Bose 500 Soundbar has the second most affordable price tag out of the series but has since been discontinued. If you are interested in owning a Bose soundbar, you might want to take a look at the higher-end models. We always find the price point of the Bose 500 Soundbar a little out of place, for listeners who have a tighter budget, you should go for the Bose Smart Soundbar 300. And if you want better performance than an entry-level soundbar model, you might as well go with the Bose Smart Soundbar 700 which only costs a bit more than the Bose 500 Soundbar.
The price point of the Bose 500 Soundbar may not be as attractive as other models but still, it is one of the highest-rated soundbars ever made. It definitely has better sound quality than your TV speakers and if you want even more sonic performance, we highly suggest getting an active subwoofer. These subwoofers will need to be matching and compatible with the Bose 500 Soundbar, and we will be sharing them with you later on.
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Sound Characteristics of Bose 500 Soundbar
It may be one of the more affordably priced models of Bose soundbar series, the aesthetic and feel of the Bose 500 Soundbar do not show it is cheaply made. This stylish soundbar will look great in most modern living rooms. It is also compact enough to be used in bedrooms or small listening rooms. The Bose 500 Soundbar uses a 3.0 channel setup which should outperform most TV speakers and provide a clearer dialogue. But a 3.0 channel soundbar is not sufficient enough to provide an exciting home cinematic experience. This is where a subwoofer comes into play as well as rear surround speakers.
There are plenty of features to boot where you can use them to enjoy listening to your favorite music wirelessly such as Bluetooth connectivity, Apple AirPlay, and more. There is a lack of supported audio formats which can be a bummer for HT enthusiasts who want to enjoy the latest and more immersive surround sound formats. If you are looking for soundbars that support Dolby Atmos and/or DTS:X, you might want to look at other models instead.
More Details at Amazon – Bose Soundbar 500 – Black
We highly suggest using the Bose ADAPTiQ feature before and after the Bose 500 Soundbar has break-in. This will help slightly improve the sonic performance and sound quality of the Bose 500 in any given room. The soundbar placement still plays a bigger role and please ensure no reflective surface directly in front of the Bose 500 Soundbar by placing it nearer to the TV cabinet edge (if possible). This should provide you with a well-balanced overall sound reproduction for both movies and music playbacks. It does a better job in a home theater setting as the music presentations can sound rather dull at times.
The stereo imaging is good for a soundbar but if it is more focused, it would have been even better. The soundstage is wider than expected and has a bit of depth as well. Bose 500 Soundbar is unable to go really loud and cranking up the volume might introduce compression. If you want clearer dialogues, you can turn on the Dialogue Enhancement feature. The overall bass performance of the Bose 500 Soundbar is accurate. Still, it does lack the impact and due to the lightweight bass performance, we don’t get that kind of exciting cinematic experience when watching action movies.
It is a soundbar with a neutral sonic characteristic, even so, the Bose 500 Soundbar is not really ideal for music playbacks. Furthermore, the lack of subsonic bass reproductions does hinder your enjoyment when watching movies. To improve the sonic performance of the Bose 500 Soundbar, integrating a subwoofer will be crucial. If you mainly watch movies, you might want to consider adding Bose surround speakers as this will also help to increase the size of the sound field and give you a more immersive experience than a 3.0 channel setup.
Best Subwoofers to pair with Bose 500 Soundbar
The Bose Bass Module 500 is probably the best subwoofer to pair with the Bose 500 Soundbar not just because they have the number ‘500’ in their names. Bose Bass Module 500 is compact in size, with a dimension of only 10″ x 10″ x 10″ and a wireless feature to boot, these enable the subwoofer to fit nicely in smaller rooms just like the Bose 500 Soundbar. Bose Bass Module 500 also adds more weight and deeper bass frequencies, delivering a more exciting home theater performance which the Bose 500 Soundbar can’t do on its own.
More Information at Amazon – Bose Bass Module 500
If you prefer a more controlled bass response and a clearer low-end delivery, the Bose Acoustimass 300 will be a better option. The Bose Acoustimass 300 has a 10″ driver and can deliver a more convincing deep bass performance without too much exaggeration. The subwoofer’s cleaner bass delivery allows the subsonic low frequencies to not muddle the upper registers and makes it a more ideal sub for music playbacks. For listeners who prefer more excitement, we suggest sticking with Bose Bass Module 500. The Bose Acoustimass 300 seems to be discontinued and so it could be difficult to buy a brand new one.
More Information at Amazon – Bose Acoustimass 300 Wireless Bass Module
The Bose 500 Soundbar is only compatible with subwoofers made by Bose, this is the main reason why the list is so short. Another Bose subwoofer to check out will be the Bose Bass Module 700, it is the most expensive model out of the three and if you have the budget for it, you should certainly have a look. The 2 Bose subwoofers mentioned earlier are more affordably priced and should be considered first. Unless your HT room is rather large, then the Bose Bass Module 700 should be your main consideration.
More Information at Amazon – Bose Bass Module 700 Wireless Subwoofer – Black
Auditioning Subwoofers
Whether to pick the Bose Bass Module 500 or the other two listed models, you might want to hear them out first before making your final decision. We suggest arranging a subwoofer audition in your own home together with your Bose 500 Soundbar as this will provide you with a more accurate test result. Play your favorite music or movies and see which subwoofer delivers the best sonic performance for you when paired with the Bose 500 Soundbar.
