Matthew & Catherine Perry—January 5, 2025
I am an electronic and gadget freak. I like to try new products and I am always excited when something comes out that gets a lot of buzz. Bose has been around a long time and either like them or you don’t. I always questioned the price to value ratio of there products. One thing I can say everything they make is built to last and it’s always quality. Quality materials and a good customer experience. I owned Bose acoustimass back in the day and upgraded to a full system with 301’s and I loved that system. Great full sounds, clarity and bass. I got away from Bose as I got older because the prices were just too extreme for my budget. I have purchased many Bluetooth speakers from JBL, Soundcore, and Harmon Kardon. They all bring something great to the table. Now I saw the new Bose Soundlink max for $100 off during the holidays and I made the purchase. I love this speaker. It’s my go to when I want something to carry around while doing work around the house or just sitting down with a cocktail. This little speaker sounds full and defies its size. Bluetooth connectivity is quick and responsive. I got the black and I bought a third party case to protect it when I’m outside and it looks great. Battery life around 40% volume I got just past the 20 hour mark as advertised. Kick up the volume you’ll obviously get less. If you get down to 20% battery it takes about 4 hours to charge. The buttons are soft and tactile. You have your power button, multi function button you can program, Bluetooth button, volume up and down and track forward and back/pause. Minimalist lighting which I like. When I use this in the bedroom it doesn’t light up the room. I have yet to try snapdragon sound as I don’t use android. The sound I get through Apple Music lossless sounds great. Good clarity size defying bass and great mids. Full sounding and it makes me smile every time I turn this thing on. There’s an app with eq and everything you need to tailor your sound. Bose should take the route Soundcore does and have more eq settings but what’s here works. I love this speaker and it’s my go to amongst all my toys. At $299 highly recommended at $399 still worth it but it’s Bose it’s a luxury purchase. Totally worth it!! Tried so many Bluetooth speakers and this is the best all rounder for music lovers. If you’re on the fence.. go for it! There are louder speakers out there but they don’t have the sound quality this one has. Read more
Joseph Swailes—December 30, 2025
The sound coming out of this compact speaker is mind blowing. Easy to connect with your phone and the app was simple. It asked me to nick name the speaker and I decided on thumper as the bass sound so clean and crisp. I haven’t tested it yet but the waterproof rating and the durability of the build looking at it gives me confidence to take it with me on all my camping trips. Read more
PJeaszy—June 19, 2024
As a long-time owner of the first-generation Bose SoundLink Mini, I had high expectations for the Bose SoundLink Max, and it did not disappoint. This review covers various aspects of the speaker, including sound quality, durability, ease of use, compatibility, setup, and design. The SoundLink Max lives up to the Bose name. After testing it with a myriad of musical genres, I was blown away by the fullness of the sound. The bass is so powerful that you can feel it, yet it does not drown out the mid and treble frequencies. It is worth noting that the initial EQ settings are flat, which might be why some users have complained about the lack of fullness. This could be addressed by repurposing the shortcut button for quick EQ adjustment. The SoundLink Max meets the IP67 standards, making it rugged, dustproof, and waterproof. Weighing nearly five pounds, it is heavy, but this is an acceptable trade-off for the durability it offers. In a pinch, you could even use it as a brick or a weapon for defending yourself from zombies! Using the SoundLink Max is straightforward. Press the power button, then play to start enjoying your music. When it’s time to change settings, the buttons are clearly labeled. The Max charges via a supplied USB-C cord and power block and can also serve as a portable power device. This is my main point of contention and it is not specifically with the Max, but with Bose as a whole. They have partnered with Qualcomm/Snapdragon for their HD Audio, which is currently confined to the Android ecosystem. As an iPhone user, I felt a little left out in the cold. Straight out-of-the-box, the Max was nearly ready to go. It took two seconds to pair and less than that to start charging, thanks to the included USB-C cable and power brick. The Bose app was easy to find and quick to install. I was able to set up an account and start using the app right away. While the setup was easy, more emphasis should be placed on the necessity of using the app to achieve the best sound, as the default EQ settings are a bit flat. The SoundLink Max boasts a sleek and simple design. There are no unnecessary lights or reminiscent designs to distract you—just a rugged exterior that protects the speakers while delivering excellent sound quality. The rope handle is a nice feature that accentuates the rugged yet simple design. They are easily changeable for other colored handles and shoulder straps, which are available at a steep premium on the Bose website. The Bose SoundLink Max is a phenomenal portable speaker that lives up to the high standards we expect from Bose. After several days of testing in various locations and with different music genres, I have not been disappointed. While there have been some reports of less-than-fantastic sound quality, this issue is easily resolved by adjusting the EQ settings in the Bose app. The final question is, is the SoundLink Max worth the $400 price tag? The simple answer is yes, it is worth every penny. Read more
