The Bose Smart Soundbar 700 with Speakers + Bass Module is a very versatile 5.1 setup. It's the standalone Bose Smart Soundbar 700 that's been upgraded with speakers and a subwoofer. It has a neutral, balanced sound profile out-of-the-box, and its room correction feature helps you optimize its sound based on the acoustic characteristics of your room. It also has built-in support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and you can wirelessly stream audio to the bar. Unfortunately, while it gets loud, there's some compression present when played at max volume.
Our Verdict
The Bose Smart Soundbar with Surround Speakers 700 + Bass Module is very good for mixed usage. Out-of-the-box, it has a very neutral, balanced sound profile suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content. There's also a room correction feature as well as bass and treble adjustments to optimize its sound. Thanks to its dedicated surround speakers, it's a good choice for surround content, but unfortunately, it doesn't support Dolby Atmos.
- Bass and treble adjustment features.
- Room correction feature.
- Dedicated surround speakers.
- Some compression when played at max volume.
- No Atmos support.
The Bose Smart Soundbar with Surround Speakers 700 + Bass Module is great for dialogue and TV shows. Thanks to its dedicated center channel and its balanced mid-range, it reproduces clear and accurate dialogue. It even has a dialogue enhancement feature to make voices more clear and crisp. You can also stream podcasts and audiobooks to the bar wirelessly, which is nice.
- Room correction feature.
- Dialogue enhancement feature.
- Some compression when played at max volume.
The Bose Smart Soundbar with Surround Speakers 700 + Bass Module is excellent for music. Out-of-the-box, it has a pretty neutral, though slightly bright sound profile suitable for listening to lots of different music genres. There are also bass and treble adjustments to help you customize its sound, as well as a room correction feature that optimizes audio reproduction based on the room you're listening in.
- Bass and treble adjustment features.
- Room correction feature.
- Some compression when played at max volume.
The Bose Smart Soundbar with Surround Speakers 700 + Bass Module is satisfactory for movies. Its balanced sound profile can reproduce clear and accurate dialogue as well as the deep rumbles in action-packed scenes. Thanks to its dedicated surround speakers, it offers a good surround performance, too. However, it doesn't support Dolby Atmos content.
- Bass and treble adjustment features.
- Dedicated surround speakers.
- No Atmos support.
Changelog
- Updated Sep 25, 2024: Updated the Stereo Dynamics results with new methodology from Test Bench 1.3. Added text to the Audio Latency: ARC, Audio Latency: HDMI In, and Audio Latency: Optical boxes.
- Updated Sep 19, 2024: We've converted this review to Test Bench Update 1.3. If applicable, we've retested stereo sound based on the manufacturer's recommendations. Additionally, we've expanded our audio latency tests to the following boxes: Audio Latency: ARC, Audio Latency: HDMI In, and Audio Latency: Optical. You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated Sep 25, 2023: Added cable lengths to In the Box and app information to the Remote box.
- Updated Sep 25, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 1.2. Updated the results for audio format support via ARC/eARC, HDMI In, and Optical. Added Video Passthrough to TV results as well.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Bose Smart Soundbar with Speakers + Bass Module 700 is available in both 'Bose Black' and 'Arctic White'. We tested the 'Bose Black' variant, but we expect the other color variants to perform similarly. You can see the label for the soundbar we tested here, as well as the label for the subwoofer and the speakers.
The soundbar, the speakers, and the bass module can all be purchased separately and paired together for a more immersive sound. We've also tested the standalone Bose Smart Soundbar 700.
If you come across another version, let us know in the discussions so we can update our review.
Compared To Other Soundbars
The Bose Smart Soundbar with Speakers and Bass Module 700 is a 5.1 setup that offers a more immersive listening experience than the standalone Bose Smart Soundbar 700. It has a very neutral, balanced sound profile out-of-the-box, and it also offers a room correction feature. However, unlike some of the other 5.1 soundbars we've tested, it doesn't support Dolby Atmos content. It also lacks a Full HDMI In port, which can be disappointing if you want to use your bar as a hub between different devices.
See also our recommendations for the best soundbars, the best 5.1 soundbars, and the best Bose soundbars.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 with Speakers + Bass Module is better than the Bose Smart Soundbar 700 with Speakers + Bass Module. The 900 supports Dolby Atmos content, unlike the 700. The manufacturer even says that its Voice4Video feature lets you control the bar and your TV with your voice. However, only the 700 offers DTS support.
The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) with Sub Mini + One SL Speakers is a more versatile pick than the Bose Smart Soundbar 700 with Speakers + Bass Module. While they're both standout bars, only the Sonos supports Dolby Atmos content, which is increasingly common on many different streaming platforms. It also supports DTS content, unlike the Bose, which you're likely to find on Blu-ray discs.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 700 with Speakers + Bass Module is better than the standalone Bose Smart Soundbar 700. Adding the subwoofer to the setup helps create a more extended low bass, resulting in a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box. The surround speakers also create a better surround performance and a wider soundstage.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Sonos Arc with Sub + One SL Speakers or the Bose Smart Soundbar 700 with Speakers + Bass Module. The Sonos is better for movies, as it has a better surround performance and supports Atmos content. However, the Bose is better suited for music, as it has a better soundstage performance and a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box. Also, unlike the Sonos, the Bose supports Bluetooth.
Test Results

The Bose Smart Soundbar with Speakers + Bass Module 700 has an amazing build quality. The bar has a glass top with metal grilles on the sides, and the subwoofer is mainly made of plastic. The satellites also have metal grilles to help protect the drivers. All of the materials feel solid and durable. However, the reflective surface on top of the sub and the bar can get dirty easily.
The Bose Smart Soundbar with Speakers + Bass Module 700 has an excellent stereo frequency response out-of-the-box. It has a very neutral sound profile suitable for listening to lots of different audio content, though it can sound a bit bright on some tracks. There are also bass and treble adjustment features to help you adjust its sound more to your liking.
With calibration, this soundbar has an amazing stereo frequency response. Using its bass and treble adjustments, we set the Bass to '20' and the Treble to '-30', resulting in a very neutral, balanced sound profile. It's suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content.
The stereo soundstage is amazing. The soundstage is perceived to be much wider than the bar itself. Also, the focus is good, so sound seems to come from a more accurate, pinpoint location rather than a general area.
The Bose Smart Soundbar with Speakers + Bass Module 700 has great stereo dynamics. It can get pretty loud without compressing too much, even as you approach max volume.
The Bose Smart Soundbar with Speakers + Bass Module 700 has a very good center channel performance. Due to its configuration, it has a dedicated center channel, resulting in clearer and more accurate reproduction of dialogue and vocal-centric content.
This soundbar has a decent surrounds performance. Thanks to its dedicated Bose Surround Speakers 700, surround objects like voices and footsteps are clearly and accurately represented, helping to immerse you in your favorite movies.
This soundbar doesn't support Atmos content. Check out the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 with Speakers + Bass Module or the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) with Sub Mini + One SL Speakers if you want a soundbar with height channels.
The Bose Smart Soundbar with Speakers + Bass Module 700 has a passable selection of sound enhancement features. Though it lacks a full graphic EQ compared to the Samsung HW-Q950A, you still have some control over its sound thanks to the bass and treble adjustment features. Also, in the app, there are sub level and rear adjustments. There's a room correction feature that you can set up using the included Bose ADAPTiQ headset, which automatically adjusts audio reproduction based on the unique acoustic characteristics of the room you're listening in.
The Bose Smart Soundbar with Speakers + Bass Module 700 has few wired connectivity options. There isn't a Full HDMI In port, so you can't use it as a hub between different devices, and there isn't an AUX port for connecting older smartphones. However, there's a 'DATA' port for firmware upgrades and the 'ADAPTiQ' port for the headset that's included to help with room calibration.
The Bose Smart Soundbar with Speakers + Bass Module 700 supports some of the most common audio formats, including Dolby Digital and DTS, which are commonly found on streaming platforms and Blu-ray discs. However, it doesn't support more premium formats like Dolby Digital Plus or Dolby Atmos.
The Bose Samart Soundbar with Speakers + Bass Module 700 has incredible audio format support via Optical. It supports both Dolby Digital and DTS content, which are commonly found on streaming platforms and Blu-ray discs.
Audio latency via ARC is excellent. Latency is very low over both Dolby Digital and PCM formats, so you're unlikely to notice any lip sync issues between your audio and video.
The Bose Smart Soundbar with Surround Speakers 700 + Bass Module has a decent latency performance using an optical connection. You're unlikely to experience any sync issues between your audio and video when using this connection type.
This soundbar doesn't have a Full HDMI In, so it can't relay a video signal from an external source.
Update 03/15/2022: Firmware update adds Chromecast built-in support. You can hold down the Music button for ten seconds to update the firmware. Then, you just need to enable Chromecast in the Bose Music app and follow the steps provided by the manufacturer here.
This soundbar has remarkable wireless playback capabilities. You can stream audio to the bar wirelessly from your phone or tablet.
Unlike the Polk Audio MagniFi MAX SR, this soundbar has built-in support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. You can also use the mic mute button if you don't want the voice assistant to listen to you.