Let's take a look at the comparison between Bose Soundbar 700 and Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2. It will become clear that among these two devices, the Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 is more suitable for the role of a home soundbar. According to the results of our comparison, Soundbar 700 received 6.6 points out of 10 possible, and Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 was rated 8.2 points.
The Soundbar 700 is rated 6 of 10 against 10 for the Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 according to the audio features rating.
It worth understanding the difference between the two types of amplification: a passive soundbar does not have its own amplifier and receives amplification from the signal source, while an active soundbar has a built-in amplifier. The same active type of amplification is used in the Soundbar 700 and the Shockwafe Ultra 9.2.
There are stereo soundbars and multichannel ones. It is with the help of multichannel devices that you can get volumetric sound. It is worth noting one of the main differences, the Soundbar 700 has 3.0 channels, while the Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 has 9.2.4 channels.
Soundbar 700 | Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 | |
---|---|---|
Built-in channels | 3.0 | 9.2.4 |
Amplification type | active | active |
Output power, W | N/A | 1000 (overall) |
Separate speaker (in package) | 0 | 4 |
Separate speaker connections | wireless | wired |
Soundbars can have a built-in or external subwoofer. The first type is inseparable from the soundbar body, but for the second, you can choose a good location for deep bass. The Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 comes with an external subwoofer. Bose Soundbar 700 has the ability to handle wired and wireless connections from an external subwoofer, while Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 only has wireless connections.
Soundbar 700 | Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 | |
---|---|---|
Built-in subwoofer | ✖ | ✖ |
Separate subwoofer (in package) | ✖ | ✔ |
Separate subwoofer connections | wired, wireless | wireless |
Unlike stereo, when reproducing multichannel sound, each specific direction of sound corresponds to its dedicated channel with a separate independent loudspeaker, which creates a three-dimensional sound stage. The Soundbar 700 received rating 4 out of 10 for multichannel audio processing, but the Shockwafe Ultra 9.2, in the same category, earned 10 out of 10 points.
The peculiarity of Dolby Atmos is that this format is object-oriented, that is, each object of the audio signal is sounded separately and linked to its spatial location. Dolby Atmos surround sound support is implemented only in Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2.
DTS:X is an algorithm for processing sound scenes by the processor, linking directly to objects, rather than channels, and calculating the optimal distribution of sound output in a room. The manufacturer has implemented DTS:X technology only in Shockwafe Ultra 9.2.
Soundbar 700 | Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 | |
---|---|---|
Dolby Atmos | ✖ | ✔ |
Dolby (other) | Dolby Digital | Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital, Dolby TruHD |
DTS:X | ✖ | ✔ |
DTS (other) | has not | DTS Digital Surround, DTS HD |
The possibility to listen online to millions of songs from one device has become a reality thanks to streaming services. The streaming services category rating is the same - 9 out of 10 points.
The popular Spotify service is available on both soundbars.
Soundbar 700 | Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 | |
---|---|---|
Apple Music (AirPlay) | AirPlay 2 | ✖ |
Amazon Music | ✔ | ✔ |
Spotify | ✔ | ✔ |
Other streaming services | Pandora,Tuneln, Deezer, iHeart, SiriusXM | Pandora, SoundCloud |
The existence of a sufficient number of current connectors significantly expands the functionality of the device. For example, only through HDMI is it possible to implement the transfer of object-oriented formats, and the presence of a Bluetooth connection will allow remote control, etc. The devices received different ratings for connectivity: Bose Soundbar 700 was rated 6 out of 10, and Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 was rated 8 out of 10.
The presence of Wi-Fi in the soundbar allows you to get rid of wires when connected to a sound source and get minimal audio latency when playing content from streaming services. Wireless connection via Wi-Fi is possible on the Soundbar 700.
Bluetooth connection is now one of the main communication protocols for speaker systems, which provides excellent quality and minimal audio latency. The availability of Bluetooth protocol, we can see in both models. The Soundbar 700 has 1/0 HDMI inputs/outputs, but the Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 got 3/1 HDMI inputs/outputs from the manufacturer.
HDMI ARC is a very usefull technology that creates a two-way communication channel between a TV and another device. This is convenient since there is no need to use optical and other cables in the system. HDMI ARC is basic for both soundbars.
Soundbar 700 | Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 | |
---|---|---|
WI-FI | ✔ | ✖ |
Bluetooth | ✔ | ✔ |
Ethernet (RJ45) | 0 | 0 |
NFC | ✖ | ✖ |
HDMI input/output | 1/0 | 3/1 |
HDMI ARC | ✔ | ✔ |
HDMI eARC | ✔ | ✖ |
HDMI CEC | ✔ | ✔ |
Optical digital input/output | 1/0 | 1/0 |
USB | ✖ | 1 (USB 2.0) |
Coaxial digital input/output | 0/0 | 1/0 |
Analog audio input/output (RCA) | 0/0 | 1/0 |
Headphone output | 0 | 0 |
Subwoofer output | 1 | 0 |
Voice control is designed to make operating the device more convenient. This allows you to control basic soundbar functions from anywhere in the room.
Proprietary applications allow you to control your soundbars remotely. This is possible both via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The Soundbar 700 has its own remote control application. Only Bose Soundbar 700 has a built-in microphone.
Some soundbars can be part of a multi-room system and it is an affordable solution for sounding the whole house. However, it is impossible to create a multiroom system based on each of these soundbars.
Soundbar 700 | Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 | |
---|---|---|
Voice control | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant | ✖ |
App control | ✔ | ✖ |
Microphone | ✔ | ✖ |
Remote control | ✔ | ✔ |
Multi-room | ✖ | ✖ |
Soundbar 700 | Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 | |
---|---|---|
Size (Wx H x D), cm/in | 97.8 x 5.6 x 10.6 /38.5 x 2.2 x 4.2 | 114.3 x 7.6 x 7.6/45.5 x 3 x 3.5 |
Weight, kg/pounds | 4.5/10.5 | 3.1/7.2 |