SOUNDBAR 500
IMPORTA N T SA F ET Y I N STR UCT I O N S Please read and keep all safety and use instructions. Important Safety Instructions 1. Read these instructions. 2. Keep these instructions. 3. Heed all warnings. 4. Follow all instructions. 5. Do not use this apparatus near water. 6. Clean only with a dry cloth. 7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. 8.
IMPORTA N T SA F ET Y I N STR UCT I O N S WARNINGS/CAUTIONS This symbol on the product means there is uninsulated, dangerous voltage within the product enclosure that may present a risk of electrical shock. This symbol on the product means there are important operating and maintenance instructions in this guide. Contains small parts which may be a choking hazard. Not suitable for children under age 3. This product contains magnetic material.
R EG U L ATORY I N FOR M AT IO N NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
R EG U L ATORY I N FOR M AT IO N For Europe: Frequency band of operation 2400 to 2483.5 MHz: • Bluetooth/Wi-Fi: Maximum transmit power less than 20 dBm EIRP. • Bluetooth Low Energy: Maximum power spectral density less than 10 dBm/MHz EIRP. Frequency bands of operation 5150 to 5350 MHz and 5470 to 5725 MHz: • Wi-Fi: Maximum transmit power less than 20dBm EIRP. This device is restricted to indoor use when operating in the 5150 to 5350 MHz frequency range in all EU Member States listed in the table.
R EG U L ATORY I N FOR M AT IO N China Restriction of Hazardous Substances Table Names and Contents of Toxic or Hazardous Substances or Elements Toxic or Hazardous Substances and Elements Lead (Pb) Mercury (Hg) Cadmium (Cd) Hexavalent (CR(VI)) Polybrominated Biphenyl (PBB) Polybrominated diphenylether (PBDE) PCBs X O O O O O Metal Parts X O O O O O Plastic Parts O O O O O O Speakers X O O O O O Cables X O O O O O Part Name This table is prepared in accordance with
R EG U L ATORY I N FOR M AT IO N Date of Manufacture: The eighth digit in the serial number indicates the year of manufacture; “8” is 2008 or 2018. China Importer: Bose Electronics (Shanghai) Company Limited, Part C, Plan 9, No. 353 North Riying Road, China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone EU Importer: Bose Products B.V., Gorslaan 60, 1441 RG Purmerend, The Netherlands Taiwan Importer: Bose Taiwan Branch, 9F-A1, No.
CON T EN TS WHAT’S IN THE CARTON Contents.............................................................................................................................. 11 SOUNDBAR PLACEMENT Recommendations.......................................................................................................... 12 Wall mount the soundbar............................................................................................. 13 POWER Connect the soundbar to power.......................................
CON T EN TS AMAZON ALEXA Set up Alexa using the Bose® Music App............................................................... 24 Access Alexa ..................................................................................................................... 24 Use your voice.......................................................................................................... 24 Use the soundbar controls...................................................................................
CON T EN TS CARE AND MAINTENANCE Install the remote batteries.......................................................................................... 35 Clean the soundbar......................................................................................................... 36 Replacement parts and accessories......................................................................... 36 Limited warranty.......................................................................................................
W HAT’S IN T HE CA RTON CONTENTS Confirm that the following parts are included: Bose® Soundbar 500 AAA Battery (2) Remote Power adapter Power cord* HDMI cable ADAPTiQ® headset *May ship with multiple power cords. Use the power cord for your region. NOTE: If any part of the product is damaged, do NOT use it. Contact your authorized Bose® dealer or Bose customer service. Visit: worldwide.Bose.
SOU N D BA R P L ACEM EN T RECOMMENDATIONS For best performance, follow these recommendations when placing the soundbar: Do NOT place any objects on top of the soundbar. To avoid wireless interference, keep other wireless equipment 1 – 3 ft. (0.3 – 0.9 m) away from the soundbar. Place the soundbar outside and away from metal cabinets, other audio/video components and direct heat sources. Place the soundbar directly below (preferred) or above your TV with the grille facing into the room.
Soundbar P lacement WALL MOUNT THE SOUNDBAR You can mount the soundbar on a wall. To purchase the Bose® Soundbar Wall Bracket, contact your authorized Bose® dealer. Visit: worldwide.Bose.com/Support/SB500 CAUTION: Do NOT use any other hardware to mount the soundbar.
P OW ER CONNECT THE SOUNDBAR TO POWER 1. Connect the power cord to the AC power adapter. 2. Connect the AC power adapter to the Power connector w on the back of the soundbar. 3. Plug the other end of the power cord into an AC (mains) power outlet. 3 2 1 The soundbar powers on. NETWORK STANDBY The soundbar transitions to network standby when audio has stopped and you have not pressed any buttons for 20 minutes.
BOSE® M USI C A P P SETUP The Bose Music app lets you set up and control the soundbar from your mobile d evice, such as a smartphone or tablet. Using the app, your device acts as an additional remote for the soundbar. From the app, you can stream music, set and change presets, add music services, explore internet radio stations, configure Alexa and manage soundbar settings.
EXI ST IN G BOSE® M USI C A P P U S E R S ADD THE SOUNDBAR TO AN EXISTING ACCOUNT 1. In the Bose Music app, from the My Bose screen, tap H. NOTE: To return to the My Bose screen, tap in the top left corner. 2. Follow the app instructions. CONNECT TO A WI-FI NETWORK If the soundbar is not connected to a network If your soundbar is no longer connected to a network because your Wi-Fi name, password or router has changed, add the soundbar to your existing network. 1.
ADA P TI Q® AUD I O CA L I BR AT I O N After you set up the soundbar using the Bose® Music app, the app prompts you to run ADAPTiQ audio calibration for best acoustic performance. ADAPTiQ audio calibration customizes the sound of the system to the acoustics of your listening area by taking five audio measurements. To run an audio calibration, you need 10 minutes when the room is quiet.
SOU N D BA R CON TR OL S The soundbar controls are located on the top of the soundbar and on the remote. NOTE: You can also control your soundbar using the Bose® Music app. Microphone off button (see page 25) Action button (see page 24) Light bar (see page 30) Microphone off indicator (see page 31) AMAZON ALEXA CONTROLS The Action button b and Microphone off button n are used to control Alexa. For information about how to access Alexa, see page 24.
Soundbar SOU N D BA R CON controls TR OL S Power To power the soundbar on/off, press the Power button I on the remote. When powered on, the soundbar defaults to the last active source. Power button NOTES: When you plug the soundbar into an AC (mains) outlet, the soundbar automatically powers on. The first time the soundbar is powered on, the soundbar defaults to TV g source.
Soundbar Controls Sources You can control your Bose® Music presets and Bluetooth connections using your remote. To control a source, on the remote, press the button (Bose Music m or Bluetooth l) for the source you want to control.
Soundbar Controls Presets The soundbar includes six presets that you can set to your favorite music services, stations, playlists, artists, albums or songs from your music library. Once set, you can access your music, at any time, with a simple touch of a button on the remote or using the Bose® Music app. Preset buttons For more information about presets, see “Preset Personalization” on page 26.
Soundbar Controls Media playback and volume Volume up Volume down Mute/Unmute Skip backward FUNCTION WHAT TO DO Play/Pause Press F. Skip backward Press J. Skip forward Press v. Volume up Volume down Skip forward Play/Pause Press H. NOTE: To quickly increase the volume, press and hold H. Press z. NOTE: To quickly decrease the volume, press and hold z. Press A. Mute/Unmute When audio is muted, the sides of the light bar pulse white until audio resumes.
Soundbar Controls ADJUST THE BASS 1. In the Bose® Music app, from the My Bose screen, select your soundbar. 2. Tap the soundbar image in the bottom-right corner of the screen. 3. Tap Adjustments to adjust the bass. PROGRAM A THIRD-PARTY REMOTE You can program a third-party remote, such as your cable/satellite box remote, to control the soundbar. Refer to your third-party remote owner’s guide or website for instructions.
A M A ZON A L EXA The soundbar is Amazon Alexa enabled. With Alexa, you can ask to play music, hear the news, check the weather, control smart home devices and more. Using Alexa on your soundbar is as simple as asking. Just ask or use the Action button b and Alexa responds instantly. NOTE: Alexa isn’t available in all languages and countries. SET UP ALEXA USING THE BOSE® MUSIC APP 1. In the Bose Music app, from the My Bose screen, select your soundbar. 2.
A mazon A lexa THINGS TO TRY EXAMPLE OF WHAT TO SAY Skip to the next song “Alexa, next song.” Set a timer “Alexa, set a timer for 5 minutes.” Discover more skills “Alexa, what new skills do you have?” Stop Alexa “Alexa, stop.” Use the soundbar controls The Action button b and Microphone off button n are used to control Alexa. They are located on the top of the soundbar. Microphone off button Action button Microphone off indicator THINGS TO TRY WHAT TO DO Tap b then say your request.
P R ESET P ER SON A L I ZAT IO N You can control presets using the Bose® Music app and remote. Before using presets, note the following: If the preset source is your music library, make sure the computer storing your music library is on and connected to the same network as the soundbar. You can’t set presets while in Bluetooth mode. SET A PRESET 1. Stream music using the Bose Music app. 2. On the remote, press the Bose Music button m.
P reset P ersonalization 3. Press and hold a preset button until you hear a tone. Preset buttons PLAY A PRESET Once you personalize presets, press a preset button on the remote to play music.
B LU E TO OT H CON N ECTI ONS Bluetooth wireless technology lets you stream music from mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptop computers. Before you can stream music from a device, you must connect your device to the soundbar. When using Bluetooth on the soundbar, note the following: You can store up to eight mobile devices in the soundbar pairing list. You can connect and play audio from only one device at a time. You can also manage Bluetooth connections using the Bose® Music app.
B LU E TO OT H CON N ECTI ONS 3. Select your soundbar from the device list. TIP: Look for the name you entered for your soundbar in the Bose® Music app. If you didn’t name your soundbar, the default name appears. Once connected, you hear a tone and the light bar glows solid white. The soundbar’s name appears in the mobile device list. DISCONNECT A MOBILE DEVICE Use the Bluetooth menu on your mobile device to disconnect your device. RECONNECT A MOBILE DEVICE On the remote, press the Bluetooth button l.
SOU N D BA R STATUS The LED light bar located on the front of the soundbar shows the soundbar status. Light bar NOTE: The light bar displays one status at a time of the selected source. WI-FI STATUS Shows the Wi-Fi connection status of the soundbar. LIGHT BAR ACTIVITY SYSTEM STATE Pulsing white Connecting to Wi-Fi Solid white then fades to black Connected to Wi-Fi BLUETOOTH STATUS Shows the Bluetooth connection status of mobile devices.
Soundbar Status ALEXA STATUS Shows the status of Amazon Alexa.
Soundbar Status UPDATE AND ERROR STATUS Shows the status of software updates and error alerts. LIGHT BAR ACTIVITY SYSTEM STATE Solid amber Wi-Fi setup in progress White light slides from right to left Downloading update White light slides from left to right Updating soundbar Pulses amber four times Source error - refer to the Bose® Music app Pulses red four times Request is temporarily unavailable. Try again later.
A DVA N CED F EATUR ES DISABLE/ENABLE WI-FI CAPABILITY On the remote, press and hold the Bose® Music button m and Skip forward button v until the light bar slides to the center, then glows solid white. Bose Music button Skip forward button When Wi-Fi is enabled/disabled, the light bar pulses white twice, then fades to black.
A Soundbar DVA N CED F EATUR Status ES CONNECT ACCESSORIES (OPTIONAL) You can connect any of these accessories to your soundbar. For more information, refer to your product owner’s guide. Bose® Bass Module 500: worldwide.Bose.com/Support/BASS500 Bose Bass Module 700: worldwide.Bose.com/Support/BASS700 Acoustimass® 300 bass module: global.Bose.com/Support/AM300 Bose Surround Speakers: worldwide.Bose.com/Support/WSS Virtually Invisible® 300 wireless surround speakers: global.Bose.
CA R E A N D M A IN T EN A N CE INSTALL THE REMOTE BATTERIES 1. Slide open the battery compartment cover on the back of the remote. 2. Insert the two provided AAA (IEC-LR3) 1.5V batteries. Match the H and z symbols on the batteries with the H and z markings inside the compartment. 3. Slide the battery compartment cover back into place.
Care and M aintenance CLEAN THE SOUNDBAR Clean the exterior of the soundbar with a soft dry cloth. CAUTIONS: Do NOT allow liquids to spill onto the system or into any openings. Do NOT blow air into the system. Do NOT use a vacuum to clean the system. Do NOT use any sprays near the system. Do NOT use any solvents, chemicals or cleaning solutions containing alcohol, ammonia or abrasives. Do NOT allow objects to drop into any openings.
T R OUBL ESHOOTI N G TRY THESE SOLUTIONS FIRST If you experience problems with the soundbar: Make sure the soundbar is connected to a live AC (mains) outlet. Secure all cables. Verify the state of the light bar (see page 30). Move the soundbar away 1 – 3 ft. (0.3 – 0.9 m) from possible interference (wireless routers, cordless phones, televisions, microwaves, etc.). Move the soundbar within the recommended range of your wireless router or mobile device for proper operation.
TR roubleshooting OUBL ESHOOTI N G SYMPTOM SOLUTION If the sides of the light bar are pulsing, the soundbar is muted. Press the Mute/Unmute button A to unmute the soundbar. Make sure your mobile device is not muted. Increase the volume on the soundbar (see page 22) or your mobile device. Switch to a different source (see page 20). Play audio from a different application or music service. If the audio is from a Wi-Fi source, reset the router. Restart your mobile device.
TR roubleshooting OUBL ESHOOTI N G SYMPTOM No audio from bass module or surround speakers SOLUTION Make sure your bass module or surround speakers are compatible with the soundbar (see page 34). Make sure the software is current in the Bose® Music app. Adjust the bass level using the Bose Music app (see page 23). Switch to a different source (see page 20). Make sure that the soundbar’s HDMI cable is inserted into a c onnector on your TV labeled HDMI eARC or ARC (Audio Return Channel).
T R OUBL ESHOOTI N G SYMPTOM SOLUTION In the Bose® Music app, select correct network name, and enter the network password (case-sensitive). Make sure the soundbar and your mobile device are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. If your network information has changed, see page 16. Enable Wi-Fi on the mobile device you are using for setup. Close other open applications on your mobile device. Soundbar doesn’t connect to Wi-Fi network Restart your mobile device and router. If your router supports both 2.
TR roubleshooting OUBL ESHOOTI N G SYMPTOM SOLUTION Make sure Alexa has been set up using the Bose® Music app (see page 24). Alexa doesn’t respond NOTE: The soundbar must be set up and connected to your Wi-Fi network using the Bose Music app. Make sure you’re in a country where Amazon Alexa is available. Make sure the Microphone off indicator is not glowing red. To turn on the microphone, see page 25. For additional support, visit: worldwide.Bose.
TR roubleshooting OUBL ESHOOTI N G RESET THE SOUNDBAR Factory reset clears all source, volume, network and ADAPTiQ® audio calibration settings from the soundbar and returns it to original factory settings. 1. On the remote, press and hold the Power button I and Skip forward button v for 10 seconds until the left side of the light bar pulses white. Power button Skip forward button The soundbar reboots. When the reset is complete, the light bar glows solid amber. 2.
AP P EN D IX: SET U P R EF ER ENC E CONNECTION OPTIONS Connect the soundbar to your TV using one of the following connection options: Option 1 (preferred): HDMI eARC or ARC (Audio Return Channel) Option 2: Optical (not provided) NOTE: The preferred option is to connect the soundbar to your TV’s HMDI eARC or ARC connector using the HDMI cable. 1. On the back of your TV, locate the HDMI IN and Audio OUT (digital) connector panels. NOTE: Your TV’s connector panel may not appear as shown.
AP P EN D IX: SET U P R EF ER ENC E CONNECT THE SOUNDBAR TO YOUR TV After choosing an audio cable, connect the soundbar to your TV. Option 1 (preferred): HDMI eARC or ARC 1. Insert one end of the HDMI cable into your TV’s HDMI eARC or ARC connector. NOTE: Make sure you insert the HDMI cable into an HDMI ARC connector on your TV, not a standard HDMI connector. If your TV does not have an HDMI eARC or ARC connector, see page 45. 2.
AP P EN D IX: SET U P R EF ER ENC E Option 2: Optical (not provided) If your TV doesn’t have an HDMI eARC or ARC connector, use an optical cable (not provided) to connect the soundbar to your TV. 1. Remove the protective cap from both ends of the optical cable. CAUTION: Inserting the plug in the wrong orientation can damage the plug and/or the connector. 2. Insert one end of the optical cable into your TV’s Optical OUT connector. 3. Hold the plug at the other end of the optical cable. 4.
AP P EN D IX: SET U P R EF ER ENC E CHECK FOR SOUND NOTE: To avoid hearing distorted audio, turn off your TV speakers. Refer to your TV owner’s guide for more information. 1. Power on your TV. 2. If you are using a cable/satellite box or other secondary source: a. Power on this source. b. Select the appropriate TV input. 3. If the soundbar is not powered on, press the Power button I on the remote. You hear sound coming from the soundbar. 4. Press the Mute/Unmute button A.
AP P EN D IX: SET U P R EF ER ENC E 47 | ENG
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