By David Snow • 1:20 pm, October 11, 2022

Bose took a further step into the compact, affordable soundbar market Monday with release of its new Smart Soundbar 600. It looks set to compete in a growing pool of home-theater audio products that don’t break the bank.

Featuring Dolby Atmos, Bose “TrueSpace” and AirPlay 2 technology, the slender speaker goes for $499, Bose said.

Bose said its compact new Smart Soundbar 600, smaller than its 900 and 700 soundbars, packs technology “to deliver exceptionally immersive audio for its size.” This brings to mind competing small soundbars released recently, such as the Sonos Ray.

Using a combination of Dolby Atmos and Bose’s own TrueSpace technology, the speaker gives the sense of audio projected all around the room, the company said.

“When sound truly captivates you, it can transport you from simply watching TV and movies to being fully present with what’s on screen. For those who want to feel enveloped by their audio, but don’t have a lot of space for equipment, the Smart Soundbar 600 is the ideal solution,” said Raza Haider, Bose’s chief product officer.

The Soundbar 600 is designed to be small and unobtrusive, Bose said. Even at just over 2 inches in height, 4 inches in depth and 27 inches in length, it fits five transducers for quality audio. The device sports a matte-black body with a black grille that wraps around it.

Compatible with AirPlay 2 for use Apple devices, the soundbar also works with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Chromecast for streaming and with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa for voice control.

And of course, the Soundbar 600 is compatible with other Bose smart speakers and soundbars for sound throughout the house and with bass modules and rear speakers bigger sound in your home theater. You can use the Bose Music app to set up, operate and personalize the device.

The Bose Smart Soundbar 600 comes out on October 2o for $499, the company said, but you can preorder it now.