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Expert Score (From 3 Experts)74/100
Customer Score (From 6190 Reviews)4.5/5
The Bose Home Speaker 500 is a top-end Bluetooth speaker that was first announced in late 2021. Most of the best speakers in the industry have a particular wow factor, and for the Bose 500, it is its color LED screen. The screen displays data such as volume adjustments and pairing info.
The speaker also has WiFi support and excellent Bluetooth connectivity, with a range of up to 195 ft and a latency of 57 to 88ms on Android and iOS devices, respectively. This makes it possible to watch movies and listen to music without lag. Read our Libratone Loop review for another speaker without listening lag.
Similar to the highest-rated Bluetooth speakers around, the Bose 500 has built-in support for both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, but since it is not battery-powered, it is designed for indoor use. Check out our Bose Portable Smart Speaker review for a battery-powered alternative.
Reasons to Buy
Reasons to Not
Compared to the same brand’s similar models: While their design blueprint is almost similar, the Bose Home Speaker 500 and the Bose Home Speaker 300 have differences that buyers might want to consider. The Bose 500 supports stereo content while the Bose 300 does not, but the Bose 300 is half as heavy as the Bose 500. Learn more about the Bose 300 through our Bose Home Speaker 300 review.
Compared to other brands’ similar models: The Bose Home Speaker 500 is wired while the Sonos Move is battery powered, but the Sonos Move is waterproof and dust resistant, while the Bose 500 is not. Still, the Bose 500 has a stereo output while the Sonos Move does not, but the Bose 500 has an AUX input while the Sonos Move does not. With that said, if you want a more portable speaker, then you’ll want to read our Philips ShoqBox reviews.
However, if you’re interested in a soundbar instead, have a look at our leading soundbar for the hearing impaired.
The Bose Home Speaker 500 supports Bluetooth connectivity while the Sonos One Gen 2 does not, and it is also capable of a stereo output while the Sonos One Gen 2 is not. However, the Gen 2 has a stereo pair mode while the Bose 500 does not.
Product testers were delighted with how well the Bose Home Speaker 500 could pick up on voice commands even from a distance, and they were also pleased that it could produce a wide soundstage. Expert reviewers from Rtings praised it for its compatibility with both Alexa and Google Assistant and liked that they could make bass and treble adjustments through its Bose Music app. Specialists from Digital Trends liked that the speaker could connect to other devices through WiFi, Bluetooth, or an AUX input. They also liked its room-filling sound (which is great for both movies and music) and that it had a stereo output. It also got pretty loud during their tests.
However, testers agreed it struggled to produce a low, thumpy bass response. This is a problem that the best 12-inch subwoofer can deal with, but if you’d rather have a bass-capable speaker, consider our Denon Home 350 review. Additionally, if you buy your own bass speaker to work with this home speaker system, then you’ll also want the finest subwoofer cables. They also didn’t like that it didn’t have speakerphone functionality, and since it is wired, it is also not very portable. In that case, you’ll want to check out our list of top-rated portable Bluetooth speakers.