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Bose Smart Soundbar vs Sony HT-S100F: TV Formats and Music Plans

Choose Bose Smart Soundbar for a working Atmos TV path or compatible multi-room music. Choose Sony HT-S100F when its supported TV formats and single-room Bluetooth or USB playback meet your needs; you give up Atmos and wireless multi-room support.

Published by Pickoryx · Published 2026-10-09

Source checked 2026-10-09 01:20 UTC

Products compared

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The buying question

Do you need Atmos and compatible multi-room music, or will supported TV audio and single-room playback cover your use?

Bose serves Atmos and compatible grouped-music plans; Sony covers its narrower TV-format list and single-room Bluetooth or USB playback.

Quick verdict

Choose Bose Smart Soundbar (2024) if

  • You will use Atmos with compatible content, source, TV pass-through and settings.
  • You want to group music with compatible Bose Smart Home products.
View Bose Smart Soundbar (2024) on AmazonPaid link

Choose Sony HT-S100F if

  • Your TV is set to a supported format, and you do not need Atmos or wireless multi-room grouping.
View Sony HT-S100F on AmazonPaid link
When the recommendation changes
  • Your TV, source or content cannot deliver Atmos.
  • Your music plan changes from one room to compatible grouped speakers.

The differences that matter

Tv Format Requirements

Bose Smart Soundbar (2024)

Dolby Atmos through a compatible TV HDMI ARC or eARC connection. Optical is also available, but is not the Atmos route.[2]

Sony HT-S100F

HDMI ARC and optical support Dolby Digital, Dolby Dual mono and stereo LPCM. Atmos is outside the supported list.[3, 4]

What this changes: Choose Bose when Atmos is a requirement and your complete source-to-TV path supports it. Sony fits a TV configured to its listed formats; an ARC socket alone does not establish Atmos compatibility.[2, 3, 4]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Standalone Music Routes

Bose Smart Soundbar (2024)

Network music with AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in and Spotify Connect; multi-room grouping with compatible Bose Smart Home products.[1]

Sony HT-S100F

Wireless Multi-room: No. Bluetooth reception and USB music playback are supported.[3]

What this changes: Bose fits a compatible multi-room music plan. Sony fits single-room playback when grouping is unnecessary. Bluetooth listening or TV-relayed music is not the same requirement as wireless multi-room grouping.[1, 3]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Best for your routine

Music in one room from a paired device

No clear winner

Both support Bluetooth; this routine alone is not a reason to select Bose.

Value and trade-offs

One or both observed offers have eligibility conditions, so no unrestricted price difference is shown.

If Bose costs more, justify the difference with an Atmos or compatible multi-room requirement you will actually use.

There is not enough verified price history for a buy-now or wait recommendation. Compare current offers.

Limitations

  • This is a feature-fit comparison, not a hands-on sound, bass, dialogue, latency or reliability test.
  • Network services and grouping depend on compatible devices, setup and current service support. No additional speakers are included in these single-bar comparisons.

Questions shoppers ask

Does Bose require eARC for Atmos?

Not necessarily: its guide permits compatible HDMI ARC or eARC. Check your TV and source support and pass-through settings, then confirm Atmos in the Bose app. Optical is not an Atmos path.

What should I check before using Sony for USB music?

Check the file codec and USB device, not just the extension. Sony recognizes mass-storage devices but warns that some devices and encoded files will not play. Its content-list workflow needs an HDMI-connected TV.

Must I buy Bose just to listen to streaming music?

No. Both accept Bluetooth music. A compatible TV can also supply audio through the documented TV inputs; confirm its output format. Built-in network services and multi-room grouping answer a different need.

Methodology and sources

Checked TV-format requirements separately from music playback and grouping needs.

AI assisted source review and drafting; Pickoryx did not test these soundbars.

View 4 sources
  1. 1.Bose Smart SoundbarBose · Official support · Source checked 2026-10-09 01:18 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Main benefits FAQ; Technical Specifications; Streaming any way you want it: Wi-Fi music services, Bluetooth, and grouping with compatible Bose Smart Home products. Distinguishes this model from Soundbar 600.
  2. 2.Bose Smart Soundbar owner guideBose · Official support · Source checked 2026-10-09 01:18 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Printed pages 14, 50 and 58–60: Atmos through a compatible TV HDMI ARC or eARC path; TV pass-through settings and Now Playing verification. Optical is an alternate TV connection.
  3. 3.Sony HT-S100F specificationsSony USA · Official support · Source checked 2026-10-09 01:18 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Audio Formats; Interface; Wireless Features: HDMI/optical formats listed as Dolby Digital, Dolby Dual mono and LPCM 2ch; Bluetooth reception and USB playback; Wireless Multi-room explicitly No.
  4. 4.HT-S100F Operating Instructions, US sectionSony USA · Official support · Source checked 2026-10-09 01:19 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Printed US pages 17–19, 22, 32 and 34; linked from exact HT-S100F support page: TV, Bluetooth and USB playback; HDMI TV connection displays USB content list. USB codec and device limitations, and complete supported digital input-format list.

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