Bose SoundLink Colour Bluetooth Speaker II - White

As a long-term customer I expected much from a Bose. But this little thing surpassed all my expectations. It fits in your palm, but it still has this full Bose sound quality like its larger brethren. I have used it to cover an open space living room of ca. 1000 sq ft without any problem. No rattle in the full bass, clear high tones, nothing at miss. The battery lasts a full day. This is just awesome. A friend with a JBL twice the weight and size could not nearly match this little wonder in a side-by-side comparison. We made another side-by-side comparison with a large hardwired amazon echo and the little Bose won that, too. The only thing that Bose possibly could improve is the silicone belt strap. It would be nice if it would double as a vertical stand, because the ... MoreAs a long-term customer I expected much from a Bose. But this little thing surpassed all my expectations. It fits in your palm, but it still has this full Bose sound quality like its larger brethren. I have used it to cover an open space living room of ca. 1000 sq ft without any problem. No rattle in the full bass, clear high tones, nothing at miss. The battery lasts a full day. This is just awesome. A friend with a JBL twice the weight and size could not nearly match this little wonder in a side-by-side comparison. We made another side-by-side comparison with a large hardwired amazon echo and the little Bose won that, too. The only thing that Bose possibly could improve is the silicone belt strap. It would be nice if it would double as a vertical stand, because the round corners make it impossible to put the box in an upright position by itself.

I have had this speaker for at least 8 years, and it has never failed me. I’ve taken it to the beach, the gym, the shower, etc. Seriously, you name it. It has withstood so many different climate conditions and looks brand new. The battery life is also really impressive. I use it at least 8 hours a week, and I only need to charge it every week and a half or so. The sound quality is good for such a tiny device. I do wish it could get a little louder and had a stronger bass, but it way outperforms others in its size category.

Even almost three years later, and without any upgrades or new generations of the same product, the Bose Soundlink Flex remains the best portable speaker in all categories, period. It's durable, extremely portable, has great connectivity, good app integration, satisfactory battery life and most importantly, it sounds amazing. I've used many portable speakers over the years, both from Bose's top competitors, JBL and Ultimate Ears. What makes this speaker's sound quality stand out from the rest is its sound signature. While other companies focus on making crisp, extremely defined highs and deep, rattling bass, Bose keeps it simple by balancing it all into one warm, pleasant sound signature. This is the only speaker I have ever used that hasn't given me what I call ... MoreEven almost three years later, and without any upgrades or new generations of the same product, the Bose Soundlink Flex remains the best portable speaker in all categories, period. It's durable, extremely portable, has great connectivity, good app integration, satisfactory battery life and most importantly, it sounds amazing. I've used many portable speakers over the years, both from Bose's top competitors, JBL and Ultimate Ears. What makes this speaker's sound quality stand out from the rest is its sound signature. While other companies focus on making crisp, extremely defined highs and deep, rattling bass, Bose keeps it simple by balancing it all into one warm, pleasant sound signature. This is the only speaker I have ever used that hasn't given me what I call "listening fatigue". Other sound signatures from JBL and UE, while they still sound great, almost overemphasize the extremes of the sound spectrum to where they become tiring to listen to after a few hours of play. They almost have a slight hollow, droning sound, compared to the Bose, which sounds full and hearty. The Bose Soundlink Flex is the only portable speaker of its size that I feel like doesn't drown itself out in it's own noise. Every note is delivered perfectly and doesn't interfere with other parts of the music. What makes this even more impressive is the size of this speaker. Other larger portable speakers, while louder, still do not sound as good as this little Bose. The best place to use this speaker is indoors in a small to medium sized space, preferably next to a wall, where it shines by delivering clear notes, warm mids and punchy bass. As for the outdoors, it still performs well, but will be underwhelming in terms of how loud it gets and how well you can identify the bass. However, expecting it to perform just as well outside and in large spaces would be unfair, as that is not what this speaker is made for. As for the use that it was intended, it is the perfect speaker and will continue to be a worthy purchase now and in the years to come.

Love this speaker! I have one in my kitchen, bathroom and living room! I also have the earbuds and they are long lasting battery life! Reliable in sound quality! Blasting and amazing audio quality! Brand is never ending flawless and chic! Comes in different colors and sizes! I suggest to everyone you won’t go back to any other brand!

This is a small but powerful portable bluetooth speaker. The wireless streaming delivers a powerful, rich, and clear room- filling sound with deeper bass. It last up to 7-8 hours from the rechargeable battery. I can connect it to my phone, tablet and other bluetooth enabled devices to get the boss quality sound. It’s small, so is very convenient to carry it everywhere, indoor or outdoor. I have this speaker for over 7 years and it still works great!

I recently purchased the Bose Soundlink Flex portable speaker and couldn’t be happier with it. The sound quality is great for a speaker this size. I love the portability of it and take it everywhere. The battery life is impressive and lasts for hours. Rugged and waterproof, it’s a good choice for accompanying with almost all outdoor activities. It’s been dropped, fallen in a pool and it still performs like new. Bluetooth connectivity is quick and hassle free. I, also like the teal color. I’d definitely recommend for anyone looking for a reliable outdoor (or indoor) speaker.

Bose is unmatched with portable devices. Easy to use. Impressive. Sound quality, durability, build quality, and innovation with each new generation of product are best-in-class. Battery life with Bluetooth and wireless connectivity options are supreme. Comfort with wearable products are top-tier, and ease-of-use with all consumer audio devices are easily #1. Product and technical support (and all customer service) are established as the absolute friendliest and most helpful in the audio industry. Whatever the issue, they’ll fix it and make it right. You really can’t go wrong as a customer of theirs.

Big things do come in small packages!

Where to begin with the Bose SLC II? There's a reason Bose are one of the most popular audio products on the market, their effortlessly cool designs and audio quality has always been of the highest quality.Now with the latest iteration of the of the Soundlink Color series it aims to make a dent in the ever so trendy Bluetooth speaker market. So what has changed? Well let’s look at the design and build of the speaker. The original SL was a fairly smooth plastic that was topped off with a little rubber feel trim on top of the speaker and sides. The new updated model however is covered completely in a soft touch rubber plastic, which is generally becoming the norm for IPX-4 certified devices.The soft rubber coating is also apparently UV resistant as well, and OK ... MoreWhere to begin with the Bose SLC II? There's a reason Bose are one of the most popular audio products on the market, their effortlessly cool designs and audio quality has always been of the highest quality.Now with the latest iteration of the of the Soundlink Color series it aims to make a dent in the ever so trendy Bluetooth speaker market. So what has changed? Well let’s look at the design and build of the speaker. The original SL was a fairly smooth plastic that was topped off with a little rubber feel trim on top of the speaker and sides. The new updated model however is covered completely in a soft touch rubber plastic, which is generally becoming the norm for IPX-4 certified devices.The soft rubber coating is also apparently UV resistant as well, and OK that might not seem that interesting, but if you're investing in a speaker in this premium part of the market, you want it to stand the test of time. As it can be used both indoors and outdoors (in the bright sunshine) then as with anything plastic left in the sun, it has a tendency so fade, but not so with the Bose. Smart thinking on their part.On the point of IPX-4 of course, this means that this device is water resistant, so is perfect for your days around the pool on holiday, but don't drop it in the pool, it’s certainly not waterproof, but it will definitely survive a heavy rain shower.Build wise, the speaker feels like a very quality item, there’s absolutely no question about it, and from the moment you open the packaging, to the time you get the speaker out, you know this product sits at the premium end of the market, and with both Bluetooth, NFC and external devices via the 3.5mm cable point, connectivity is well covered, and all devices are suited to the SLC II.Weighing in at just over 0.5kg, you get the impression that there are some really quality drivers in place within the device. Inside the unit there's a lithium ion battery which according to Bose will provide upto 8 hours of music playback time, a little on that later. To charge the device you can use any standard micro USB charger that you get with a phone or tablet, but please note too, this speaker does not include an AC adapter of any kind so please make sure you have a Micro USB charger lead available, which is incredibly important for Apple device users as your lightning cables will not do.As with the previous SLC series of course, Bose has issued the SLC II with the choice of several distinctive colour combinations, of which you can choose from Aquatic Blue, Coral Red, Polar White and Soft Black which I have reviewed here, and in truth it adds a little bit of fun to the range just as with previous SLC speakers.Reading the product information from Bose, they use the terms "Simplicity Tested" and "Ready for Life" to describe this speaker, and based on this I can assume it’s simply tested to survive the inevitable drops and knocks that will ensue during its life. It is most definitely simple to setup as well with a nice little Bose Connect app, which will download firmware updates to the product as well as control it of course. The only caveat I would add is that Bose do ask for some strange permissions such as location access for your device.The biggest issue facing any manufacturer who decides to go down the route of IPX certification is that the seals to protect the electronics and the drivers can add some issues in terms of sound quality. Now Bose have upgraded their drivers on this unit, in so much that they are now able to resist moisture from the outside but also provide a decent enough audio output.As with all Bose products and certainly the SoundLink series in general, they are known for providing a decent large sound stage in a small package. Compared with its predecessor, Bose have listened (pardon the pun) to their customer base and have added a few upgrades to its drivers. The SLC II, again like so many Bose products, places a large emphasis on low frequency tones and bass, and this is speaker is no different.Depending on the audio source you are listening too, the bass is solid and pounding, and for such a relatively small device it quite a surprise to hear this level of bass.With the drivers Bose has chosen to install in this unit, and with the sound processing on board, you also get that familiar Bose immersive (almost 3D like) surround sound. It really doesn't matter where in the room this speaker is placed, you get a feeling that there is more than one speaker working, which is truly amazing again considering the size. According to Bose this sound reproduction is possible due to the positioning of the drivers and two passive sound radiators located at the rear of the unit, so in effect the speaker is directing sound from every part of the unit.Now in terms of overall sound quality this is where it gets interesting. As I mentioned earlier, Bose have placed a heavy emphasis on the low frequency tones, so how does it cope with other types of audio?On the whole it does reasonably but in my opinion the distinct lack of treble gives certain audio a troubling muddy feel, almost like it’s underwater. Also with strong vocal tracks there's not much balance at all and in some cases the vocal track is lost in the strong low tones, but as with all portable speakers it’s all down to personal preference.Trying several different pieces of music from different genres highlights several interesting things about the SLC II. It is definitely suited to music that has no strong vocal tracks mixed with bass, but on the whole it works. Classical music is beautifully reproduced, and comparing it back to back with some of the markets most popular offerings the Bose unit blows them out of the water for absolute power and precision.So the question is, would I buy one? It’s a lot of money for a speaker sure, but you're getting a product that overall does what it says on the box, and does it well. The sound on the whole is excellent, but make sure you test it first with your own music catalogue before buying, and the addition of the IPX certification and rubberised exterior and supreme build quality quite frankly makes this an absolute winner for those who are travelling.The only major downside I could find was the battery life of the SLC II. Quoted outright as being able to support up to 8 hours of playtime, I managed approximately 5.5-7 hours maximum out of the unit. Which you have to take into consideration if you're going somewhere that doesn't have power to charge the unit. If you have an original SLC I, would you upgrade? In short, maybe not, as the additions are probably not worthwhile, and the sound quality is very similar.If however, you're new to portable Bluetooth/NFC speakers, then yes it’s a great buy, and I'd be more than happy having one in my suitcase ready for the pool or the beach.Big things do indeed come in small packages and Bose has come up with a winner in the SLC II.

Good speaker and design. Unreliable electronics.

Good sound and design. The charging system and indicators do not give any reliable indication of the battery level. Green, amber, red are the 3 colors to indicate battery level, but there is never an amber light because the app shows either 100% or 40%, nothing else. I have charged the speaker several times, and it never shows accurate levels.I thought the speaker did not work at all when I received it because Bose did not include the information about "battery ship mode" in the package. After a couple of hours of frustration, I went to the Bose website, searched for this speaker model to find the actual user manual that is not included with the speaker. This is where you find out how to get the speaker out of "battery ship mode". Why would Bose not include ... MoreGood sound and design. The charging system and indicators do not give any reliable indication of the battery level. Green, amber, red are the 3 colors to indicate battery level, but there is never an amber light because the app shows either 100% or 40%, nothing else. I have charged the speaker several times, and it never shows accurate levels.I thought the speaker did not work at all when I received it because Bose did not include the information about "battery ship mode" in the package. After a couple of hours of frustration, I went to the Bose website, searched for this speaker model to find the actual user manual that is not included with the speaker. This is where you find out how to get the speaker out of "battery ship mode". Why would Bose not include that?There is no way to know how long the speaker will operate. I am only keeping this speaker because I purchased the extended warranty, otherwise, I would have returned it. Overall it is a good speaker, but Bose did not do a good job with the documentation or the charging electronics.Important note: Bose did not include a charger, only a charging cable. Every product I have purchased comes with an OEM(Original Equipment Manufacturer) charger. And every product that came with a charger suggests that you use only the OEM charger to prevent possible damage to the product. And considering that a charger only costs about $10 retail, it likely would only cost Bose a couple of dollars to purchase them in bulk, but again, they did not do that.I would not recommend buying this without the extended warranty.

The Best Audio Speaker ever!!!

I love this speaker!! It has amazing sound when playing music. The only thing Im not real pleased with the sound when it talks to tell you, such as connected to IPhone or whatever. That seems blurry to me. I am a little hard of hearing, so maybe just me. The song playing is awesome though, so thats minor!! When playing my music its absolutely awesome!! I had one before this and I think the battery went dead. Not sure if that can be fixed. It was the first one to come out I believe!! I feel like it had better sound with the voice. Overall, Im loving it!! My old one lasted for years and Im sure this one will too!! I took a couple pics so you can compare size to my old one. The black is new and to show what little space it takes. Youll love it!! Big sound for small ... MoreI love this speaker!! It has amazing sound when playing music. The only thing Im not real pleased with the sound when it talks to tell you, such as connected to IPhone or whatever. That seems blurry to me. I am a little hard of hearing, so maybe just me. The song playing is awesome though, so thats minor!! When playing my music its absolutely awesome!! I had one before this and I think the battery went dead. Not sure if that can be fixed. It was the first one to come out I believe!! I feel like it had better sound with the voice. Overall, Im loving it!! My old one lasted for years and Im sure this one will too!! I took a couple pics so you can compare size to my old one. The black is new and to show what little space it takes. Youll love it!! Big sound for small speaker!!