Bose Smart Dolby Atmos
Score: 79/100
Sonos Arc Ultra Black
Score: 82/100Rankings
The Sonos Arc Ultra provides premium 9.1.4 Dolby Atmos sound with 14 drivers, Bluetooth 5.3, and integrated voice assistants. Its premium price and lack of detailed EQ may deter budget-focused buyers. Perfect for Sonos users wanting high-end performance in a single bar.
The Bose Smart Soundbar provides immersive Dolby Atmos sound in a slim form factor with built-in Alexa and Wi-Fi connectivity. It omits advanced room-calibration and a separate subwoofer, positioning it for small-to-medium rooms where convenience outweighs ultimate performance.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
5best | — | |
| ↓ lower better | 3.14 kgbest | 5.76 kg |
9 mbest | — | |
1 yearsbest | 1 yearsbest | |
69.44 cm | 117.4 cmbest | |
5.61 cm | 7.95 cmbest | |
10.39 cm | 11.05 cmbest |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Audio(2) | ||
Audio Channels | 5 | 9.1.4 |
Supported Audio Formats | Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, Dolby TrueHD | Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, DTS compatible |
Connectivity(1) | ||
Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.3 |
Design(4) | ||
Soundbar Weight (kg) | 3.14 kg | 5.76 kg |
Soundbar Width (cm) | 69.44 cm | 117.4 cm |
Soundbar Height (cm) | 5.61 cm | 7.95 cm |
Soundbar Depth (cm) | 10.39 cm | 11.05 cm |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers commend the Smart Soundbar for delivering a remarkable sound-to-size ratio, with its five-speaker array and TrueSpace upmixing providing immersive audio despite the compact chassis. The inclusion of Dolby Atmos and Alexa adds convenience, but critics note the lack of ADAPTiQ calibration and a lower speaker count than Bose's higher-end Ultra model, making it a solid mid-range choice rather than a flagship.
Professional reviewers commend the Smart Soundbar for delivering a remarkable sound-to-size ratio, with its five-speaker array and TrueSpace upmixing providing immersive audio despite the compact chassis. The inclusion of Dolby Atmos and Alexa adds convenience, but critics note the lack of ADAPTiQ calibration and a lower speaker count than Bose's higher-end Ultra model, making it a solid mid-range choice rather than a flagship.
Professional reviewers praise the Arc Ultra as a clear step up from the original Arc, highlighting its richer driver array, Sound Motion bass technology and the ability to deliver high volume without noticeable compression. The soundbar's support for Dolby Atmos and a wide range of wireless protocols, combined with TruePlay room correction, earns it high marks for versatility. However, critics note the lack of any graphic EQ or granular tone controls and the limited low-frequency output of the built-in subwoofer as notable drawbacks.
