# Sonos Era 100 vs Bose Home Speaker 500: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the Sonos Era 100 (Sonos) and Bose Home Speaker 500 (Bose) among smart speakers. Sonos Era 100 is the cheaper of the two at $249.

## Side by side

| Spec | Sonos Era 100 | Bose Home Speaker 500 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $249 | $379 |
| Brand | Sonos | Bose |
| Released | 2023-03 | 2018-09 |
| Assistant | Amazon Alexa, Sonos Voice Control | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Drivers | 2x angled tweeters, 1x midwoofer (3 class-D amplifiers) | 2x 2.5-inch full-range drivers (opposing sides, stereo) |
| Smart home hub | — | — |
| Audio calibration | Yes | No |
| Aux or line out | USB-C line-in (via optional Line-In Adapter, $19) | 3.5mm aux line-in |
| Dimensions (in) | 7.18 x 4.72 x 5.14 | 8.0 x 6.7 x 4.3 |
| Multiroom | Yes | Yes |

## Key differences

- Assistant: Sonos Era 100 Amazon Alexa, Sonos Voice Control vs Bose Home Speaker 500 Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
- Drivers: Sonos Era 100 2x angled tweeters, 1x midwoofer (3 class-D amplifiers) vs Bose Home Speaker 500 2x 2.5-inch full-range drivers (opposing sides, stereo)
- Audio calibration: Sonos Era 100 Yes vs Bose Home Speaker 500 No
- Aux or line out: Sonos Era 100 USB-C line-in (via optional Line-In Adapter, $19) vs Bose Home Speaker 500 3.5mm aux line-in
- Dimensions (in): Sonos Era 100 7.18 x 4.72 x 5.14 vs Bose Home Speaker 500 8.0 x 6.7 x 4.3

## What reviewers say

**Sonos Era 100** — All four whitelisted testers (PCWorld, What Hi-Fi, TechRadar, Tom's Guide) reviewed the exact Sonos Era 100; the separate 'SL' variant was excluded. All agree it clearly upgrades the Sonos One with bigger, deeper bass, more detail, and new Bluetooth plus optional line-in flexibility. Only PCWorld took instrumented measurements, peaking at 90 dB while streaming (88 dB via line-in, 82 dB internet radio). TechRadar dissents on the bass, calling the deeper low-end 'a bit flabby.' (4 sourced reviews.)

## Sources

- Sonos Era 100: https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/era-100 (sonos.com, verified 2026-06-15)
- Bose Home Speaker 500: https://www.soundguys.com/bose-home-speaker-500-review-83480/ (soundguys.com, verified 2026-06-15)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/smart-speakers/sonos-era-100-vs-bose-home-speaker-500/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, Sonos Era 100 ($249) vs Bose Home Speaker 500 ($379) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/smart-speakers/sonos-era-100-vs-bose-home-speaker-500/
License: CC BY 4.0.