A soundbar has a very appealing design. Soundbars, which can deliver the experience of a multi-speaker sound system in a single product, have grown in popularity over the last decade or so. Their rise coincides with the growing popularity of smart TVs, which help bring a cinematic experience into the home. Soundbars with surround sound capabilities are a component of that experience. But which is the best soundbar? And how do two popular options, the Sonos Arc vs Bose 900, compare?
Of course, there is no simple answer to the Sonos Arc vs Bose 900 debate. To arrive at a conclusion, we will first conduct a thorough comparison of the Sonos Arc vs Bose 900. Following that, we will compare their specifications side by side. Following that, we’ll go over the company histories and weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each soundbar. After that, we’ll have a much better idea of which soundbar is best. Let’s take a closer look.
Sonos Arc vs Bose 900: Full Comparison
To begin with, both the Sonos Arc and the Bose 900 are top-tier soundbars that deliver exceptional sound quality at a premium price. These two Sonos and Bose soundbars are the most luxurious on the market today. These two Dolby Atmos-enabled soundbars, priced just under $900, are unquestionably the most expensive and high-end of their kind. However, you are paying for unrivaled audio quality and an outstanding design. In other words, both Sonos and Bose justify their high prices.
They can’t both be winners, unfortunately. There are some distinguishing features worth mentioning. For starters, the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 has nine internal speakers. The Sonos Arc, on the other hand, has two additional internal speakers for a total of eleven. However, the Bose 900 is over a year younger than the Sonos Arc, indicating that it has more recent, up-to-date audio technology. Furthermore, each soundbar has its unique configuration. For example, the Sonos Arc has Trueplay fine-tuning, whereas the Bose 900 has ADAPTiQ audio room calibration.
The most luxurious soundbars on the market today. These two Dolby Atmos-enabled soundbars, priced just under $900, are unquestionably the most expensive and high-end of their kind. However, you are paying for unrivaled audio quality and an outstanding design. In other words, both Sonos and Bose justify their high prices. Aside from these differences in audio technology, the two soundbars have a simple size difference worth mentioning. The Sonos Arc is slightly larger than the Bose 900, measuring inches higher, more comprehensive, and more profound than its rival. It also weighs about a pound more. This is undoubtedly due to the Sonos Arc’s inclusion of two additional speakers over the Bose 900.
As you can see, these are two great soundbars, each with its advantages and disadvantages. But still: Which is best? The most luxurious soundbars on the market today. These two Dolby Atmos-enabled soundbars, priced just under $900, are unquestionably the most expensive and high-end of their kind. However, you are paying for unrivaled audio quality and an outstanding design. In other words, both Sonos and Bose justify their high prices.
Side by Side Comparison: Sonos Arc vs Bose 900
| Sonos Arc | Bose 900 | |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | Sonos | Bose |
| Released | June 10th, 2020 | September 23rd, 2021 |
| Price | $899 | $899 |
| Size | 3.4″ H x 45″ W x 4.5″ D | 2.29″ H x 41.14″ W x 4.21″ D |
| Key Features | 11 internal speakers, Trueplay fine-tuning, touch controls | 9 internal speakers, Voice4Video smart assistant technology, ADAPTiQ audio room calibration |
| Dolby Atmos Enabled? | Yes | Yes |
5 Must-Know Facts About Sonos and Bose
- Bose has expanded its product line beyond home speakers to include headphones, car sound systems, and other items. Sonos, on the other hand, has remained focused on multi-room audio products.
- Whereas Bose prioritizes all types of speakers, Sonos focuses on creating audio systems that can be spread across multiple rooms.
- The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) owns most of the Bose Corporation. Founder Amar Bose spent years at MIT, and the university assisted him in developing the speaker brand throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
- Bose does not release speaker or audio product specifications, claiming that numbers cannot do justice to the experience of listening for oneself.
- Sonos collaborates exclusively with IKEA to create more affordable, slimmer versions of their speakers.
Pros and Cons of Sonos Arc vs Bose 900
| Pros of Sonos Arc | Cons of Sonos Arc | Pros of Bose 900 | Cons 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 over 100 music streamers and all the major smart virtual assistants | Quite expensive at $899 | Bose has decades of experience over Sonos | Its $899 price point is not very affordable |
| Sonos is less secretive with its audio specifications compared to Bose | While its eleven internal speakers are powerful and high quality, a proper surround sound system is still superior | Features Bose’s ADAPTiQ audio room calibration | Cannot deliver the same kind 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 speaker industry compared to Bose | Far newer than the Sonos Arc, making it the more up-to-date product | Bose’s secrecy surrounding its audio specs raises more than a few questions about its true quality |
The History of Sonos
John MacFarlane, Craig Shelburne, Tom Cullen, and Trung Mai founded Sonos in 2002. However, the multi-room audio product manufacturer was known as Rincon Audio at first. They remained Rincon until 2004 when the first Sonos products were officially ready for a handful of major industry events. (Specifically, the “D2: All Things Digital” conference in June and the Digital Music Summit in December.) The ZonePlayer 100 and Controller, also known as the ZP100 and CR100, were released in January of the following year.
Sonos continued to release various audio products for multi-room audio setups over the next five years. Sonos was slow to find success at first, but after a few years on the market, they really began to catch on with consumers. This was accelerated by the release of the company’s first soundbar, the PLAYBAR, in 2013. Sonos doubled down on soundbars a few years later, in 2017, with the PLAYBASE. This soundbar was designed specifically for TVs. In 2018, the Sonos Beam arrived, bringing smart assistant support to the soundbar technology. The Sonos Arc, the company’s most impressive soundbar to date, will be released in 2020. Read Also; Best Bluetooth Subwoofer for Car – Best BANG (2022)
Sonos has collaborated with over a hundred different music services over the last 20 years. Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio, and Amazon Music are just a few examples. Sonos products, in addition to being compatible with a wide range of music services, are also compatible with all of the major virtual voice assistants. Sonos is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Siri. (Of course, using Apple’s Home app is required for true Siri compatibility.)
Bose’s Legacy
The rivalry between the Sonos Arc and the Bose 900 didn’t begin until the latter’s release in 2021, but Sonos and Bose have been in close competition for much longer. In reality, Sonos predates the Bose Corporation by nearly 40 years. Amar Bose founded Bose in 1964, and the company has been known for speakers and home audio systems since the release of the Bose 2201 in 1966. However, this first Bose release fell far short of the brand’s current standard of excellence. They didn’t achieve true success until the Bose 901 was released in 1968.
The Bose 901, comprised of nine speakers, each with a specific purpose, popularised the concept of in-home surround sound and remained an important part of the Bose product suite until 2016. The Bose 901 was successful enough to not only repair the damage done by the Bose 2201, but also to propel the audio equipment company to new heights. In 2011, Bose released their first soundbar, the Cinemate 1 SR. By 2012, they had surpassed Sony as the leading manufacturer of retail home theatre systems in the United States.
Following the Cinemate 1 SR, they released the Lifestyle 135. In reality, it was essentially the same product as the Cinemate, but it was paired with an AV receiver rather than a television. While these soundbars were as functional and dependable as any other Bose product, it wasn’t until the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 was released that the company truly brought its best technology to the table. Prior to the Bose 900, the Cinemate 1 SR, Lifestyle 135, and others left something to be desired. The Bose 900 effectively transformed the company’s soundbar offering from an add-on to a full-fledged, all-in-one sound system.
Sonos Arc vs Bose 900: Who Has the Best Soundbar?
So, now that we’ve done a thorough comparison, reviewed the entire histories, and weighed the pros and cons, the question remains: Sonos Arc vs. Bose 900: Which is the best soundbar on the market today? Given the total number of internal speakers in the Sonos Arc, the greater amount of innovation available at Sonos, and the sheer level of compatibility provided by Sonos, it seems more than fair to declare the Sonos Arc the winner here.
It goes beyond just these benefits. Sonos is more forthcoming about the quality of its audio technology, whereas Bose prefers to keep it hidden. Sonos is also more focused on in-home audio products, as opposed to Bose, which has spread its product line across a variety of different niches. Overall, Sonos comes out on top. (This is not to say that the Bose 900 is a bad product; it is simply second to the Sonos Arc.) Read more: Best Cheap TV Deals in August 2022
