Short answer: the Klipsch Flexus Core 200. It ranks #13 of 27 all-in-one soundbars by sound quality, rated 3.5/5, at $479.24. The Bose Smart Soundbar ranks #14, rated 3.4/5, at $399, $80.24 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
What the Klipsch Flexus Core 200 does well: The horn-loaded center tweeter keeps voices clear and forward, which RTINGS singled out for TV and dialogue. The catch: Bass is plentiful but loose, so What Hi-Fi found rivals more nuanced, and Sound & Vision needed EQ to stop it booming.
What the Bose Smart Soundbar does well: The Smart Soundbar puts real up-firing drivers into a compact bar, so it sounds more open than its size suggests. It streams over Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth, which the Klipsch Flexus Core 200 cannot. The tradeoff: Bass is light, so action scenes lack weight without a Bose bass module.
Buy the Klipsch Flexus Core 200. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $80.24 you would save on the Bose Smart Soundbar does not close the gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete TV Soundbars rankings.
The horn-loaded center tweeter keeps voices clear and forward, which RTINGS singled out for TV and dialogue.
The Smart Soundbar puts real up-firing drivers into a compact bar, so it sounds more open than its size suggests.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Klipsch Flexus Core 200 | Bose Smart Soundbar | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $479.24 | $399.00 |
| Ranked | #13 of 27 in All-in-One Soundbars | #14 of 27 in All-in-One Soundbars |
| Amplifier Power | 185W RMS | - |
| App | Yes (Klipsch Connect Plus) | Yes (Bose) |
| Aux Input | No | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Channels | 3.1.2 | 3.0.2 |
| DTS:X | No | No |
| Dimensions | 3.1”H x 44”W x 5”D (78 x 1118 x 126 mm) | 2.2”H x 27.3”W x 4.1”D (56 x 694 x 104 mm) |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes (up-firing drivers) | Yes (up-firing drivers) |
| Drivers | Bar: 9 drivers (4 x 2.25” aluminum, 1 x 0.75” horn-loaded tweeter, 2 x 2.25” up-firing, 2 x 4” woofers) | Bar: 5 drivers (2 up-firing dipole transducers, 2 side-firing racetrack transducers, 1 center tweeter) |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| HDMI eARC | Yes | Yes |
| Included Subwoofer | Built-in (optional Flexus Sub 100 or Sub 200) | None (optional Bose Bass Module 500 or 700) |
| Optical Input | Yes | Yes |
| Rear Speakers | Optional (Flexus Surr 100 or Surr 200) | Optional (Bose Surround Speakers or Surround Speakers 700) |
| Room Correction | No | No |
| Voice Assistants | No | Alexa |
| Weight | 18.7 lbs (8.5 kg) | 6.8 lbs (3.1 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No | Yes (AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect) |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.0 |
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