Top Wireless Subwoofers: Best Bose & Sonos Soundbar Picks
Table of Contents
Quick Verdict
Choose Sonos One if…
- You prioritize the qualities this option is known for
- Your budget and use case align with this category
- You want the most popular choice in this space
Choose Bose 700 if…
- You need the specific advantages this alternative offers
- Your situation calls for a different approach
- You want to explore a less conventional option
| Factor | Sonos One | Bose 700 |
|---|---|---|
| Choose Sonos One if… | Sonos One is evaluated using the article's buyer-fit guidance. | Bose 700 is evaluated using the article's buyer-fit guidance. |
| Choose Bose 700 if… | Sonos One is evaluated using the article's buyer-fit guidance. | Bose 700 is evaluated using the article's buyer-fit guidance. |
| Bose Surround Speakers 700, White | Sonos One is evaluated using the article's buyer-fit guidance. | Bose 700 is evaluated using the article's buyer-fit guidance. |
| Bose Surround Sound System for Home Theater, Black | Sonos One is evaluated using the article's buyer-fit guidance. | Bose 700 is evaluated using the article's buyer-fit guidance. |
| Factors to Consider | Sonos One is evaluated using the article's buyer-fit guidance. | Bose 700 is evaluated using the article's buyer-fit guidance. |
| Sound quality and tonal balance | Sonos One is evaluated using the article's buyer-fit guidance. | Bose 700 is evaluated using the article's buyer-fit guidance. |
Bose Surround Speakers 700, White
Best for White Interiors
In real-world listening, these surrounds deliver generous room-filling ambience, crisp dialogue, and a broad soundstage that disappears behind the screen. They’re tuned to complement a Bose system, so you’ll hear precise midrange and directional cues that make movie scenes feel three-dimensional, plus airy highs for music and effects. The wireless link means fewer cables and easier placement—perfect for placing them on stands or mounted around a seating area to maximize stereo separation without sacrificing the room’s aesthetic.
Who should buy this: if you already own or plan to own a Bose Soundbar 700 (or other compatible Bose components), these surrounds are a natural upgrade for a true home-theater feel in mid-sized living rooms. They shine in open-plan spaces where you want enveloping sound without visual clutter. If you’re shopping at a different price tier or ecosystem, you’ll want to compare how a comparable set of wired or alternative-brand surrounds perform in your room before committing.
Honest caveats: they don’t operate as standalone speakers and need a compatible Bose soundbar to unleash true surround effects. Bass performance leans on a subwoofer—the surrounds themselves aren’t a substitute for deep low-end impact. The white finish is gorgeous but may show dust or fingerprints more readily, so plan for regular maintenance to keep them pristine.
✅ Pros
- Wireless pairing with Bose soundbars
- Elegant white finish blends with interiors
- Wide, immersive soundstage with clear dialogue
❌ Cons
- Requires compatible Bose soundbar
- Bass relies on external subwoofer
Bose Surround Sound System for Home Theater, Black
Best for Complete Home Theater
Best for Complete Home Theater earns its badge here because Bose bundles a convincing cinematic vibe into a compact, easy-to-use package. For $399 you get a front soundstage from the bar, wireless surround speakers that wrap you in sound, and a dedicated sub that adds real bass weight—without a tangle of wires or a separate AV rack. It’s the kind of setup that feels “complete” right out of the box, mapping the movie soundtrack to your room with surprisingly little fuss.
In real-world terms, you get clear dialogue, a broad soundstage, and punchy effects that don’t overwhelm your couch. The system typically supports TV-friendly connectivity like HDMI ARC and Optical, plus Bluetooth for quick music playback, making it versatile for both movies and streaming. The wireless satellites position themselves flexibly around seating areas, which helps the sound envelope feel bigger without sacrificing clarity or balance in the mids and highs.
Who should buy this? It’s a fantastic fit for small-to-medium rooms, apartments, or living spaces where you want a theater feel without dragging in a mountain of gear. If you mainly watch films and occasional TV with friends or family, the simplicity and sonic balance are hard to beat at this price. If you crave stadium-scale bass or a system you can expand endlessly, you’ll likely want to step up to a higher-end package or add larger subs down the line.
Honest caveats? The bass is solid for the size, but in very large rooms it may not deliver the wall-rowing impact you’d get from bigger, more powerful systems. And while Bose offers a clean, integrated setup, it isn’t as expandable as separate components paired with an AV receiver, so future upgrades are more about substituting up-level Bose pieces than plugging in third-party gear.
✅ Pros
- Great bass depth for compact system
- Clear dialogue with strong midrange
- Easy wireless setup and tidy cables
❌ Cons
- Bass may lag in very large rooms
- Limited upgrade path versus separate gear
Factors to Consider
Sound quality and tonal balance
Sonos One delivers clean mids and crisp highs with dialogue that remains intelligible at comfortable listening levels, and its Trueplay room tuning helps tailor the sound to your space when you have an iPhone handy. The Bose 700 pushes a bigger, fuller low end and a wider perceived soundstage in the same compact footprint, which can feel more immersive for movies in a living room. In practice, Bose tends to sound more dramatic in small-to-medium rooms, while Sonos excels at vocal clarity for music and streaming dialogue. If you’re building a two‑speaker setup, pairing Sonos Ones can broaden bass and stage width without sacrificing detail.
Connectivity and ecosystem
The Sonos One relies on Wi‑Fi and AirPlay 2, and it shines as part of a multi‑room Sonos system where you can group rooms and sync playback easily. It does not have a Bluetooth input, so direct phone-to-speaker streaming outside AirPlay is limited to the app or AirPlay from iOS devices. The Bose 700 adds Bluetooth alongside Wi‑Fi and AirPlay 2, and it supports both Alexa and Google Assistant via the Bose app, giving you flexibility beyond the Apple ecosystem. If you’re already embedded in either ecosystem, these options expand how you control music and voice commands in real life.
Room size and placement considerations
For tight bedrooms or compact kitchens, the Sonos One’s small footprint makes placement easy and helps preserve a clean aesthetic while still delivering solid stereo potential when paired. In mid‑sized living rooms, the Bose 700’s larger enclosure tends to fill the space more convincingly, especially when placed a bit away from walls. In open layouts, a Sonos setup with two speakers or a Sub generally provides flexible bass extension without dominating the room’s footprint. Remember: room acoustics matter, so soft furnishings can improve perceived bass and reduce harsh reflections for both models.
Price, value, and upgrade paths
The Sonos One sits at a more approachable price point and scales nicely into a full multi‑room system with stereo pairing or a Sub later on. The Bose 700 carries a premium price but offers more built‑in power, a wider feature set, and a larger sense of space for its size. If you expect to expand into bigger spaces or pair with a Bose soundbar later, the Bose ecosystem can be a smoother path; otherwise, Sonos often delivers stronger value and easier room tuning through Trueplay. Both platforms allow you to grow, but your long‑term setup choices will influence what you’ll enjoy most day to day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do both speakers support AirPlay 2?
Yes. Both the Sonos One and the Bose 700 support AirPlay 2, which makes streaming from iPhone or iPad effortless and allows multi‑room playback when you have other AirPlay 2‑compatible devices in the house.
Is there Bluetooth input on the Sonos One?
No. The Sonos One uses Wi‑Fi for streaming and AirPlay 2 for iOS devices; it does not accept Bluetooth audio input directly. You can still stream from mobile devices via AirPlay or the Sonos app when you’re in range of your Wi‑Fi network.
Can I pair two Sonos One units for stereo sound?
Yes. The Sonos app lets you set two One units as a stereo pair, which significantly widens the soundstage and improves imaging for music and TV dialogue when used with compatible content.
Which is better for small rooms or bedrooms?
The Sonos One is typically the gentler fit for compact spaces due to its smaller footprint and vocal clarity. The Bose 700 can still work well in small rooms, but its bigger cabinet plays a more dominant role in that space; if you’re bullish on space and budget, starting with a Sonos One often yields better value.
Do these speakers support voice assistants, and which ones?
The Sonos One has built‑in voice control options (Alexa or Google Assistant, region dependent) accessible via the microphone array. The Bose 700 supports Alexa and Google Assistant as well through the Bose app, and you can switch between assistants depending on region and setup. Both platforms let you control playback and smart home devices hands‑free, but availability varies by country.
Can I use these as part of a home theater setup?
They can complement a home theater system as surround or music speakers, but they aren’t substitutes for a dedicated TV soundbar. If you’re aiming for a true TV experience, pairing a Sonos soundbar (like the Beam) with a Sub and Surrounds is a common route; Bose offers similar options with its own soundbar ecosystem, but the two brands don’t natively mix for a single left/right TV channel setup.
Is the Bose 700 worth the extra money if I already have a Sonos ecosystem?
If you crave broader built‑in connectivity (Bluetooth, flexible assistants) and a larger perceived soundstage in a compact package, the Bose 700 can be worth it. If you want the simplest path to a scalable multi‑room system with excellent vocal clarity and a strong app‑driven experience, the Sonos One is typically the better value choice.
