Sonos Beam vs Bose Solo 5

If you’re tv sound lets you down and you want to enhance it, a soundbar can help. Checking out comparisons like this article on the Sonos Beam vs Bose Solo 5 will give more information to let you choose the best one for you.

Improve your enjoyment of movie nights or just playing computer games. The new Sonos Beam soundbar and Bose are close in size and price.

If you don’t want something too expensive or too large then these 2 soundbar’s seem to be good options to consider.

If you landed on this page by mistake and were just looking for a list of soundbars, click here to go through to Amazons choices.

Check out the manufacturer information of the Sonos Beam and the Bose Solo 5 if you want an improvement to the sound of your tv.

Sonos Beam Overview

The Sonos Beam is 2.70 x 25.625 x 3.94 inches in size which makes it more compact than some of the sound bars out there but it does seem to have packed a lot into that small size to give you value for money.
It has been designed to be a complete sound solution in one unit but it does have the capability to work as part of a 5.1 surround sound system if you want it via wi-fi.

The Beam is simple to set up with a HDMI-ARC port to connect to your tv although there is an optical cable to hdmi as well. It is controlled via an app and it helps you every step of the way to get the best sound for you.
The Sonos Beam has a total of four full-range woofers with a tweeter seated between them in the center and three passive bass radiators to give you that fullness of sound.
The big difference in this sound bar is the inclusion of Alexa voice assistant so that you can control your sound by voice but also any other smart devices in your home can be controlled by voice using the microphones in the soundbar. If you’re not sure about Alexa picking up your voice while you’re enjoying your tv it can be turned off with the press of a button.

You can also use the Sonos Beam to stream music if you have subscriptions already and if you own apple products you can also use the airplay function to play your stored music through the speaker.
If you’re looking for an affordable soundbar that is a high quality brand then you will be pleased to know that this one comes in under $400 at the moment.

You can buy the Beam on it’s own and if you don’t have space to place it in front of your tv you can buy a Sonos Beam Wall Mount so you can attach it to the wall.

Bose Solo 5 Overview

The Bose Solo 5 is another compact sound bar which is only 2.6 H x 21.6 W x 3.4 D in size with a light weight of 3.73 lbs making it easy to move around if you want to move it to a different tv.

The Bose only requires one connection to your tv to be up and running and that is an optical audio cable. The controls of this soundbar are adjusted using a universal remote control which is included. This is a universal style so that you can set it up with your tv and dvd player or game console if you t have one using a single control unit.

The Bose Solo 5 has 2 cone speakers situated in the centre of the box to give you that improved sound. There is no dedicated subwoofer for the bass but you do have 2 mode controls via the remote which are bass for some added bass sound when it’s required and dialogue which gives more word clarity when you need that.

The soundbar has bluetooth connection allowing you to link your phone or other bluetooth items to the speakers without having to disconnect it from the tv. This is small enough to sit in front or behind your tv but if that’s not possible you can get a wall mount kit separately or as a set with the soundbar.

This Bose Solo 5 TV Sound System is meant to be a complete sound solution to enhance your tv sound and most people are buying it especially for the dialogue mode as they have problems hearing the words clearly on their tv. With Bose you know that the quality and sound are going to be good and the price is less than $250 at this moment in time.

Sonos Beam vs Bose Solo 5

What is the same on these 2 soundbars is the fact that they both lack a little bit in the base sound and if you think this is going to be an issue you need to think about going bigger either in the soundbar or in additional speakers.

Both of these soundbars are more compact in size with the Bose being the smallest.

There are a few differences though, both have a single connection to the tv but the Sonos Beam has an HDMI-ARC connection where the Bose Solo 5 uses an optical audio.

One of the biggest differences is in the amount of speakers with Sonos having 5 and the Bose only 2.

Another difference being that you have the option to use the Sonos Beam as a voice assistant and use voice control via the soundbar to speak to other voice controlled devices in your home.

If you prefer a remote control then the Bose has that, the Sonos is controlled via an app which you can download on any phone or ipad.

The Bose works with bluetooth connection which the Sonos Beam doesn’t have, but it has wifi and still allows connection for streaming including AirPlay.

The Bose Solo 5 is a stand alone unit which can’t connect to other speakers, the Sonos Beam can link to others via wi-fi to create a surround sound system.

The Bose is cheaper than the Sonos Beam.

Conclusion

Although both of these soundbars offer a great sound on its own you definitely get more options with the Sonos Beam and it is my recommendation if you have the extra money that it costs above the Bose Solo 5. If you want to add more speakers at a future date or use it as a voice assistant as well as a speaker you have that option. If you are looking for a good quality unit at the lowest price then Bose will work for you. Why not check them both out at Amazon.com today.

Find out more about the Sonos Beam and the Bose Solo 5 at Amazon.com