Best Features of Bose Solo 5:

Solo 5 has a balanced mid-range with satisfactory stereo THD, so there will be the lowest distortion at average volume. Also, Bluetooth compatibility allows wireless connection and dialogue enhancement features for a more transparent soundstage.

Best Features of Sony HT-S200F:

 Sony HT-S200F offers more features than Bose. It has a subwoofer that produces good bass, and a couple of EQ presets such as 'Standard', 'Auto Sound', 'Music', and 'Cinema' for customizing your sound. Moreover, it gets louder with the lowest distortion and supports Dolby Digital.

Bose Solo 5 vs Sony HT-S200F: Comparison In Details

Today's modern soundbars cost pretty much bucks; when Bose Solo 5 and Sony HT-S200F come at less than $200. These two are worth considering but let's be specific about the features to find out which can work for you.  

Design and Build Quality:

Bose Solo 5 comes with a minimalistic, simple look in a black finish. For any modern room décor, it can complement the environment. Its sleeker body is suitable for a 55' TV, or it can sit under a TV which is not going to be an obstacle at all.

The body is made of plastic with metallic grills to cover the front and sides. Drivers stay protective behind the grills. The plastic body seems solid and durable. All the ports are located at the back to give a hassle-free look overall.

Sony HT-S200F has identical construction to Bose. The body is made of plastic, mainly with metal grills on the front to protect the drivers inside. But there is no protective layer on the side. The material feels robust and durable and looks simply beautiful.

The compact size makes it perfect for a 55-inch or 65-inch TV. Again, you can place it under the TV because of the slim body. 

There is a subwoofer that comes integrated, so it will not be visible at all.

Winner: Tie [The design and build quality are similar.]

Connectivity :

There are limited connectivity options available for these two soundbars. 

Solo 5 supports Coaxial for connecting old devices with optical audio for connecting other devices. There is the 3.5mm (about 0.14 in) Analog Audio In for connecting devices without Bluetooth.

For Sony, there is 1 Optical audio in, HDMI ARC, and HDMI out, with 1 USB port. For a wireless connection, Bluetooth works smoothly.

Winner: Sony HT-S200F

Control:

Unfortunately, there is no voice assistant or smart controlling option available for both soundbar. Bose has a remote control with organized buttons for controlling the options. And Sony touch-sensitive control options are at the top of the bar. There are input sources, volume, Bluetooth connection and power options available.

Features :

Not a lot of features are available, but for the price range, they are far enough. 

Bose Solo 5 decode Dolby Digital with Optical, which is common in many streaming services like Netflix or Blu-ray disc. But it does not support audio formats.

There are also sound enhancement features and a bass adjustment feature. These let the sound become more vibrant and crips clear, with a customized bass.

On the other hand, Sony is offering more audio enhancement features. There are auto volume adjustment or Night mode, Equalizer preset, and virtual surround effect with bass enhancement. You can have a customize sound how you like. The overall sound quality becomes detailed and precise.

The sound format option can only decode Dolby Digital with Optical, and the lack of HDMI does not make it compatible with other formats.

Winner: Sony HT-S200F [There are more features than Bose Solo 5.]

Sound Quality:

Both soundbars perform so well for upgrading TV sound or enjoying some music. The price is also affordable. But I will not recommend these for home theater if you want some movie theater-like experience. However, let us see which soundbar is better for TV shows, movies or games.

For TV Shows:

Bose Solo 5 performs impressively for TV shows because of its balanced mid-range, clear vocal and instrumental sound. The sound enhancement feature makes the dialogue clearer and crisp. A neutral sound profile for enjoying TV shows.

The sound reproduction for Sony is mostly accurate and precise, so TV shows are more enjoyable. The dialogue enhancement feature makes the dialogue hear details. You will like the loudness with the lowest distortion. The sound profile may feel muddy sometime, but for TV shows, it is perfect.  

For Movies:

These soundbars are disappointing for a realistic, cinematic, life-like movie experience. Because of the lack of sound formats like Dolby Atmos, DTS or others.

If you want a decent soundbar, then Sony HT-S200F is preferable. It has a subwoofer and supports Dolby Digital. So, movies on Netflix or other streaming channels can be enjoyable.

Best Overall: Sony HT-S200F

 Bose Solo 5: Pros and Cons

Sony HT-S200F: Pros and Cons

Final Verdict:

If you want to upgrade your TV sound quality and want to get rid of that old, distorted sound, then both Bose Solo 5 and Sony HT-S200F are a perfect deal. You do not have to pay a lot of bucks; instead, you can have a new sound system for $200.

Sony here plays a better role than Bose with the sound quality and overall performance. You can enjoy a whole movie night or louder music with HT-S200F, and this is not going to bore you at all. Bose is a very simple bar only to upgrade sound quality by one step.