• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

REW Measurements of Bose 700 Soundbar

Blackdevil77

Active Member
Joined
May 28, 2020
Messages
112
Likes
39
I know, this is going to sound ridiculous. Before I start, I want to say I have a dedicated theater room with JBL M2's and SCL-4 surrounds, Crown I-tech and DCi network amps etc, all good stuff.

I have a Bose Soundbar 700 with matching sub and surrounds in the living room, just for the purpose of improving on the TV's sound and the universal remote it comes with is really nice. It's as simple as can be and everyone in the house can enjoy it. I have been pleasantly surprised by it since I bought it 3 years ago, and yesterday I decided to take some REW measurements of it, just for fun. The results surprised me.

These were taken at the listening position. The Soundbar comes with a mic you wear on your head like a headset and has a form of room correction to use with it. The room correction was run prior to these measurements.

Here is the subwoofer measurement (Red line), with no smoothing applied. I was very surprised to see extension below 30hz. Much better than the old Bose "Acoustimass Modules" that used a pair of 5 1/4" drivers. This sub uses a 10" driver and a 400 watt on board amplifier. If there was some ability to PEQ the sub, I'm confident the response could be made pretty flat with good results.
Screenshot (127).png


Here's the full frequency spectrum (green line) with the sub going to the soundbar. 20hz to 20kHz, with the "psychoacoustic" smoothing applied in REW to make it readable. The response is actually surprisingly linear, all the way up to ~16kHz, where it drops off. The target curve appears to be an upward slope as frequency increases, which I found interesting. The measurements I've seen of lifestyle systems from the past were all over the place, with huge peaks and dips, with a huge peak around 7kHz in most cases.
Screenshot (128).png


So basically, I see a huge bass boost, and perhaps a crossover delay issue at ~170hz or so? Other than that, I'm surprised to see a mostly linear frequency response and response below 30Hz from a Bose product. Just thought the measurements were interesting and thought I would share.
 
Last edited:

SS55

Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2021
Messages
46
Likes
54
That’s interesting indeed. I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect such a flat frequency response from Bose but this is after room correction so not surprised.
Would you mind uploading measurements before room correction?
Will be fun to see and compare if any active speakers can get close to your soundbar+sub setup in terms of frequency response and overall cost without any kind of eq or room correction.
 

YSC

Major Contributor
Joined
Dec 31, 2019
Messages
3,194
Likes
2,570
That’s interesting indeed. I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect such a flat frequency response from Bose but this is after room correction so not surprised.
Would you mind uploading measurements before room correction?
Will be fun to see and compare if any active speakers can get close to your soundbar+sub setup in terms of frequency response and overall cost without any kind of eq or room correction.
Maybe, but this is actually a very good kind of home theatre curve for bass boost for movies or so where this is most likely used. And the head mic is actually a kind addition for most non geek average person to do the room correction, not requiring us to set up a mic with a computer etc.

And I bet it’s cost is way below genelec the ones or so for automation eq in a system?
 
OP
B

Blackdevil77

Active Member
Joined
May 28, 2020
Messages
112
Likes
39
That’s interesting indeed. I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect such a flat frequency response from Bose but this is after room correction so not surprised.
Would you mind uploading measurements before room correction?
Will be fun to see and compare if any active speakers can get close to your soundbar+sub setup in terms of frequency response and overall cost without any kind of eq or room correction.

Me either, that's what surprised me. I didn't even expect their target curve to be linear. It actually sounds pretty good to. I'll take another measurement when I get home with the room correction off. I'd expect it to be all over the place, especially since this thing shoots sounds all over the place and relies heavily on reflected sound.
 
Last edited:

SS55

Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2021
Messages
46
Likes
54
Maybe, but this is actually a very good kind of home theatre curve for bass boost for movies or so where this is most likely used. And the head mic is actually a kind addition for most non geek average person to do the room correction, not requiring us to set up a mic with a computer etc.

And I bet it’s cost is way below genelec the ones or so for automation eq in a system?
I get your point. What I’m trying to say is what alternative options can one have in this price range.

In my country, the KEF LSX + SVS 1000 pro cost less than Bose soundbar 700 + sub 700, with a flatter frequency response there is no need for room correction. The svs sub does offer peq though.

A cheaper alternative would be Infinity RC263 + SVS SB 1000 pro + any entry level amplifer. Which would cost as much as the Bose soundbar 700.
 
OP
B

Blackdevil77

Active Member
Joined
May 28, 2020
Messages
112
Likes
39
I get your point. What I’m trying to say is what alternative options can one have in this price range.

In my country, the KEF LSX + SVS 1000 pro cost less than Bose soundbar 700 + sub 700, with a flatter frequency response there is no need for room correction. The svs sub does offer peq though.

A cheaper alternative would be Infinity RC263 + SVS SB 1000 pro + any entry level amplifer. Which would cost as much as the Bose soundbar 700.

If we're talking cost, Bose was never considered to be a good value, cost to performance ratio. Their appeal was to those that wanted something very simple, very small, but could put out a big sound. They achieved that over the years using what was basically audio trickery. They would never publish specs or measurements because they generally weren't very good. That's why I was surprised to see how this soundbar measured.

The reason I bought this soundbar was because I wanted something virtually invisible, that improved the TV sound, and that was simple enough that my wife could use it. All you have to do is operate the TV like you normally would, and you get the full benefits of the soundbar. No extra "stuff" to turn on, no extra remotes etc. It achieved that for me, and then some.
 

YSC

Major Contributor
Joined
Dec 31, 2019
Messages
3,194
Likes
2,570
I get your point. What I’m trying to say is what alternative options can one have in this price range.

In my country, the KEF LSX + SVS 1000 pro cost less than Bose soundbar 700 + sub 700, with a flatter frequency response there is no need for room correction. The svs sub does offer peq though.

A cheaper alternative would be Infinity RC263 + SVS SB 1000 pro + any entry level amplifer. Which would cost as much as the Bose soundbar 700.
right, I underestimated the cost of the bose! but for room correction, with genelec in use myself in room if you really wanted a flat frequency response you will need some correction anyway
 

MakeMineVinyl

Major Contributor
Joined
Jun 5, 2020
Messages
3,558
Likes
5,871
Location
Santa Fe, NM
That is surprisingly linear response from of all companies, Bose. The exaggerated bass will give extra 'thump' and please the average person, and to be honest, I'd probably like it too, at least for the application.:p
 

thewas

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 15, 2020
Messages
6,741
Likes
16,174
OP
B

Blackdevil77

Active Member
Joined
May 28, 2020
Messages
112
Likes
39

whazzup

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Feb 19, 2020
Messages
575
Likes
486
Measured at listening position, this seems like it will sound bright. Probably good for dialogue clarity and sfx.
 

Marakk

Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2020
Messages
27
Likes
12
Measured at listening position, this seems like it will sound bright. Probably good for dialogue clarity and sfx.
Sonos seems to have a similar tonal signature in their products, including IKEA Symfonisk frame which Amir tested and liked. Doesn't follow the Harman curve with regards to the dip in treble after 1 KHz, choosing to keep it more or less flat there. So maybe not all bad, provided if the directivity in the soundbars is also good.
 
Last edited:
OP
B

Blackdevil77

Active Member
Joined
May 28, 2020
Messages
112
Likes
39
Measured at listening position, this seems like it will sound bright. Probably good for dialogue clarity and sfx.

Actually doesn’t sound bright at all believe it or not. It’s detailed, but in no way fatiguing or bright, at least to my ears.
 

ta240

Major Contributor
Joined
Nov 7, 2019
Messages
1,357
Likes
2,653
I get your point. What I’m trying to say is what alternative options can one have in this price range.

In my country, the KEF LSX + SVS 1000 pro cost less than Bose soundbar 700 + sub 700, with a flatter frequency response there is no need for room correction. The svs sub does offer peq though.

A cheaper alternative would be Infinity RC263 + SVS SB 1000 pro + any entry level amplifer. Which would cost as much as the Bose soundbar 700.

Isn't room correction a benefit even with a flat frequency response?

The true genius of Bose is not going after the customer that would buy the KEF LSX + SVS 1000 pro or Infinity RC263 + SVS SB 1000 pro + any entry level amplifier.
Their customers are the ones that don't want to have to think about combining different components. They don't want to spend hours reading reviews and checking forums for what would be the best for their situation. They want to open one box, not mess with lots of wires and just have it work.

But I do agree. I've thought for years that Best Buy and Frys missed out on a lot of sales by not putting together package deals like you mentioned with all the wires and connectors that are needed as well as simple setup instructions. If they put up a good demo of the systems that you list, they'd sell themselves. Instead customers are greeted with walls of speakers and walls of amps and they have to figure out for themselves how to combine it all or be at the mercy of whatever the salesperson's favorite is. And then they get to experience the head spinning fun of "and you'll also need this and this and this and these cables will make it sound so much better...."

I guess maybe the stores didn't feel the need to do that because those customers had Bose to fill their needs.
 
Top Bottom