From the Verge: Bose takes on the Sonos Arc with its first Dolby Atmos soundbar (Chris Welch)
Today, the company introduced its latest flagship soundbar, the $899.95 Smart Soundbar 900. With features like Dolby Atmos — a first for Bose soundbars — HDMI eARC, multi-room Wi-Fi music playback, AirPlay 2, and support for both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, Bose’s latest soundbar seems very much intended to compete with the Sonos Arc. (It also allows for streaming audio over Bluetooth, which the Sonos does not.) MORE@TheVerge
From TechRadar: Bose could trounce the Sonos Arc with its new Dolby Atmos soundbar (Nick Pino)
The Sonos Arc is a formidable Dolby Atmos soundbar, but the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 is going even bigger on spatial audio – in fact, it’s going in every direction. Announced on Tuesday, the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 lives up to its smart moniker by offering Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity as well as support for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa for voice control. On top of that, it offers Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2, and interoperability with all other Bose smart speakers and the upcoming Bose QuietComfort 45. But what makes it really special, however, is the way it supports spatial audio MORE@TechRadar
September 7, 2021 — Today, Bose announces the new Smart Soundbar 900 — a Dolby Atmos speaker that provides unmatched immersion for music and movies. With proprietary Bose spatial technologies, the 900 elevates Dolby Atmos content by separating instruments, dialogue, and effects, and then places them in discrete parts of a room — far above, and to the far right and left. It also elevates content other than Dolby Atmos by providing a comparable experience no matter what you’re listening to or watching. Featuring HDMI eARC, the Soundbar 900 connects to a TV with just one cable, and packs all its technology in a gorgeous single enclosure. It features Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® for the best of both worlds, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa for voice control, a simple app for touch control, and is compatible with Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2, and all other Bose smart speakers for a premium audio multi-room system. The Soundbar 900 is an all-in-one powerhouse that replaces the Bose Smart Soundbar 700, is available on September 23rd for $899.95, and can be pre-ordered starting today at Bose.com.
Dolby Atmos Meets Bose Spatial Technologies
The Smart Soundbar 900 puts you in the center of your music or movies in an entirely new way. By combining custom arrays, dipole transducers, and low-profile transducers with Bose spatial technologies, it produces a layer of realism no other speaker can duplicate.While conventional Dolby Atmos soundbars create sound “overhead,” the 900 does more. Bose PhaseGuide™ technology adds other dimensions just as precisely, placing and “pinning” distinct sound to the right and left where there are no speakers. So the helicopter hovers above you — while the actors run past you, not across your screen. Or the singer is standing center-left when performing — and you hear them performing center-left in your room. When there’s no Dolby Atmos content, the horizontal spatial effects are just as effective, and Bose TrueSpace™ technology takes over for the vertical experience, remixing signals to add “height” without adding a ceiling speaker.
For programming or playlists, Bose QuietPort™ technology delivers exceptional bass performance and virtually no distortion at any volume. And if furnishings or system placement interfere with audio quality, proprietary ADAPTiQ® technology automatically fixes it, optimizing performance for every space, every time.
Size and Design
The Soundbar 900 is a mere 2.3″ high, just over 4″ deep, and 41″ long. It features an oval-shaped design, wraparound metal grille, tight seams, clean lines, and a polished, impact-resistant tempered glass top. It fits beautifully under televisions 50″ or larger.
Simplicity, Compatibility, Controls
The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 delivers instant gratification across the board. Setup is straightforward with HDMI eARC and one cable that plugs into the TV. With Wi-Fi, accessing Spotify Connect and AirPlay 2 is easy; with Bluetooth®, pairing to a phone or tablet takes seconds. Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa are built-in for voice control — and Alexa extends to taking and making calls, and enables the exclusive Bose Voice4Video™ feature that turns a TV on to the channel or input asked for — with just one command.
For true flexibility, the 900 works seamlessly and wirelessly with Bose bass modules and rear speakers for a more complete home theater experience; Bose smart speakers for a multi-room or whole-home system; and the new QuietComfort® 45 headphones for the ultimate private watch party. The Bose Music app helps with pairing, personalization, and updates.
