Bose Soundbar 500 vs Polk Audio Command Bar

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Votes 1 1
Rating 5 5

Soundbar 500 vs Command Bar comparison chart

Overall
Bose Soundbar 500
7.4
Polk Audio Command Bar
6.6
8
10
Multichannel surround
4
5

Bose Soundbar 500 vs Polk Audio Command Bar review

Bose Soundbar 500
vs
Polk Audio Command Bar

Let's take a look at the comparison between Bose Soundbar 500 and Polk Audio Command Bar. It will become clear that among these two devices, the Soundbar 500 is more suitable for the role of a home soundbar. According to the results of our comparison, Soundbar 500 received 7.4 points out of 10 possible, and Command Bar was rated 6.6 points.

Advantages Bose Soundbar 500 over Polk Audio Command Bar

  • Available the Amazon Music service
  • Supports object-oriented sound with Dolby Atmos technology
  • Wireless connection via Wi-Fi
  • App for remote control

Advantages Polk Audio Command Bar over Bose Soundbar 500

  • Separate subwoofer provided
  • Available the Apple Music service
  • Possible to create a multi-room system

Audio features

Each of the compared models received 6 points for the audio features.

Soundbar 500
6
Command Bar
6

It worth understanding the difference between the two types of amplification: a passive soundbar does not have its own amplifier and receives amplification from the signal source, while an active soundbar has a built-in amplifier. The same active type of amplification is used in the Soundbar 500 and the Command Bar.

There are stereo soundbars and multichannel ones. It is with the help of multichannel devices that you can get volumetric sound. It is worth noting one of the main differences, the Soundbar 500 has 3.0 channels, while the Command Bar has 2.1 channels.

Soundbar 500 Command Bar
Built-in channels3.02.1
Amplification typeactiveactive
Output power, WN/A160 (overall)
Separate speaker (in package)00
Separate speaker connectionswirelesshas not

Subwoofers

Soundbars can have a built-in or external subwoofer. The first type is inseparable from the soundbar body, but for the second, you can choose a good location for deep bass. The Command Bar comes with an external subwoofer. Competitors support wireless connection to a separate external subwoofer.

Soundbar 500 Command Bar
Built-in subwoofer
Separate subwoofer (in package)
Separate subwoofer connectionswirelesswireless

Multichannel surround

Unlike stereo, when reproducing multichannel sound, each specific direction of sound corresponds to its dedicated channel with a separate independent loudspeaker, which creates a three-dimensional sound stage. The Soundbar 500 received rating 4 out of 10 for multichannel audio processing, but the Command Bar, in the same category, earned 5 out of 10 points.

Soundbar 500
4
Command Bar
5

The peculiarity of Dolby Atmos is that this format is object-oriented, that is, each object of the audio signal is sounded separately and linked to its spatial location. Dolby Atmos surround sound support is implemented only in Bose Soundbar 500.

DTS:X is an algorithm for processing sound scenes by the processor, linking directly to objects, rather than channels, and calculating the optimal distribution of sound output in a room. This ability to reproduce surround sound with DTS:X technology is not implemented in any of the soundbars in this comparison.

Soundbar 500 Command Bar
Dolby Atmos
Dolby (other)Dolby DigitalDolby Digital
DTS:X
DTS (other)has notDTS Digital Surround

Streaming services

The possibility to listen online to millions of songs from one device has become a reality thanks to streaming services. For the ability to work with streaming services, the Soundbar 500 received 10 points, and the Command Bar - 5 on a 10-point scale.

Soundbar 500
10
Command Bar
5

The popular Spotify service is available on both soundbars.

Soundbar 500 Command Bar
Apple Music (AirPlay)AirPlay 2
Amazon Music
Spotify
Other streaming servicesPandora,Tuneln, Deezer, iHeart, SiriusXMhas not

Connectivity

The existence of a sufficient number of current connectors significantly expands the functionality of the device. For example, only through HDMI is it possible to implement the transfer of object-oriented formats, and the presence of a Bluetooth connection will allow remote control, etc. The devices received different ratings for connectivity: Bose Soundbar 500 was rated 8 out of 10, and Polk Audio Command Bar was rated 7 out of 10.

Soundbar 500
8
Command Bar
7

The presence of Wi-Fi in the soundbar allows you to get rid of wires when connected to a sound source and get minimal audio latency when playing content from streaming services. Wireless connection via Wi-Fi is possible on the Soundbar 500.

Bluetooth connection is now one of the main communication protocols for speaker systems, which provides excellent quality and minimal audio latency. The availability of Bluetooth protocol, we can see in both models. The Soundbar 500 has 1/0 HDMI inputs/outputs, but the Command Bar got 1/1 HDMI inputs/outputs from the manufacturer.

HDMI ARC is a very usefull technology that creates a two-way communication channel between a TV and another device. This is convenient since there is no need to use optical and other cables in the system. HDMI ARC is basic for both soundbars. Connecting external devices via USB can be done on both models.

Soundbar 500 Command Bar
WI-FI
Bluetooth
Ethernet (RJ45)10
NFC
HDMI input/output1/01/1
HDMI ARC
HDMI eARC
HDMI CEC
Optical digital input/output1/01/0
USB1 (USB 2.0)1 (USB 2.0)
Coaxial digital input/output0/00/0
Analog audio input/output (RCA)0/00/0
Headphone output00
Subwoofer output00

Features

Voice control is designed to make operating the device more convenient. This allows you to control basic soundbar functions from anywhere in the room.

Proprietary applications allow you to control your soundbars remotely. This is possible both via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The Soundbar 500 has its own remote control application. Both soundbars have a built-in microphone.

Some soundbars can be part of a multi-room system and it is an affordable solution for sounding the whole house. The Command Bar has the ability to use a multiroom system.

Soundbar 500 Command Bar
Voice controlAmazon Alexa, Google AssistantAmazon Alexa
App control
Microphone
Remote control
Multi-room

Dimensions

Soundbar 500 Command Bar
Size (Wx H x D), cm/in80 x 4.3 x 10.1/31.5 x 1.7 x 4110 x 5 x 10.1/43.3 x 2.1 x 4.1
Weight, kg/pounds3.1/71.8/4.9
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