There are many different speaker brands out there for us to deliberate upon and choose our favourite. One of the most well known and highly regarded brands is undoubtedly Bose, who have a massive marketshare in both the speaker market but also the headphone market too.
But if you’re looking for some new speakers, are Bose really worth the money? Or can you get the same experience for a cheaper price with another brand? That’s what we’re going to take a look at and find out.
Are Bose speakers worth the money?
The correct answer is that Bose speakers are definitely worth the money – but only for certain products. Whilst their portable Bluetooth speakers are definitely some of the best in the business, you might be able to find a better option for the same price if you’re looking for a home surround sound system.
This is, of course, all going to be opinion from working with speakers for years and owning many different sets, including the Bose brand. There are those that say they’re too expensive, which I’ll get into in a minute. But, let’s look at them a little closer to find out which areas they’re actually worth their cost.
Pros and Cons of Bose Speakers
Before deciding on your speaker system, check out this list of pros and cons to make sure that the brand is right for you.
Pros
Cons
Areas Where Bose are Good
Whilst there’s a lot of criticism to Bose speakers in general, there are certain areas of audio that even the most knowledgeable audiophiles would say that it’s worth considering the brand. The main areas that I can think Bose excel in are;
Other Brands to Consider – Bose alternatives
Whilst I’m not out and out saying Bose speakers are bad (at all), they’re definitely pretty expensive for what you’re getting.
If you’re looking for a new home speaker setup, then here are some other brands that I’d definitely recommend that you check out;
- Klipsch – If you want a full sound system in your home, then Klipsch is one of the first brands I’d look at. Their unique design ranges from fairly low budget all the way up to their Kilpschorn line.
- Polk – On a tight budget? Polk is one of the bestsellers when it comes to low cost speakers. They’re inexpensive yet still of an above average quality.
- Dali – This brand make some excellent bookshelf speakers and floorstanding speakers which can make up part of a home setup.
- JBL –
- Sonos – Probably the biggest competitor to Bose when it comes to full home theatre systems. They have the edge on Bose in some areas, especially their software, which is their best asset.
- Yamaha – Another fairly reliable brand that has a wide range of speakers to choose from. They tend to range between a few hundred and a few thousand pounds in cost.
- Axiom – A premium brand name that you won’t want to miss out if you’re looking for something powerful with high audio quality.
This isn’t an exhaustive list, and much of it really depends on exactly what you’re looking for. For a home theatre with good usability, then I’d tend to opt for a brand like Sonos, who probably has the best app for a home setup. See our Sonos vs Bose comparison for an extensive look at both brands.
In other areas, it might be worth checking out brands like Klipsch if you want higher quality. As always, Polk and JBL have some great budget friendly options.
Another brand that I recently reviewed and is really giving these other brands, including Bose, a run for its money is Edifier. They’ve been around in other markets for decades and are making fast inroads into the U.S., UK, and other western markets. I was really impressed by the sound of their Edifier R1700BTs bookshelf speakers, a sub $200USD speaker that punches above its weight class. Check out our detailed R1700BTs review if you have a moment.
Conclusion
All in all, nobody out there is saying that Bose speakers are bad (and if they are, then this isn’t strictly true!). All that most audiophiles are saying is that for the price that Bose charges, they aren’t quite good enough. And if you spent your money elsewhere, then you could likely pick up a far superior product.
