Bose Soundbar 700 VS 900 | Which One is Better? (2024)

Soundbars are becoming popular as a crucial component of home entertainment systems. It is because they deliver immersive sound without needing you to have a full surround sound system, saving you space and money.

When it comes to premium soundbars that truly deliver premium sound and an immersive home theater experience, Bose is the name that consistently stands out. Their soundbars are popular for delivering exceptional audio performance, and two of their flagship models are the Bose Soundbar 700 and the Soundbar 900.

While the Bose 900 soundbar supports Dolby Atmos and has more satisfactory sound quality overall, the Bose Soundbar 700 is more budget-friendly and better at dialogue. But both are good for an outstanding home theater experience.

In this comparison review, we’ll compare the Bose Soundbar 700 vs 900 in detail and help you make an informed decision. So, let’s dive into the article to clear up all your confusion.

Quick Comparison Among the Bose Soundbar 700 & Bose Soundbar 900

The Bose Soundbar 700 and 900 are two top-tier audio solutions that cater to different preferences and budgets. The Soundbar 700 features a sleek and modern design with a glass top and metal grille.Its 3.0-channel setup delivers better audio quality.

You can easily control the soundbar and other smart devices in your home through its built-in voice assistants, such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It also supports the ADAPTiQ room calibration feature and wide connectivity options. While it’s a high-end solution, it doesn’t support advanced audio formats such as Dolby Atmos. This is a relatively affordable option and provides a great home entertainment experience.

On the other hand, Bose Soundbar 900 takes sound performance to the next level with a 5.0.2 channel configuration, creating a more immersive listening experience. It also supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant and offers ADAPTiQ room calibration. It also uses eARC for enhanced sound quality, making it a top choice for audiophiles and those seeking the ultimate home entertainment experience.

However, it falls into a premium price range due to its advanced features and audio capabilities. Your choice should depend on your budget and how much you value top-notch audio quality.

Bose Soundbar 700 vs 900 Specifications Comparison Chart

The specifications of both Bose Soundbars are given in the following comparison table.

Detailed Comparison of Bose Soundbar 900 vs 700

Let’s dive deep into the detailed comparison of these two high-end Bose soundbars.

Design and Build

Both Bose Soundbars feature beautiful and modern designs with exceptional build quality, which is what Bose is known for. Bose 700 boasts a sleek and trendy design with a slim profile. Its striking glass top and metal grille give it a premium feel.

Its glass top contains touch-sensitive control buttons; one button is the “microphone off” button, and the second is the “action” button, through which you can activate the voice assistants (ensure the microphone is already on), deactivate the alarms and timers, and perform many other functions.

Its compact dimensions of 38.5″ W x 2.25″ H x 4.25″ D and weight of 10.5 lbs make it easy to fit into various entertainment setups. The combination of glass and metal gives it a premium look, ensuring it complements modern living spaces.

Bose Soundbar 900 has a more minimalistic design that gives a more clean look to the room’s aesthetics. It also features a metal grille that covers the sides, front, and top of the up-firing speakers.

With 43.4″ W x 2.3″ H x 5.1″ D dimensions and a weight of 12.68 lbs, it is slightly larger than the Soundbar 700. Therefore, it takes up more space than the 700 model, but it maintains a slim profile. It also has touch-sensitive control buttons on its glass top. Overall, it offers a sleek and modern appearance with durable materials and excellent build quality.

Though both models are wide and require a decent space for their placement, the best thing is that they are not very high and therefore will not interfere with the TV screen.

Sound Performance

Sound quality is the major component of the comparison, as we’re testing and comparing two audio devices. Soundbar 700 delivers impressive sound quality with a 3.0-channel setup, featuring left, right, and center speakers.

Its center speakers deliver clear and accurate dialogue with a well-balanced midrange. Moreover, the “dialogue mode” is one of the standout features of the Bose 700. This feature allows you to hear the conversation on TV and in movies more clearly by enhancing the speech components.

It also features ADAPTiQ technology, which modifies and optimizes the sound based on your room’s environment. It performs well in the midrange, where most of the voice and lead instruments are reproduced but is not as good at bass performance.

It doesn’t support Dolby Atmos but supports Dolby Digital and DTS to provide an immersive listening experience. Overall, the Bose 700 soundbar performs well for different types of content, especially in the mid-range.

The Bose Soundbar 900 has better sound performance than the Bose Soundbar 700. It steps up the audio game with a 5.0.2 channel configuration, which includes left, center, right, rear left, rear right, and two up-firing speakers.

Unlike the Bose 700, it has two additional channels for surround sound and two ceiling-facing speakers for Dolby Atmos support. With nine built-in speakers, the Bose 900 offers a much wider soundstage and a more immersive environment.

The Dolby Atmos support on this soundbar is a big advantage, especially if you watch a lot of movies and TV shows with Dolby Atmos-encoded soundtracks. Dolby Atmos is an immersive audio format that makes you feel like you’re in the middle of the action.

One standout feature of the Bose 900 is the PhaseGuide technology, which delivers audio based on your room’s layout, ensuring sound is directed precisely where it needs to be.

Both the Bose Soundbar 700 and 900 produce a clear and balanced soundstage with a good bass response. However, the Bose Soundbar 900 has more powerful bass and a more immersive soundstage, making it ideal for demanding cinephiles and music enthusiasts.

Connectivity

Both of these Bose soundbars are easy to set up and offer wide connectivity options. The versatile connectivity options of the Bose 700 soundbar include HDMI ARC, optical, Bluetooth, WiFi, and USB ports.

You can connect various devices, from smartphones and tablets to Blu-ray players and gaming consoles, through these connectivity options. HDMI ARC allows you to connect your TV to your soundbar, and it supports CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) for simplified control of multiple devices with a single remote.

While the Bose 700 Soundbar offers excellent connectivity, it doesn’t support the highest-quality advanced audio formats, such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

The Soundbar 900 maintains the same versatile connectivity options as the Soundbar 700, including WiFi, Bluetooth, optical, and USB. However, it outperforms the Bose 700 by using HDMI eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel).

HDMI eARC offers higher bandwidth and allows you to pass through high-resolution advanced audio formats like DTS:X and Dolby Atmos from your TV to the soundbar, ensuring you get the best possible audio quality from your compatible devices. This feature makes the Soundbar 900 an excellent choice for those who demand the utmost in audio fidelity.

Remote Control

Bose Soundbar 700 comes with a universal remote control that offers intuitive and convenient control over your soundbar and connected device. This remote has a sleek and minimalistic design and is very easy to use.

It has a built-in voice control button through which you can easily access voice assistants like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Additionally, it includes programmable buttons that enable you to customize commands for specific tasks and devices. Overall, the Bose Soundbar 700 remote control is user-friendly and well-designed.

Like the 700, the Soundbar 900 also comes with a universal remote control with similar features. It also offers straightforward navigation and control of your soundbar and other connected devices. It also has a built-in voice control button for easy access to voice assistants. Overall, it doesn’t come with any significant advancements compared to the remote control of the Soundbar 700.

Features

The Bose Soundbar 700 is equipped with a lot of advanced features, such as adaptive audio technology that optimizes sound based on the aesthetics of your room, providing a more personalized listening experience.

It also offers APAPTiQ room calibration, which further improves the sound performance. It also comes with built-in voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, allowing you to control your soundbar and other smart home devices using voice commands.

It also supports many streaming services, such as Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify, Amazon Music, Pandora, and more. Additionally, it is also compatible with the Bose Music app, through which you can easily set up, customize, and control your soundbar.

The Soundbar 900 builds upon the features of the Soundbar 700. It features PhaseGuide technology, which adapts audio based on your room layout to provide a more immersive listening experience.

Like the 700 Soundbar, it also comes with built-in Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for voice control and supports AirPlay 2, Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify, and more streaming services. It is also compatible with the Bose Music app for easy setup and control of all features in one place. Some of the features of both soundbars are already discussed in the above sections.

Price

The Soundbar 700 falls into the high price range category, which is justified by its elegant design and excellent audio quality. While it’s not the most budget-friendly option, it still costs less than the Soundbar 900. If you’re looking for a mixture of features and performance at a reasonable price, the Bose Soundbar 700 is your go-to option.

The Soundbar 900 is priced in the premium segment, reflecting its advanced audio capabilities and room-filling immersive surround sound. If you’re seeking the best in audio quality, the Soundbar 900 is worth the investment.

Pros and Cons of Bose Soundbar 700

Pros and Cons of Bose Soundbar 900

Verdict

In the battle of Bose Soundbar 700 vs 900, the choice ultimately comes down to your budget and priorities. The Soundbar 700 offers a blend of premium design and excellent sound performance, making it a strong choice for those who are looking for quality audio and aesthetics without breaking the bank.

On the other hand, the Soundbar 900 offers next-level audio performance and highly immersive surround sound with its Dolby Atmos compatibility. If you demand the highest level of audio fidelity, the Bose Soundbar 900 is the ideal option. However, it comes with a higher price tag, but its premium audio experience justifies its premium price.

Whichever soundbar you choose, you’ll get the best out of your home entertainment system, as both are great soundbars.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is the Bose 900 soundbar better than the 700?

The Bose 900 soundbar is better than the 700 soundbar in a few key ways. First, it offers Dolby Atmos compatibility, which provides a more immersive surround sound experience. Second, it has PhaseGuide technology, which adapts audio based on your room layout to provide a more even soundstage. Third, it has a slightly larger soundstage than the 700 soundbar.

What is the difference between Soundbar 900 and 700?

The main difference between the Bose 900 soundbar and the Bose 700 soundbar is that the 900 soundbar offers Dolby Atmos compatibility, while the 700 soundbar does not. Additionally, the 900 soundbar has PhaseGuide technology, which adapts audio based on your room layout, while the 700 soundbar does not.

Is it worth buying a Bose 900 soundbar?

If you are looking for the best possible sound quality and a truly immersive surround sound experience, then the Bose 900 soundbar is worth the investment. However, if you are on a budget or are not as concerned with having the absolute best sound quality, then the Bose 700 soundbar is still a great option.

Does the Bose 900 have a 4K passthrough?

Yes, the Bose 900 soundbar has a 4K passthrough. This means that you can connect your 4K Blu-ray player or other 4K source to the soundbar, and it will pass the 4K signal through to your TV without any loss of quality.