
- More Woofers and Drivers
- Great Bass
- No Bluetooth
- Limited Android Compatibility
- No Controller
Bose 700
It is smaller than its competitor, features Bluetooth connectivity, and a particularly premium design for individuals who wish to appear “rich.”
Despite the fact that the sound quality falls short of the Sonos Arc, it still sounds fantastic and is superior to many other soundbars.
Listening to music is top tier.
- Beautiful Design
- Compact
- Bluetooth Connectivity
- Universal Remote
- Limited Features and No Dolby Atmos
- Sound quality not that good, without a subwoofer.
Who is the victor?
While both picks remain something you need to consider, that’s it if you have the cash to afford them since neither comes at a cheap price. It sure was challenging but the Sonos Arc should emerge victorious in this situation. After all, we purchase a soundbar for its audio quality. However, if the design is what matters and you are loyal to Bose, don’t hesitate to go for the 700.
Further Reading
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Mix & Mastering
I love to get my hands on all sorts of audio equipment, from headphones and speakers to audio interfaces. I love putting these products through their paces and seeing what they can do.