1) Dollar-for-dollar: Bigger is almost always better. Bigger drivers and cabinets give you fuller sound, punchier bass and more realism.

2) Put $$$ into your center channel and your subwoofer: Dollar-for-dollar, these make the biggest difference in providing a GREAT movie experience.

3) Better driver material = better sound: Bose used a tiny paper cone inside their old AM series double cubes. Companies that use materials such as titanium, kevlar or electrostatic panels will provide you with a listening experience that provides more detail and clarity as those materials don't flop around like paper does. Less floppiness = clearer sound.

The 3 points above normally will get you into different designs or price points than Bose normally occupies SO you would expect a different experience when you spend more $$$ or have something that is 8X the size.

Moral of the story: Bose is good...many other speakers are great.

Sonos Arc vs Sonos Beam: These are 2 of Sonos' soundbar options. Both offer great sound and the ability to access the Sonos streaming "brain" which allow for more streaming partners and the best reliability of any of the streaming systems we have dealt with. Here's some info about Sonos. The benefits of the Arc vs the Beam are:

1) More speakers: The Arc has 11 speakers and amplifiers built in vs. 5 on the BEAM. This complement of drivers helps to provide consistency of audio panning. Ex: You are watching the intro of "The Mask of Zorro" and when the magic, flying "Z"s pass all around the room (you would have to see the scene), the inclusion of 3 tweeters on the ARC vs. 1 on the BEAM makes a noticeable difference in the width of the soundstage. The ARC also uses a better tweeter material (silk dome) for smoother highs than the Beam does. This helps to provide better and clearer dialogue.

2) More immersive surround sound: The Arc also provides a better surround sound experience as it adds Dolby Atmos which gives a sensation of height. See link >>> about Dolby Atmos and why we love it.

The verdict...if you want really good surround sound without buying a separate surround sound receiver and components, we would recommend the Sonos Arc. Want to get noticeably better sound than your TV provides but want to save some $$$ ($899 vs. $449), look at the Sonos Beam.

What is Heos: Heos is a streaming platform offered by Denon, Marantz and Sound United as a competitor to Sonos. Want to know the pros and cons of Heos vs Sonos? See our awesome video >>> about Sonos vs Heos This 13 minute and 25 second masterpiece goes over many of the benefits of Heos.

Got any other technology questions for next week? Let us know. We'll be adding the "Ask Seth" segment regularly to help with your technology needs. See the "Ask Seth" video for the above HERE. Need help in the San Diego or So Cal area with Bose, the Sonos Arc or Sonos Beam or Denon Heos? You found the place!