We need to talk about soundbars. In years past, soundbars were marketed as all-in-one replacements for 5.1, but they often had mediocre sound quality and didn’t work nicely with the TVs they were connected to.
But thanks to the HDMI-ARC standard, soundbars are now smart in their own right, offering seamless connectivity with TVs as well as smart assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. Bose isn’t new to the soundbar category, but it’s stepped up its game in recent years with its new connected lineup, featuring the Bose Soundbar 500 and 700.
The best of the best
Bose Soundbar 700
The Bose Soundbar 700 is one of the best-sounding products in the entire category, with superb mids, deep bass, and a wide soundstage that mirrors a proper 2.1 setup. With support for Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple AirPlay 2, and Bluetooth, plus Spotify Connect, there’s almost nothing the Soundbar 700 can’t do. At $699 for Cyber Monday, this deal shouldn’t be overlooked.
$699 $799 $100 off
See at Amazon
We’ll start with the pricier option, the Bose Soundbar 700. It’s wide — 38.5 inches, to be specific — but low-profile. And that extra size lets Bose add four dedicated transducers for perfect mids and smooth highs, along with thin side slits to project audio away from the speaker, adding a spaciousness to the audio that few soundbars can match.
To guide the audio, there are eight microphones that are listening for hot words to Alexa or Google Assistant, but the feature can be turned off to just rely on existing standards like Bluetooth, along with AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect over Wi-Fi.
There’s a reason Bose normally charges $799 for this soundbar: it looks as good as it sounds, with a glass top that exudes class. It also comes with a universal remote control that can be used with all of the other equipment in one’s audio collection.
At $699, a $100 discount for Cyber Monday, this is the lowest we’ve ever seen this exceptional soundbar, and our own Chris Meinck, who’s never happy with the stereo equipment he buys, says this is the first soundbar he hasn’t returned.
If you’re looking for something a bit cheaper, Bose’s slightly smaller and less powerful Soundbar 500 is $50 off for Cyber Monday, down from $549 to $499. It doesn’t have the same spacious sound like its more expensive counterpart, and it’s not topped with glass, but its feature set is otherwise identical, and that makes it a more mainstream pick for many people. Well worth a look between these two great products.
Cheaper and still amazing
Bose Soundbar 500
The Bose Soundbar 500 fits into smaller spaces than the 700 but has all the same amazing features, including support for Google Assistant and Alexa, wide and spacious sound, and a low-profile design that you hear instead of see. At $499 for Cyber Monday, this is a crazy good deal.
$699 $799 $100 off
See at Amazon $700 at Best Buy
