Sonos Play:1
Score: 70/100
Bose Home Speaker 500
Score: 80/100Rankings
The Bose Home Speaker 500 provides a premium stationary design with a wide stereo soundstage and low-latency Bluetooth for synchronized playback. Its lack of portability and limited multi-device Bluetooth support constrain usage scenarios. Perfect for users wanting high-quality indoor audio with voice assistants.
The Sonos Play:1 is a compact wireless smart speaker that provides rich, room-filling sound with Trueplay tuning and Sonos multi-room support. Its lack of voice assistant, Bluetooth, and aux input limit flexibility for users seeking more connectivity. Best suited for users building a Sonos system in small to medium spaces who prioritize sound quality over extra features.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
| ↓ lower better | — | 57 msbest |
| ↓ lower better | — | 88 msbest |
18,000 Hzbest | — | |
| ↓ lower better | — | 25 Wbest |
90 mmbest | 63.5 mm | |
| ↓ lower better | 1,850 gbest | 2,110 g |
90 mmbest | — | |
— | 8best |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Connectivity(1) | ||
Wi‑Fi Standard | Wi-Fi | 802.11 b/g/n/ac |
Audio(1) | ||
Driver Size (mm) | 90 mm | 63.5 mm |
Controls(2) | ||
Voice Assistant Support | false | true |
Touch Controls | false | true |
Build & Design(4) | ||
Weight (g) | 1850 g | 2110 g |
Height (mm) | 162 mm | 203 mm |
Width (mm) | 119 mm | 170 mm |
Depth (mm) | 119 mm | 109 mm |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers praise the Play:1 for its surprisingly pure and clean sound, noting its ability to reach around 100 dB SPL across a wide frequency range without distortion. The Trueplay DSP tuning is highlighted as a key differentiator that tailors audio to the room, and its seamless integration into Sonos multi-room and 5.1 home-theater systems is seen as a major strength. However, critics point out the absence of voice control and limited low-frequency output compared to larger speakers.
Everyday users appreciate the speaker's high-volume capability, easy wireless setup, and flexibility to group or ungroup speakers for different playlists. Common praise centers on its compact size delivering room-filling sound. Recurring complaints focus on the lack of an aux input, the need for multiple units in larger spaces, and occasional issues with the flat Ethernet cable.
Professional reviewers commend the Bose Home Speaker 500 for its exceptionally wide stereo soundstage, high maximum SPL, and premium build quality, noting it outperforms smaller Bose models for stationary use. However, they point out audio compression at full volume, the lack of portability due to AC-only power, and the absence of multi-device Bluetooth or wired outputs as notable drawbacks.
Everyday users love the immersive, room-filling sound and the sleek, modern look that fits into their décor, as well as the reliable voice assistants and straightforward app setup. Common complaints focus on the speaker's immobility, occasional bass distortion at high levels, and the missing ability to pair multiple devices or use wired connections.
“handles pretty high volume without issues”
“Easy wireless setup”
