Sonos suits people building a whole-home sound system, with speakers and soundbars in different rooms tuned to each space and controlled from one app. Bose suits people who want noise cancelling headphones and earbuds first, with speakers and soundbars as extras. If you're filling rooms with music, start with Sonos; if you're blocking out the world, start with Bose.
Both make speakers, soundbars and headphones, so on paper they look like twins. Their own pages show different starting points: Sonos starts with the home, Bose starts with your ears. I read the Sonos and Bose sites and both companies' App Store listings.
Sonos and Bose compared
| Sonos | Bose | |
|---|---|---|
| Known for | Whole-home speakers and soundbars | Noise cancelling headphones and earbuds |
| Headphones | Sonos Ace Ultra | QuietComfort Headphones, Ultra Open Earbuds |
| Soundbars | Beam Ultra, Ray | Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar, Bose TV Speaker |
| Room tuning | Trueplay adapts sound to your room | EQ settings in the app |
| Streaming | Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more in one app; AirPlay 2 | Presets on the app, speaker buttons or remote |
| Free plan | Not stated | Not stated |
What Sonos is built for
Sonos's site is all about the system. You mix and match speakers, pair two for stereo, build surround sound for the TV and move music around the house. Its Trueplay tuning adapts the sound to your room, and the newest products are the Beam Ultra soundbar and Sonos Ace Ultra headphones.
The Sonos app pulls Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, TIDAL, Audible, Deezer, iHeartRadio and SiriusXM into one place. You can play something different in every room or the same thing everywhere, and Sonos also supports Apple AirPlay 2 and Sonos Voice Control on voice-enabled speakers. Setup is plug, tap, play: the app finds your Sonos products and walks you through stereo pairs, surround sound and adding more rooms.
What Bose is built for
Bose's app leads with headphones and earbuds. QuietComfort Modes let you choose Quiet Mode for full noise cancelling or Aware Mode to hear your surroundings, and ActiveSense on select products turns sudden loud sounds down to a comfortable level. The Ultra line adds Immersive Audio.
Bose makes speakers and soundbars too, including the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar, the Bose TV Speaker and SoundLink portable speakers. The Bose app, formerly the Bose Music app, lets you play the same music through the house or different music in different areas, with presets on the speaker buttons or soundbar remote. You can fine-tune EQ settings and pick your on-product shortcuts in the same app, which also covers Bose amplifiers, portable PA systems and OpenAudio products.
The room tuning detail
The feature that sets Sonos apart is Trueplay. Sonos says it adapts the sound to your surroundings, so a speaker in a tiled kitchen and one in a carpeted bedroom both sound right. For a home system across several rooms, that matters more than any single speaker.
For Bose, the stand-out is control over outside noise. Quiet Mode, Aware Mode and ActiveSense are what you want on a train, on a plane or in an open-plan office.
Who each audio brand suits
Sonos suits homeowners building music into several rooms, TV fans who want surround sound they can grow, and families with lots of different streaming apps. Bose suits commuters, frequent flyers and home workers who need quiet, plus anyone wanting one good soundbar or portable speaker. If you record audio for work, read whether you need headphones to start a podcast, and here's how to make Spotify louder on any speaker.
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My advice on Sonos or Bose
Decide where you'll listen most. If it's around the house and in front of the TV, start with one Sonos speaker or soundbar and add rooms as you go, because the system is the point. If it's on your commute, at your desk or on a plane, start with Bose noise cancelling headphones or earbuds. Plenty of homes end up with both, and that's fine: they're good at different jobs, and Sonos even plays Audible and Amazon Music through the same app you'd use for the rest of your listening.
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Frequently asked questions
What is Sonos Trueplay?
Trueplay is Sonos's tuning technology. Sonos says it adapts the sound to your room.
Does Bose make noise cancelling headphones?
Yes. Bose's app offers Quiet Mode for full noise cancelling and Aware Mode to hear your surroundings on QuietComfort products.
Does Sonos work with Spotify and Apple Music?
Yes. The Sonos app plays Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, TIDAL, Audible, Deezer, iHeartRadio and SiriusXM.
Does Sonos make headphones?
Yes. Sonos's site lists Sonos Ace Ultra headphones.
Can Bose speakers play in several rooms?
Yes. The Bose app lets you play the same content through your home or different content in different areas.
