Bose Smart Soundbar 300 vs Sony HT-X8500

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Being able to compare Bose Smart Soundbar 300 and Sony HT-X8500 gave us an insight into what features and technologies these devices offer. Smart Soundbar 300 turned out to be a more technological and better-sounding device than the HT-X8500. According to the results of our comparison, Smart Soundbar 300 received 7.6 points out of 10 possible, and HT-X8500 was rated 6 points.

Advantages Bose Smart Soundbar 300 over Sony HT-X8500

Advantages Sony HT-X8500 over Bose Smart Soundbar 300

Audio features

The Smart Soundbar 300 is rated 5 of 10 against 6 for the HT-X8500 according to the audio features rating.

It worth understanding the difference between the two types of amplification: a passive soundbar does not have its own amplifier and receives amplification from the signal source, while an active soundbar has a built-in amplifier. The same active type of amplification is used in the Smart Soundbar 300 and the HT-X8500.

There are stereo soundbars and multichannel ones. It is with the help of multichannel devices that you can get volumetric sound. It is worth noting one of the main differences, the Smart Soundbar 300 has 3.0 channels, while the HT-X8500 has 2.1 channels.

Subwoofers

Soundbars can have a built-in or external subwoofer. The first type is inseparable from the soundbar body, but for the second, you can choose a good location for deep bass. A built-in subwoofer is only present in the HT-X8500. Both are not equipped with an external subwoofer.

Multichannel surround

Unlike stereo, when reproducing multichannel sound, each specific direction of sound corresponds to its dedicated channel with a separate independent loudspeaker, which creates a three-dimensional sound stage. The Smart Soundbar 300 received rating 4 out of 10 for multichannel audio processing, but the HT-X8500, in the same category, earned 10 out of 10 points.

The peculiarity of Dolby Atmos is that this format is object-oriented, that is, each object of the audio signal is sounded separately and linked to its spatial location. Dolby Atmos surround sound support is implemented only in Sony HT-X8500.

DTS:X is an algorithm for processing sound scenes by the processor, linking directly to objects, rather than channels, and calculating the optimal distribution of sound output in a room. The manufacturer has implemented DTS:X technology only in HT-X8500.

Streaming services

The possibility to listen online to millions of songs from one device has become a reality thanks to streaming services.

The popular Spotify service is available on the Smart Soundbar 300.

Connectivity

The existence of a sufficient number of current connectors significantly expands the functionality of the device. For example, only through HDMI is it possible to implement the transfer of object-oriented formats, and the presence of a Bluetooth connection will allow remote control, etc. Connectivity of competitors was rated 8 out of 10.

The presence of Wi-Fi in the soundbar allows you to get rid of wires when connected to a sound source and get minimal audio latency when playing content from streaming services. Wireless connection via Wi-Fi is possible on the Smart Soundbar 300.

Bluetooth connection is now one of the main communication protocols for speaker systems, which provides excellent quality and minimal audio latency. The availability of Bluetooth protocol, we can see in both models. The Smart Soundbar 300 has 1/0 HDMI inputs/outputs, but the HT-X8500 got 1/1 HDMI inputs/outputs from the manufacturer.

HDMI ARC is a very usefull technology that creates a two-way communication channel between a TV and another device. This is convenient since there is no need to use optical and other cables in the system. HDMI ARC is basic for both soundbars.

Features

Voice control is designed to make operating the device more convenient. This allows you to control basic soundbar functions from anywhere in the room.

Proprietary applications allow you to control your soundbars remotely. This is possible both via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The Smart Soundbar 300 has its own remote control application. Only Bose Smart Soundbar 300 has a built-in microphone.

Some soundbars can be part of a multi-room system and it is an affordable solution for sounding the whole house. The Smart Soundbar 300 has the ability to use a multiroom system.

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