Love movies or music on your TV?
A good soundbar, with its compact size, easy setup, and reasonable cost, can significantly upgrade your audio experience. Smart soundbars add Wi-Fi and voice assistants for added convenience.
Bose, known for superior sound, offers top-notch smart soundbars, combining ease-of-use with high-quality audio.
In this article, we will be comparing three of Bose’s smart soundbar models: the Bose Smart Soundbar 300, the Bose Smart Soundbar 600, and the Bose Smart Soundbar 700.
Each of these soundbars has unique features and capabilities, and we will be taking a close look at what sets them apart. So, if you are on the fence about which of these three models to get, read on.
Best Value
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~~~ Check Price: Bose Smart Soundbar 300 ~~~
~~~ Check Price: Bose Smart Soundbar 600 ~~~
~~~ Check Price: Bose Smart Soundbar 700 ~~~
Design and Build Quality
When selecting the right soundbar for your home, it’s crucial to look for one that fits in nicely with your existing entertainment system and also matches the style and size of the room it will be placed in. The Bose Smart Soundbars are extremely versatile in this regard.
The first thing you will notice about the Bose Smart Soundbar 300, 600, and 700 is their sleek and compact design. All three soundbars have a minimalist aesthetic, with clean lines and a slim profile that make them easy to integrate into any room.
Although none of these products are “cheap,” you can tell these are premium soundbars simply by looking at each products. The soundbars are also well-built, with a durable construction that feels solid and sturdy.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 300 is the smallest of the three soundbars, measuring just 25.6 inches in length. It has a slim profile of just 2.6 inches, making it easy to mount on a wall or place on a shelf. The soundbar is also lightweight, weighing in at just 3.7 pounds. Moving or transporting the soundbar, therefore, is not a concern.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 600 is slightly larger than the 300, measuring 28.4 inches in length and 2.6 inches in height. It also weighs a little more, at 5.1 pounds. Like the 300, the 600 can easily be mounted on a wall or placed on a shelf, and its compact build can match perfectly with the aesthetics of just about any purchase.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 700 is the largest of the three soundbars, measuring 38.5 inches in length and 2.2 inches in height. It has a wider profile than the 300 and 600, but its slim design still allows for easy integration into your existing audio home apparatus. The 700 is also the heaviest of the three soundbars, weighing in at 7.5 pounds. Aesthetically, the Smart Soundbar 700 is a clear winner because of its stylish tempered glass top.
All three of these soundbars have a black finish, but the Bose Smart Soundbar 700 is also available in a sleek silver color option.
Design winner: Bose Soundbar 700 (it tastefully swaps out some plastic in favor of tempered glass — although you should take measurements if you plan to set it between the legs of your TV, since it is longer than the 300 and 600).
Connectivity and Compatibility
One of the key features of the Bose Smart Soundbar 300, 600, and 700 is their ability to connect to a wide range of devices. All three soundbars have built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, so you can easily stream music from your smartphone, tablet, or computer on your soundbar.
The soundbars also have HDMI inputs and outputs, allowing you to connect them to your TV or other home theater components.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 300 has a single HDMI input and output, as well as a digital optical input. It also has a 3.5mm auxiliary input, so you can connect it to other devices using a standard audio cable.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 600 has two HDMI inputs and one HDMI output, as well as a digital optical input and a 3.5mm auxiliary input. This gives you more flexibility in terms of how you connect the soundbar to your other devices.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 700 has three HDMI inputs and one HDMI output. This unit, too, comes with a digital optical input and a 3.5mm auxiliary input. It also has an HDMI eARC input, which allows for high-quality audio transmission from your TV and gives you the ability to control both devices with the same remote, improving ease of use and convenience.
Connectivity winner: 700 (although you are still at the mercy of your TV’s outputs, so don’t overpay for features you don’t need, especially if your TV is dated)
Sound Quality
Now we come to the most crucial factor in any soundbar—the sound quality. Bose has a fantastic track record of consistently providing immersive audio quality, and its smart soundbars are yet another testament to that.
All three of the Bose Smart Soundbars offer excellent sound quality, with crisp, clear audio and powerful bass and treble. They can transform the most flat-sounding action sequences and hard-to-hear dialogues into a thunderous and crisp audiovisual experience.
Based on this, there are some differences between the three soundbars that are worth noting. The Bose Smart Soundbar 300 delivers stereo sound that sounds flat when compared to higher-end offerings. It produces a balanced sound that is well-suited to TV shows, movies, and music. The soundbar has a maximum output of 95 dB, which is plenty loud for most rooms and use cases.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 600 delivers a more immersive, 3-dimensional sound than the 300. This is thanks to Bose’s proprietary PhaseGuide technology, which uses sound waves to create the impression of surround sound. The 600 has a maximum output of 100 dB, which is louder than the 300 and provides a more impactful and enjoyable listening experience (even if you are watching that non Michael Bay Transformers movie or a Star Wars flick).
The Bose Smart Soundbar 700 takes things to the next level, with a total of nine drivers (including two up-firing) that deliver true surround sound. The multidirectional speakers on this unit can fill up any room, delivering the deepest and loudest audio out of all Bose soundbars.
Like the 600, the 700, too, features Bose’s PhaseGuide technology. The result is a rich, immersive sound that is perfect for home theater enthusiasts, irrespective of their use case scenario. The 700 has a maximum output of 105 dB, which is even louder than the 600 and provides a truly mesmerizing listening experience.
The Smart Soundbar 700 also comes with the Bose proprietary ADAPTiQ audio calibration system. This technology enables the soundbar to sense the room and adjust the sound depending on the size of the space.
Sound Quality winner: 700 wins this category as well, although the 600 is probably the best in terms of “bang for the buck”
Smart Features and Voice Control
The voice control and smart capabilities of the Bose Smart Soundbar 300, 600, and 700 is another significant distinction between the three models. You can use your voice to manage the soundbar and other connected devices with any of the three soundbars because they are all Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa-compatible.
Forget leaving the comfort of your couch or even having to use a remote. With the Bose Smart Soundbars, you can utilize voice commands to play music, change the volume, and just about anything else.
The 700 goes one step further than the 300 and 600 Bose Smart Soundbars in terms of voice control. The dedicated far-field microphone array on the 700 enables more precise and quick voice control. Voice instructions are now simpler to use, even if you are in a noisy environment, like when the soundbar itself is in use and playing audio.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 300 and 600 offer an integrated universal remote control in addition to voice control. Thanks to this, you may also use the soundbar’s remote to operate your TV, cable or satellite box, and other home theatre equipment.
The Smart Soundbar 700 does not come with the built-in universal remote, but it is compatible with the Bose Music app. The app allows you to use your smartphone or tablet to operate the soundbar and other connected devices, which is also pretty convenient.
Smart Features winner: 600 is the overall winner, since it provides nearly identical features to the 700 but at a significantly lower price
Installation and Ease of Use
If there’s one thing that keeps people from truly enjoying their soundbars, it’s a complicated installation process. Fortunately, all three Bose Smart Soundbars are designed with ease of use in mind, with quick and easy installation processes.
They come with the necessary cables and clear instructions to make the installation process a breeze. And, for those who prefer a cleaner look, they can be wall-mounted with a separate purchase of a wall-mount kit.
Once installed, using these soundbars is as easy as pie. They are compatible with popular voice assistants Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, which means you can control them using voice commands. You can also operate them through the Bose Music app, which lets you adjust the volume, switch between different sound modes, and customize your audio settings.
In essence, the Bose Smart Soundbars are designed for plug-and-play simplicity, meaning you can start enjoying your favorite music or movie in no time.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, the Bose Smart Soundbar 300, 600, and 700 are all top-notch soundbars that can significantly improve your listening experience. Besides the superior sound quality that Bose consistently provides, the soundbars have a number of convenience features that boost their functionality as well as overall ease of use.
The 300, which has a simpler speaker setup and stereo sound, is the most compact and affordable option. The 600 boasts a built-in universal remote and more immersive sound, thanks to Bose’s innovative PhaseGuide technology. The 700 features a dedicated far-field microphone array for voice control and offers full surround sound.
Depending on your budget and use case, any of these three units can be the right choice for you and can completely transform your in-home entertainment setup.
It really depends on your budget, your preferences, and any sales that are occurring at the time you purchase. For example, you may be able to find a Bose 300 with bundled surround speakers for roughly the same price as the Bose 700.
Or for larger budgets, maybe it makes sense to purchase a Bose 300 with surrounds AND a bass module, rather than maxing out your budget on a Bose 700 alone. (And on that note, see here for our comparison of various Bose Bass Modules).
Best Value
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~~~ Check Price: Bose Smart Soundbar 300 ~~~
~~~ Check Price: Bose Smart Soundbar 600 ~~~
~~~ Check Price: Bose Smart Soundbar 700 ~~~
FAQs
Can I add more speakers to Bose soundbars for a surround sound setup?
Yes, the Bose Smart Soundbars are compatible with other Bose speakers. You can add Bose Bass Modules and Surround Speakers for a complete home theater system.
Is there a notable difference in the sound quality between the three soundbars?
While all three soundbars deliver excellent sound, there are noticeable differences. The 300 delivers stereo sound, while the 600 offers more immersive, 3D sound. The 700 takes it to the next level with true surround sound.
Can the soundbars be controlled via an app?
Yes, all three soundbars can be controlled using the Bose Music app. The app allows you to adjust volume, switch between sound modes, and customize your settings.
Are these soundbars compatible with my smart home setup?
Yes, the Bose Smart Soundbars are compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, making them suitable for a smart home setup.