Bose Bluetooth Speaker Review
The Bose bluetooth speaker makes an excellent portable music player and also doubles as an Alexa or Google Assistant smart speaker (though connecting it to Wi-Fi will enable this). Vocals and instruments reproduced clearly, and we can distinguish individual components of songs such as Tectonic.
Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2, and Chromecast support lets you stream from popular music, podcast, and audiobook services without needing your phone.
Sound
The Bose SoundLink Color Bluetooth speaker is an excellent way to enjoy music at its full potential. It delivers rich, full sound with great bass performance for its size; clear midrange clarity makes vocals sound full and rich; its only drawback is a lack of subbass capabilities – something often associated with speakers in this price range.
This Bluetooth speaker is a stylish, compact device created for music and outdoor use. With its 360deg design, you’ll hear music coming from all directions! In addition, its water resistance means you can use it freely even during stormy conditions without fear of damage; plus its attractive yet durable appearance means it will match any decor seamlessly!
Though not the top speaker available, Bose’s SoundLink Revolve+ II remains an excellent value. As a mid-range speaker designed to deliver immersive sound experiences with its wide frequency range and sturdy build. Plus, its soft silicone exterior makes for easy cleaning – plus it comes in colors such as black, white smoke, stone blue or Carmine Red for even more choice!
With an impressive battery life, built-in microphone, and voice assistant capabilities, this Bluetooth speaker makes an ideal travel companion. It supports Google Chromecast, Apple AirPlay 2, and Spotify Connect so that you can stream music from any device running these applications – plus its mic can pick up voice commands so you can control your music with voice control!
Many music enthusiasts do not favor Bose consumer gear as it often fails to emphasize certain parts of the audio spectrum and under-emphasize others. Luckily, this speaker stands out as it provides a full and rich sound with clear midrange and treble frequencies so you can hear every lyric clearly; furthermore it contains plenty of bass making it the perfect party addition.
Bose Bluetooth Speaker features a simple and straightforward Bluetooth pairing process, making it simple and effortless for iOS or Android device users. Simply press the Bluetooth button on top until a tone sounds and the LED ring pulses blue – pairing is complete! Furthermore, there is also an onboard USB port for charging; in addition it can pair seamlessly with other Bose devices, such as Soundlink Mini or soundbar speakers from Bose.
Design
Bose Portable Smart Speaker features a sleek cylindrical form with controls and carrying handle at its top, giving it a contemporary aesthetic that fits easily into most room decors. However, don’t be fooled by its unassuming exterior; this speaker boasts rich 360-degree audio with crystal clarity and impressive bass that easily fills small to midsize rooms. Plus it supports Bose SimpleSync technology so it can sync music playback throughout your home!
As is typical with Bluetooth speakers, this one performs admirably at playing stereo content at high volumes while offering less immersive depth and perspective than premium wireless headphones or earbuds with spatial audio support or multichannel surround-sound setup. But it still manages to deliver more realistic voices than its competition at louder volumes.
As it comes equipped with Wi-Fi, Google Assistant, or Alexa support, this device enables you to play streaming services right from it without using a smartphone (although certain features require using an app). This makes it an excellent choice for anyone wanting to keep their phone out of their pocket but still enjoy music collections.
Bose portable smart speakers come in black, white smoke, stone blue and – as per our review sample’s limited edition Carmine Red edition – Carmine Red finishes. Each features soft rubberized silicone back and powder-coated metal grille materials designed to resist scratches, dents and discoloration from UV light exposure, plus IP67 water resistance rating that provides up to 30 minutes submersion in water (and will float if accidentally dropped in pool or tub).
The controls on this speaker are large and intuitively laid out on its top surface, with buttons for power, Bluetooth pairing/pairing/play/pause, volume up/down and mic mute available to access most functions via voice control; you can also access most functionality by holding down its action button; however I found it didn’t always respond exactly when making voice requests, sometimes failing to understand me in noisy environments and sometimes failing to understand voice requests altogether. Furthermore, this device lacks premium sound customization features like graphic EQ/room correction that allow users to customize sound output specifically to their space – features found only with higher end speakers.
Controls
The Bose Portable Smart Speaker boasts an array of controls and a carrying handle at its top, along with a downward-firing audio driver housed within a rugged aluminum cylinder. Bluetooth allows it to connect wirelessly with mobile devices while Alexa and Google Assistant voice command support enables voice navigation for voice command purposes. Compatible streaming services allow accessing music content directly and it comes equipped with an equalizer that lets you adjust bass/treble levels.
Bose Stereo Adapter Cable allows the speaker to be easily integrated with home theater sound systems via streaming music from mobile devices and controlling it through their app. It features multiple inputs and outputs AUX, HDMI and optical. Plus it includes a USB charging port.
If you want to use your speaker for parties and gatherings, Bose offers Bluetooth wireless speakers like the SoundLink Revolve, Color II and Micro that enable Party Mode; two speakers play music at once simultaneously! Or switch over to Stereo Mode which makes each speaker play as either left or right channel of stereo setups.
To connect your speaker to a mobile device, press and hold the power button until the Bluetooth LED flashes blue. You may be required to enter a PIN or passkey, which can be found in your device manual. Alternatively, the Bose Music App makes setting up Wi-Fi simple by providing options such as Alexa or Google Assistant as smart assistants – in addition to connecting it directly to home Wi-Fi networks while assigning names for it!
The Bose Portable Smart Speaker offers crystal clear mid and high frequencies that are capable of differentiating vocals from lead instruments, and bass frequencies not as powerful as those provided by JBL Flip 6 or Amazon Echo but still strong enough for most listeners. Some songs may become bassy and difficult to listen to; to remedy this situation, simple EQ adjustments in Bose Music App may help solve it.
Battery life
Bose estimates the Portable Smart Speaker’s battery life to last 12 hours – a standard for portable Bluetooth speakers. That should provide enough playback time for an outdoor party or hike – although your mileage may differ depending on how loudly you listen and whether music streams via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Full recharge takes five hours from zero.
The Bose Portable Smart Speaker features both Alexa and Google Assistant built-in, allowing you to control content without lifting up your phone. I found both voice assistants consistently picked up my commands, even in noisy environments or from far away. You can pair this speaker with another Bose speaker or soundbar to play stereo content or create an immersive listening experience.
I like that the Bose Portable Smart Speaker can be propped horizontally, laid flat or hung from its integrated loop by carabiner for convenient transportation on hikes or camping trips, such as by plane. Plus, its IP67 rating for dust and water resistance means you don’t have to worry if it gets dropped on hard surfaces!
The SoundLink Flex is an impressive device; its sensor detects when it’s placed flat or upright and adjusts its EQ accordingly. Furthermore, there’s a multi-function button which lets you play, pause and skip content as well as mutes the microphones – although I wish that its buttons were more distinguishable; they lack backlighting, making power and Bluetooth sync buttons difficult to differentiate by feel alone.
Apple AirPlay compatibility ensures low latency video streaming, making this speaker ideal for streaming videos and podcasts easily with low latency. I found pairing my iPhone easy; pairing is automated when opening the Bose Connect app to search for nearby devices; you can even connect via USB cable for wired audio playback from a computer; however, what this speaker lacks is video casting capabilities from your phone itself.