Which Soundbar Fits Your Bass Setup and HDMI Connections?
The JBL Bar 500MK2 is the clearer fit when you want its separate wireless subwoofer in the listed system or need to plug a player into the soundbar's HDMI input and pass video to the TV. Bose lists the Smart Soundbar, HDMI and optical cables, remote and power cord in the box; it describes a compatible bass module as optional and connects the soundbar to the TV through eARC/ARC or optical. These are documented package and connection differences, not a sound-quality test.
Published by Pickoryx · Published 2026-10-02
Source checked 2026-10-02 18:56 UTC
Products compared
Product A · ASIN B0FHBVS6GC
JBL Bar 500MK2 (Black, JBLBAR500M2BLKAM)
Last observed offer
$499.95 List Price: $649.95
Per listed package.
Offer eligibility must be confirmed on Amazon.
Checked 2026-10-19 15:45 UTC. Price and availability may change.
Product B · ASIN B0D6W8XQ6J
Bose Smart Soundbar (Black, 892079-1100)
Last observed offer
$549.00
Per listed package.
Offer eligibility must be confirmed on Amazon.
Checked 2026-10-19 19:09 UTC. Price and availability may change.
Pickoryx may earn a commission from qualifying purchases through the paid Amazon links on this page, at no added cost to you.
The buying question
Would you rather receive a separate subwoofer with the soundbar, or start with Bose's listed soundbar package and add a compatible bass module later—and do your sources need an HDMI input on the soundbar?
JBL documents a box with the Bar 500MK2 and a wireless 10-inch subwoofer, plus one HDMI video input and one eARC output. Bose lists a soundbar-only package with cables and remote, describes its bass module as optional, and documents TV connection through HDMI eARC/ARC or optical.
Quick verdict
Choose JBL Bar 500MK2 (Black, JBLBAR500M2BLKAM) if
- You want JBL's listed 5.1 system with a separate wireless 10-inch subwoofer included.
- You need one HDMI video input on the soundbar for a compatible player or console, with HDR10+ or Dolby Vision passthrough listed by JBL.
Choose Bose Smart Soundbar (Black, 892079-1100) if
- You prefer Bose's listed single-soundbar package and may add a compatible Bose bass module separately later.
- Your video sources plug into the TV, and you can return TV audio to the Bose soundbar over HDMI eARC/ARC or optical.
When the recommendation changes
- If you want a bass module in the initial package, compare the actual Bose bundle contents before buying; Bose's standard soundbar page lists the bass module as optional, while JBL's Bar 500MK2 box list includes its wireless subwoofer.
- If a console or player must connect directly to the soundbar and send video onward, JBL lists one HDMI video input and HDR10+/Dolby Vision passthrough. Bose's guide instead documents the soundbar-to-TV path through eARC/ARC or optical.
The differences that matter
Included Bass Package And Expansion
What this changes: Choose based on the package you want to place now and whether you plan to add Bose's separately compatible bass module. No sound-output comparison is made.[1, 2, 3, 4]
Hdmi Source Routing And Control
What this changes: The JBL documents a direct HDMI source-input/passthrough setup. Bose documents a TV audio-return setup and optical fallback; match the choice to the TV's ports and where your source devices will connect.[1, 2, 4, 3]
Best for your routine
Want a separate wireless subwoofer listed in the initial system package
Best fit: JBL Bar 500MK2 (Black, JBLBAR500M2BLKAM)
Based on listed features, not comparative testing.
JBL's Bar 500MK2 box list names one wireless subwoofer. Bose describes its bass module as an optional addition, so confirm a specific Bose bundle separately if that is the package you want.
Connect a compatible console or player to the soundbar and pass video to the TV
Best fit: JBL Bar 500MK2 (Black, JBLBAR500M2BLKAM)
Based on listed features, not comparative testing.
JBL lists one HDMI video input and HDR10+/Dolby Vision passthrough. Bose's guide documents eARC/ARC or optical as the TV audio connection path; it does not document an equivalent soundbar HDMI source-input workflow.
Use TV eARC/ARC or optical for audio and consider adding a Bose bass module later
Best fit: Bose Smart Soundbar (Black, 892079-1100)
Based on listed features, not comparative testing.
Bose documents both TV-connection options and says compatible bass modules can be added separately. Check compatibility and the exact offer contents before choosing a bundle.
Value and trade-offs
One or both observed offers have eligibility conditions, so no unrestricted price difference is shown.
Compare live offers by the included system and any Bose bass module you plan to add; no fixed price premium is used here.
No price-history timing recommendation is available here; compare current offers and verify whether a Bose listing is the soundbar alone or a bundle.
Limitations
- No hands-on or matched listening test was performed. This comparison covers documented package contents and connection workflows, not sound-quality, bass-output, loudness or dialogue-performance rankings.
- Bose says a compatible bass module is optional; the standard Bose page's box list does not name one. Check the exact seller bundle contents and compatibility before buying an expanded system.
- Bose's owner guide documents HDMI eARC/ARC or optical as the TV connection. The soundbar's TV-remote power, volume and mute workflow is documented for HDMI eARC/ARC, not optical.
- Current prices and bundle totals were not compared. A Bose add-on module may change the total system cost.
Questions shoppers ask
Does the JBL Bar 500MK2 include a subwoofer?
JBL's box list names one wireless subwoofer with the Bar 500MK2. Bose describes a compatible bass module as an optional purchase for the Smart Soundbar, so verify the Bose offer if you want a module in the same order.
Can I connect a game console through either soundbar?
JBL documents one HDMI video input for a compatible console or player and lists HDR10+ and Dolby Vision passthrough. Bose's guide documents the soundbar's connection to a TV through eARC/ARC or optical; it does not document the same soundbar-side HDMI source-input route. You can also connect sources directly to a TV if its ports and audio settings support the setup you want.
Will my TV remote control the Bose soundbar?
Bose says the soundbar must be connected to the TV's HDMI eARC or ARC port for TV-remote power, volume and mute control. Its optical connection is the documented alternative when ARC is unavailable, but the cited guide does not promise that same TV-remote control workflow over optical.
Methodology and sources
Compared listed package contents and documented bass-module expansion, then compared the specified HDMI/optical TV and source-device connection workflows. No matched listening or performance test was performed.
Automation helped organize official source facts and check the comparison structure; manufacturer pages and guides are the sources for the product claims.
View 4 sources
- 1.JBL Bar 500MK2 | 5.1 channel soundbar system with Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:XJBL · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-02 18:56 UTC
Evidence used on this page
- The page identifies item JBLBAR500M2BLKAM and Black at Specs & Downloads; feature section describes the wireless 10-inch subwoofer and HDMI input use; Video Specifications lists one HDMI input, one eARC output, and HDR10+/Dolby Vision passthrough; What's in the Box lists one wireless subwoofer.: Official U.S. JBL product page for the Black Bar 500MK2 item number. Supports exact JBL identity, included wireless subwoofer, HDMI source input/eARC output and passthrough claims.
- 2.JBL Bar 500MK2 Black Spec SheetJBL Support · Official support · Source checked 2026-10-02 18:56 UTC
Evidence used on this page
- English product spec sheet for Bar 500MK2 Black; technical table lists one HDMI input, one eARC output, HDCP 2.3 and HDR10+/Dolby Vision passthrough.: Official product spec sheet corroborates the this JBL model's HDMI count and passthrough formats; it is not used for measured picture or audio performance.
- 3.Bose Smart SoundbarBose · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-02 18:56 UTC
Evidence used on this page
- Product header and U.S. product details; What’s in the box; FAQ describing optional wireless bass module and wireless surround speakers; product details and Bose Smart Soundbar features.: Official U.S. Bose Smart Soundbar page. Its box list names soundbar, optical and HDMI cables, power cord, remote and guides; it describes the bass module as optional and states the Bose Smart Soundbar product features. The page does not display retail part number 892079-1100.
- 4.Bose Smart Soundbar Owner’s GuideBose · Official support · Source checked 2026-10-02 18:56 UTC
Evidence used on this page
- Printed pp. 42–43 list compatible Bose Bass Module 700 and 500; printed pp. 58–60 give eARC/ARC or optical TV connection steps and show rear ports; printed p. 58 states TV remote power, volume and mute control require HDMI eARC/ARC. The manual's regulatory section identifies internal model designation 439269.: Official Bose Smart Soundbar guide linked from its current U.S. product page. Supports compatible bass-module expansion and the documented TV connection/control workflow. Bose's internal guide designation is recorded as 439269; this guide does not state retail P/N 892079-1100.