Sony
Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9
$1399
Released 2024-10
Best Soundbars · head-to-head
Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 vs Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar is cheaper at $299. Every spec and price links to its source.
Bose
Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar
$299Cheaper
Released 2023
Which is better: the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 or Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar?
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar is the cheaper at $299.
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 | Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $1399 | $299 |
| Brand | Sony | Bose |
| Released | 2024-10 | 2023 |
| Channels | 5.0.2 | 3.1.1 |
| Total watts | 585 | — |
| Dolby atmos | Yes | Yes |
| Dts x | Yes | No |
| Wireless sub | No | No |
| Rear speakers | No | No |
| HDMI earc | Yes | Yes |
| Voice assistant | none | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Release | 2024-10 | 2023 |
Sources — Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9: dolby.com (verified 2026-06-15). Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar: bose.com (verified 2026-06-15).
What's the difference between the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 and Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (3 of 8). Matching specs are omitted.
- Channels: Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 5.0.2 vs Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar 3.1.1
- Dts x: Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 true vs Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar false
- Voice assistant: Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 none vs Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9
Only one whitelisted tester (What Hi-Fi) yielded a verifiable review body for this exact model (Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 / HT-A9000). What Hi-Fi rates it a five-star Award winner: a clear upgrade on the three-time Award-winning HT-A7000, with superb clarity, detail and dynamics, and the most convincing Atmos it has heard from a standalone soundbar. Trade-offs are a slightly clinical voicing with less warmth than the predecessor, occasionally over-pronounced deep bass at high volume, no display, and only one HDMI input. No lab measurements were published. (1 sourced review.)
Praised: Superb clarity, detail and dynamic punch; Most convincing Atmos/3D spatial imaging from a standalone soundbar; Classy, subtle, more discreet design than the HT-A7000.
Flagged: Delivery can sound slightly clinical, with reduced warmth vs the HT-A7000; Deep bass notes occasionally over-pronounced and distracting at high volume; No display and only one HDMI input (down from two).
Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar
Two whitelisted hands-on testers (Tom's Guide, What Hi-Fi?) reviewed this exact model; neither published lab bench measurements. Both praise the wide, immersive Dolby Atmos soundstage and solid build, but flag a congested/harsh midrange that undermines music and dialogue, and note the AI Dialogue mode can over-compensate. (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)
Praised: Wide, immersive soundstage with good sense of height and width from Dolby Atmos; Solid, well-built design with useful, responsive Bose Music app controls.
Flagged: Weak/overstretched bass that muddles or distorts on demanding action content; Congested, harsh midrange and highs; underwhelming for music; AI Dialogue mode can over-compensate and sound hard/forced, upsetting tonal balance.