Stream integrated music services like Spotify and Amazon Music or your own digital music library via Bluetooth or WLAN connection. Aesthetically pleasing thanks to the matt top, all-round metal grille and extremely compact design - for a look that is in no way inferior to the sound experience. Future software updates will unlock new features such as voice control and Apple AirPlay 2, if available. In addition, the optional Bose 500 Wireless Bass Module and optional Bose Surround Wireless Speakers can be added at any time for even deeper bass response and room-filling surround sound. Includes a remote control for basic control or upgrade to the optional Bose Soundbar Universal Remote for complete control of your entire entertainment system. The ADAPTiQ audio room calibration ensures a sound reproduction that is specially adapted to your room. HDMI ARC connectivity keeps your system compatible with the latest technologies. There are six preset buttons on the remote, so you can play your favorite music at the touch of a button. Using the intuitive Bose Music App, multiple users can select their individual settings and content. The sound bar is part of a new Bose family of smart speakers and sound bars that are compatible with each other so you can enjoy a multiroom sound experience. Thanks to the optional wall bracket, the sound bar can be elegantly mounted under your TV set.
Stream integrated music services like Spotify and Amazon Music or your own digital music library via Bluetooth or WLAN connection. Aesthetically pleasing thanks to the matt top, all-round metal grille and extremely compact design - for a look that is in no way inferior to the sound experience. Future software updates will unlock new features such as voice control and Apple AirPlay 2, if available. In addition, the optional Bose 500 Wireless Bass Module and optional Bose Surround Wireless Speakers can be added at any time for even deeper bass response and room-filling surround sound. Includes a remote control for basic control or upgrade to the optional Bose Soundbar Universal Remote for complete control of your entire entertainment system. The ADAPTiQ audio room calibration ensures a sound reproduction that is specially adapted to your room. HDMI ARC connectivity keeps your system compatible with the latest technologies. There are six preset buttons on the remote, so you can play your favorite music at the touch of a button. Using the intuitive Bose Music App, multiple users can select their individual settings and content. The sound bar is part of a new Bose family of smart speakers and sound bars that are compatible with each other so you can enjoy a multiroom sound experience. Thanks to the optional wall bracket, the sound bar can be elegantly mounted under your TV set.
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The lowest price for Bose 500 Sound Bar Black right now is $29.84 at eBay.com.au.
The all-time low was $29.84 on 22 July 2026. That's the lowest price we've ever tracked — a great time to buy.
Bose 500 Sound Bar Black
Stream integrated music services like Spotify and Amazon Music or your own digital music library via Bluetooth or WLAN connection. Aesthetically pleasing thanks to the matt top, all-round metal grille and extremely compact design - for a look that is in no way inferior to the sound experience. Future software updates will unlock new features such as voice control and Apple AirPlay 2, if available. In addition, the optional Bose 500 Wireless Bass Module and optional Bose Surround Wireless Speakers can be added at any time for even deeper bass response and room-filling surround sound. Includes a remote control for basic control or upgrade to the optional Bose Soundbar Universal Remote for complete control of your entire entertainment system. The ADAPTiQ audio room calibration ensures a sound reproduction that is specially adapted to your room. HDMI ARC connectivity keeps your system compatible with the latest technologies. There are six preset buttons on the remote, so you can play your favorite music at the touch of a button. Using the intuitive Bose Music App, multiple users can select their individual settings and content. The sound bar is part of a new Bose family of smart speakers and sound bars that are compatible with each other so you can enjoy a multiroom sound experience. Thanks to the optional wall bracket, the sound bar can be elegantly mounted under your TV set.
Stream integrated music services like Spotify and Amazon Music or your own digital music library via Bluetooth or WLAN connection. Aesthetically pleasing thanks to the matt top, all-round metal grille and extremely compact design - for a look that is in no way inferior to the sound experience. Future software updates will unlock new features such as voice control and Apple AirPlay 2, if available. In addition, the optional Bose 500 Wireless Bass Module and optional Bose Surround Wireless Speakers can be added at any time for even deeper bass response and room-filling surround sound. Includes a remote control for basic control or upgrade to the optional Bose Soundbar Universal Remote for complete control of your entire entertainment system. The ADAPTiQ audio room calibration ensures a sound reproduction that is specially adapted to your room. HDMI ARC connectivity keeps your system compatible with the latest technologies. There are six preset buttons on the remote, so you can play your favorite music at the touch of a button. Using the intuitive Bose Music App, multiple users can select their individual settings and content. The sound bar is part of a new Bose family of smart speakers and sound bars that are compatible with each other so you can enjoy a multiroom sound experience. Thanks to the optional wall bracket, the sound bar can be elegantly mounted under your TV set.
Prices last updated 22 July 2026.
Last updated at 22/07/2026 21:20:42
Bose Soundbar 500 Tv Speaker Left Adapter Electronic Accessories
Delivery $26.72
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
originally posted on bose.com
Upon opening the delivery, I was majorly excited about unboxing what I knew was packaged.When you open certain products from certain brands, there’s a sense of suspense almost. The packaging will look professional with it’s design, it will feel like a class above any other product on the market and this just adds to the moment.It was the case with the Bose 500 Soundbar and Bass Module. Even before opening the box, I’d already locked onto the thought that this was going to be an exceptional product and *SPOILER ALERT* - My predictions were not incorrect.Often you can find that soundbars, bass modules and home cinema systems overall can look very plasticy, weird material to cover speakers such as a horrible felt can be used or just plain boring and sticks out ... MoreUpon opening the delivery, I was majorly excited about unboxing what I knew was packaged.When you open certain products from certain brands, there’s a sense of suspense almost. The packaging will look professional with it’s design, it will feel like a class above any other product on the market and this just adds to the moment.It was the case with the Bose 500 Soundbar and Bass Module. Even before opening the box, I’d already locked onto the thought that this was going to be an exceptional product and *SPOILER ALERT* - My predictions were not incorrect.Often you can find that soundbars, bass modules and home cinema systems overall can look very plasticy, weird material to cover speakers such as a horrible felt can be used or just plain boring and sticks out like a sore thumb in your living space.However, when you compare it with Bose’s product, the on trend, sleek professional design of the black matte and striking, white LEDs that have been used with the curved edges of the technology, it’s easy to say that it stands out from the crowd in a good way.Apart from the premium design, the Bose 500 Soundbar and Bass Module boasts of “Alexa” to allow your smart home be easy accessible through talking to this technology.Once I had got passed the set up with a couple of minor niggles with the Bose Music App, I was provoked to put a peculiar nerdy looking device over my head. This device was the “Adaptiq Audio Calibration” which helps optimise the acoustic performance of the product to the bespoke characteristics of your room. Lots of Sci-fi-esque sounds began to play, seeming to be everywhere around my ears but I was assured that this was all in the name of having the best listening experience possible.After set up, it was time to play/test with this new device and show it’s true capabilities.I listened to my music streaming services and the sound that came from this ultra slim and sleek device was truly remarkable to start off with.I then wanted to test the abilities of punching of different sounds when watching a film. Deep wide sound was instantly provided along with clear dialogue when needed.It couldn't be this good though, surely?What about video games? When I have the odd moment, I do like to indulge in playing my Xbox. I’ve found in the past that nothing quite compares to wearing over the ear headphones to perceive true, 3D Surround Sound. Oh how I was wrong! I could hear exactly where certain sounds were originating from and between you and me, I once or twice turned my head around to make sure that it was definitely coming from the Soundbar and not an intruder in my home.Less about the Sounbar for just a moment though! The Bass Module delivers thunderous bass to heighten the listening experience and only add what the Sounbar already delivers. Everything is customisable to your viewing/listening needs and can be altered from the touch of a button.With the module only being 25cm diameter, it can easily be hidden out of view due to the wireless connectivity.The Amazon Alexa feature in my eyes is most certainly a unique selling point. I like to think that I’ve taken my cosy, Victorian house into the 21st Century with it’s smart home additions. To be able to control all these additions with simply speaking to the Bose Soundbar is such an advantage.This is even the case when the music is very loud and you’re unable to hear yourself think, the clear voice pickup manages to do so using it’s Bose magic.I no longer have to lift a finger again, so my life just got a little bit more lazier, my activity tracker will definitely take another hit.Although I haven't tested the Soundbar nor the Bass Module to destruction, I do know that it will last better than my other sound modules have done so in the past. You get a good quality product with Bose. It may be a little more expensive to start with but with cutting out the need to replace not much longer down the line, you’re reducing the false economy that we’ve been sold by many of Bose’s competitors.In my opinion, it’s designed to be compact, slimline and easy on the eye.This is built to last like many other Bose products and as mentioned, you get a sense of this, just opening the box.It doesn’t sit in front of your television, making a statement piece of itself. Rather, it blends into it’s surroundings and will adhere to your audio and smart home needs.The sound quality is superb and already people have asked me if I had the system professionally installed, which should speak a thousand words and reviews for the Adaptiq Audio Calibration. Bose should definitely be proud of this addition.Once again, I have been overwhelmed at the quality of the product and it looks the part in my living space, subtlety providing the service it brillianty delivers.Like mentioned, it’s outdone other audio products I’ve purchased from other retailers/companies, this is undoubtedly my favorite out of all of them.It’s a true necessity in this current time to own a Soundbar and accompanying audio equipment that can carry out the task needed and it’s built to last. With demands for Televisions getting slimmer which leads to speakers being pretty much non-existent within them or so much of a “tinny” sound, they may as well not be there.As a relatively young professional, with needs for audio quality to be excellent and above the rest, I believe it suited both my needs and the appearance of my home. It gives a professional, cinema-like experience to yourself for a consumer budget.
originally posted on bose.com
Having taken delivery of the Bose Soundbar 500 about two weeks ago I am providing my initial impressions of the speaker.As usual with Bose products, on removing the device from its protective packaging its high quality is immediately apparent, as is its weight. The Soundbar is relatively long and slim and sits unobtrusively in front of the TV.The provided instruction manual, basically just one page, does not give encouragement to set up the Soundbar but does actually provide all the information required for installation. Rather than use the provided HDMI cable I used my original optical cable to connect the TV, the only other connection required being to the power supply. The next step is to download the Bose Music App. which is available for both Android and ... MoreHaving taken delivery of the Bose Soundbar 500 about two weeks ago I am providing my initial impressions of the speaker.As usual with Bose products, on removing the device from its protective packaging its high quality is immediately apparent, as is its weight. The Soundbar is relatively long and slim and sits unobtrusively in front of the TV.The provided instruction manual, basically just one page, does not give encouragement to set up the Soundbar but does actually provide all the information required for installation. Rather than use the provided HDMI cable I used my original optical cable to connect the TV, the only other connection required being to the power supply. The next step is to download the Bose Music App. which is available for both Android and Apple devices. This app then takes you through the rest of the installation process. At one point the Soundbar needed an update and everything seemed to stop apart from a light on the bar strobing from side to side. Unsure as to what was happening I looked on line and found a much more detailed manual which told me that the unit was updating. This manual has been consulted for help a number of times since.At one point during the setup you have to wear a headphone type device sitting in five different positions within the room. This device is called ADAPTIQ and is connected to the Soundbar to set up the unique acoustic requirements within the room.To complete the setup the speaker was connected to my Spotify account.At this point the Soundbar 500 was ready to use and first impressions were that the sound reproduction are excellent, just what I have come to expect from Bose products. As it is still early days I have not managed to try out the Soundbar with a full range of film/music/talk types, but what I have tried leads me to the comment at the start of this paragraph.One irritating niggle that I have found is that at least once during every use the sound volume decreases and Alexa makes some comment despite her not being consulted, this happens even when the people in the room are not talking.
originally posted on bose.com
The soundbar 500 is a perfect size if you have a small sized living area and a small TV, mine is only 39”, so this is ideal. I have tried the older 300 soundbar before and it is massive compared to this. That doesn’t mean it loses out volume wise, the 500 can go really, and I mean REALLY loud.Setting the soundbar up was pretty straight forward using the Bose Music app on my Samsung. It found it right away and I had no issues connecting it to my WiFi. I did find the android app pretty useless after that though, it always took at least 3 goes to reconnect it to the app and sometimes it just wouldn’t connect at all. I found I had to use my Ipod touch to connect instead, which then seemed to kick the android app into gear. All in all IOS seems to work seamlessly and ... MoreThe soundbar 500 is a perfect size if you have a small sized living area and a small TV, mine is only 39”, so this is ideal. I have tried the older 300 soundbar before and it is massive compared to this. That doesn’t mean it loses out volume wise, the 500 can go really, and I mean REALLY loud.Setting the soundbar up was pretty straight forward using the Bose Music app on my Samsung. It found it right away and I had no issues connecting it to my WiFi. I did find the android app pretty useless after that though, it always took at least 3 goes to reconnect it to the app and sometimes it just wouldn’t connect at all. I found I had to use my Ipod touch to connect instead, which then seemed to kick the android app into gear. All in all IOS seems to work seamlessly and as usual android is an after thoughtSound wise I have mixed feelings over the soundbar, watching TV is great. The dialogue enhancer really brings out the best of the soundbar. Everything is crystal clear with just a slight harsh tone that I am sure will go once the speakers bed in. I have paired this with the optional subwoofer, which sounds great but I don’t think it’s really needed for my small room as the built in bass is more than capable.Musically the soundbar is very good but I don’t think it’s much of an upgrade to my old 3:2:1 system with the soundtouch wireless link adapter attached. Acoustically it’s a very pleasant sound that fills the whole room and is especially good when listening to classical music.The biggest let down is the lack of services it uses. While usual services like Amazon are available it does not connect to my music library on my laptop like Soundtouch does and I find this very disappointing. I know Airplay 2 will be available next year with the ability to connect to your itunes library but what about users that don’t use apple? No NAS connectivity either which is very poor as it the fact you can’t multiroom with any Soundtouch devices. Why bring out new speakers that make your other Bose speakers redundant?Another excellent feature is Alexa, the soundbar seems to pick up your voice with ease no matter where you are in the room and only fails if the music if very, very loud. It integrates very well and is so much better than the tinny little Alexa speakers available. All in all this is a very nice soundbar for small rooms but I don’t think it’s an upgrade over the old Soundtouch speakers
Bose Soundbar 500 Tv Speaker Left Adapter Electronic Accessories
Delivery $26.72
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Upon opening the delivery, I was majorly excited about unboxing what I knew was packaged.When you open certain products from certain brands, there’s a sense of suspense almost. The packaging will look professional with it’s design, it will feel like a class above any other product on the market and this just adds to the moment.It was the case with the Bose 500 Soundbar and Bass Module. Even before opening the box, I’d already locked onto the thought that this was going to be an exceptional product and *SPOILER ALERT* - My predictions were not incorrect.Often you can find that soundbars, bass modules and home cinema systems overall can look very plasticy, weird material to cover speakers such as a horrible felt can be used or just plain boring and sticks out ... MoreUpon opening the delivery, I was majorly excited about unboxing what I knew was packaged.When you open certain products from certain brands, there’s a sense of suspense almost. The packaging will look professional with it’s design, it will feel like a class above any other product on the market and this just adds to the moment.It was the case with the Bose 500 Soundbar and Bass Module. Even before opening the box, I’d already locked onto the thought that this was going to be an exceptional product and *SPOILER ALERT* - My predictions were not incorrect.Often you can find that soundbars, bass modules and home cinema systems overall can look very plasticy, weird material to cover speakers such as a horrible felt can be used or just plain boring and sticks out like a sore thumb in your living space.However, when you compare it with Bose’s product, the on trend, sleek professional design of the black matte and striking, white LEDs that have been used with the curved edges of the technology, it’s easy to say that it stands out from the crowd in a good way.Apart from the premium design, the Bose 500 Soundbar and Bass Module boasts of “Alexa” to allow your smart home be easy accessible through talking to this technology.Once I had got passed the set up with a couple of minor niggles with the Bose Music App, I was provoked to put a peculiar nerdy looking device over my head. This device was the “Adaptiq Audio Calibration” which helps optimise the acoustic performance of the product to the bespoke characteristics of your room. Lots of Sci-fi-esque sounds began to play, seeming to be everywhere around my ears but I was assured that this was all in the name of having the best listening experience possible.After set up, it was time to play/test with this new device and show it’s true capabilities.I listened to my music streaming services and the sound that came from this ultra slim and sleek device was truly remarkable to start off with.I then wanted to test the abilities of punching of different sounds when watching a film. Deep wide sound was instantly provided along with clear dialogue when needed.It couldn't be this good though, surely?What about video games? When I have the odd moment, I do like to indulge in playing my Xbox. I’ve found in the past that nothing quite compares to wearing over the ear headphones to perceive true, 3D Surround Sound. Oh how I was wrong! I could hear exactly where certain sounds were originating from and between you and me, I once or twice turned my head around to make sure that it was definitely coming from the Soundbar and not an intruder in my home.Less about the Sounbar for just a moment though! The Bass Module delivers thunderous bass to heighten the listening experience and only add what the Sounbar already delivers. Everything is customisable to your viewing/listening needs and can be altered from the touch of a button.With the module only being 25cm diameter, it can easily be hidden out of view due to the wireless connectivity.The Amazon Alexa feature in my eyes is most certainly a unique selling point. I like to think that I’ve taken my cosy, Victorian house into the 21st Century with it’s smart home additions. To be able to control all these additions with simply speaking to the Bose Soundbar is such an advantage.This is even the case when the music is very loud and you’re unable to hear yourself think, the clear voice pickup manages to do so using it’s Bose magic.I no longer have to lift a finger again, so my life just got a little bit more lazier, my activity tracker will definitely take another hit.Although I haven't tested the Soundbar nor the Bass Module to destruction, I do know that it will last better than my other sound modules have done so in the past. You get a good quality product with Bose. It may be a little more expensive to start with but with cutting out the need to replace not much longer down the line, you’re reducing the false economy that we’ve been sold by many of Bose’s competitors.In my opinion, it’s designed to be compact, slimline and easy on the eye.This is built to last like many other Bose products and as mentioned, you get a sense of this, just opening the box.It doesn’t sit in front of your television, making a statement piece of itself. Rather, it blends into it’s surroundings and will adhere to your audio and smart home needs.The sound quality is superb and already people have asked me if I had the system professionally installed, which should speak a thousand words and reviews for the Adaptiq Audio Calibration. Bose should definitely be proud of this addition.Once again, I have been overwhelmed at the quality of the product and it looks the part in my living space, subtlety providing the service it brillianty delivers.Like mentioned, it’s outdone other audio products I’ve purchased from other retailers/companies, this is undoubtedly my favorite out of all of them.It’s a true necessity in this current time to own a Soundbar and accompanying audio equipment that can carry out the task needed and it’s built to last. With demands for Televisions getting slimmer which leads to speakers being pretty much non-existent within them or so much of a “tinny” sound, they may as well not be there.As a relatively young professional, with needs for audio quality to be excellent and above the rest, I believe it suited both my needs and the appearance of my home. It gives a professional, cinema-like experience to yourself for a consumer budget.
Having taken delivery of the Bose Soundbar 500 about two weeks ago I am providing my initial impressions of the speaker.As usual with Bose products, on removing the device from its protective packaging its high quality is immediately apparent, as is its weight. The Soundbar is relatively long and slim and sits unobtrusively in front of the TV.The provided instruction manual, basically just one page, does not give encouragement to set up the Soundbar but does actually provide all the information required for installation. Rather than use the provided HDMI cable I used my original optical cable to connect the TV, the only other connection required being to the power supply. The next step is to download the Bose Music App. which is available for both Android and ... MoreHaving taken delivery of the Bose Soundbar 500 about two weeks ago I am providing my initial impressions of the speaker.As usual with Bose products, on removing the device from its protective packaging its high quality is immediately apparent, as is its weight. The Soundbar is relatively long and slim and sits unobtrusively in front of the TV.The provided instruction manual, basically just one page, does not give encouragement to set up the Soundbar but does actually provide all the information required for installation. Rather than use the provided HDMI cable I used my original optical cable to connect the TV, the only other connection required being to the power supply. The next step is to download the Bose Music App. which is available for both Android and Apple devices. This app then takes you through the rest of the installation process. At one point the Soundbar needed an update and everything seemed to stop apart from a light on the bar strobing from side to side. Unsure as to what was happening I looked on line and found a much more detailed manual which told me that the unit was updating. This manual has been consulted for help a number of times since.At one point during the setup you have to wear a headphone type device sitting in five different positions within the room. This device is called ADAPTIQ and is connected to the Soundbar to set up the unique acoustic requirements within the room.To complete the setup the speaker was connected to my Spotify account.At this point the Soundbar 500 was ready to use and first impressions were that the sound reproduction are excellent, just what I have come to expect from Bose products. As it is still early days I have not managed to try out the Soundbar with a full range of film/music/talk types, but what I have tried leads me to the comment at the start of this paragraph.One irritating niggle that I have found is that at least once during every use the sound volume decreases and Alexa makes some comment despite her not being consulted, this happens even when the people in the room are not talking.
The soundbar 500 is a perfect size if you have a small sized living area and a small TV, mine is only 39”, so this is ideal. I have tried the older 300 soundbar before and it is massive compared to this. That doesn’t mean it loses out volume wise, the 500 can go really, and I mean REALLY loud.Setting the soundbar up was pretty straight forward using the Bose Music app on my Samsung. It found it right away and I had no issues connecting it to my WiFi. I did find the android app pretty useless after that though, it always took at least 3 goes to reconnect it to the app and sometimes it just wouldn’t connect at all. I found I had to use my Ipod touch to connect instead, which then seemed to kick the android app into gear. All in all IOS seems to work seamlessly and ... MoreThe soundbar 500 is a perfect size if you have a small sized living area and a small TV, mine is only 39”, so this is ideal. I have tried the older 300 soundbar before and it is massive compared to this. That doesn’t mean it loses out volume wise, the 500 can go really, and I mean REALLY loud.Setting the soundbar up was pretty straight forward using the Bose Music app on my Samsung. It found it right away and I had no issues connecting it to my WiFi. I did find the android app pretty useless after that though, it always took at least 3 goes to reconnect it to the app and sometimes it just wouldn’t connect at all. I found I had to use my Ipod touch to connect instead, which then seemed to kick the android app into gear. All in all IOS seems to work seamlessly and as usual android is an after thoughtSound wise I have mixed feelings over the soundbar, watching TV is great. The dialogue enhancer really brings out the best of the soundbar. Everything is crystal clear with just a slight harsh tone that I am sure will go once the speakers bed in. I have paired this with the optional subwoofer, which sounds great but I don’t think it’s really needed for my small room as the built in bass is more than capable.Musically the soundbar is very good but I don’t think it’s much of an upgrade to my old 3:2:1 system with the soundtouch wireless link adapter attached. Acoustically it’s a very pleasant sound that fills the whole room and is especially good when listening to classical music.The biggest let down is the lack of services it uses. While usual services like Amazon are available it does not connect to my music library on my laptop like Soundtouch does and I find this very disappointing. I know Airplay 2 will be available next year with the ability to connect to your itunes library but what about users that don’t use apple? No NAS connectivity either which is very poor as it the fact you can’t multiroom with any Soundtouch devices. Why bring out new speakers that make your other Bose speakers redundant?Another excellent feature is Alexa, the soundbar seems to pick up your voice with ease no matter where you are in the room and only fails if the music if very, very loud. It integrates very well and is so much better than the tinny little Alexa speakers available. All in all this is a very nice soundbar for small rooms but I don’t think it’s an upgrade over the old Soundtouch speakers
I loved this for the first 24months. Then one day it decided to stop playing sound for more than ½ second. I couldn't reset and nothing did would make it work. After an hour with robot support I was told I'd need to send it in for repairs with a $152 + tax price tag. So >25% of the original purchase price after 24 months. Cannot recommend such a product, it'll drain you dry in the long run if you have to pay $100/yr to have it fixed (oh and don't forget you won't have the product for several weeks).
Over the years I have purchased a variety of Bose Products and was a huge fan until I purchased the 500 Soundbar. I bought it because of the potential via Bluetooth to connect everything from my TV to iPhone, to a wireless turntable. It worked great for about 2 months and then randomly generated feedback as loud as an air raid siren. I sent it to Bose twice for repairs and it was never fixed. I wasted a huge amount of money on this soundbar which has changed me from a huge Bose fan into a total skeptic. If you purchase something like this from Best Buy, pay for the extra protection. Best Buy will just replace the faulty equipment, Bose will not.
It sounds good, looks nice, simple to use. Music on lower volumes is good, but would be better with the sub, which I intend to eventually buy. At higher volumes, music sounds great, but don’t expect your house foundations to crumble. Remember this is primarily designed for tv and movies, not doof doof. For watching dramas on Netflix etc at lower volumes, the dialogue can at times be slightly drowned by background music, though you can turn on the dialogue enhancer in the app which works well - bear in mind that most of my Netflix binges lately have been dramas, dialogue heavy and not much else, and at lower volumes because of watching late at night. But at one point, a gun was fired on a tv show and in that moment, the soundbar really didn’t hesitate to remind me ... MoreIt sounds good, looks nice, simple to use. Music on lower volumes is good, but would be better with the sub, which I intend to eventually buy. At higher volumes, music sounds great, but don’t expect your house foundations to crumble. Remember this is primarily designed for tv and movies, not doof doof. For watching dramas on Netflix etc at lower volumes, the dialogue can at times be slightly drowned by background music, though you can turn on the dialogue enhancer in the app which works well - bear in mind that most of my Netflix binges lately have been dramas, dialogue heavy and not much else, and at lower volumes because of watching late at night. But at one point, a gun was fired on a tv show and in that moment, the soundbar really didn’t hesitate to remind me that it wears the pants in my house. It wasn’t just loud, it was a very precise reproduction of a gun being fired, clean, powerful, balanced, effortless and distortion-free. In general it’s the kind of soundbar that really shines at medium to high volume. It’s not incredibly powerful (no soundbar is), but for a soundbar, the loudness is impressive, and particularly the clarity and lack of distortion at these higher volumes. I have no doubt that if the source audio was better (like from a Blu-Ray as opposed to a Netflix drama), the soundbar would take advantage of it. 4/5 stars because no one in Australia uses Alexa. Another downside is lack of sufficient documentation - I have no idea how to actually control the soundbar using voice, but eventually I’ll google it or try to set up Alexa in the Bose app. As for the app, it works well (iPhone X) it’s not buggy, it’s modern, it just works. You can control pretty much everything on the soundbar from the app. You will of course be told by audio enthusiasts that spending this much on a sound bar (and more on the subwoofa) is a dumb idea and that your money is better spent on a full blown amp and surround setup with 2 subs and 15 speakers, but it’s 2019 and no one does that anymore. I don’t own my own house (I can’t afford to satisfy my love for high tech products AND buy a house), so moving house/apartment periodically is so much easier when it’s just a bar and woofa.All things said, if you want to spend this much on a soundbar, this is an unregrettable choice, imo.
I always perceived Bose products as high quality with great sound. The Bose Soundbar 500 continues to validate my perception of Bose Products. Let's start out with design. This soundbar has a slick and sleek design measuring 4" depth, 1.75" height 31.5" width. Sits perfectly on a mantel. The look and feel to this Bose Soundbar shouts quality, and that's before turning this thing on. Setup is a breeze. Plug in the power adapter, HDMI cable from your source device and follow the easy instructions on the Bose app to get set up to your Wi-Fi network as well as optimizing your sound settings using the Adaptiq headset. Essentially you put on a headset looking audio sensor and chose 5 locations you would likely be viewing your home theater or listing to music and the ... MoreI always perceived Bose products as high quality with great sound. The Bose Soundbar 500 continues to validate my perception of Bose Products. Let's start out with design. This soundbar has a slick and sleek design measuring 4" depth, 1.75" height 31.5" width. Sits perfectly on a mantel. The look and feel to this Bose Soundbar shouts quality, and that's before turning this thing on. Setup is a breeze. Plug in the power adapter, HDMI cable from your source device and follow the easy instructions on the Bose app to get set up to your Wi-Fi network as well as optimizing your sound settings using the Adaptiq headset. Essentially you put on a headset looking audio sensor and chose 5 locations you would likely be viewing your home theater or listing to music and the feedback helps configure the optimal settings. As for sound quality, this thing bumps. It certainly amplifies your home theater experience. The soundbar alone will definitely improve the sound quality of your movie or tv experience and has decent bass for a smaller room or those who don't need their floors shaking when a big scene occurs. Pair this soundbar with a Subwoofer to amplify the sounds even more if you want to feel the action. I will honestly say, that as great of the sound this soundbar outputs, it is not to be compared to the sound quality you would get from a 5.1, 7.1 or greater surround sound system. But not all TV arrangements allow for such set up, so when that is the case, a soundbar is a must and this one looks and sounds great. To one up against some other soundbars available, on top of having bluetooth capabilities, the Bose Soundbar 500 has Amazon Alexa built right in. You can voice control the soundbar and connected devices. Similar to any other Amazon Alexa Echo products, you can interact directly with the soundbar to play music. This soundbar seconds as a music device and home automation control. For any Amazon Alexa fans, this is the soundbar to get.
My husband had been complaining of having to change our TV's volume when watching TV. He is one who hate Ads and when they come, he changes channels frequently. Most of the time he spends a lot of time using the volume control (or muting it) to control the volume of the shows that he finds. He is a little hard of hearing and most often he asks me what the dialogue was all about because the background noise (music) is louder than the dialogue. That's when I went online and did my research and found the Bose Soundbar 500 and read the reviews. I found it an ideal solution to our ongoing problem. Five days after ordering our new Bose Soundbar 500, I installed it using my cellphone and internet connection (which will affect how slow or fast the installation would be), ... MoreMy husband had been complaining of having to change our TV's volume when watching TV. He is one who hate Ads and when they come, he changes channels frequently. Most of the time he spends a lot of time using the volume control (or muting it) to control the volume of the shows that he finds. He is a little hard of hearing and most often he asks me what the dialogue was all about because the background noise (music) is louder than the dialogue. That's when I went online and did my research and found the Bose Soundbar 500 and read the reviews. I found it an ideal solution to our ongoing problem. Five days after ordering our new Bose Soundbar 500, I installed it using my cellphone and internet connection (which will affect how slow or fast the installation would be), following all the instructions and later that night, we both enjoyed watching a movie and never once did my husband have to touch the remote (that came with our new Bose product) to change the volume. I found the dialogue mode (on the app using my phone) and turned it on after a week of testing and we continued to appreciate the performance of the product. My only question to the manufacturer was how come when I looked at my online account which automatically added the new Bose Soundbar 500 purchase, under the Warranty column, it says "No Longer in Warranty" when I just purchased this item in May 31, 2020? That is just puzzling to me, and I hope I get a good explanation why that is so.
When my old HDTV suddenly died, it also killed every device that was connected to its HDMI ports -- including my Sony STR-DH590 receiver. So, when I replaced my HDTV with a new TCL 49 inch 4K UHD TV, I thought about reducing my home theater clutter by replacing my 5.1 surround receiver setup with a new soundbar.This review is based on the Bose 500 Soundbar paired with the optional wireless Bose Bass Module 500 Subwoofer. This is my first soundbar and I was a little skeptical about it being able to match the sound produced by a true 5.1 system. For me, the 3 most important things for a home theater sound system are:1. Vocal Clarity2. The low rumble and thumping bass associated with Movie Theater like ambiance3. Surround Sound effects that envelop youThe ... MoreWhen my old HDTV suddenly died, it also killed every device that was connected to its HDMI ports -- including my Sony STR-DH590 receiver. So, when I replaced my HDTV with a new TCL 49 inch 4K UHD TV, I thought about reducing my home theater clutter by replacing my 5.1 surround receiver setup with a new soundbar.This review is based on the Bose 500 Soundbar paired with the optional wireless Bose Bass Module 500 Subwoofer. This is my first soundbar and I was a little skeptical about it being able to match the sound produced by a true 5.1 system. For me, the 3 most important things for a home theater sound system are:1. Vocal Clarity2. The low rumble and thumping bass associated with Movie Theater like ambiance3. Surround Sound effects that envelop youThe soundbar has a low profile (only 1.75 inches tall) and was compact (31.5 inches wide) so it easily fit underneath my TV’s built-in stand. It did slightly obstruct the IR sensor on my TV so I now have to point at it at a higher angle for the TV to respond to my remote.I noticed that the soundbar has an IR connector in the back but I don’t know what it’s used for. I was hoping that it is some sort of IR repeater so it can pass along IR signals to any components that are blocked behind the soundbar but the IR cable (from some other equipment that I had) that I tried did not seem to work for this purpose. Maybe it needs a different type of IR cable for this to work.Setup was very easy. I connected the soundbar to my TV’s HDMI ARC port and plugged in the power adapter. I then installed the Bose Music app on my tablet and followed the instructions to setup and calibrate the soundbar using the included ADAPTiQ headphone.I first tested the soundbar without the bass module. The first thing I noticed was the extreme clarity of vocals. I can easily hear and understand the dialog from TV shows and movies. So, the soundbar by itself satisfies my first requirement for a home theater sound system.By itself, I thought the soundbar had decent bass but it didn’t give off that “movie theater” experience that I like. I then proceeded to set up the subwoofer. To do this, I plugged the subwoofer to an AC outlet and used the Bose Music App to add it to the soundbar. It detected the Bass Module 500 Subwoofer and I was able to easily paired it with the soundbar. I like that it is wireless so we can place the subwoofer at any convenient place.After pairing, the app reported that I had a Bass Module 700 instead of the Bass Module 500. That’s weird. I tried to redo everything by removing all accessory speakers and attempted to add the Bass Module 500 again but the same thing happened. The app keeps reporting that I have a Bass Module 700 after pairing. It probably doesn’t make much difference but I was worried that it might not calibrate the system correctly if it thought I had the more powerful 700 instead of the 500 paired to the soundbar.Anyway, after adding the subwoofer, I recalibrated the system again and now I hear movie theater-like bass being pumped out! It feels like I’m watching movies in a movie theater. The subwoofer made a huge difference for me. At loud settings it has enough oomph to annoy neighbors but at normal settings it offers deep and smooth bass that is not overpowering.The combination provides crystal clear sound with exceptional vocal clarity and the low rumble and thumping bass of watching movies in a theater but I did not get a good surround sound effect. With my prior discrete 5.1 system, I would hear sound coming from all around me but I did not experience this with the soundbar.As a smart assistant, the Bose Soundbar 500 gets my highest rating. It’s voice recognition and detection is fantastic as I would expect from a company with years of experience in sound research. From my limited experience, it has the best voice recognition of all the smart speakers (both Alexa and Google Home Assistant) that I own. It’s so sensitive that it usually responds to my commands even when I am physically closer and speaking to another smart speaker in an adjacent room.I did notice a quirk where the volume level which Alexa responds with can fluctuate a bit where it sometimes responds at a higher volume than it did earlier. Using Alexa to listen to my music and podcasts is really satisfying on the Bose Soundbar 500.Music generally sounds great although I think the bass produced is better suited for movies than some genres of music. It has a kind of boomy quality instead of being tight. The bass also seems more noticeable when playing music compared to watching movies.Overall the Bose Soundbar 500 and Bose Bass Module 500 is a great home theater sound system for those who do not have the space for a true 5.1 surround sound setup. It is able to produce crystal clear audio with exceptional voice clarity along with the muscle to produce room thumping bass and the low rumble ambiance of a movie theater.The only weakness is that I did not experience good surround sound effects with this setup. The ability to produce good surround sound effects from a Bose soundbar might depend on the room layout because Bose speakers use sound reflection off walls to enhance the experience. I think with a smaller living room or different layout there might be a more noticeable surround effect.I like the sound quality, simplicity, compactness, and convenience of the Bose Soundbar 500 so much that I will probably go out and add their Surround Speakers to try and rectify the lack of surround sound effects.
