The Bose name comes with certain expectations, such as superior build and sound quality. And with the Bose Soundbar 700, you’re promised audio perfection with audio calibration. To make sure you are getting your money’s worth instead of just a hype, our experts have conducted an in-depth Bose Soundbar 700 review.
What We Like
- Works with Bose Music app
- Beautiful and sleek design
- Available in both black and white
- Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice control
- Can play Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer, and TuneIn Radio
- Wi-Fi supported
- Bluetooth-enabled
- Compatible with Apple Airplay 2
- 3 methods of control
- Wall-mountable
- Expandable system
- Phaseguide Technology
- Quietport Design
- ADAPTIQ audio calibration
What We Don't Like
- Wireless connection takes more time to set up
- No display screen
Bose Soundbar 700 Design
The build quality design of the Bose soundbar 700 is its most notable feature as it is designed to be the World’s Best Soundbar. Taking one glance at the beautiful glass top makes it easy to forget the added benefits to your TV speakers.
However, while the tempered glass top gives the 700 an innovative and futuristic feel, it is also a fingerprint magnet. Thankfully, Bose has taken this into consideration and included a microfiber cleaning cloth to remove your prints.
Aside from the glass top, the 700 also has an aluminium grille that wraps around the entirety of the exterior. It is the best heat venting metal to create sound devices with superior performance.
For a wide-range of designs, check our review of the best curved soundbars here.
The Bose sound bar is wide and long, but it has a slender profile that will slip in nicely under your TV screen. You may also choose to wall-hang the system with the included kit or place on a TV stand where nothing is placed on either side of the 700.
The Soundbar 700 comes in both glossy black and arctic white colors, which will fit in nicely with your interior setup. The HW Q70R, Sonos Playbar and even the Soundtouch 300 cannot match up to the aesthetics of the Soundbar 700.
Bose Soundbar 700 Features
Sound Quality
During our Bose Soundbar 700 review, our audio team found that it produces clear and expansive sound as it supports Dolby Digital+ DTS. It also features the coveted Bose ADAPTIQ audio calibration that automatically tests out the acoustics of your living room and optimizes the system accordingly.
The Bose Soundbar 700 uses not only Proprietary Phaseguide Technology but, also QuietPort Technology which makes sure the audio signals will permeate the entire room, which is very useful if you want to wall-mount it or keep it close to the ceiling or corners.
The center channel will aim the sound directly to your listening spot while watching TV and help clarify speech with the help of audio technologies like Dolby Digital, and DTS HD master audio. The audio quality provided by the Bose 700 alone for your home theater gives a much better listening experience.
Built-in Alexa and other Voice Assistants
To bring the maximum level of convenience to your user experience, the Bose Soundbar 700 is outfitted with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. With the help of Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant built in virtual assistants, you can control and use the Bose completely hands-free compared to HW Q70R that is only Alexa enabled. Google Assistant built in and Alexa can carry out menial tasks with the command of your voice.
The Bose smart speaker soundbar can also connect to and control other devices such as your TV speaker, TV Blu Ray player [1], and a lot more.
Surround Sound Experience
The soundbar alone is excellent for an expansive front soundstage via its PhaseGuide Technology. But while the Bose 700 smart speaker can simulate surround audio on its own, it’s also a buildable system with the addition of a separate subwoofer for deep bass and rear speakers. This soundbar can connect to a Bose bass module, which is the equivalent of a soundbar and subwoofer surround speakers 700 from the brand.
Our experts found one unfortunate aspect of the Bose Sound bar 700 though, and that is the lack of Atmos. This feature is normally found in other soundbars like the JBL 5.0 that produces better surround sound. Atmos and DTS X are the two advanced object based audio technologies that really give you value for your money in terms of quality.
You can find an object based audio like Dolby Atmos or DTS X, or both, in a soundbar, and they are integral to emulating surround sound that is as realistic as possible.
Bass
Even without the Bose bass module, the Soundbar 700, with QuietPort Technology, is a standalone device that can be a mini home theater system all by itself. However, if having focus on the front soundstage is not enough for the cinephiles and audiophiles that love bass heavy, distortion free bass, and bass treble, then a separate subwoofer is necessary as it lacks low end punch. Bose offers Optional Bass module 700 that is easily integrated into the system wirelessly.
Craving for deep bass tones? Check our Bose 161 review here.
Wireless Control Through Bose Music App
Like the Bose Smart 900 soundbar, the Soundbar 700 features both wired and wireless connections. The WiFi and Bluetooth available can help you control it wirelessly using the Bose Music App. The Wi-Fi connection would be on the 4ghz and 5ghz bands.
The device is easily paired with your smartphone or other Bluetooth enabled technology directly to the Bose’s Music app without the need for a remote control.
From there, you can surf all your favorite music playlists and manage them easily using the app. You can even blast the Star Wars anthem on loud with a simple swipe of your finger.
Enhanced Connections
Our experts always stress that the quality of the connections will affect the high end sound output. For connection to the TV, our team has suggested from the beginning to search for ones with HDMI inputs and Micro USB ports. Having multiple HDMI inputs can allow your soundbar to process high-quality and high-definition content with minimal trouble.
The HDMI ARC is a bonus that isn’t seen in many soundbars. The ARC is a form of an enhanced audio return channel that can process both visual and audio frequencies.
HDMI input connection is needed to support certain audio formats, especially the more advanced Dolby and DTS content. This soundbar has the highest quality HDMI inputs, optical digital input, Micro USB input, power cable, and four 3.5mm jacks to support your needs. These are analog connections that can be used for headphones and external speakers. (You can also peruse our list of the best soundbars with headphone jacks.)
For loyal Apple users, Apple Airplay 2 is also available as another form of wireless mirroring connection. The Soundbar 700 also has an ethernet port to connect to the internet with a cable for you to enjoy and play music from different music services such as Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer, and Internet Radio Stations without the fear of an unsteady connection.
Multi-room Audio
As our experts mentioned, the Soundbar 700 from Bose can be converted into a multi-room smart speakers system for sound content that can be enjoyed from any room in the house.
The Soundbar 700 can be transformed into a 3.1 or 5.1 channel system depending on your preference. The 3.1 system includes the bass module for enhanced bass tones and the soundbar itself which has a left, right and center channel with a mid range sound profile.
The 5.1 channel system is recommended by our experts if you want true and better surround sound from your TV. Having a minimum of 5 channels and one subwoofer is needed to produce a much better 3D realistic sound. The 5.1 system with the soundbar package will include the soundbar, bass module and two rear surround speakers.
With the wireless connection and help from the Bose Music App, you can place the components around the house to create a multi-room system setup.
Bose 700 Setup
The setup of the Bose soundbar is easy enough with the right connections. Pairing with wireless Wi Fi, Bluetooth or Airplay can be done in a matter of seconds with other wireless enabled connections.
If you choose to go the wired route, then HDMI is our experts’ top recommendation and the easiest to set up with a single cable.
The 700 does feature two touch sensitive buttons on the surface, which are the “action” and the “microphone off” buttons. The former can command your voice assistants and can double as a silencer for TV sound alarms and other similar functions. The other button is basically the off button for your virtual helpers.
All the more complicated settings can be done with the included universal remote or through the new Bose app. Everything you need comes in the box including the remote and batteries, necessary cables, user manual, the microfiber cleaning cloth, optical digital cable, IR extender, and the Bose’s ADAPTIQ headset.
Universal Remote
The universal remote, which is included in your package, has a button for all the functions at your fingertips. Our team suggests keeping the remote handy as it is the most useful for inputting presets and other settings.
It is quite big and bulky, but it is a universal option that can control all other devices, which makes the pros outweigh the cons.
FAQ
Is the Bose Soundbar 700 worth it?
Yes, the 700 is worth it. Our expert team has tested and determined this soundbar from Bose to excel in audio quality, voice control functions, and extra visual features available in black or white colors. For its overall performance, the soundbar is worth your money.
Does Bose Soundbar 700 have Dolby Atmos?
No, the Bose Soundbar 700 does not have Atmos. Atmos is in the top tier of audio technologies for distinctly accurate audio portrayals. However, the 700 makes do with just DTS and Digital.
Does Bose 700 Soundbar need subwoofer?
No, the 700 does not need a subwoofer. It can deliver accurate and clear highs, mids and lows all on its own. However, for the bass lovers that need the deep and rumbling satisfaction of the lower note spectrum, the bass module from Bose can be easily added to the sound bar.
Does Bose 700 have eARC?
Yes, the 700 has eARC HDMI port. The eARC HDMI port was designed to produce the best quality sound. It can replay DTS-HD MA and Dolby TrueHD audio with minimal to no losses. For the best sound standards, our team suggests picking a sound bar with eARC HDMI connection.
Does Bose 700 support 4k?
Yes, Bose 700 supports 4K. Thanks to the included HDMI ARC inputs, the Bose soundbar is able to support high quality content, which includes 4K frequencies. The eARC also guarantees minimal loss between the device transmissions.
Bose Soundbar 700 Review Conclusion
Our experts were thoroughly impressed after our comprehensive Bose Soundbar 700 review. This impressive piece of technology can do what your TV could never match up to. It features enhanced audio format decoding and is a buildable system for those that want to expand their home theater.
Featuring proprietary Bose technology such as ADAPTIQ and Phaseguide, this soundbar is able to adapt to your room layout and the structural design to bring the best audio experience to the viewer.
Everything can be controlled in the palm of your hand, either through the Bose App or the universal remote included in your purchase. The soundbar can be connected wirelessly to external devices for content streaming and the virtual assistants are ready to help.
Liked this model? We almost compared the Bose 700 vs the Sonos Arc.
