Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar vs. Sonos Arc Soundbar

If you’re building your dream home theater, then you may already have a soundbar on your wish list. Soundbars are a great addition to any entertainment center, as they’ll bring the audio from your TV content to life. But with the wide selection offered at Abt, you may be struggling to choose the best model for you. Sonos and Bose are both big names in the audio industry. Sonos is a big player in the WiFi speaker game and Bose has delivered generations of great sound. That’s why two of the most popular soundbars at our store, as of today, are the Sonos Arc soundbar and the Bose Smart Ultra soundbar. Both the Sonos Arc and the Bose Smart Ultra are fantastic, high-tier options… so how do you pick? Let us break down the similarities and differences between these products so you can continue shopping for your home theater at Abt the smart way.

Comparison #1: Audio Capabilities

Sound quality is the first and most important comparison to make, as these devices were literally built to produce sound. We know you’ll want the best of the best. So what do the Sonos Arc and Bose Smart Ultra have to offer? Let’s begin with the Bose Smart Ultra.

Bose Smart Ultra Sound

The Bose Smart Ultra soundbar features proprietary Bose TrueSpace technology, which separates the various effects, instruments and dialogue in your content and places them in different parts of your room. This creates spatial audio and provides a far more immersive listening experience. The soundbar also contains two upward-firing dipole speakers that make your sound feel as though it’s coming from every direction. The additional Dolby Atmos® aids both of these features by adding a third overhead audio element, creating surround sound without needing additional devices.

The truth is that every living room or media room is shaped and set up differently. So how can the soundbar accommodate any space or environment it lives in? The Bose Smart Ultra does it with ADAPTiQ. This calibration process measures the properties of your room so it can adjust and optimize the sound for the specific acoustics of your space. If, somehow, you’re having a hard time hearing the voices of the actors onscreen, A.I. Dialogue Mode will automatically balance the surround sound with the spoken words too, so you can enjoy truly crisp vocal clarity.

Sonos Arc Sound

The Sonos Arc soundbar, with the help of Oscar-winning sound engineers, is tuned to emphasize every human voice so you never miss a second of the story on your TV. It features eleven high-performance drivers, angled side tweeters and custom elliptical woofers. Together, these elements produce the most impressive bass and vivid detail. The Sonos Arc soundbar shares many special audio capabilities with the Bose Smart Ultra. The speaker contains some upward-firing drivers and Dolby Atmos, so you’ll get a deep and detailed multi-dimensional soundstage. It also uses advanced processing to create five phased-array channels, which send the sound out in all directions for further immersion.

The Sonos Trueplay™ tuning technology is similar to Bose’s ADAPTiQ, as it also optimizes your audio for the specific acoustics of the room and calibrates the height channels for the most precise localization. However, Trueplay™ is only available with iOS devices, and will not work for Android devices. If you have an Android device, you can still set up your soundscape by borrowing a friend’s device. Next, the Sonos Speech Enhancement feature clarifies each line in your show or movie to combat quiet speaking or louder action, similar to Bose’s A.I. Dialogue Mode. It seems the biggest difference between the two products is the magnetic sensor in the Sonos Arc. This sensor can detect when your soundbar is mounted, so it can adjust the EQ levels to neutralize the bass resonance. 

If Top-Notch Audio Is Your Priority…

While the audio quality is nearly the same between the Sonos Arc and the Bose Smart Ultra, the Sonos Arc offers an additional feature to those wishing to mount their soundbar. If this setup is a part of your plan, the Sonos Arc is the better option. If you’re planning on resting your soundbar on a TV stand or cabinet, then both speakers are winners.

Comparison #2: Streaming

As of 2024, streaming is one of the most popular ways to enjoy TV shows, films, music, sports and more. While your TV handles most of your visual streaming capabilities with your soundbar, what if you just want to listen instead of watch? Let’s dive into what the Sonos Arc and the Bose Smart Ultra can do. 

Both soundbars can stream music via your WiFi network and both are compatible with Apple AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect. AirPlay 2 will allow you to stream playlists or podcasts from your Apple iPhone or iPad via Apple Music quite easily. However, this is where the similarities end. The Bose Smart Ultra can additionally stream via Google Chromecast. It’s also capable of making Bluetooth connections when there is no WiFi. Meanwhile, the Sonos Arc relies solely on the Sonos speaker’s popular WiFi connection.

If Streaming Is Your Priority…

If you’re interested in using your soundbar to listen when you’re not watching TV, the Bose Smart Ultra is the way to go. This speaker offers the most versatile streaming solutions for any entertainment center.

Comparison #3: Connections & Setup

The connectivity options and setup process for both of these soundbars are also extremely similar. Both are capable of HDMI, HDMI eARC and optical connections. While the Bose Smart Ultra comes with an optical cable, the Sonos Arc provides an optical audio adapter, meaning you’ll need to already own the cord to make this connection. An HDMI eARC connection offers increased bandwidth so your soundbar can support the highest-quality audio possible. Outside of the basic power cable, both soundbars require only a single cord connection. Choose between the three connection types and you’re ready to go. Once everything is plugged in, you can use the Bose Music app or the Sonos app to complete a virtual setup. 

If Easy Connections Are Your Priority…

When it comes to connections and setup between the Sonos Arc and the Bose Smart Ultra, we call it a draw. That is unless you really don’t want to buy an optical cable.

Comparison #4: Soundbar Controls

So what are your options to control these two soundbars? To start, you can control the Bose Smart Ultra via voice, app or remote. With voice control, the built-in noise-rejecting microphones will listen to your verbal commands. While the Amazon Alexa voice assistant is built-in, Google Assistant is only available if you connect your Bose soundbar to a compatible Google device. The Sonos Arc also offers voice control, but both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are built into the device. The Bose Smart Ultra also features Bose Voice4Video technology, which allows you to use voice control for not only your soundbar but your TV, cable box and other connected devices as well. The microphones that enable voice control can be turned off on both devices too, if you desire more privacy.

The Bose Smart Ultra comes with a handy remote, so you can adjust settings right from the comfort of your seat. The Sonos Arc cannot control additional connected devices and it does not come with a remote, but it does feature capacitive touch controls right on top of the speaker. If you’re using an HDMI eARC connection, it can also sync up with your existing remote so you can deal with one less entertainment accessory.

If Convenient Controls Are Your Priority…

While the Bose Smart Ultra offers the ability to control multiple devices over just one, the Sonos Arc eliminates the need for an extra remote and has both Alexa and Google Assistant already built-in. That puts the Sonos soundbar a step above for us.

Comparison #5: External Speaker & Audio Compatibility

Our last comparison between these soundbars is their external device compatibility. This refers to a soundbar’s ability to connect to a variety of other tech products, like speakers and subwoofers, for more expansive listening. The Bose Smart Ultra uses Bose SimpleSync to do this in two ways. First, you can group your soundbar with other Bose Bluetooth speaker models to produce sound in nearby rooms. Second, you can connect your soundbar with select Bose headphone models to enjoy a personal, private listening experience. Compatible headphones include the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds and headphones, as well as the standard Bose QuietComfort headphones. The Sonos Arc soundbar, on the other hand, allows you to wirelessly connect to select Sonos subwoofers and wireless WiFi speakers. After doing this, you can either create immersive surround sound in one room or place the additional Sonos speakers in several locations to create whole-home audio.

If Creating A Versatile Sound System Is Your Priority…

While the Bose Smart Ultra offers an additional headphone connection, the Sonos Arc is the more capable option. Why? Because it can connect to multiple WiFi speakers rather than Bluetooth speakers. Bluetooth limits the distance at which you place your speakers away from your soundbar. WiFi speakers, in contrast, just need to be connected to the same network and then can be placed wherever you want. The Bose Smart Ultra can create a wider soundstage, while the Sonos Arc can build a whole entire audio ecosystem in your home.

---

Though we’ve compared both soundbars closely, we don’t consider this a “competition”. Rather, it’s a way for you to choose the best soundbar for your lifestyle. If you’re interested in a versatile speaker that can fit easily into any sound system, the Bose Smart Ultra is a fantastic option. Plus, it offers a variety of streaming and headphone listening benefits for music lovers. If you’re a home theater enthusiast interested in curating a superior whole-home sound system from the ground up, the Sonos Arc is a powerful choice that works well with other Sonos products. While we hope our breakdown helps you shop for audio at Abt with confidence, purchasing either of these popular soundbars is a win in our eyes. If you’re seeking more information about speakers like these, check out our soundbar buying guide. You can also speak to one of our audiophile experts at (847) 954-4100.