I have only heard the 500 and it really really impressed me. In fact, I have heard and installed many different audio systems, and Ford continually impresses me with the quality of their systems; they are very well balanced, the highs are not drowned by the bass, and sound reproduction is bright without being too harsh. I would not hesitate to spend money on either one of these systems. It all depends on your needs, for most people the 500 will be more than enough....but for people like me, the 1000 is the only way to go!