The Bose Smart Soundbar 600 is the soundbar we recommend when space is tight but you still want real Dolby Atmos: genuine up-firing drivers and a wide, detailed soundstage in a compact body. Here is what it does brilliantly, and where it asks for a little more.
Most soundbars that fit real up-firing Atmos drivers are large. The Bose Smart Soundbar 600 is the unusual exception, squeezing genuine height effects and Bose's wide, open sound into a small bar that sits neatly under almost any TV. For anyone short on space who still wants three-dimensional film sound, it is our best compact Atmos pick.
| Model | Price | Channels | Connection | Best for room size | Rating | Link | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ★ Top pick Bose Smart Soundbar 600 with Dolby Atmos | £599.00 | 5.0 (up-firing Atmos drivers) | HDMI eARC, optical, Wi-Fi | Small to medium | ★ 4.3 | View → |
£599.00
5.0 (up-firing Atmos drivers) · HDMI eARC, optical, Wi-Fi · Small to medium
The verdict from Liam O'Connor, home cinema and audio tester
The best compact Atmos bar. The Bose Smart Soundbar 600 is unusual in fitting genuine up-firing Atmos drivers into a small body, so you get a wide, detailed, surprisingly tall soundstage without a large bar dominating your TV unit. It is at its best with the optional Bose Bass Module for deep bass, and you pay a premium for the size, but if space is tight and you still want real height effects and excellent streaming, it is the smart choice.
Throws a wide, airy soundstage that belies its small size; height effects are clearly there.
The Soundbar 600 is the right bar if you want genuine Atmos height effects and an immersive, room-filling sound, but cannot or do not want to fit a large bar and separate subwoofer. It suits small to medium rooms, flats and tidy living rooms especially well, where its compact body and strong streaming make it as good a music speaker as a TV bar. It is also a smart choice for anyone invested in voice assistants and wireless streaming, since it supports a broad range out of the box.
It is less suited to a buyer who wants the deepest bass without spending more, or who needs to fill a large open-plan room. The compact body means bass is good but not cinematic on its own, and the best low end requires adding the optional Bose Bass Module. For a large room or maximum bass for the money, the Samsung HW-Q800C includes a subwoofer in the box. Where space is the priority, though, the Bose is the cleverer fit.
This is the Soundbar 600's standout trick. Despite its small size it has genuine up-firing drivers, so the Dolby Atmos height effect is real rather than simulated, and you can hear effects lift above the screen on a flat ceiling. Combined with Bose's signature wide processing, it throws an unusually broad, tall and open soundstage for a bar this compact — the sound seems to come from well beyond the physical box. For immersion per inch of bar, nothing else here matches it.
On its own the Soundbar 600 sounds full and balanced, with enough bass for everyday TV and music. For deep, film-grade low end, though, it is at its best with the optional Bose Bass Module added wirelessly. That is the honest trade-off for the compact size: you get real height effects in a small bar, but the deepest bass is an extra purchase. If cinematic bass out of the box is your priority, budget for the sub or consider a bar that includes one.
This is a properly connected bar. It has Wi-Fi with AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and Chromecast built in, plus voice assistants, so it works as a capable standalone music speaker as well as a TV soundbar. That broad streaming support, rare in a bar this compact, is a big part of its appeal for a living room where the same speaker handles films, TV and music throughout the day.
Setup is simple: connect over HDMI eARC, run the Bose app, and you are ready in a few minutes, with room calibration handled in software. The bar is genuinely small and discreet, with a clean, premium finish that disappears under a TV. It is one of the easiest bars here to accommodate, which, given that it still does real Atmos, is the whole point.
The Soundbar 600's limitations are the price you pay for fitting so much into a small bar. It costs more than larger rivals that include a subwoofer, and to get its best, deepest bass you need to add the optional Bose Bass Module, which adds to the total. Neither is a flaw in the bar itself — you are paying for genuine up-firing Atmos and excellent streaming in a compact, premium package — but they mean it is a considered buy rather than a bargain. If you want the most for your money in a larger room, the Samsung HW-Q800C includes a sub; if you want a compact bar and value clarity over height, the Sonos Beam is the cheaper all-rounder.
Yes, and that is its party trick. Despite the small body it has genuine up-firing drivers, so it produces a real sense of height rather than only a virtual effect. It throws an unusually wide, tall soundstage for a bar this size.
It sounds full on its own, but for deep, film-grade bass it is at its best with the optional Bose Bass Module added wirelessly. If you want the most cinematic low end, budget for the sub; for everyday TV and music the bar alone is satisfying.
Plenty. It has Wi-Fi with AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Chromecast built-in and voice assistants, so it doubles as a capable music speaker. That broad streaming support, combined with real up-firing Atmos in a small bar, is what sets it apart.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 600 is our best compact Atmos pick because it does something no other small bar here manages: genuine up-firing Dolby Atmos and a wide, immersive soundstage in a body that fits almost anywhere, backed by excellent streaming. You pay a premium and need the optional sub for the deepest bass, but for a tidy room where you still want real height effects, it is the smart choice. If space is less of an issue, the Samsung HW-Q800C gives you more bass and scale for the money, while the Sonos Beam is the cheaper compact all-rounder. To weigh up the height effects, see our Dolby Atmos soundbar guide and our buying guide.