Sonos arc vs Bose 700, Detailed Reviews and Comparison

I will cut right down to the chase here. I am a music enthusiast. I love working with music and audio equipment. So, checking out different speakers, microphones and instruments is my passion, and I have been doing this for years.

While I was in search of soundbars, I came across two real competitors. It was very difficult for me to decide which one is better. The feud was Sonos arc vs. Bose 700; I guess you might have heard of this feud before.

So, if you are looking for a soundbar and want to get the very best, you can go through this to find out which one to get. Let’s dive into it right away, then.

The Products Specs

Sonos Arc Specs

• Number of Channels: 5.1
• Total power: 546W
• Surround Sound: Side firing bar
• Audio Processing: Dolby Digital
• Bluetooth: No
• Features: TruePlay, Speech Enhancement
• Night Mode: Yes
• Wireless App: Apple AirPlay
• Voice Assistant Support: Yes
• Product Dimensions: 3.4 x 45 x 4.5 inches
• Item Weight: 24.6 pounds

Bose 700 Specs

• Number of Channels: 3
• Total power: 770W
• Surround Sound: Stereo
• Audio Processing: Dolby Digital, DTS
• Bluetooth: Yes
• Features: Audio calibration, SimpleSync connectivity
• Night Mode: No
• Wireless App: Apple Airplay and Chromecast built-in
• Voice Assistant Support: Yes
• Product Dimensions: 4.25 x 38.5 x 2.25 inches
• Item Weight: 10.5 pounds

Sonos Arc Review

Right from my first glance at the Sonos Arc, I fell in love with the looks. The rounded front shape gives it that smoothness that is satisfying to see. It also makes the soundbar look much nicer with a cool finish on it. It will not ruin the looks of your living room, that much I can assure you.

Related: Bose 251 vs 151 SE

Diving into the speakers and sound, you get an absolute banger of quality from this soundbar. The stereo speaker response is very precise. You might feel like the sound you get from this one is a bit brighter than natural. However, the sound correction brings back the natural sounds

Let me tell you something; I love to watch movies on a surround system. So, I love the experience of watching some action movies with these as my sound system. At one point, I couldn’t even tell whether I was at my home or in a theater.

It holds up to the 5.1 channel reputation quite well. But don’t expect it to work as an actual surround system as it’s just a soundbar.

What I found missing on this one was that boom from the bass. It doesn’t have that much power in the lower ends of the spectrum. So, I suggest getting a sub-woofer alongside the soundbar, as they support sub-woofer addition.

Related: Q800T vs. Q900T Soundbar

Bose 700 Review

Owning Bose audio equipment is something that I always look up to. Their quality is tough to beat, and this one is just another example of that. It comes with a rectangular sleek design that looks very premium because of the glossy finish it has. It will look very cool when you set this up in your living room under your large screen Tv.

After powering it up and listening to some music with this, I was at aw. The sound quality of this one was spot on for the kind of music I listen to. If you are into songs where all the components play an important role, you need this soundbar. It gives excellent stereo sound quality that will satisfy the need for balanced sound.

Also, you don’t need too much correction or enhancement for the sounds from this bar. I got to listen to some crisp and natural sounds from this one right of the bat. All in all, you will love the balance this speaker has got in the sounds.

However, if you are into extra bass, this isn’t the thing for you in its base form. Of course, you can get a sub-woofer and connect it to it. So, I didn’t bother about the lower bass component too much.

If I were to complain about something on this one, that would be the effects of the sound enhancement feature. It doesn’t seem to change or make the sound better. You can hardly notice any difference. Also, it lacks some sound enhancement options that you can expect to have at the cost you get this speaker.

Sonos Arc vs. Bose 700

Now, this is the part that will save up a lot of your time. Because when I was trying to decide between them, it took hours and hours from my days. And you will see the reason for that below-

Features 

Let’s compare the features first.

In terms of features, Sonos Arc is ahead of the competition because it has some sound enhancement options that aren’t even available in the Bose 700. So, it already gets ahead with those options.

Adding to that comes the surround sound capability of the Sonos Arc. It functions like a surround system that can elevate the experience of watching a movie or a Netflix show. While the Bose 700 can’t give you that immersive experience of such programs. It only comes with a stereo sound system.

Considering overall features, I would surely put Sonos Arc ahead of the game. But let me clarify something: these aren’t the kind of features to make or break the deal. So, don’t just rush and jump to the conclusion that Sonos Arc is a better choice.

Sound quality and performance 

Here is something that can make or break a deal in terms of buying a soundbar or speaker. But things won’t be that easy for you because both these soundbars’ sound quality and performance go hand in hand. You can hardly differentiate and say one is better than the other. So, I went ahead and categorized them based on needs.

First of all, the surround sound of the Sonos Arc makes it a better choice for watching movies or tv shows. But it isn’t the perfect thing for music as it can lack that natural sound quality and balance.

On the other hand, Bose 700 lacks that surround sound, but it gives you excellent stereo quality balanced and provides clarity. So, if you are into music more than movies, then Bose 700 should be your choice.

As for the bass, you can go with either one. Because for good bass, you will need to buy a sub-woofer, no matter for both of them. Also, for the volume, none of them has the upper hand.

Connectivity and compatibility 

I would say Bose 700 has a huge upper hand with its built-in Bluetooth in terms of connectivity. The Sonos Arc doesn’t come with Bluetooth, which makes it a loser in the connectivity game. You can still use both of them wirelessly via certain apps and smart assistants. Both support Alexa and google assistant so that you can rely on both of them.

However, if you want to play songs from your phone directly without extra trouble, Bose 700 is the choice for you. As for compatibility, Sonos Arc is compatible with many audio formats except DTS. While Bose 700 is compatible with only Dolby Digital and DTS.

Also, the Sonos Arc app isn’t compatible with Android, which can be a great factor for Android users because you won’t simply choose to use this soundbar wirelessly as it doesn’t have Bluetooth either. Considering all of this, Bose 700 wins the connectivity and compatibility race as well.

Related: Bose soundbar 700 VS 500

Aesthetics 

This is the place where your personal preference comes in. Do you want a smooth, modern, techno finish on your soundbar? Then you go for Sonos Arc. And if you want to enjoy some premium glassy finish with a traditional sleek rectangular design, then you go for Bose 700. It depends on your setup and your needs.

Price 

There is nothing much to talk about the price here. They both have a similar price range. And to be honest, they both are worth the money for the quality you get. In monetary terms, Sonos Arc is priced higher than the Bose 700. So, you can say Bose 700 has the upper hand over Sonos Arc regarding pricing.

Other Related Sonos Products Review

• Sonos Play 5 Gen 1 Vs Gen 2
• Sonos arc vs Bose 700
• Sonos Play5 vs. Bose SoundTouch 30
• Sonos Play:1 Review
• Sonos Sub Gen 2 vs Gen 3
• Sonos one Gen 1 vs. Gen 2

Conclusion 

To sum up, Bose 700 seems to be ahead in many aspects. Does it make it a winner, then? Well, I wouldn’t say it’s a clear winner. It seems to be a better choice on paper, but they both are quite similar in reality, and you can’t say one is better than the other.

Whatever the case is, you have to decide, right? So, what I will suggest is to take a look at your need. If you want a soundbar and enjoy some movies, then Sonos Arc is a better choice. Because with some extra satellite speakers and sub-woofers, you can truly get the theater feeling at home.

And if you are a music freak and want to get those crisp and balance sounds, then I would say go for the Bose 700. Add a subwoofer alongside to make it a complete music package.