The Bose Smart Soundbar adds Alexa integration to an already feature-packed Dolby Atmos soundbar. One of those features is the ability to use the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (purchased separately) as surround sound speakers.
Pros
- Good quality sound
- Personal surround sound feature
- Alexa voice assistant support
Cons
- A bit pricey
- Light bass compared to the Sony system
- Narrow soundstage
Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6
The Sony Bravia is not only a fantastic Dolby Atmos soundbar, but it’s one with a wireless subwoofer. It’s loaded in the features department as well, especially if you have a Bravia TV.
Pros
- Fuller sound than the Bose
- Easy setup
- App allows fine-tuning
Cons
- Somewhat narrow soundstage
- Control delay when using app
- No Alexa, AirPlay or Chromecast support
Both have more similarities than differences. They sound good and deliver impressive spatial audio, including the ability to upscale a stereo mix (like music) into a virtual Dolby Atmos experience. Both have a narrow soundstage, however, and could be considered pricey for what’s on offer.
When it comes to finding the best soundbar for a smaller room, the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 and Bose Sensible Soundbar are each nice choices. However one is probably going to suit your particular wants higher than the opposite.
Bose Smart Soundbar vs Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6: price
In terms of pricing, the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 is the dearer mannequin at $649.00 / £449.00 / AU$899. Nevertheless, it’s presently discounted to $498 on Amazon and has dropped to that value or decrease thrice during the last yr.
The Bose Smart Soundbar isn’t as heavy on the pockets, although its $499.00 / £499.95 / AU$799.95 value isn’t precisely low. Since its launch, it appears to have dropped to $399 at many retailers, making it the seemingly cheaper mannequin of the 2.
The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 does include a subwoofer, an element that makes it appear like the higher worth, even with its increased value. The Bose will be paired with one of many firm’s wi-fi subwoofers (bought individually), although the most cost effective steered possibility is the Bose Bass Module 500, which retails for $549 / £449.95 / AU$699.95. That also provides as much as a fairly dear package deal.
Bose Smart Soundbar vs Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6: specs
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
Bose Smart Soundbar |
Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 |
|---|---|---|
|
Dimensions |
27.34 x 2.21 x 4.01 inches (694 x 56 x 102mm) |
Bar: 37.5 x 2.63 x 4.38 inch / 950 x 64 x 110 mm, (Sub) 8.27 x 15.28 x 15.28 inch / 210 x 388 x 388 mm |
|
Speaker channels |
3.0.2 |
3.1.2 |
|
Connections |
1x HDMI (w/eARC), optical, Bluetooth, USB, sub out, IR |
1x HDMI (with eARC), optical, Bluetooth, USB, IR |
|
Dolby Atmos/DTS:X |
Yes/No |
Yes/Yes |
|
Sub included |
No |
Yes |
|
Features |
Airplay 2, Spotify Connect, Chromecast built-in, A.I. Dialog Mode, Personal Surround Sound via Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, Bose TrueSpace, app support |
Bravia Sync, DSEE, app support |
Bose Smart Soundbar vs Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6: Features
Both models have Dolby Atmos support (and also DTS:X on the Sony), dialog and night sound modes, spatial audio upscaling, and Bluetooth connectivity, but each also has distinctly unique features.
For the Sony, it’s the features that integrate with select Bravia TVs, such as an AI-powered dialog booster and the ability to use the TV remote to control soundbar functions beyond just volume level. Of course, you have to own one of those specific TVs to access those features.
The Bose Smart Soundbar can pair with the Bose Ultra Open earbuds to be used as rear audio system in a encompass sound setup with the soundbar, an thrilling function that additionally requires a further buy. You may as well use these to hearken to audio beamed wirelessly from the soundbar whereas the soundbar itself is muted.
The Bose Sensible Soundbar has Alexa and Chromecast assist, permitting for additional integration with different units. When testing this soundbar, it was the one Alexa machine in my room, and I’d speak to it like I’d to an Amazon Echo speaker.
Winner: Bose Sensible Soundbar
Bose Smart Soundbar vs Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6: Design
The Bose Smart Soundbar may have the more impressive feature set, but it comes up short of the Sony when it comes to design. It’s a bit boxier looking, and doesn’t have any bass-only drivers or an external subwoofer like the Sony, though it does at least come with a subwoofer output
The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 is wider than the Bose by about ten inches and looks a little more interesting with its curved corners. And not only does it come with a subwoofer, but the sub connects wirelessly.
It’s also worth noting that despite both soundbars being Dolby Atmos models, the upward-firing speakers are situated slightly differently. Bose has the two drivers sitting next to each other in the center of the unit, while Sony’s are situated on opposite ends. I didn’t notice much of a difference in the width of the spatial audio presentation when I reviewed them, but it’s worth mentioning. Also worth mentioning is that the upward-firing speakers on the Sony are angled forward a little bit so that the sound bounces off the ceiling towards the listener’s ears more directly.
Winner: Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6
Bose Smart Soundbar vs Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6: Performance
For sound, the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 and the Bose Smart Soundbar share a lot of positives but also some negatives. Whether you go with the Sony or the Bose, you’ll get a well-balanced mid-range as well as crisp highs. But when I tested these soundbars, I found the soundstage to be fairly narrow on both.
Where the two differ most is in the low-end. I’ve already mentioned the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6’s subwoofer (many times), and it makes a huge difference. While both soundbars are meant for smaller setups or slightly smaller rooms, the Sony’s subwoofer provides a higher impact home theater experience.
With the Bose Smart Soundbar, the low-end doesn’t go very low, so it doesn’t have that same rumble the Sony brings during big action scenes in movies. When I was testing and would boost the bass level, it would bleed into the mid-range, creating a somewhat unbalanced, bottom-heavy sound.
Winner: Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6
Bose Smart Soundbar vs Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6: Verdict
I really like both the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 and the Bose Smart Soundbar. But they work better for different situations. Though both are solid choices for a smaller setup, the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 gives a more home theater-like experience thanks to the included subwoofer. It has a solid feature set, but a portion of those features requires a connection to a specific Sony Bravia TV to unlock.
The Bose Smart Soundbar, on the other hand, adds in Alexa and Google sensible house assist that some will discover extra helpful. If you happen to’re prepared to spend extra, you’ll be able to add a subwoofer or the Bose Extremely Open earbuds to be used as encompass audio system. That final one is a extremely cool function, although one which sadly requires an additional $200 / £200.
Winner: Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 for sound and Bose Sensible Soundbar for options
Do you own either of these soundbars? If so, let’s hear your take on them in the comments!
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