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The Sonos Era 300 features six strategically placed drivers within its distinctive shape to support Dolby Atmos Sound which pushes sound in all directions, making every place of the room a musical sweet spot.
Pros
- Six optimally-placed drivers
- WiFi + Bluetooth
- Smart Home
- Dolby Atmos Sound
- Adaptive EQ
Cons
- Pricey
Bose Smart Speaker 500 is outfitted with two drivers pointed in opposite directions to bounce sound off your walls. It's powerful enough to fill any room with great-sounding stereo performance.
Pros
- Two opposite-facing drivers
- Wifi + Bluetooth
- Smart Home
- LCD display
- Make/take phone calls
Cons
- No Dolby Atmos Sound
- No adaptive EQ
- Pricey
Bose has long been a widely respected brand and household name when it comes to audio. Sonos is a newer kid on the block in comparison; it was founded in 2002 versus the 6 decades Bose has been around. But Sonos is rapidly becoming more well-known and following suit in the respect and household name department.
Sonos Era 300 is the top of its class
In the battle between the Sonos Era 300 vs. the Bose Smart Speaker 500, the Sonos Era is superior, no question. It's outfitted with a whopping six strategically placed drivers vs. the Bose Smart Speaker's two. The Era 300 features true Dolby Atmos Sound, fully immersing you in all the subtle nuances of your audio. Plus, it offers adaptive EQ that fine tunes your speaker to the unique shape of whatever room you put it in. The Sonos Era 300 is the smartest speaker on the market.
Sonos Era 300 is loaded with all the specs you want.
Category | Sonos Era 300 | Bose Smart Speaker 500 |
---|---|---|
Weight | 9.85 lbs | 4.75 lbs |
Dimensions | 6.3"H x 10.24"W x 7.28"D | 8"H x 6.7"W x 4.3"D |
Colors | Black or White | Black or Silver |
Drivers | 6 | 2 |
Dolby Atmos Sound | ✅ | ❌ |
Multi-room listening | ✅ | ✅ |
Microphones | ✅ | ✅ |
WiFi | ✅ | ✅ |
Bluetooth | ✅ | ✅ |
Adaptive EQ | ✅ | ❌ |
Trueplay | ✅ | ❌ |
Color LCD Display | ❌ | ✅ |
Auxiliary input | ✅ | ✅ |
As you can seem the Sonos Era 300 offers more. It has six drivers, Dolby Atmos sound, Trueplay, and adaptive EQ over the Bose Smart Speaker 500. The only thing Bose has over Sonos in this case is the color LCD display, which honestly I don't think is that important.
This is why the Sonos Era 300 is the superior speaker…
It features 6 precision-tuned class-D digital amplifiers — 4 tweeters speakers that ensure faithful playback of all high and mid-range frequencies and 2 woofers to maximize your low-end output.
The real trick of the Sonos Era is Trueplay: it measures the acoustics of the room and then fine-tunes the EQ to suit the space for the best listening experience — and it's all done via the easy-to-use Sonos Music app.
You can connect Sonos speakers to additional speakers for a surround sound or multi-room listening experience, and it offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity so you can stream all of your favorite audio from any compatible device.
Sonos Era 300 can be controlled via:
- Easy-to-use touch controls
- Voice control
- Sonos Music app
- Amazon Alexa
- Apple AirPlay 2
What really sets Sonos Era 300 apart from Bose Smart Speaker 500 is Dolby Atmos Sound. But… what is Dolby Atmos?
Dolby Atmos delivers a 3-D listening experience.
Dolby Atmos is a surround sound technology that ads height channels to build a three-dimensional soundscape. While it's mostly used in modern movies for an immersive experience, it also is creeping into some amazing music productions. You can think of it like 3D 4K for audio, except you don't have to wear any silly glasses.
The Sonos Era 300 does cost a bit more, but for a top-notch listening experience it is a no-brainer and well worth the investment.
Smart speaker sound off
If you're looking for the smartest speaker on the market, Sonos Era 300 is the best.
You're going to get a fully immersive, three-dimensional listening experience with Dolby Atmos Sound, six strategically placed drivers that push sound in all directions, Trueplay for adaptive EQ that adjusts itself to your unique space, and easy to use smart home control.
Stream your favorite content via Wifi or Bluetooth, sit back, relax, and dive into a one of a kind listening experience you can't get anywhere else.
Sonos Era 300 is THE speaker for audiophiles and music lovers.
Smart Speaker
Bose Smart Speaker 500
Honor Roll
Two opposite-facing drivers provide a rich sound that extends from wall to wall. Check out what you're currently streaming on the 500's full-color LED display.
Read more
Why I can't stop paying the 'Sonos tax'
Sonos speakers are expensive. Unfortunately, if you want best-in-class connected audio, you don't have much of a choice but to pay a sort of luxury tax for the privilege.
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