Bose Sensible Soundbar 600 Evaluation: All This and Nice Sound, Too

If I used to be ever to outline a “Mount Everest of soundbars” it might be one with nice dialog, glorious streaming capabilities and positive music replay. The Sennheiser Ambeo Max is correct there, but additionally comes with an insurmountable $2,500 price ticket. What in the event you’re on the lookout for one thing just a little nearer to Earth?

Enter the Bose Sensible Soundbar 600. This TV speaker options all of the issues most individuals care most about — glorious sound high quality, huge format help, even voice management — and it does so for a way more inexpensive worth. It additionally affords HDMI connectivity and music streaming over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

It is a shut tussle, nonetheless, between the Bose 600 and the rival Sonos Beam, which affords an analogous characteristic set for the same worth. In my guide the Sonos squeaks forward attributable to its established multiroom ecosystem, a selection of voice assistants and its potential to sound greatest with out a sub. That mentioned, in the event you’re on the lookout for a soundbar with glorious speech readability, “true” Dolby Atmos functionality, and a transparent improve path, the Bose Sensible Soundbar 600 actually is a one-stop-shop.

What’s it?

The Bose Sensible Soundbar 600 is a follow-up to final yr’s Sensible Soundbar 900, and whereas the brand new unit has made cuts to dimension and price, it performs most of the identical duties. That’s, it is a Dolby Atmos soundbar with an onboard voice assistant (Amazon Alexa) and music streaming.

At its sub-$500 worth, the Soundbar 600 is ready to supply one thing we have not seen exterior of Vizio’s vary — devoted Atmos top audio system. Opponents such because the Denon DHT-S217 and the Sonos Beam can decode Atmos however then use sign processing to simulate top. 

The soundbar is medium-sized at 27 inches lengthy and a TV IR-friendly 2.2 inches tall. The highest of the unit is 4.1 inches deep and options a few controls for the assistant and a big grill that hides the Dolby audio system. Along with these two upfiring transducers, the unit consists of two angled fronts and a middle tweeter for dialog. Like many soundbars at this worth, the Bose bounces hold forth partitions and the ceiling to get an enormous soundstage that is not normally attainable with conventional loudspeakers.

The 600’s bodily connectivity consists of HDMI, optical, an IR set off and a subwoofer out. The unit additionally boasts Bluetooth and Wi-Fi — the latter of which lets it supply Chromecast, Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Join and onboard Amazon Alexa built-in for voice management. Sadly there isn’t any Google Assistant possibility, not like the Soundbar 900 or the Sonos Beam. You can too manipulate your music with the Bose Music app. 

The Bose Music multiroom lineup is not as complete as that of its rival Sonos, with solely 4 soundbars and two sensible audio system for the time being (plus peripherals like rears and subs). Sonos, then again, has over a dozen merchandise out there, and much more in the event you depend those going again to the mid-2000s. Apparently, Bose affords an current subwoofer improve at an analogous $499 worth to the brand new Sonos Sub Mini.

The soundbar additionally consists of Bose SimpleSync to pair it with appropriate Bose headphones and Bluetooth audio system.

Lastly, the 600 comes with a easy, premium-feeling distant with some easy controls, although most individuals will turf it to make use of their very own TV or cable distant.

How does it sound?

Final yr I examined Bose’s competitor to the Sonos Arc, the Bose Sensible Soundbar 900, and located it to be a compelling different. It is no shock to me to seek out that the step-down Soundbar 600 does the identical do-si-do with the Sonos Beam Gen 2. However how a lot of a distinction do the Bose’s devoted top audio system make?

I began with the Thanator Assaults scene from Avatar (at 26:54), utilizing the eARC output of a Vizio TV. I discovered that the Bose struggled just a little with the dynamics of this scene, however on the upside it managed an excellent sense of the jungle ground with bugs buzzing round my listening room. The Bose swapped growth and bang for a large picture and crisp dialog, so this may very well be a very good contender for bettering dialog in your TV. 

After I changed the Bose with the Sonos Beam Gen 2, I discovered the Sonos to be a greater performer from a house theater perspective. As an example, in Avatar when Jake touches the shell bushes, they make a procession of deep thunk sounds, like one thing out of a Blue Man Group skit. The soundbar gave a extra satisfying wallop with the bushes and the ft of the hammerhead titanotheres as they stomp across the forest. On this scene, the encompass soundtrack at instances appeared to return from behind on the Sonos, whereas the Bose was solely huge.

When it got here to top results, although, the Bose had the sting, and this was notably clear through the opening of Mad Max: Fury Highway. I discovered that in comparison with the Sonos, the Bose provided higher steering of the Atmos-enriched voices that open the film, and dialog was usually just a little clearer. As well as I discovered that by boosting the Bose’s bass management I used to be capable of achieve again some (although not all) of the dynamics that had been lacking beforehand.

With music I discovered that each have been nice performers, particularly with the folks of Discipline of Flowers by Grand Salvo. The tune is kind of dynamic and the Sonos was higher capable of reveal that, however on the flip aspect the Bose captured Paddy Mann’s emotive voice with even better readability. Each approaches labored nicely, although rock followers will extra doubtless just like the Sonos for songs with much more punch. 

Returning briefly to Avatar, I wished to see how the addition of a sub — on this case the Bose Bass Module $499 — would assist the Soundbar 600. I had been disillusioned by the Sonos Beam’s mix with the equal Sub Mini, and located it was nonetheless wanting on this scene, particularly compared to the Bass Module. The Bose sub provided deeper, extra resonant bass on this scene, and was extra articulate with it.

With music — I attempted some rock this time (Shellac’s Did not We Deserve a Have a look at You the Means You Actually Are) — I discovered that the sub transforms the soundbar right into a music dynamo. The Bose combo provided higher dynamics and higher presence with Steve Albini’s vocals, plus a bit extra cymbals. The Sonos was additionally sturdy, however Albini’s vocal supply got here throughout as spookier, and fewer finely imaged. 

Do you have to purchase it?

Ever since Sonos started, rivals have tried to trend their very own variations of the corporate’s audio system. Sure, the Bose Sensible Soundbar 600 is eerily much like the Sonos Beam in dimension, worth and functionality. But it is nonetheless capable of supply a special spin with a greater improve path and a extra dialog-centric method. 

In case you’re shopping for this soundbar it is fully attainable that you just will not use the multiroom music options, and even arrange the Amazon voice assistant. That is OK, as a result of these are secondary concerns in comparison with its strengths — vocal readability and an enveloping soundstage. In case you’re a music streamer or a Hollywood blockbuster fan, the Beam continues to be marginally higher, however in the event you merely need to make your TV, motion pictures and music clearer, the Bose 600 is a supremely assured soundbar.