When it comes to product comparisons, merely reading the specs isn’t going to cut it. It may lead to the wrong purchase and wasted money. In this article, our experts are pitting two of the most popular Bose soundbars against each other – the Soundtouch 300 and the Soundbar 700.
Bose Soundtouch 300 or Bose Soundbar 700?
- Buildable system
- WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity
- Bose Voice4Video technology
- Built-in Alexa
- Bose music app for setup
- Sleek, made with premium materials
- WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity
- Compatible with Alexa
- Adapted audio room calibration
- Compatible with Soundtouch app
Features Comparison:
Bose Soundtouch 300 Versus Bose Soundbar 700
Size & Design
It’s quite confusing to distinguish the two between each other because these speakers look alike. They both have a sleek, black casing with a metal grille and a tempered glass top. If you like modern and stylish soundbars, Bose has got you covered with either model.
Both the Soundtouch 300 soundbar and the Soundbar 700 have the same dimensions, measuring at 2.25″ x 38.5″ x 4.25″. The difference lies in their weight, with the Soundtouch being heavier at 12.6 lbs and the 700 at just 10.5 lbs.
There are a few downsides to the Soundtouch 300, however. First off, it’s only available in black. The Soundbar 700, on the other hand, is available in either black or white.
Secondly, the design of Bose 300 features no physical controls. That means there are no on-device buttons, which can be troublesome if you lose the remote. In comparison, the Bose Soundbar 700 comes with two buttons on top of the speaker.
Cords & Setup
When we tested these surround speakers in our listening room, both have the same setups, which doesn’t come as a surprise since these soundbars have a similar top-notch design.
You just have to connect one HDMI cable [1] to the speaker and the TV. Then, make sure you plug AC power cord into the sound bar and the home wall outlet.
Once your sound bar is on, download the Bose app and plug in your gadgets through an HDMI input or Bluetooth. The app will walk you through the rest of the sound system setup. We recommend that you complete the ADAPTIQ audio step, though, as it calibrates the sound to your room. But more on that later.
Connectivity
It’s clear by now that the Bose Soundbar 700 and Bose Soundtouch 300 are pretty similar speakers, and the same applies to their HDMI and Bluetooth connectivity options as well.
In both smart speakers, you’ll find digital optical input, HDMI ARC input, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth connectivity, Ethernet, ADAPTIQ input, a 3.5mm jack for hardwiring the Acoustimass 300 or 700 bass module, and a USB connection for updates.
However, the one difference is that the Soundtouch 300 soundbar, similar to Soundbar 500, can handle HDMI 4k pass through making it the best soundbar with multiple HDMI inputs. This is not available in the 700 model.
Remote Control
The remote on the Soundtouch 300 vs. Bose Soundbar 700 is designed differently. The noticeable difference lies in the buttons, with the Soundtouch 300 having raised buttons while the 700 having flat ones.
With this design, the buttons on the Bose 300 Soundtouch remote are more physical and tactile. And while some may not have a problem with that, you can only use this remote to control the soundbar. You can’t change your settings through the application. So if you misplace the remote, you might have to buy a new one.
In comparison, the remote control of the Bose Soundbar 700 has sleeker and more modern design. The keys also light up depending on which functions you’re using. It may sound gimmicky, but we found this extremely helpful if you forgot which buttons you pressed while modifying your settings.
Also, the 700 unit lets you control the sound bar through the app Bose, making it more convenient if you’ve misplaced your remote.
Integrations & Apps for Soundbar 700 & Soundtouch 300
It’s a hassle to work with multiple apps for the same brand, but such is the case with many top-of-the-line Bose wireless sound bar products.
For instance, the Bose Soundtouch 300 soundbar uses the Soundtouch app to control the rear speakers, while the Bose Soundbar 700 products use the Bose Music app. Both are quite intuitive and user-friendly, but the Soundbar 700 takes the lead since it allows you to program your universal remote.
Also, the Bose-exclusive ADAPTIQ room calibration is available in both sound systems. If you’re new to the Bose line, ADAPTIQ is a way of tailoring the sound to the room. As the wireless soundbar “studies” your listening space, you’ll get to enjoy an optimized surround sound quality.
In terms of Alexa built-in feature and Google compatibility, the Soundbar 700 wins vs. Bose Soundtouch 300, simply because it has Alexa built-in already. The Soundtouch 300 soundbar, in contrast, is only compatible with Alexa-enabled devices.
Audio Quality
The two have a similar speaker configuration – four woofers with one center tweeter. These top quality speakers also both offer Dolby Digital and DTS decoding, and you can plug in a subwoofer and surround speakers too.
Generally, the Soundbar 700 has a loud and resonant bass quality, making it great for larger rooms. In comparison, the Soundtouch 300 soundbar delivers crisp dialogues and deep tones, resulting in an overall well-balanced soundstage.
However, our audio experts agree that the sound and bass quality is slightly better with the Soundbar 700 augmented with a subwoofer. There is less distortion in higher volumes and the sound is subtly richer in Dolby Digital system. If you add surround speakers and a subwoofer, the more immersive the surround sound will be.
Bose Soundtouch 300 and Soundbar 700 Performance
Both surround speakers deliver a superb performance, but we have to hand it to the Bose Soundbar 700 vs the Soundtouch 300 because of the convenient features it offers. With the sleek remote, wireless connection, HDMI Arc, Bluetooth connectivity, compatibility with voice assistant Alexa and Google, Dolby Digital, DTS, app control, and the lightbar that tells you voice assistant status, it brings more to the whole table besides sound.
Overall Winner: Bose Soundbar 700
Compared to the Bose Soundtouch 300 with a 4k pass-through, the Bose Soundbar 700 offers more value for your money. It provides Dolby Digital, DTS, Bluetooth connectivity, Wi-Fi, Alexa built in voice assistant, app control system, bass module, a light-up remote, Airplay 2 compatibility, and excellent surround sound and bass.
Have a Taotronics gadget at home? Learn how to get through the HDMI cords and cables that come with it through our guide in setting up your Taotronics soundbar, next!
