BOSE SMART SOUNDBAR (2024 MY) // Sorry, I'll pass 😫
A critical look at the 2024 model in which the reviewer passes on it, arguing better-value options exist unless you are already invested in Bose.
Bose · 2024
Bose Smart Soundbar
Bose's compact 3.0.2 Atmos bar with A.I. Dialogue Mode and rich streaming, though reviewers say it needs a subwoofer for real bass.
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The verdict
A good match for bedrooms and small living rooms, where TechRadar and Trusted Reviews found it sounds bigger than its size suggests. Movie fans should budget for a Bose Bass Module or consider bars that include a subwoofer, since Tom's Guide found its Atmos effect inconsistent and called it pricey for a bar without one.
The Bose Smart Soundbar (2024) is a compact Dolby Atmos bar, about 69 cm wide, with five drivers in a 3.0.2 layout that includes two up-firing units, and a single HDMI eARC connection plus optical. Its standout extras are A.I. Dialogue Mode and Personal Surround Sound, which turns Bose Ultra Open Earbuds into personal rear speakers. It streams over Wi-Fi with AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in and Spotify Connect, has Alexa built in, and works as one remote with Roku TVs. Reviewers like its wide sound for the size and its smart features, but all found the bass thin without an added subwoofer.
Strengths
- Compact at about 69 cm wide, yet TechRadar and Trusted Reviews found it produces a wide, room-filling sound for its size.
- Two up-firing drivers add Dolby Atmos height, and TechRadar rates its mids and highs very good.
- Strong streaming and smart-home support: Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Bluetooth and built-in Alexa.
- A.I. Dialogue Mode for clearer speech, and Tom's Guide found that quieter sounds stay audible during loud scenes.
- Can grow later with a Bose Bass Module or surround speakers, and Personal Surround Sound can use Bose Ultra Open Earbuds as rear channels.
Weak spots
- Bass is limited without a subwoofer, according to TechRadar, Tom's Guide and Trusted Reviews.
- Only one HDMI connection (eARC) and no HDMI inputs for passthrough.
- No ADAPTiQ room calibration, unlike Bose's larger Smart Ultra Soundbar.
- Tom's Guide found Atmos effects inconsistent and some dialogue overly crisp.
- Personal Surround Sound needs Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, bought separately.
Great for
- Bedrooms and small living rooms
- Viewers who want clear TV dialogue and voice control
- Owners of Bose Ultra Open Earbuds or other Bose smart speakers
Skip if
- Movie fans who want deep bass without buying a subwoofer
- Anyone who needs HDMI inputs on the soundbar
Full specifications
From the manufacturer unless noted. Shown for this model.
Sound
- ChannelsWritten as bar.sub.height, or total channels. 5.1.2 means five main channels, a subwoofer and two overhead “height” channels.
- 3.0.2source
- Subwoofer included
- Nosource
- Rear speakers included
- Nosource
- Room correction
- None (ADAPTiQ is not supported); adjustable EQ in the Bose app
- Dialogue enhancementA setting that lifts voices above music and effects, useful if dialogue is hard to follow.
- A.I. Dialogue Mode
Audio formats
- Dolby Atmos
- Yes
- Dolby TrueHD
- Yessource
Connections
Wireless
- Wi-Fi
- Yes
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Apple AirPlay
- Yes
- Google Cast
- Yes
- Spotify Connect
- Yes
Size & placement
Warranty
- Warranty
- 1 years
Primary source: bose.com
Setup notes
- Connects to the TV through HDMI eARC; there are no HDMI inputs, so other devices must plug into the TV.
- An optical input covers TVs without HDMI ARC, per Trusted Reviews.
- Bose sells it in sets with the Bass Module 500 and surround speakers, and TechRadar notes a wired subwoofer line output on the back.
- Personal Surround Sound requires Bose Ultra Open Earbuds.
- Designed to work with Roku TVs, so the TV remote can control basic functions, per TechRadar.
- Trusted Reviews lists Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD; DTS support is not confirmed by the pages read.
Video reviews
Each video was checked to exist and to be about the Bose Smart Soundbar.
Bose Smart Soundbar Review – Is This the Best Compact Dolby Atmos Soundbar?
A review that weighs the Smart Soundbar as a compact Dolby Atmos option for smaller setups.
What reviewers found
Summaries in our own words. Follow the link to read each review in full.
Recommends it for bringing Atmos to a bedroom or other small room, citing balanced mids, crisp highs, real height from the up-firing drivers and an extensive feature list, but warns that the weak low end and a fairly narrow soundstage hold it back for action films and music.
Read the originalRates it well for TV, music and smart-home use and likes its compact build, but finds the bass underwhelming without the costly add-on subwoofer, the Atmos effect hit and miss, and the earbud surround feature an expensive extra.
Read the originalFinds that the five-driver bar sounds surprisingly broad and powerful for something so small, making it a sensible choice where space is tight, while noting shallow bass, a slightly unnatural tone with music and little change from the older Smart Soundbar 600.
Read the original
Questions
Does the Bose Smart Soundbar need a subwoofer?
It works on its own, but every review read found its bass limited. Bose sells it in a set with the Bass Module 500, and TechRadar notes a wired subwoofer output on the back.
What is Personal Surround Sound?
It lets Bose Ultra Open Earbuds act as personal rear speakers, so the listener hears surround effects from behind while the soundbar handles the front. The earbuds are sold separately.
How is it different from the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar?
Per Bose's comparison, the Smart Ultra is larger (about 41 inches wide versus about 27), has nine speakers rather than five, adds ADAPTiQ room calibration and a glass top, and is suggested for bigger rooms.
Does it support AirPlay and Chromecast?
Yes. Bose lists Apple AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect and Bluetooth, with Amazon Alexa built in. Google Assistant works through a separate Google Home device.
More soundbars
Sources for this page
Last reviewed Nov 10, 2026. Released September 2024. Spotted an error? Tell us.