Bose Home Speaker 500 Speaker Review

The Bose Home Speaker 500 and the Apple HomePod (2nd generation) are both wired smart speakers designed for home use. Only the Bose supports Bluetooth audio playback, and its bass and treble adjustments make it more customizable than the Apple. However, its low-bass isn't as extended as the Apple's, so you don't hear as much rumble in bass-heavy music. The Apple speaker is well-suited to users who already own products in their ecosystem.

The Bose Home Speaker 500 is a better speaker for most uses than the Denon Home 350. The Bose has better controls, a more immersive soundstage and it has outstanding built-in Alexa and Google Assistant support. It also has lower iOS and Android latency via Bluetooth. However, the Denon can get louder and you can connect two units to create a stereo pair. It can also reproduce more low-bass, which some users may prefer.

Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Bose Home Speaker 500 or the Harman/Kardon Aura Studio 3 overall. The Bose supports Wi-Fi connectivity and offers incredible voice assistant support with Alexa and Google Assistant built-in, who do an excellent job of hearing you from far away and in noisier settings. It's also compatible with the Bose Music app, which features bass and treble adjustments you can use to tweak its sound profile. That said, the Harman/Kardon has a slightly better-balanced sound profile out-of-the-box and has less compression present at max volume. Some users may also prefer its unique dome-shaped design with sot pulsing lights.

The Sonos Move is a slightly better speaker than the Bose Home Speaker 500 overall. The Sonos has a better-balanced sound profile that can produce a more extended low-bass than that of the Bose. It's also battery-powered, making it easier to take outdoors with you. Additionally, it's better built with an IP56 rating for dust and water resistance. That said, the Bose offers a wider-sounding soundstage thanks to its 360-degree design and can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono which is more immersive. 

The Bose Home Speaker 500 is better than the Sonos One Gen 2/One SL. The Bose has a better soundstage performance and gets louder with less compression at max volume. It also supports Bluetooth, and its voice assistant performs better in noisy environments. However, the Sonos comes with the Trueplay tuning feature and can also be paired with a Sonos soundbar.

The Bose Smart Speaker 500 and the JBL Authentics are wired home speakers with different strengths. They're both similarly well-built and have great, intuitive control schemes. However, the JBL has a more balanced default sound and can get louder with less compression artefacts present at max volume. That said, the Bose has a better voice assistant performance and can pick up commands even in noisy environments. It also has better directivity, so audio sounds consistent from different listening angles. 

Depending on your preferences, you may opt for either the Bose Home Speaker 500 or the Marshall Woburn III. The Bose is a bit smaller and doesn't reproduce quite as much low-bass. It doesn't get as loud as the Marshall, either. If you want to connect your speaker with your TV, the Marshall speaker's HDMI ARC input may make it a better choice for you, too. However, only the Bose supports Wi-Fi connectivity and built-in voice assistants.

The JBL Authentics 200 and the Bose Home Speaker 500 are both premium home speakers with built-in voice assistant support. The JBL has a retro design that some users may prefer, and it also gets louder with less compression at max volume. The Bose has a better soundstage performance thanks to its 360-degree design, bringing a touch more bass.

The Ultimate Ears HYPERBOOM is a better speaker than the Bose Home Speaker 500 overall, though they have different strengths,  The Ultimate Ears offers a better-balanced sound profile, and can get louder with less compression at max volume, so your audio sounds cleaner at louder volumes. It's battery-powered and comes with a built-in carrying handle, making it more portable. Its sound profile is also more customizable thanks to the graphic EQ and presets in its companion app. That said, the Bose is a wired home speaker that offers outstanding voice assistant support with Alexa and Google Assistant built-in. It also has better directivity, resulting in a wider-sounding soundstage.

The Bose Home Speaker 500 is a better speaker than the Bose Home Speaker 300. The 500 is better-built, and it supports stereo content. Its LED screen displays the time and information about the track you're listening to. Also, it gets louder, though both speakers have some compression when you play them at max volume. However, some users may prefer the 300's slightly smaller size.

The Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin 2021 is a better speaker for music than the Bose Home Speaker 500 overall. The Bowers & Wilkins can get louder with less compression at max volume, so audio quality doesn't degrade as much as you bump up the volume. Its sound profile is also slightly more balanced. However, the Bose offers a wider and more open-sounding soundstage. It's smaller and takes up less space than the Bowers & Wilkins. While both speakers have Alexa built-in, the Bose also comes with Google Assistant built-in.

The Bose Home Speaker 500 is a better speaker than the Bose Portable Smart Speaker overall, though they have different strengths. The Home Speaker 500 can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono. It can get louder with less compression present at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio at louder volumes. That said, the Smart Speaker is battery-powered, and much more portable than the Home Speaker 500. It also offers a slightly better-balanced sound profile out-of-the-box.

The Bose Home Speaker 500 is a slightly better speaker than the Sony SRS-RA5000. The Bose offers outstanding voice assistant support, with Alexa and Google Assistant built-in. It also has a slightly wider-sounding soundstage and can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono. That said, the RA5000 supports Sony's 360 Reality Audio surround format and has an 'Immersive Audio Enhancement' feature you can use to create a virtual soundstage, though we don't test these features. Its companion app also features a graphic EQ and presets you can use to tweak its sound to your liking.

The Bose Home Speaker 500 is a better speaker than the Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II, though they have different strengths. The Home Speaker can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono. It can get louder than the Revolve+ II with less compression present at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio during louder listening sessions. It also offers incredible voice assistant support with Alexa and Google Assistant built-in, and it can understand your commands from far and in noisy environments. Its companion app even features bass and treble adjustments to tweak its sound. The Revolve+ II is battery-powered and has a built-in carrying handle, making it more portable.

The Bose SoundLink Home and the Bose Home Speaker 500 are both, you've guessed it, home-focused Bluetooth speakers from Bose. But there are some important differences. The Speaker 500 doesn't have a battery, so you have to plug it in to work. It's also a lot larger than the Home, so it gets noticeably louder and puts out a bit more mid-bass punch. On the other hand, the Home is battery-powered and portable but a bit quieter. Each speaker also takes a slightly different approach to voice assistants. The Speaker 500 has built-in support for Alexa and Google Assistant but won't work with your phone's voice assistant. The Home is the exact opposite.

Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Bose Home Speaker 500 or the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2. The Bose is a stereo speaker that can produce a more extended low-bass and get louder with less compression at max volume. It offers outstanding voice assistant support with both Alexa and Google Assistant built-in. However, the Bang & Olufsen is a battery-powered portable speaker with EQ presets and a 'Beosonic' sound customization feature to tweak its sound. It also comes with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, so you don't have to worry about it getting a bit wet or dusty while outdoors. That said, while it comes with Alexa built-in, it uses the Wi-Fi connection from your smartphone to work.

The Bose Home Speaker 500 is a better speaker than the Klipsch The Three II overall. The Bose has better directivity, resulting in a wider-sounding soundstage. It offers outstanding voice assistant support with Alexa and Google Assistant built-in and can understand your commands from far and in noisy environments. It also has a better-balanced sound profile and comes with bass and treble adjustments to customize its sound to your liking. That said, the Klipsch can get louder than the Bose.

The Bang & Olufsen Beolit 20 and the Bose Home Speaker 500 have different strengths. If you're looking for a voice-enabled home speaker, the Bose Home Speaker is a better choice. It offers fantastic voice assistant support with Alexa and Google Assistant built-in. It also has better directivity, resulting in a more spacious and open-sounding soundstage. If portability and bass reproduction are more important to you, the Bang & Olufsen is battery-powered with a removable carrying strap to help you carry it. Its sound profile is better balanced, with its 'Optimal' preset enabled, and can produce a more extended low-bass.

The Bose Home Speaker 500 is a better speaker than the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore overall, though they have different strengths. The Bose offers fantastic voice assistant support with Alexa and Google Assistant built-in and does an excellent job understanding your commands from far and in noisier settings. It can get louder and can produce a more extended low-bass. However, the Bang & Olufsen is better-built, battery-powered, and is smaller and lighter than the Bose, making it better suited to carry along with you when you're on the move.

The Bose Home Speaker 500 is a better speaker than the Google Home Max. The Bose is better-built and it has a better soundstage performance. Also, its voice assistant does a better job understanding you when you're in a noisy environment. However, the Google has a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box.

The Bose Home Speaker 500 is a better speaker than the Apple HomePod mini overall. The Bose is a stereo Bluetooth speaker that can get louder and produce a more extended low-bass than the Apple. It also offers outstanding voice assistant support with Alexa and Google Assistant built-in and has no trouble understanding your commands. However, Apple comes with built-in Siri, which some Apple users may prefer. It also has better directivity, resulting in a more open-sounding soundstage.

The Bose Home Speaker 500 is a better speaker than the IKEA SYMFONISK Speaker lamp. The Bose offers fantastic voice assistant support with Alexa and Google Assistant built-in. It can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono, which is more immersive. It has better directivity resulting in a more open-sounding soundstage, and it can get louder with less compression present at max volume. It's also Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-compatible. However, the IKEA is has a dual function as a Wi-Fi speaker and a lamp and is designed to blend in with your home decor. It can also produce a more extended low-bass than the Bose.

The Bose Home Speaker 500 is a slightly better speaker than the Yamaha MusicCast 50. The Bose offers a wider and more natural-sounding soundstage, so your audio sounds clean from most angles. It also has Google Assistant and Alexa built-in and does an excellent job of understanding your commands from far and in noisier environments. However, the Yahama has can get louder than the Bose, with less compression at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio during louder listening sessions. It's also more customizable thanks to the graphic EQ and presets featured in its companion app.

The Bose Home Speaker 500 is better than the Sonos Roam/Roam SL, though they're designed for different uses. The Bose is a stereo speaker designed for use at home and needs to remain plugged into a power source to work. It has a more spacious sounding soundstage and can produce a more extended low bass than the Sonos. It can also get louder with less compression at max volume. The Sonos is smaller, battery-powered, and designed to be taken with you when you're out and about. It's better built, with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, so you don't have to worry about it getting a bit wet or dusty while outdoors.

The Bose Home Speaker 500 and the Sony SRS-RA3000 are similar speakers with different strengths. While the Bose has outstanding voice assistant performance, and a better selection of controls, the Sony has a remarkable soundstage that can be perceived as spacious and open. Its companion app also features a graphic EQ and presets you can use to customize its sound to your liking.

The Apple HomePod (1st generation) and the Bose Home Speaker 500 are very similarly-performing speakers, so depending on your listening habits, you may prefer one over the other. The Apple has a better soundstage performance and a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box. However, it's been discontinued by the manufacturer and may be harder to find in new condition. The Bose offers bass and treble adjustment features to tweak its sound to your liking. It also supports Bluetooth, while the Apple speaker only supports Wi-Fi.