Bose 700 vs Sonos Arc: Reviewed for 2022

Bose and Sonos are two of the most respected brands when it comes to premium smart soundbars. The Bose Smart Soundbar 700 and Sonos Arc both offer excellent audio quality and features, but have key differences that may make one model better suited for your needs over the other.

This in-depth comparison analyzes the latest 2022 models of the Bose 700 and Sonos Arc soundbars. We‘ll evaluate sound quality, design, connectivity, features, and overall value to help you determine which is the better investment.

Bose 700 vs Sonos Arc: Side-by-Side Comparison

Both the Bose 700 and Sonos Arc deliver premium build quality, aesthetics and acoustics ideal for home theater setups. However, there are some notable differences between these two impressive soundbars worth diving deeper into.

Sound Quality Comparison

The most important factor when shopping for a high-quality soundbar is sound quality and acoustic performance. Both models deliver crisp, clear audio with impactful bass well-suited for movie watching and music listening. But they achieve standout sound through different driver and amplification setups.

The Bose Smart Soundbar 700 leverages proprietary Bose sound processing algorithms to optimize audio output. It houses three front-firing drivers – a centralized tweeter flanked by left and right woofers tuned to distinct frequencies.

An eight microphone array picks up voice inputs flawlessly to enable built-in Alexa and Google Assistant support. ADAPTiQ room calibration further fine-tunes sound to your room’s acoustics by measuring sound reflections.

The Sonos Arc takes a more brute force approach by cramming in more speaker drivers powered by potent Class-D digital amplifiers. The front-firing array includes eight elliptical woofers responsible for mids/lows and three silk dome tweeters covering high frequencies.

This hardware combination enables the Sonos Arc to support Dolby Atmos – a surround sound format that adds height/spatial elements for more immersion. The Sonos Arc can bounce sound off walls/ceilings to emulate 3D audio effects.

Both soundbars handle music beautifully, especially with WiFi streaming from services like Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. However, the Sonos Arc’s dedicated tweeters and up-firing drivers allow it to reveal added detail and separation ideal for critical music listening.

For crystal clear dialogue, which is crucial for TV/movies, the Bose 700 gets the nod thanks to its Dialogue Mode enhancement feature and center tweeter focus.

The Sonos Arc‘s Dolby Atmos capabilities give it an edge for surround sound effects during action-packed content. The added height and side-firing elements make explosions, car chases and atmospheric noises more impactful.

So for premium music playback, the Sonos Arc pulls ahead. But the Bose Smart Soundbar 700 takes the win for dialogue clarity and ease of use thanks to handy presets and ADAPTiQ audio calibration. Both perform wonderfully as standalone soundbars so you can‘t go wrong with either.

Design & Build Quality

The Bose 700 and Sonos Arc share appealing designs that seamlessly blend in below your wall-mounted flatscreen television. But they take different aesthetic approaches.

The Bose Smart Soundbar 700 sports an elegant rectangular form factor measuring just 5.6cm tall. This allows it to sit unassumingly below your TV without blocking its IR sensor or buttons. The tempered glass top adds a refined touch. Inputs and buttons are cleverly hidden behind wraparound metal speaker grilles.

The Sonos Arc carries a larger footprint due to its more unconventional curved shape that‘s wider in the middle where the speaker drivers reside. It embraces a matte black finish that blends into the backdrop nicely. The front face houses capacitive touch controls for when you don‘t have your phone nearby.

Both models exhibit fantastic build quality backed by durable materials constructed to last. While visual appeal is subjective, these two options look the part of premium centerpieces worthy of your living room or home theater.

Thanks to its compact rectangular form factor, the Bose 700 gets the ergonomics advantage – especially for wall mounting. But the Sonos Arc‘s unique silhouette helps its sound quality shine.

Connectivity & Feature Comparison

Smooth, versatile connectivity plays a major role in ease of use and expanded device compatibility. The Bose 700 enjoys an edge here thanks to support for both WiFi and Bluetooth.

The Bose Smart Soundbar 700 offers WiFi, Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect for music streaming and multi-room audio through the Bose Music app. Bluetooth lets you directly pair a smartphone or tablet to play audio from thousands of apps.

An HDMI eARC port handles uncompressed high definition audio from eARC-equipped TVs. Voice control via Alexa or Google Assistant allows hands-free music queuing, smart home commands and information lookup.

The Sonos Arc connects via WiFi and Apple AirPlay 2 like the Bose 700. It lacks Bluetooth support but offers Sonos‘ ecosystem for syncing music across rooms. You also get voice assistants, touch controls and an HDMI port.

Both soundbars integrate nicely with streaming platforms and smart home ecosystems. But the Bose 700’s Bluetooth connectivity provides more wireless use cases like directly playing podcasts, audiobooks and mobile content.

Additional handy features offered by the Bose Smart Soundbar 700 include:

• ADAPTiQ Room Calibration
• Dialogue Enhancement Mode
• Universal Remote w/ TV IR Blaster
• Sleep Timer
• Custom Presets
• Expandable with Bass Modules & Surrounds

Whereas the Sonos Arc touts these extra capabilities:

• Dolby Atmos Support
• Trueplay Tuning
• Speech Enhancement
• Night Sound Mode
• Touch Controls
• Sonos Ecosystem Multi-Room Streaming

Both models provide dialogue adjustment modes to clarify speech – especially useful for understanding accented dialogue. But only the Bose 700 ships with a handy universal remote for unified entertainment system control.

Overall the Bose 700 enjoys more physical connectivity thanks to Bluetooth support in addition to WiFi streaming. But the Sonos Arc tempts with Dolby Atmos compatibility and tight Sonos ecosystem integration.

Verdict: Bose 700 vs Sonos Arc

The Bose Smart Soundbar 700 and Sonos Arc both deliver excellent acoustic performance worthy of their premium price tags. They share gorgeous modern designs and handy integrated voice assistants.

If crystal clear acoustics for TV, movies and music is paramount, along with Dolby Atmos height audio, the Sonos Arc pulls slightly ahead. Music lovers will appreciate its detailed treble and wide sound stage. And its speech enhancement capabilities help clarify dialogue effectively.

For a simpler yet powerful listening upgrade that nails the basics, choose the exceptional Bose Smart Soundbar 700. Dialogue mode provides clarity for shows while side woofers immerse you in soundscapes. The addition of Bluetooth also appeals for wireless smartphone streaming.

You can‘t go wrong with either of these impressive options that outclass cheap all-in-one soundbars. Both integrate wonderfully into home theater setups capable of transforming your TV viewing and music streaming experience thanks to accurate audio engineering.

Recommendations Based on Listening Priorities

For audiophile-grade music playback: Sonos Arc

For essential speech clarity: Bose Smart Soundbar 700

For surround sound immersion: Sonos Arc

For smarter integration & wireless use: Bose Smart Soundbar 700

For best TV & movie audio: Tie

For best overall value: Bose Smart Soundbar 700

Now that you know how the Bose 700 and Sonos Arc soundbars stack up across critical categories like sound quality, design, features and connectivity, you can determine which model better suits your listening preferences and usage needs.

Both represent excellent additions for taking your home audio game to the next level. So choose based on your priorities like music fidelity, smart home expansion, voice assistant preferences and audio format support needs.

Where To Buy the Bose 700 and Sonos Arc

The Bose Smart Soundbar 700 and Sonos Arc are available for purchase directly from Bose and Sonos respectively along with authorized third-party retailers like Amazon.

Bose Smart Soundbar 700

• Bose.com: $799
• Amazon: $799

Sonos Arc

• Sonos.com: $899
• Amazon: $899

FAQs

Can you mount the Bose Smart Soundbar 700 to the wall?

Yes, using the official Bose Soundbar Wall Bracket (sold separately). This sturdy steel mount securely adheres to the wall while safely holding the Bose Smart Soundbar 700.

Does the Sonos Arc come with a remote control?

No. The Sonos Arc relies on capacitive touch controls located right on its top panel when you don‘t have your smartphone nearby to use the Sonos app. No traditional remote ships inside the box.

What music services can you stream on the Bose Smart Soundbar 700?

The Bose Music app grants access to Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, Deezer and SiriusXM streaming with more services continually added via firmware updates. Plus you can always stream via Apple AirPlay 2 or the Bluetooth connection.

Can you pair wireless rear speakers to the Sonos Arc soundbar?

Yes. You can add a set of Sonos rear speakers like the Sonos One SLs to create a true surround sound system. The Sonos Arc will serve as the center channel allowing seamless integration.

Final Thoughts

The Bose Smart Soundbar 700 and Sonos Arc deliver superb acoustic performance worthy of their premium branding and pricing. Both models help transform TV/movie listening thanks powerful drivers and connectivity. Music lovers will appreciate the Sonos Arc‘s wider sound stage while home theater fans benefit from the Bose 700‘s clarity.

Hopefully this 2022 side-by-side comparison evaluation helps distinguish the pros and cons of each model to determine which better complements your listening lifestyle and space constraints. Let us know if you have any other questions!