$911.32
When Bose Smart Soundbar 900 ($699-899) launched in September 2021, it marked Bose's first soundbar with Dolby Atmos capabilities. Since then, regular firmware updates have kept it competitive in the premium soundbar market, adding features like enhanced music streaming and improved room calibration.
Today's high-end soundbars have evolved far beyond simple TV audio enhancement. They've become sophisticated entertainment hubs that combine immersive audio, smart features, and streaming capabilities. The Bose 900 exemplifies this evolution, competing effectively with other premium options like the Sonos Arc.
In our testing, the Soundbar 900's audio performance consistently impressed. Here's what makes it special:
Dolby Atmos creates three-dimensional sound by adding height channels to traditional surround sound. The 900 achieves this through two up-firing speakers that bounce sound off your ceiling. During our movie sessions, overhead effects like helicopters and rainfall were convincingly placed above, creating a dome of sound that traditional soundbars can't match.
Bose's proprietary PhaseGuide technology (which directs sound waves in specific patterns) proved particularly effective in our testing. While watching "Dune," for example, ornithopter scenes featured distinct sound placement that extended well beyond the soundbar's physical location.
The ADAPTiQ room calibration system deserves special mention. Using the included headset, it measures how sound reflects in your space and adjusts accordingly. We tested this in both large and small rooms, finding it particularly valuable in challenging spaces with unusual layouts or lots of windows.
Built-in Alexa and Google Assistant functionality goes beyond basic commands. The Voice4Video feature lets you control your TV through the soundbar - saying "Watch Netflix" actually turns on your TV and opens the app. This integration has improved significantly since launch through firmware updates.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 supports:
During our testing, AirPlay 2 provided the best sound quality for music streaming, though Spotify Connect offered the most convenient experience for quick listening.
For movie watching, the 900 excels with:
While testing "Top Gun: Maverick," the jet flyby scenes demonstrated both the soundbar's ability to handle intense action and its skill with spatial audio placement.
Music performance surprised us with:
The soundbar particularly impressed with classical and jazz recordings, where instrument placement and clarity are crucial.
Installation is straightforward but thorough:
At its price point, the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 represents a significant investment. However, several factors justify the cost:
For existing Bose users, the 900 integrates seamlessly with other Bose smart speakers for whole-home audio. This ecosystem approach adds significant value for those already invested in Bose products.
Since its 2021 launch, Bose has added:
In a dedicated home theater setting, consider:
The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 stands out in the premium soundbar market through its combination of excellent sound quality, smart features, and elegant design. While expensive, it delivers a compelling package that continues to improve through updates.
Our extended testing revealed a product that excels at both movies and music, with particularly impressive performance in Dolby Atmos content. The smart features prove genuinely useful rather than gimmicky, and the build quality suggests this is a long-term investment in your home entertainment.
For those seeking a premium single-unit solution that balances performance with convenience, the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 remains a top contender in its class, though adding a subwoofer for the deepest bass frequencies might be worth considering for the most demanding users.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 ($699-899) is worth it for users seeking premium audio quality and Dolby Atmos in a single unit. While expensive, it offers excellent sound quality, smart features, and regular updates that justify its price for home theater enthusiasts who want simplicity without sacrificing performance.
While the Bose 900 delivers impressive bass for a standalone soundbar, adding a subwoofer will significantly enhance low-frequency performance for movies and music. For the full home theater experience, we recommend pairing it with a Bose Bass Module.
Yes, the soundbar works with any TV that has HDMI or optical connections. However, for best performance and Dolby Atmos support, your TV should have HDMI eARC capability, which is common in most TVs made after 2019.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 performs optimally in medium to large rooms (200-400 square feet) with ceiling heights between 8-11 feet for best Dolby Atmos effects. The ADAPTiQ calibration helps optimize performance for your specific room size.
Yes, it features built-in Alexa and Google Assistant, allowing voice control of volume, input selection, and even TV functions through Voice4Video technology. You can also control smart home devices and stream music using voice commands.
Yes, it supports multiple wireless streaming options including Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, and the Bose Music app. It can also be part of a whole-home audio system with other Bose speakers.
Setup is straightforward, typically taking 15-20 minutes including the ADAPTiQ calibration process. The Bose Music app guides you through the entire process, making it accessible even for non-technical users.
Yes, the Bose 900 can be wall-mounted using Bose's optional mounting bracket. At 41 inches wide, it pairs well visually with TVs 50 inches and larger.
The soundbar supports major formats including Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, and DTS. However, it converts DTS to Dolby Digital, as it doesn't provide native DTS decoding.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 competes well against similar-priced options like the Sonos Arc and Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3. It stands out for its room calibration technology, voice control features, and balanced sound profile, though some competitors may offer stronger bass response without a subwoofer.
We've done our best to create useful and informative comparisons to help you decide what product to buy. Our research has used advanced automated methods to create this comparison and perfection is not possible - please contact us for corrections or questions. These are the sites we've researched in the creation of this article: soundguys.com - klarna.com - bose.com - expertreviews.com - youtube.com - bestbuy.com - cnet.com - rtings.com - bose.com - assets.bose.com - soundbars.com
| Bose Smart Soundbar 900 |
|---|
| Dolby Atmos Support - Creates 3D soundfield with height effects: Yes |
| Channels - Defines speaker configuration for surround sound: 5.0.2 |
| Number of Transducers - More drivers enable better sound separation: 9 full-range transducers |
| HDMI eARC - Enables highest quality audio from TV: Yes |
| Room Calibration - Optimizes sound for your space: ADAPTiQ technology |
| Voice Assistants - Enables hands-free control: Alexa and Google Assistant built-in |
| Streaming Support - Ways to play audio wirelessly: AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Bluetooth 4.2 |
| Multi-Room Capability - Sync with other Bose speakers: Yes |
| Width: 41 inches |
| Height: 2.3 inches |
| Depth: 4 inches |
| Weight: 12.68 lbs |
| Subwoofer Output - Allows adding powered bass speaker: Yes, 3.5mm |
| Wireless Connectivity - Network features require: Wi-Fi 2.4/5GHz |
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