Bose - SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)

Ah, thanks for the clarification. Of the two, you are probably best off with the Flex. My recommendation would have been in the same price range but in a completely different weight class. That's why I asked.

Excellent review! I have the Soundlink Flex 2 and I love it. Was thinking of trying out the Beats pill but I’m refraining.

Bose Max for $225 (taking advantage of the tricks), two Bose Flex for under $200, or two Klipsch Nashvilles for $200 on Amazon. I'd go with 2 Nashvilles. I own all of these after trying over 30 BT speakers

Avoid the Bose Flex Gen 2 and Bose Max. They have parisitic battery drain of 10-20% per week. I haven't experienced huge issues with the JBL, Sony, Klipsch, but then again, I never tested it to the level I did with the Bose products above, which are huge battery suckers. These Bose will be dead in 2 months after a full charge. Honestly, if you can go with a plug in, that would be the way to proceed!

I have $20k sound system so Bluetooth speakers are toys. I prefer headphones on the go. But if I want to watch a movie or music outside on the dinner table, I'll go for something nimble like the WonderBoom 4 or Emberton 2. In one room inside the house, I have an Acton 3 that destroys anything in it's realm. In my wife's office I have a Bose Flex for her YouTube vids. When on it's back, the EQ really opens it up! Otherwise it's returnable in my eyes. I also have a Soundcore x600 when I want heavier sound outside. I have neighbors so it live in the 50% volume of below. M Since it has great bass in this volume range, is very satisfying. If you can tell from my selections, I need an "clear open" sound that doesn't have louder bass driving out the higher and mids... Which is the trickery many these Bluetooth toys try to fool you in. With my selections above (I've tried many!), I can tolerate the BT sound. But since I have a plenthora of Ferrari audiophile speakers, it's difficult to go back to a junker. I have to truck my mind into submission. LOL.

I have the Bose Flex 2 and have tried about 30 of the best rated speakers this year, from boomboxes on down I've concluded that since they're all small woofered speakers, they all crap out after to 70% and sound shouty and anemic. The manufacturers use DSP to rapid 3 or lower the bass/treble to make it sound better, but it all sounds like crap when loud. Do that being said, the sweet spot for so these speakers is mid volume, where they can sound full and "right sounding". The best setup I've found is to buy TWO smaller sized speakers and pair them in stereo with each ear receiving the feed. And the two I've gravitated to is the Bose Flex 2 and Klipsch Nashville. Both sound full sounding, use by 5.3, have mics, have an app for EQ, and are highest rated on Amazon (4.8/5). The Klipsch has a superior battery life at 24 hrs vs 12 hrs. And is currently on sale until Nov. 3 for $119.... And form factor is muchbetter on the Klipsch since I stand them vertically like tower speakers on each side of my iPad Pro on my outside deck when watching movies. It sounds fantastic and gets it of the way. Also the Klipsch does better 360 as it sounds the SAME from the back or front and sounds great from the side too. With the Bose you can list them vertically and take up a lot of space laying on it's back out streaming up. Honestly, you can't go wrong with either the Bose or Klipsch. Both are highest rated, but the Klipsch is cheaper atm and has more going for it with form factor and 360 sound. ...If you're short on money, the Soundcore 300 is a great option and had fine a really good job of copying the Bose form factor/sound. They run about $60 each and for $120 you'd have a stereo setup for the price of one Klipsch ($119) or Bose ($120). The only thing I with about with Soundcore products is that while good sounding, their pricing is suggestive so they must use cheaper China batteries and woofers. I don't think the 300 still last as long as a Klipsch or Bose (the user reviews seem to confirm this). At the end of the day, you get what you pay for. But for about 3 years of use, you should get by with weekly use. ....BTW, since you mentioned movies the BT processing and internals have to be top so lip syncing is synced. The Klipsch & Bose perform the same - nearly perfect (the Bose Flex 1st Gen was terrible at this, but they fixed this in Gen 2). The Soundcore 300 has more lip sync delay compared to those two, despite the same BT 5.3 vs the other two. It's still good, but noticeable, BUT not distracting enough terrible like the Flex Gen 1 was. Again, "cheaper internals" on the 300 vs the Bose/Klipsch is seen in this example with movie watching performance! 🤔

Then the Klipsch Nashville is the best. It's on sale for $100 (retails for $150) on Amazon. Has 2x the battery of the Bose Flex 2 (24 hrs vs 12hr) and you can stand it on its head for a small footprint like the Flip 6 (Bose has a paperback book footprint). It is full sounding, clear (not as dark as the Bose) in the mids and highs. And the sound comes out equally in the front & back. It's higher user rated then the Bose at 4.7/5 on Amazon I've OWNED all the speakers listed on this thread, and compared them head to head so I have a good idea. The market leader based on marketing is the Bose and JBLs (most readily available locally) and will be the most widely mentioned here...they're both decent as well, but the Klipsch is better, full stop..... After this one, I'd save my money and get a Soundcore 300 for $55--it's a Bose clone and sounds close enough to not warrant the extra cash outlay. Btw, eventually getting two of these smallish speakers (of any brand) is the right way to proceed because when linked in stereo, the soundscape really opens up to satisfying!

Black Friday is around the corner so BETTER speakers than the Sony will be on sale. I've tried and compared EVERY speaker mentioned thus far in this thread. The problem with the Sony is that it has veiled mids. which is UNFIXABLE with the app's EQ. So it's not the clearest most open sounding speaker in its tier for older ears (good bass though). Plus, it's fugly for the interior. For clarity and open soundedness, long battery, and classier "home aesthetics" at around the price you seek (\~$100), I'd recommend either the Marshall Emberton 2 ($100 or cheaper for BF) or Klipsch Nashville ($119 or cheaper for BF). Between the two, the Klipsch is a little fuller sounding due to its slightly bigger size and also has more features, like a mic and ability to pair two units in stereo, and a better EQ in its app than the Marshall. Any mother would be fine with either. Both get loud enough (SAME sound front & back end) and CLEAR enough for older ears. Lastly, you can stand them on its end for a smaller footprint on a kitchen or dining table....something you can't do with boomboxes or the Bose Flex which is paperback shaped. It's INVALUBLE to have the SMALLEST footprint on a crowded table! [https://youtu.be/ykwgesgYo5M?si=4npjoWQSdsQLNG86](https://youtu.be/ykwgesgYo5M?si=4npjoWQSdsQLNG86)

I have so of them minus the Beats Pill. The overwhelming consensus on this one is that if you stay within the 50% volume range, it'll sound great but as you go up in volume the sound starts to break and sound terrible. From the others, the best is the Bose Flex. The sound is more "closed" standing up, but it's beauty is that its EQ changes completely when on its back (position #2). The speaker opens up and the highs come out. It sounds great! So much so that it actually sounds like a real speaker. It's sound never breaks up at any volume and has enough low end to be satisfying (movies or music) and It just sounds"right". It's BT lag is the best in the business so you will have voices sync when watching videos. It's also hard a great mic for calls. And I can't believe it's from Bose because I can't stand the brand! The JBL Flip and Sony don't sound "right". The Sony may be louder and bassier but even with its EQ, the sound never sounds right. The mids and highs always sound like a blanket has been put over it. The Flip may sound more right than the Sony but sounds hollow in the middle when you put it up against the Bose's balance. Just remember that the Bose sounds great on it's belly, but standing up, sounds closed like the Sony. The Bose goes on sale constantly so try to catch it at $109 or even better come Black Friday. I grabbed the Filp and Sony for $99 but again didn't compete against the openness and balance of the Bose!

The very highly rated Marshall Acton 3 is the most balanced. I got it at for $179 Target clearance last week. It absolutely destroyed everything I had! (Soundcore x600, Bose Flex, Flip 6, Charge 5, Sony ULT Field 1, W-King 10). The bass is strong, right, deep, and the mids/highs doing get drowned out with volume. It's loud and even balanced across its volume range. This IS a speaker. The rest are toys that peter out with more volume

Ya. That silicone really attracts dust and hair at the first second on the black color. This is the same as the Flex. It's best to have a different color to hide that better.

Save your money and get two 300's. It's close enough to the Flex Gen 2 that any differences are not worth the cost difference. Additionally, the Flex gen 2 bleeds battery at about 10% per week. So if you had the Flex 2 without charging in two months, it'll be dead. Bose refuses to acknowledge this problem. the Bose Max also has this problem. There's a thread here just dealing with tis problem.

I like the 300, but the Flex Gen 2 is a bit better. The 300's LDAC setting cuts out too much with Android. It's more inconsistent compared to the Flex 2. But bang for buck for a student with less $, the 300 (or Motion +) is unbeatable. The one thing Soundcore lacks are better parts. You get what you pay for. The BT 5.3 has more delay for movies then the Flex 2 or Nashville. This shouldn't be. And the batteries should last longer from suddenly crapping out in 3 years compared to solid American designed units. And then we have the Nashville which is as good/better as the Bose, but has a superior form factor in turning it vertically for less a footprint on the table, true 360 degree sound (sounds the same front or back), longer battery life at 24 hrs, and a mic. The Flex 2 is a solid performer, but they should have added a stronger battery. The Gen 2 is too similar to the Gen 1.

Highs and mids definitely sound as if a cloth is on it, regardless of the EQ. The Charge 5 is a more "right" sounding speaker. And in this category, I'd put the Bose Flex over both. Sounds good at any volume and holds its bass without muddling the highs. You have to put the Bose on its back though for the EQ change. Having it stand upright, takes it a step down in clarity.

The magic happens when you get 2 Flex's linked in stereo mode. The fullness really jumps out BEYOND what you would expect from adding a 2nd speaker.

Highly unlikely as the Max was released rather recently. If the more popular Flex is an example, you'll have to wait many, many years. As for 2 Flex's, it sounds better than 1 Max. There's a video of this on YT. https://youtu.be/z9WRoB3TIGM?si=e-4BqjwzeFLWYtn2 The stereo effect kicks in from spreading the sheets out and it's more room filling.

Since you only addressed two BT speakers, I'll go with the one(s) I own: Bose SoundLink Flex 2. I listen to a wide variety of music (eclectic is a good term), and the Bose sounds terrific for pretty much every genre I've hit it with, including Bass-heavy EDM. I liked mine so much that I bought a second one to pair with my original. They're pretty stupendous!

Bose SoundLink Flex 2 can usually be found for around $100, and is well worth it. I have two, and their “musicality,” detail, and bass is great for how I listen to them. And truly portable.

I have the B&O A1 (Gen.2) and love it for travel. It replaced my Flex 2 (pair) for music on the go and white noise. Yes, a bit pricey (I just bought another one on sale at Woot for $150), but it sounds amazing, clear, and detailed...in a small package. Not the loudest speaker out there, but I don't listen past 50-60% volume most of the time. That said, I think you'd be very happy with a Bose Flex 2 or Max. I absolutely love mine and think they sound superior to my Sonos Roam 2. I also have a pair of Beats Pills (2024), and they're damned good as well. But as single units, I'd put the Flex 2 first, Beats Pill 2nd, and everything else their size (like a JBL Charge 5) after nothing of them. What's your budget?

I've owned the two generations of B&O A1s over the last decade, and can confidently say they both hold their own against newer speakers twice their size. If I had one criticism, it would be that they don't BLAST sound out, and max output doesn't seem as loud as some other speakers. But the detail in the sound they produce is light-years better than most. I feel that build quality, musicality, detail, etc., is worth their high price. But for less money, you can go with the Flex or Pill and get a very capable sound that is likely "good enough" for most people. But there's a reason I continue taking my A1 for travel...it's the better speaker. When I travel and need louder output, I will often take my Dali Katch 2. Its bigger than the A1, comes with four drivers instead of two (twin woofers and tweeters, on opposite sides, using Blumlein technology). None of my other BT speakers really can compare to the Dali, though. It's a beast.

I have and love the Soundlink Flex 2 (a pair), and they fill my needs with sonic clarity, decent bass extension, and portability. I always travel with a single Flex, which doubles as my on-the-road music source, and white noise generator at night. I also have a pair of Beats Pills, and really like their sound signature. You can buy a pair for the $200 you set as a budget limit. I had the Soundcore X600 but just sold it. I liked it...but didn't love it for how I use my smaller (and it's not small) BT speakers. But, for the money, its sound output is quite decent. If you get one for under $100, it's a good deal.

I’ve owned the 300, and have a pair of Flex 2s I got on sale. If money is tight, the 300 is a good alternative to the Bose Flex. I also have a pair of Stormbox Micro 2s as well. Paired…they beat a solo 300, but not the Flex. I still love them for sound, portability, and cost.

It comes down to price. I have several high-end BT/WiFi speakers that I picked up on eBarf, locally, and Amazon Used—Excellent sales, so I'd use that as a factor. I got my Beosound A1 G2 for $99. It's brilliant, and this is my third one (I gave the other two to my family). I got my Dali Katch G2 from Amazon UK two years ago on sale for $250. (I'm in SF, though.) This feels like the best bang for your buck for its size, weight, and cost. It uses the Blumlein Effect well and is terrific, **even at low volumes.** My other favorite, which is no longer made, is the UrbanEars Rålis. This sucker puts out more bass than some bookshelf speakers (like AudioEngine's smaller speakers). It's a big, red, square purse of a speaker and does get loud when needed. My Bose Soundlink Flex is the unsung hero, though. It's my travel speaker (I travel a lot), portable go-to on the beach, and noise machine using an app on my iPhone. I got it on sale for $99, and I LOVE it. For WiFi speakers, I have HomePods and HomePod minis, along with a Sonos Ray linked to Apple TV. The icing on the cake is a new-to-me factory refurb Bowers & Wilkenson Formation Wedge. It is not portable at all, but it is the best-sounding AIO speaker I have ever heard. I'm likely going to buy the new BraneAudio speaker, though, just to see how it compares. I'll post a review of that next month.

I have WAY too many BT & WiFi/AirPlay speakers, and I can tell you from experience the Soundlink Flex sounds better in all situations than the Sonos Roam. They both sound better than the Soundlink Mini 2...I gave mine away to a friend on another sailboat. I live on a boat as well, with 4 different levels, so keeping the music flowing works best using Apple AirPlay hooked up to my Apple TV and streaming music from one of its apps. Your choices of decent BT speakers under $200 is pretty wide open. Maybe start here: [https://www.dxomark.com/speakers/](https://www.dxomark.com/speakers/) NOTE: I have the B&W Formation Wedge in my office (my enclosed flybridge) that I picked up as a factory refurb on eBarf. The sound quality is ASTOUNDING. Is it portable, though? Barely...the beast weighs 15 pounds or so. BUT...WOW!

How do you listen to music, and what sound characteristics do you care about? I've had all of these speakers except the Groove (huge beast). I kept my Bose Flex 2, and added another one, and LOVE them paired or solo. They go traveling with me everywhere. The sound is detailed, has plenty of low end, and really good accuracy. Paired, the sound stage opens up even more. I listen to mine on their backs.

Since it has two drivers, some people mistakenly think of it as "stereo." It's not, really. BUT, for the price, it's a decent alternative, since you can buy two and pair them for a little more than a retail-priced Flex 2. I bought both of mine as factory refurbs for under $100, though. But comparing one-to-one, the Bose simply sounds richer, and more balanced. The 300 is "good enough" for those wanting to spend $50-70, though.

Flex Gen 2 is terrific, and with the additional features (App) and EQ it's better than most speakers at that price. I have a pair as well, but one on its own is my favorite travel speakers. It goes with me everywhere I'm staying overnight or for longer periods of time. I got mine on sale as well, so I bought two.

I have a pair of Felx 2s, just sent back my Charge 5, and thought my Soundcore Boom was just "okay." The Charge 5 may have gotten a bit louder (outside)), but the sound from my Flex 2 was good enough that I bought a second one to pair it with. Together, they're loud, detailed, clear, and have plenty of low-end. I'm currently using them on a sailboat (Ericson 30+), and they sound great in the cabin down below as well as up in the cockpit when I'm sailing offshore (Pacific) or in San Francisco Bay. There are likely other contenders you should consider... But what's your budget?

Hey, I'd recommend HK Luna. Especially if you can find it in your budget range on an offer because i think the usual price it's around 140$ or so. Checked a lot of speakers and Luna stand out the most for me. Though Bose SoundLink flex 2 is an alternative i just prefer the sound from the luna more. At this point it's more of a preference if the budget is not an issue. if you want to go super budget Xiaomi Outdoor Sound is the best bang for your buck, or the uboom L. JBL flip 6 is not worth the money. Beats Pill 2024 is a runner up but a good choice as well, though for an extra 10-15$ I'd rather go for the luna or flex 2.

I think you should add extra 30$ and get the flex gen 2. Definitely the best speaker on that list. Feature packed and has an eq unlike the older flex.

An expected reply from you🤣 But to be quite honest the gen 2 has surpassed the charge 5 and is still smaller with a single driver. The eq provides refined and rich mids, the difference between it the the old unit is clear. Yes the price is 150 dollars, the same original retail price of the old flex when it came out. Bose tax, but this speaker delivers and is definitely on my top list amongst the small size category, including the harman luna, charge 5, tribit flow, motion plus, motion 300, the list goes on.

I went by his own list, and the flex gen 2 has both sound quality and portability. The uboom x is a cheaply made speaker. It's way larger which means significantly less portability and the sound quality is not that good.

At this point just let him decide if size matters to him. But in general, the bose flex 2 sounds better than the uboom x. The x has more bass and loudness, if it didn't i'd be laughing, but build quality, codec, performance to body ratio, is levels above. You can disagree, i really don't mind. I have both of those speakers.

I pay a lot of attention to details. The flex gen 2 for what it is, is one of my favorite speakers currently, and it can fit into a pocket. That's a great achievement for bose. And i have lot's of brands of speakers. Uboom x is for different purposes, it's clearly a budget option and it looks and sounds like it. As a package i prefer the bose.

That's not true actually, i have a pair of flex gen 2's and a max. They use regular lethium batteries, there's nothing different here. Battery drains also depend on how you treat your speaker when it comes to charging. Avoiding full charge of discharge, will keep the battery more safe.

Yea sure, i have no idea🤣🤣 i guess that bose gave me a different unit, kid

Your experience with bluetooth speakers is probably less than 1/10 of mine, but keep thinking youre correct

The bose flex is very good, but it'a a small speaker. It sounds really good for the size. But the tribit blast 2 is way way way larger (boombox sized) And obvioisly is way more powerful. If you're limited in terms of size and portabiliy then yea the bose is a great pick, but for most sound for the price ratio the tribit will give you a way better value.

Check out bose. Bose soundlink flex gen 2 has less than 100 ms of latency.

Well it's a premium level well made and designed speaker. Once you hear it you understand why the price is like that. Yes it could be cheaper, but it's bose's branding. They use a high quality full range driver that is amazing at producing lows with minimal distortion. And it only uses bluetooth, it has no aux input. You can even get the older gen flex, which has bluetooth 4.2 but is still amazing sounding and is very similar to the new gen soundwise, can be found for even less than 100$

Out of the options you mentioned, bose soundlink flex 2 is the way to go.

I agree. Well the xtreme 3 is kinda useless in that comparison, considering that even the charge 5 is larger than the flex 2 gen. Bose definitely killed it with the 2nd gen. Those who say otheriwise live under a rock. Iv'e been using the charge 5 since it came out, and now the flex gen 2 is my go 2 speaker most of the time for this size, including the harman kardon luna and some more competitors. I use quite a different eq for the bose, i feel like it lacks mids when keeping the eq flat, so i boost mids and a little bit highs. The flex gen 2 is the least noticeable to be mono out of all the mono speakers i have, it spreads the sound so impressively considering the small round driver that is placed on one side of the speaker. The clarity is top notch, absolutely zero static noise or bluetooth interruption sounds, feels like i'm using it with aux which it doesn't have. And the build, structure, shape, size, are all perfect for making it a nice little convenient package.

Get a bose flex gen 2. Better than both.

Flex takes it easily. Better mids, better upperbass. Flip 6 is louder, but pushes mostly highs and upper mids which makes it a little scratchy

Refreshing colors, smaller logo, new multifunction button and pairing to the soundlink MAX are pretty nice editions, along with the aptx adaptive codec support. But is there a sound difference? As far as i can hear, yes.A slight one. The speaker got more clarity, sounds more open, more vocal friendly and has a little deeper bass with less upperbass (most people didn't hear a difference but i did a little) The EQ is the biggest upgrade in my opinion, it really fixes the highs and mids especially in the standing position where the old flex lacks crisp. One thing i would change, is add an option to turn off the positioning eq change, because ONE - it now has a delay when switching positions compared to the old flex, and TWO - i personally rather having one eq for all positions. The motion 300 has the same delay problem but you can turn that off completely. In terms of price and value, the gen 2 is currently 150$ which is the original retail price of gen 1 (which can be found for around 120$ or so) But i think that the 2nd gen is future proof and is a better experience overall. Would be nice to hear yall opinions if you agree or disagree.

You mean the flex right?

It depends on your room size. If it's a small room, a flex should be enough, but you always can get something larger. The bose is pretty portable, but pretty powerfull and loud for it's size.

Of the small ones - soundcore motion 300 Flex 2nd gen, harman kardon luna

The sound is pretty surprising for the size. I don't wanna say that it's crazy sound, because it's up to your expectations at this point when you get it. In terms of wattage, i would say 25, but watts are just a number when it comes to bluetooth speakers.. design and tuning is what matters the most. For example, the soundlink flex destorys the jbl flip 6, having 30 watts of power compared to less watts on the bose.

The 7.5 watts claim is definitely incorrect, it has more than that And it's better than the flip 6 because it's more powerfull sounding, it sounds nicer overall. Surround is not the word i would use, because it's not a stereo speaker, neither the flip 6.

Yea i mean, there are people who think that the bose gen 2 wipes the floor with the motion 300, but i have them all, and i just can't agree with them, it's the opposite to me. So yea opinions can be mixed here.

It's not only the amount of drivers, the bose has a solid driver But the stereo is what makes the difference

I think that when it comes to stereo pairing, bose would be better. Because once you get them paired, you get that stereo that lacked with a single one, and that phat bass.

Simply value. I personally own all of them, but if i had to pick one overall i would choose the higher value one. The flex 2 is a great speaker don't get me wrong, but it's quite pricey when comparing it to similar priced but way larger speakers with more capabilities. You can get more sound out of 150$ if you're looking for value for your budget.

Mate, this entire thread is about my flex 2 that arrived today😅 It's already sold in my country.. so yea the second flex 2 is on the way. I will have two gen 2's

For a small bathroom you don't need something too crazy, but i'd go for a bose soundlink flex gen 2, i've been using this little monster exclusively in the shower. If you want something larger but still compact enough to be used in shower, Bose soundlink max. Both options are portable by the way, i think it's only going to be in your favor.

Ofc, i will compare it to the bose flex , motion 300, harman luna, flip 6, charge 5, xsound plus 2 and will rate it based on that.

Currently my top ones are the bose flex 2nd gen, luna and motion 300. Kinda hard to choose, but flex 2 is currently my go 2.

I use the flex 2 with an eq, but not for bass. I keep the bass on neutral, but i add mids and a little bit highs. That's where the speaker really shines for me. And btw, soundlink max great.

Option number 1. Levels above the rest on that list. Fangirls will downvote or tell otherwise🤣 Reality shows that the bose is on top here.

Well, i personally own over 30 speakers from different companies. And i got myself a pair of flex gen 2's. Also owned the old flex model. I have also different competitors like soundcore, jbl and tribit. For 95£, it's definitely a go. The flex gen 2 is an incredible little speaker that punches way above it's size category. It also features an eq and few some cool options through the app. But most imortantly, it's well designed, durable, small and compact and looks pretty great. It is 100% an upgrade over what you had, it's a different level.

Agree. Never liked bose as much as now since they released it.

The Bose Flex does have clean not bass boosted sound. I have heard the Marshall Emberton III is a good one too..I just have not heard it myself. I did see that Best Buy does have a demo model currently. You used to have to order Marshall speakers from the warehouse.

The Bose Flex seems to have the best broad spectrum sound. Edifier makes some good quality speaker the are powered by a electrical cord, but they connect to devices by BT or optical or rca inputs. Bose Soundlink Max may be a bit better than flex.

I agree that the Wonderboom is a great small speaker. I use one mostly indoors, and it is great for the kitchen, home office ect. Its softball size is great so it does not take up much room at all. I never have connection issues with WB2. It does seem the Bose Flex 2 is still the best sounding personal speaker. The Soundcore Motion 300 or Soundcore Glow are both really nice values. I saw that the JBL flip 6 is still on sale at Best Buy usa and a few more places.

The larger ones can handle a bit more volume. The Bose Flex seems to hold its quality at 75% of max volume. So, if you can return it easily the flex is worth trying

I have liked the Wonderboom that I bought during Covid. I like its softball size. It is super easy carry or put on a small desk while working The Bose Flex is a great sounding small speaker. I did get a chance to hear recently both the JBL Flip 6 and Sony Ult 1 they both sounded really good . The Soundcore Motion 300 and Glow both sound quite good. The Glow has a 360 sound design similar to the the ue Wonderboom or boom 4. (edited to fix grammar).

Bose Soundlink Flex and SoundLink Max are both good speakers. I heard the JBL flip 6 recently. It did sound good.

I would agree that Bose Soundlink Flex 2 has the best sound quality in a small personal size. The Wonderboom is a great device. I still use WB2. It has great sound for the size and 360 sound claim is legitimate. Wonderboom 4 improved the bass over the 2. It is super easy to carry around with its softball size. Soundcore has so many speakers it is confusing. I would pick Motion 300 as best personal sized speaker. It borrowed many of the Bose Flex features such as sensing if it is laying flat or on its edge and adjusting speaker output. The Glow Mini or regular mini are good too.

I have had a chance to try most of these. I would think the Bose Flex sounds the best. The Ult 1 and JBL both sound good, but the Bose sounds perhaps .5 pts out of 10 points better. David the Cnet editor thought Soundcore 300 was almost as good as the Bose. I tried the Ult 1 recently at Walmart: very nice. It was a good value of sound quality v. price.

Supposedly, the Bose is best at very high volumes. David Carnoy of CNET.com does good speaker reviews. He liked the Bose partially because of accuracy at high volumes. He thought Soundcore 300, JBL flip 6, Tribit (forgot the particular 1) are very good in tier 2. Edit Stormbox Flow above

The UE Wonderboom 4 sounds great with all kinds all kinds of music including classical. The Bose Flex is another really balanced speaker. I have heard the Soundcore 300 sounds good with non bassy music. I just have not tried that at home. David the Cnet editor said soundcore 300 sounds non bass boosted. I bought some headphones based on his recommendations. His sound recommendations were accurate for me. Just have not heard the 300.

Anything priced at 99 will sound better. Bose Flex, JBL Flip for small. JBL Charge, Sonos Roam, Marshall Emberton, Sony Ult 1 a bit bigger. I like the Wonderboom for small size and nice midrange sound: non bass head.

I bought the Wonderboom 2 during covid, and I enjoyed as it plays everything good from jazz, classical to classic rock (Pearl Jam, Rem, and everything in between). It does sound like the Bose Flex and the Sonos small speaker are a bit better in overall sound quality. I did the order online pick your stuff up in the parking lot during Covid but have enjoyed it. The JBL Charge and Flip are super popular so cannot go wrong with those either.

I think technically Bose Flex is the absolute best sounding small personal speaker. The JBL Flip 6 is a great sounding speaker. To me, it sounded better than the prior model the Flip 5. I do like speakers with small footprints personally. I do like the Flip and Charges from JBL and the Wonderboom and Boom from UE because of the small footprint.

Bose soundlink flex 2nd gen is the wway to go brother/sister

Bose soundlink flex sounds great for me it produces warm sound that is nice for the ears

Harman Kardon Luna > Bose Flex

Give it a try. I have both. Luna is an all rounder. Flex is good for music but not for podcasts

What’s your preferred EQ for Flex 2? I wasn’t impressed at first but it’s growing on me slowly

Interesting. I see most people here like the speaker when it’s flat on it’s back. But I prefer where it’s standing up on its side

Flex 2 vs uboomx is a nobrainer, if size does not matter. Flex cant keep up with that bass or the any part of the soundset.

Okay. The build quality is the weakest point of the X, but the flex2 is not that much better. I have not bought it because for the price the built quality should be better. The UBOOMX on the other hand is capable more than a jbl Xtreme 3-4 but less than half the price.

My go-to portable speaker is the Bose Soundlink Flex 2. It can withstand outdoor roughness and outperforms its weight when it comes to sound quality. If the Flip 7 isn’t announced soon, the Flip 6 is another excellent option to consider. It sounds great and can also handle outdoor conditions.

The default EQ is my preferred setting. I listen to a wide range of music genres, which works well with this EQ. Speaker placement also plays a role in determining the effectiveness of the bass. Placing the speakers against a wall or hanging them off a wall can significantly enhance the bass response.

Yes, one thing I like about this speaker is its clear and wide sound. If the bass is too overwhelming, you can adjust the EQ settings to lower it down.

Before getting the Flex Gen 2, I didn’t even think about Bose. But wow, the sound quality is incredible! My old Flip 6 was great, but the Flex 2 is on a whole new level. It’s now my go-to speaker, and for louder outdoor use, I got a Soundlink Max. I’ve always been a JBL fan when it comes to Bluetooth speakers, but now I’m officially team Bose. They’re a bit pricey, but they’re definitely worth it when they go on sale.

Flip 6 and Bose SoundLink are both excellent options, but for me personally, after owning both, I’ll go for the Bose. Deeper bass and clarity.

*I used a MiniDSP UMIK-2 measurement mic, and copied the EQ of the Bose Soundlink Flex 2 into a used Bose Soundlink III that I got on ebay.* *Now, the 10 year old Soundlink III, sounds as good as the Flex 2, except it is even better, because it is stereo, and has four drivers instead of one.* *The Max has two woofers and one tweeter, so it still sounds less good than Soundlink III if you EQ the Soundlink III.*

I agree, it should. I will try the JBL Authentics 300 next. That one has battery and wifi and airplay. It may be a little too bright for my ears. So far I like the sound quality of the Bose 500 much better than the Max and the Flex 2.

I compared the Bose Soundlink Flex Gen 2 next to the Soundlink Home. To me, the Flex 2 sounds much better. (A bit too sibilant, but I lowered treble in the Bose app EQ. Vocals sound unnatural though.) The Home sounds cheap. Music seems boxy and muddy to me. I got a pair but returning them. They sound like $60 speakers. They do not sound like $220 speakers. It sucks that both the Flex 2 and the Home are mono speakers. It's ridiculous to charge these prices and not even having stereo. These are not real successors to the Soundlink mini II special edition, which was stereo with great soundstage.

I got the Bose Max but I ended up returning it. I kept 2 Bose Soundlink Flex 2. They sounded more balanced. I also kept a JBL Authentics 300. It has a 7 band EW and I tuned it to match the Bose Flex 2 sound profile. It sounds sublime with this EQ It's on sale right now for $300, cheaper than the Soundlink Max. It's large but has a 6.5" driver. It's my 2nd favorite speaker (the 1st being JBL 305 MKII). Betweeb the Marshall and the Bose Max, I would go for the Bose. It sounds better. Just not $400 better.

SR2 is amazing, sounds so musical and crisp. Second to none. Bose Flex 2nd, amazing bass and warm tone, but not very loud, I think they made effort to be distortion free, so it's bassy and clear but can't get really really loud. 3rd place is the Wonderboom 4, omg, this little F is punchy and loud, you can feel the bass and did I say loud? This is like waking up neighborhood loud! Only season it's behind SR2 and Bose is because both are more musical and realistic then the WB4, if you are into any kind of remix, dance, EDM, and mainly use it at party then WB4 is #1.... Mostly disappointing premium speaker is the Homepod Mini 2, gorgeous design and build, not very loud, sound pretty good, no as good as Sonos, not as loud as Sonos, not even close to WB4 in loudness. Had to return the Apple Homepod Mini 2 after 1 night. I am loving my new Sonos Roam 1, got it new for $80!!

Listen if you want premium build quality and good quality sound then go for Beats Pill 2024 or Bose Flex 2nd gen. If you want loudness and rugged speaker that you can rough use a lot, go for Ultimate Ears Boom4 or Sony Ult1 or JBL Flip6. Please don’t go for Chinese brands because they don’t last long.

I got this speaker this month. 2 for $238 and they are awesome. Tho the battery is too small

There no such thing as a best brand, as they have different strength. Bose has some of the best size to sound ratio speakers with the flex and the max, but they are expensive and lacking features. JBL is always good and the leading brand and they are very consistent in their products , while e.g Sony is very inconsistent but innovative and sometimes they have better features for a cheaper price, plus they have the best pairing system. And then there are those chinese brands like soundcore and tribit who deliver a lot sound for price with newest hardware also.

Bose flex 2 if you want sth small or Sony xg300 if you want soth like xb43. Both have mic /phone call function.

Yes, relative to the size. Not as good as the flex though.

Well then your choices are valid options. The charge 4 has an aux in and very low latency, but the charge5 has improved sound against the 4 or the flex (more pronounced detailed highs) Flex is the smallest and cutest, though.

Bose soundlink max, Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd Generation, Soundcore Motion x600, Soundcore Boom 2 Plus, Harman Kardon Go+ Play, JBL Xtreme 4, are just a few of my favorites that I own.

I tried the Bose sound link flex gen 2 with USB aptX adaptive I could still see the video was out of sync. I'm considering using the Soundcore Motion+ with a Ugreen Bluetooth 5.3 aptx AD transmitter, connecting the 3.5mm Ugreen adapter to the Soundcore Motion+'s AUX port. I miss my Avantree Torpedo Plus aptX Low Latency (any leads where to buy)

I've commented on the state of Bose's product offerings before, but for now, their wireless speaker range *continues* to be confusing.. even **WITH** new products. Bose just today announced the SoundLink Home. It appears to be a SoundLink Flex 2 that you do **NOT** intend to take outside your house. Let's look at a few points: * It is **not** weather **nor** water resistant, and Bose even cautions using it in your bathroom * It **cannot** be setup using the Bose app - therefore, setup depends solely on your device's Settings app * It is **more** expensive than the new SoundLink Flex 2, but has **less** features (no weather resistance, no PositionIQ, etc..) * It has **less** battery life (9 hours on the Home vs 12 hours on the Flex 2) * It **cannot** be linked to other SoundLink Flex/Max/Revolve products, only other SoundLink Home speakers of the same range - and if so, it only supports Stereo Mode (no Party Mode) * This product sadly has **no Wi-Fi** built in - major bummer for me personally, because I've been hoping for a Portable Smart Speaker replacement Let's look at some upsides: * the design is very sleek and modern - way nicer than the Flex, or I'd even argue, the Revolve line * Bluetooth 5.3 with MultiPoint * the USB-C Port can act as a Line-In (something the Flex 2 does not offer) * I'm hoping it sounds just as good, if not slightly better, than the Flex 2 AT LEAST (which is gonna be tough, since this speaker seems to be slightly smaller) So yeah, not really sure who this speaker is for...since clearly the better deal is the new Flex 2... but if anything, I'm glad Bose is trying SOMETHING new, even if this may miss the mark... Links for your reference: Bose site: [https://www.bose.com/p/speakers/soundlink-home-bluetooth-speaker/SLHM-SPEAKERWIRELESS.html?srsltid=AfmBOopfCqvD0qTHTI0LMmhf3ums9UF87xRoQKCSN\_cyteDI0sxU29LI](https://www.bose.com/p/speakers/soundlink-home-bluetooth-speaker/SLHM-SPEAKERWIRELESS.html?srsltid=AfmBOopfCqvD0qTHTI0LMmhf3ums9UF87xRoQKCSN_cyteDI0sxU29LI) The Verge: [https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/1/24259408/bose-bluetooth-wireless-speaker-soundlink-home](https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/1/24259408/bose-bluetooth-wireless-speaker-soundlink-home) Engadget: [https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/the-bose-soundlink-home-brings-premium-audio-to-a-small-and-portable-package-171006213.html](https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/the-bose-soundlink-home-brings-premium-audio-to-a-small-and-portable-package-171006213.html)

Major bummer for me too! I've been waiting for an update to the Portable Smart/Home Speaker. And yes - I was also under the impression that "Home" in the product name meant Wi-Fi included. Maybe because this still has "SoundLink" in the name, that's supposed to mean portable Bluetooth? This speaker lineup is confusing. It does seem like the Flex 2 is the better overall buy.

yeah agreed! I bought both the Flex 2 and the SoundLink Home, and definitely kept the Flex 2. It sounds much better, which is so odd.

TLDR: If possible, listen to several options in person before deciding. Then, buy the Bose Soundlink Flex 2. Supports AAC and has Snapdragon Qualcomm to play the aptX codec. It’s on sale most places for just over $100 right now. You won’t be disappointed, unless you prefer shitty speakers. You will not find anyone here agreeing on a single speaker as the best. There is asr and other ways to see all the measurements/performance; but the best way to find the speaker that is best for you is listening to them IN PERSON I was on the hunt the other day for a roughly $100 speaker. Most top comments I saw were all for Soundcore (Anker). I love anker, but the problem was I needed it that day and I could only find soundcore online. This also meant I would be buying deaf (as in I’ve never heard these speakers, people say they are good, I hope I agree) I basically had it narrowed down to jbl, Sony, bose, UE. Went to target first but their display to listen to the speakers only featured jbl, and also didn’t work. I went across the street to Best Buy which is where I should’ve gone to begin with. Bigger selection and every speaker for sale was on the floor to listen to. I initially was planning to buy the UE Wonderboom 4. I had this plan because of the favorable reviews I read here. I am so glad I could listen to it first. It was so bad. Its bass seemed totally neutered. I asked the staff if this floor model was blown or had been out for a long time and then ensured me it wasn’t blown & they check weekly to ensure all floor model demo speakers are a genuine representation of what you will get when you bring it home. I was so so so glad I didn’t walk out with that one. I would have if I didn’t do a listen test first. But then I had no idea what to get and there was no agreed upon consensus online. I listened through the jbl line, the new Sony stuff. Finally at the end got to Bose and found what I was searching for. I’ve never been into Bose. Sure like 15 years ago they came out with noise cancelling headphones and that was cool; but was also the last time I cared about Bose. There’s a handful of mentions on here regarding the Bose Soundlink Flex, but most people said go for jbl over the flex because jbl has an app with eq. The current Bose Soundlink Flex for sale is the gen 2 version. Gen 2 has an app with eq. Beyond that, it sounds fucking amazing. I was blown away at Best Buy. I thought this was fake somehow like there is no way this thing is producing that bass and that level. The speaker is phenomenal. At first it was almost too bass heavy; but after an hour or two of playtime it broke in and the mids came alive, without loosing any bass. Idk anything about the gen 1 version. But gen 2 has snapdragon Qualcomm tech, can play in AAC and aptX codecs (much higher quality Bluetooth, android only typically though, it’s a source thing) I unfortunately have an iPhone so can’t use the snapdragon (until I buy a Qudelix, or something similar) but, it still sounds fucking incredible. Also, you can get a 2nd one and play them in stereo. I am not exaggerating: if I got another, I could put them on either side of my tv and that would be my home theater. Edit: spelling & grandma

Newer version actually does sound better. It has better midrange and treble. Plus you the new one has EQ

Soundlink flex gen 2 is the best one on the list.

I have Bose SoundLink Flex 2 and Sony ULT Field 1. They both sounded good but I prefer and use Bose more especially when it’s at horizontal/flat position.

Your typical listening level is also an important datapoint since speakers often sound best at a particular volume. I believe 3 of the 4 you mentioned will rapidly cut bass at about 70-80% volume to achieve max dBs. I mean yeah it's loud, but for me unlistenable. My understanding is the Soundlink Flex is good at trying to hang onto its sound signature as volume increases, but as a consequence will not get as loud. Yes it's a tradeoff since there's no free lunch. I purchased several speakers to comparatively listen. Aesthetics were also part of my consideration, so I didn't try any speakers with styling that didn't appeal to me (for example JBL or anything with flashing lights). I also have less than positive feelings towards brands that seem to be regularly tweaking the firmware to "improve" the sound. For me, the Bose Soundlink Flex 2 was my preference. I personally found the Earfun Uboom L to be one of my least favorites. The others I tried were the Tribit Stormbox Pro and Soundcore Motion Plus. What you prefer is completely subjective and no one can tell you what you will like "best". If you're happy with your current JBL, I expect you'll be happy with the Flip 6. Maybe start with that and optionally select 1 or 2 others for comparison. That may reinforce your choice for the Flip 6 or discover one you like even better.

I have this and it's great

Whatever you decide to go with, you should audition the JBL GO 4. Its is 193g and sounds amazing for its size. If you do decide to go larger, you can use the GO 4 as a baseline. I also have the mind blowing Bose Soundflex v2 but at 589g, it’s not fun for my desire to travel minimally. The OP however may find it wonderful dropping from a 3lb speaker to a 1.25lb speaker. But for me, the half pound JBL Go 4 on any trip!

Hello, I just bought the Gen 2 but when it is on and not playing music I hear static slightly but noticeable and it disappears when the music resumes. Do you happen to notice any sound similar to yours? Or does mine have a factory defect?

bruh with the bass turned up on the eq this thing is kinda of a beast i have a medium sized room and this thing will let u feel the bass anywhere its weird for the size

but louder volumes kinda kills it like 85 and above

From the website: >Entire Product System 2.06" H x 7.93" W x 3.56 D" Based on the pics, this spec lists the H and the D backwards. I might just buy two of these to replace an ancient JBL Flip 4 in my travel carryon because stereo separation matters to me and increasingly I like the Bose sound when I'm on the road.

It has a microphone, so yeah phone calls should work.

The sound quality is INCREDIBLE. Just opened mine today!!

I’m hearing instruments and vocals in tracks I’ve never heard before 👀

Aptx support, audio is much better ! Eq support on bose app Better bluetooth version and connectivity No lag in movies or videos dialogues Better controls List goes on ......

Aptx support, audio is much better ! Eq support on bose app Better bluetooth version and connectivity No lag in movies or videos dialogues Better controls Microphone List goes on ......

Aptx support, audio is much better ! Eq support on bose app Better bluetooth version and connectivity No lag in movies or videos dialogues Better controls List goes on ......

Bluetooth button plus volume up on one speaker and Bluetooth and volume down button on the other. Magic.

It also has aac support, and spatial audio in tws if your phone or device supports it.

I have tried pairing my Max with my revolve + and flex 2. No luck. It’s so frustrating! out of my speakers the one I paid most for is incapable of this. However I can pair the flex 2 and soundlink +. Bose needs to learn how to create a working software for all their portable speakers. It’s shameful.

I received a Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen as a gift. Being fairly invested in the JBL ecosystem already, I thought it would be fun to compare. Perhaps this will be useful to people cross shopping the brands. Sound comparisons were made before I looked at the price of the Bose. I kept the Bose at 75% volume and adjusted the others to compare. I liked the Bose 3-band EQ (in the app) at +8/-4/+2, so that's what I used (the EQ effect is pretty subtle on this speaker overall). Note, I can only compare to the last-gen Flip 5 that I have. Supposedly the newer Flip 6 is significantly improved. In terms of physical size, the Bose (20.7 oz) comes in just slightly larger than the Flip 5 (19.6 oz), and much smaller than the Charge 5 (34.3 oz). The Xtreme3 dwarfs them all at 74.4 oz (including carry strap). **Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen vs. JBL Flip 5** The Bose is just better. It gets louder, stays clearer at high volume, produces more and clearer bass, and sounds more detailed and refined across the board. If you can afford the extra cost of the Bose ($119 at time of writing) over the JBL ($100 for the *Flip 6* at time of writing), I think it is well worth the cost. I can't imagine the extra 1 oz weight would ever really make a meaningful difference. Frankly, before looking at the price of the Bose, I thought the price difference would be significantly more. **Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen vs. JBL Charge 5** The Bose punches above its weight here. It produces a similar quantity of bass to the JBL, while staying tighter and less boomy. The Bose produces rich, warm mids and highs, and the JBL shows a noticable "tinny-ness" when compared side by side. I distinctly prefer the sound quality of the Bose ($119 at time of writing) over the JBL ($140 at time of writing). That said, the JBL does get significantly louder overall, so if you plan to use it primarily in large spaces like gymnasiums or outside, then the JBL would probably be worth the extra cost. **Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen vs. JBL Xtreme 3** The Bose just gets outclassed here. In some sense, you could still say the Bose is a bit more detailed and refined... but that argument kind of falls apart when the JBL can comfortably fill your living room with deep bass notes that the Bose can't really reproduce at all. Perhaps if you were planning to *exclusively* listen to technical classical music at modest volumes you'd still prefer the Bose. But for the rest of us, if the size and cost ($250 at time of writing) of the JBL are not a problem for you, then it's a clear choice. **Conclusion** The Bose impressed me in a big way. I have traditionally considered Bose products to be a bit overpiced, but in this case I think it's highly competetive. I think the Bose will replace the Charge 5 as my dedicated bathroom/shower speaker.

I do know someone else with one, so maybe I'll try it out sometime. In general I tend to prefer one bigger speaker over 2 small ones though, personally. I'd be pretty interested to try out the Bose SoundLink Max (will there be a 2nd gen of that?)

No? I'm saying it's worth the extra cost. But I mean, 20% is not nothing.

Yeah, I mean I really wasn't expecting the Bose to beat the Xtreme 3, but I figured with the smackdown it gave the Charge, I should at least give it a chance haha. I agree on the small quality of life details for the Bose as well. It supported quick pairing on my phone (Sony Xperia 1 V), supports multipoint, supports aptX, etc. It's an elevated experience, comparable to the high-end wireless headphones.

I just got the Gen 2 Flex yesterday. Immediately I noticed a difference in clarity unlike all their bluetooth speakers up until now, while bass was always impressive the highs were always choked. Not anymore with Flex Gen 2, however the bass is different not as boomy so the sound is cleaned up. Much more crisp. The EQ doesnt do much and also seems to react mostly to mid and high frequencys so I just leave it flat.

No I don’t hear this check your device perhaps or try with another device

Good choice, currently my best speaker is a Bose Soundlink Max, pretty unbeatable. Do you use the equalizer though? How much can you increment the bass practically? Because i was looking for a Soundlink Flex 1st gen but the equalizer just calls my atention on the 2nd gen because i love heavy bass, and that's exactly what the Soundlink Max delivers with the equalizer. Though it distorts a lot past 70% volume, does that happen with the Flex?

The flex 2 hits amazing, just got it recently from Black Friday sale and im rocking with it so far.

We got one a week ago after *lots* of reading, watching reviews, etc. It was a difficult choice bc the FLIP was a lot less even though the Flex (Gen2) was on sale. Totally worth it. Lightweight and loud. Cool aesthetic look and feel.

Suitcase size, Soundcore motion + (with eq) Bose Soundlink flex Gen 2 (not so muddy as Gen1, wait for a sale again. It was 40€ off couple days ago e.g. where i live) If you want to stand it upwards (good for small spaces like hotels) sony ult field 1 is a consideration e.g., but sound is slightly worse than the mentioned two Then get real wired speakers for your desk, not bluetooth stuff. The is often a delay with bluetooth, annoying when watching movies. You dont want to take a go and play with you, trust me. Too big and heavy. If you're saying you also need that power outdoors its different. But i heard uboom x apparently is very good. You can get two to pair them.

I use my Bose Soundlink Flex when I'm in the Hot Tub.

I just got the Bose Soundlink Flex for $99 new from Bose directly— and used Rakuten with 10% back. Felt it was a good deal. Sound is very crisp, decent bass response, has a mic. It punches above its size. I plan to take it to the beach, on the water, to work, and on trips. The size (flex) is early designed to do a little of everything. And did I mention it sounds great? There are other great choices in the comments as well, but this is what I chose and I like it.

If the loudness works for your needs… I’m a huge fan of Bose Soundlink Flex for just taking with you anywhere and for sound quality

Dont thats just shit suggestion. Look into tribit bro or if you push your budget bose soundlink flex is dope just got it for 10-11k

X300 is what I would say without context and my idea of "mini". Bose Soundlink Flex if you can go to what I consider "small". JBL clip if you need something I consider "micro"

Bose Sounlink Flex has been rated as one of the best Bluetooth speakers in its weight class consistently for a hot minute. I would lean towards the Bose if they were the same price and not think twice if it was $50 cheaper and almost 1/2 off the retail price. Also it has AUX in while the pill does not.

How often are you using AUX and when you are, is a medium sized portable Bluetooth speaker really the best solution, or should you be looking at a static 2.1 stereo system? There is no champion of every category but the flex is really solid and go read reviews outside Reddit to double check because the hivemind is real. The Bose sound link max has an aux port but it's $300-400. It's good but that's 2-3x the price and I am curious what use case you have where AUX is that important in situations where a stereo system wouldn't be viable, because there is no contest about which would sound better.

I have a bose flex, dont recon much too it tbh, it's ok for the size but not much better than my bose soundlink micro which I prefer because it has volume lights and is alot smaller

The bose isnt bad at all. There plenty out there that actually sound bad. Also its the only thing i've no latency issues or connection issues. Every jbl i've had has had Bluetooth issues, latency, and broken on me. With bose i've never had a single peice of equipment fail on me since my first acoustimass back in the day

I agree as well. I dont experience any distortion at max volumes. Can vary on audio sample quality as well.

I find the Bose to be most pleasing of anything available in the market and did not hear any distortion when testing it thoroughly - waiting for some discount on this side of the world before I buy it !

I have been finding this to be troublesome while hunting for a new speaker I have an oootz speaker that’s cheap and does the job as well as a old Bose one but most speakers being sold don’t have aux ):

Agreed! I think the Flip 6 is just great value and a really solid all around speaker. I do really like the Soundlink Flex - it sounds excellent.

I love JBL, but BOSE sounds cleaner and better by a fairly large margin.

Bose SoundLink. I have a iPhone 11. Smooth Wi-Fi connect. Great for room and shower use on the daily. Ambient sound in like a group setting.

Bose flex… it sounds so much bigger than it is

Bose flex bro… If you like bass that is the one cus this little thing slaps And everything else sounds great too SO GOOD!

Bose flex is sooo good

The Motion 300 is a decent shout, but it's only IPX7, so you're not going to get that the dustproofing. And the grille design makes it a bit hard to clean dust out from. The Clip series is decent back lacks quality compared to the slightly larger speakers. I'd personally recommend the Bose SoundLink Flex or the new SoundLink Max. Those SoundLinks have some of the more durable speakers I've handled.

This is true , I did some crazy experiment swapping the Bose mini passive radiators into the flex ( the passive radiators are of same form but a different design) though the passive radiators of the mini were much heavier than that of the flex.....result; the flex could barely drive them haha , I was expecting that the bigger speaker driver in the flex would be more capable of driving the mini's radiators but was surprised to see it couldn't and with my experience of speaker designs the conclusion is that the tiny Bose mini speakers have some tremendous power to be able to drive those radiators and also that Bose has been tuning down how deep the speakers can reach in terms of bass performance....the flex sounds clearer than the mini but the mini has deeper more powerful bass than the flex but the disadvantage of such heavy radiators is that at higher volumes the dsp will bloat/reduce the bass depth to prevent distortion , this is where the flex has the upper hand , the less heavy radiator will make for a better controlled bass response at higher volumes

If you're currently using the SoundLink mini 2 then I'm afraid nothing on the market can produce such powerful bass as it does and be that small , maybe the SoundLink flex comes close but nothing pretty much

Soundlink Mini 2 is great but I could never pair it. Got 2 flex speakers and paired together with about 3 or 4 foot spacing in stereo mode the sound is really really great.

I've both. imho flex does sound better.

Max is debated because the increase in price is not proportional to increase in performance. The soundlink flex is more affordable and sounds great and hits a sweet spot. The max is still a better speaker for most people, but it’s hard for performance to scale linearly after a certain point.

Side by side the flex and max are pretty similar. The Max though can pressurize my office at 30% volume, which I did not expect. Also, the stereo imaging is surprisingly pronounced, especially when sitting directly across from the speaker. The sweet spot seems to be about 70%, and anything after that loses some clarity and bass, however, 70% is pretty damn loud. If you have a Bose Portable Home Speaker, the output is pretty similar, but the max is way more detailed and doesn’t rely on positioning. 

If space is a concern for camping, 2 regular flex’s might be the better idea. The Max is pretty wide, though it will project sound way further & louder than the Flex.

The flex still is very impressive for its size. The max is just way clearer and the bass response is night and day better. The flex still hits pretty low if it reflects off a wall in a smaller room. The Max is clearer, has actually noticeable stereo separation, and much, much deeper bass response. The Max, however, won’t replace the flex for me. The fact that I can slide the flex into my backpack’s outer pocket makes it still the perfect speaker to bring camping. 

Reminds me of the Big JamBox I bought in 2012 for $300, so perhaps $400 isn’t too far off the mark today. The Big JamBox also had great bass and sounded bigger than it was. I still have it, although don’t use it much as the battery is worn and it’s not all that portable. Today I primarily use the SoundLink Flex, which I really like. I look forward to trying the Max.

I like my Bose Flex. Great sound for the size, better than my Wonderboom. My Big JamBox from many years ago is still the king for me—although its battery has faded a lot, it still packs a punch.

Thanks for the detailed response. I guess I will stick with my Flex for a moment. The price of Max is hard pill to swallow.

Just bought two flexes. While not the same, it achieved more of what I was looking for. I’d still like to get a WiiM + True Minis + a powered sub one day. For now, this is the best bet for $250.

I have to say that, for as much as I love the Bose speakers I own, battery drain is far more noticeable than with other brands I own. My Bang & Olufsen speakers have the absolute least battery drain while idle; JBL is great for power retention, too.

No, you have no idea what you're talking about. The Bose Flex has a standby battery drain issue. It'll eat 30% a week

What speaker do you guys use to blast your favorite wall of noise? I’m using a Bose Soundlink Flex atm and it’s not the worst, but it’s also kind of ass. Anything technical or complex is a muddy mess, and if you have highs and blast beats it clips the audio pretty hard. I’d love some recommendations or just to hear what you’re using and if you like it. I’ve almost bought one of the giant boombox sized ones several times but I really need something that I can get up a wind turbine without much fuss. It sucks that there are a lot of speakers that play popular music quite well so no one is going to market for our niche. EDIT: If anyone comes across this thread looking for recommendations I got a JBL Extreme 4 and it fucks hard. Very good sound quality at all volumes, both on battery and plugged in. Lasts forever, gets extremely loud in any kind of enclosed area. Sounds good in the open as well. I’m no audiophile but if Slice the Cake and The Mars Volta sound good on a speaker imo it has enough dynamic range for basically anything. I also got a JBL Clip 5 to clip on my harness when I won’t be up tower for long and it’s far from perfect but incredibly surprising for the size.

I like my Bose Soundlink Flex. It might be loud enough for that situation. I got mine on sale for $99. I chose it over JBL and the impressive Ultimate Ear Wonderboom speakers.

May I suggest a stereo setup. Two bose soundlink flex or one flex paired with one revolve plus 2. Sounds heavenly. The later option is amazing to experience. Flex has good bass and miss, revolve spreads sound in all directions. Both paired together in stereo mode produces not just powerful sound but quality sound as well.

Idk if this is really the place for this question but I sorta like the JBL Bluetooth speakers. But I have a Bose portable one (surprisingly) that I really like too.

Minirig speakers have phenomenal autonomy, good quality/loudness for their size, and way above average durability. I don't own one, only a soundlink flex, which is also very good, but autonomy might be a downside for your use case.

I have both. I got the Flex for $109 and the much larger Max for $380. Sure the Max is louder, has more bass, better Bluetooth and an AUX input. But the Flex has it's own features and less annoyances that it's hard to accept the much higher price of the Max. Here is why the Flex is better: 1. **The Soundlink Flex has a microphone**. The Soundlink Max does not. 2. **The Soundlink Flex can be turned on from your phone!** When I'm in bed, I can turn on the speaker from a distance using just my phone. For the Flex, I go to the *Bose Connect app* and slide down the icon to turn the speaker on. However the regular *Bose app* of the Soundlink Max does not allow this. I must manually press the power button on the Soundlink Max to turn it on. 3. **The Soundlink Flex has no white noise.** On the Flex, there is white noise after pausing music but it disappears after 5 seconds and the speaker is completely silent. But for the Soundlink Max, after you pause music, white noise remains indefinitely, and it is noticeably loud when your room is super quiet and your ears are near the speaker. For those who don't know, white noise is the background noise the speaker makes when the speaker is on but not playing sound. It can be annoying for some people. 4. **The Soundlink Flex has accurate battery readings.** The Flex has an accurate battery update at all times. But for some reason, the Soundlink Max has a delayed battery reading. I can play music for hours and the battery level on the Max remains at 100% from day to night, giving me a false impression that the battery is that good. But the next day, when I turn the Soundlink Max back on, that is when the battery reading adjusts itself and the 100% battery from the previous night suddenly drops down to like 60% in the morning. Why aren't people who own both speakers pointing these things out?

The battery and especially sound quality is beyond amazing. But it’s just the little things and annoyances about it that make it hard to justify over the flex. I only want to keep one speaker and I think I’m leaning towards returning the max and keeping the flex. I purchased from Bose so I have 90 days to decide.

Bought it refurbished directly from Bose website. However even then it is going for around $130 at the moment.

It’s okay and works. But nothing special about it.

I tested the 2024 Beats Pill against the Bose Soundlink Flex thoroughly. They both have the same loudness. Most accurate way of measuring this is to see which you can hear farthest away. The Beats pill can play at a lower starting frequency of 35 hertz while the Bose Flex can only play starting at 45 hertz. The Bose Flex has more bass and it is especially noticeable at high to maximum volume. At max volume, the pill has very little bass and lots of sound distortion which is a complete turn off for me. The Flex at max volume still has thumpy bass and less distortion. Overall the Bose sounds warmer and has more bass due to lack of tweeter but presence of passive radiators. And the Pill sounds brighter and lack bass at higher volume due to presence of tweeter but lack of passive radiators. Summary: Bose sounds warmer, has more bass, and distorts less at max volume. Pill sounds brighter, has less bass, distorts more at max volume and plays lower frequencies. I ended up keeping my Bose flex and returning the Beats pill.

The pill is not louder. You probably felt that way because of the highs of the trebles due to the presence of the tweeters. But overall volume, the pill and flex have the same loudness. And the bass of the pill is almost nonexistent at 100% volume whereas the flex still has noticeable bass at 100% and that makes sense because the Flex has passive radiators which help play the lows. I tested this myself. For dance music and edm, which I listen to a lot also, it sounds so much better with more bass. And Flex has much more bass especially at max volume. However the treble isn't as crisp as the Pill offers because the Flex lacks tweeters. But I actually find the less crispy treble, aka "warm" sound of the Bose more pleasant on the ears. I ended up keeping the Bose instead.

Beats can play lower frequencies, has more treble(the highs) but more distortion at max volume Bose has less treble which gives it a warm signature but honestly that sounds really good and pleasant to the ears. It also has more bass and less distortion at max volume. I ended up keeping up the Bose because the bass is a big factor for me. I didn't really care for the highs that the Beats offered. Plus I think the Bose sounds more musical as in it makes music sound very pleasing.

Wondering now if your stance still applies? I have the Bose Flex and the Bose Portable Smart Speaker (successor to the revolve+ II 360 w.e.?) I hardly use the smart speaker and it always has connection issues or drained battery. Usually keep it plugged in to avoid that. The flex has been good for my needs. Looking at getting the Sound Link Max to replace the Smart Speaker. Any thoughts? 

Have a pair of Harmon Kardon Luna’s and absolutely love them. I had bought two Bose flex’s, two beats pills, and pair of jbl charges - surprisingly the Luna sounded the best and was smaller than the charge - returned the other speakers

I compared Bose SoundLink, Jbl charge 5, Jbl flip 6, Soundcore Motion X600, Klipsch Nashville and HK luna. I chose Luna from all. The best balanced sound for this price range. I found JBL highs to harsh, bose pretty good but not so open , Klipsch missing any lows, and Soundcore...I liked it but when I listened side by side with Luna...well..I ended up with Luna :)

I also owned both and returned the X600 after using both for 30 days indoor and outdoor. My EARS and those of my guests are the basis. X600 needs tweaking when genre changes - not consistent in SQ. No need to tweak on the sound link, sounds great at all volumes

Bose for sound, undisputed champion in the small size. The Klipsch Nashville also has lots recommending its sound is on par with the Bose - have not heard myself. Marshall for cool factor. JBL if you want the heaviest bass. In a perfect world the Bose sound with the Marshall look! Any of the three are solid choices. Nobody in their right mind would recommend the earfun unless you read the comment section on reddit….lots of paid ad posters with links here.

Undisputed by who? Most ppl never heard of minirig, and they are unreliable. EVERYBODY knows the Bose ROCKS at its pricepoint/size.

Probably your best bet if you dont need to max your budget is something between the bose flex and the soundcore x600. I’ve Read a lot good about the ultimate ears boom but never saw one. Today I’ve actually bought one Sony xb-100: it’s good enough. For indoor is enough powerful for when I’m alone (main use) and for a room with 4/6 people. Only “issue” I had was the sound too thin when i first turned it on. Really too thin. i went on spotify settings and i noticed it had reduced bass EQ, after i put boosted bass it’s great. I like to have a smaller speaker than the JBL flip since most of the times i wouldnt need that and it’s half the size and weight. But it’s a 25€ speaker. I could easily buy another orange one in the future to just swap em when one is low battery or to pair em for stereo. But if I didnt wanted a small speaker to just trash around I would went straight to the x600 imo. Anyway, the best one for 300 is probably the bose max.

I use the Bose Soundlink Flex for listening in the shower. It sounds pretty good after setting the bass to -10 and the mids and highs to 4/6. I don't know why all Bluetooth speakers are so bass-oriented it sounds awful

The soundlink flex has a tonne of bass and has a warmer profile, so for audiobooks and meditation music etc is not a good fit. Will make everything sound dull and dark.

You can go for the beats pill or Bose SoundLink flex on sale or the flex gen 2, Bose SoundLink max if u have the budget, also bass is the worst on Marshall, complete joke for bass.

Bose SoundLink flex 2

Bose SoundLink flex is good.

Treble is fairly recessed in flex. It may help high tone sensitive listeners like OP. Also it's the mid bass that's prominent in flex , not the sub bass.

I agree with the other replies that two speakers are better than one. It depends on how big you are willing to carry around. My favorite that I've settled on is the Soundcore Boom 2. Although it is slightly larger than my idea size for a portable speaker, the handle makes it easy to move around. In my opinion it is just about the perfect balance of size, clarity, and bass for a portable speaker. It has great sound and great bass (even outside). It just won't fit in a small spot. For a smaller speaker, I would recommend the Earfun Uboom L or the Soundcore Motion 300 or the Bose Soundlink Flex. Again, a pair of these in stereo will get the best most room filling sound. All of these are small and easy to carry and easy to place anywhere. If you just want one speaker, I would recommend the Tribit Stormbox Blast or the Earfun Uboom X. They both sound great, with full sound, clarity, and deep bass. But they are huge! Probably not easily carried from room to room, but that that is your decision to make. The Soundcore Boom 2 would be good as a single speaker too, with a smaller size, but it won't sound quite as good as these other two.

I've found that bang for buck if you don't need portability comes from soundbars with bluetooth subwoofers. You don't get portability, but they connect pretty easily and they're getting pretty cheap. You'll need to plug in to an outlet for the main unit and another outlet to power the sub. If you need portability, I've found the Bose soundlink sounds great at low volumes. I like the jbl xtreme 3 for big volume and outdoor activities, but it's not great at low volumes. Waterproof speakers lose some clarity at low volumes.

The Bose SoundLink Flex is small, but it puts out a surprisingly decent amount of sound and the bluetooth syncs easily to your device. It's on sale now for $129.

Bose soundlink is a good option. A little out of your price range, but worth checking out IMO.

Yeah, I have the old soundlink and I have no issues with it. I can only imagine the new version is the same if not better.

yeah, can't argue with that. If the budget wasn't an issue, I would've bought the Flex without a second thought.

I saved up and bought the Bose Soundlink Flex.

i ended up buying the bose soundlink flex after saving up a bit

It's a bit more expensive than the others in the segment but totally worth it.

Thanks for pointing out this has no Wi-Fi. I didn’t really look too much into this yet, but this is a big bummer as I thought it was the new home portable. I really feel like they don’t know what the hell they’re doing at Bose anymore. We’re going to call something a home speaker and not give it Wi-Fi only Bluetooth? I mean, wouldn’t I just get a Bose flex?

Yeah, at least make it work with airplay and Google casting. I don’t know that we need Bose to have Pandora in the app like a Sonos type thing. Just having airplay and casting would’ve been, I think good enough! This just blows my mind I could have two flexes for way less money And have better battery life.

Bose Flex. Unless we are talking purely bass loudness. Bose flex bass is not very loud but it is enough for the size and application. Bose has the best sound quality in my opinion.

Go and blindly buy bose flex

Yes. The low end bass of bose flex is really good. I have a tribit blast. Soundcore motion plus and soundcore x600 too. But bose flex is my favorite in terms of low end bass, warm vocals and highs too. The separation is also the best amongst these. Tribit blast is the most powerful, but i still get the best clear bass on my bose flex. PS: I don't have experience with marshal speakers, so I cannot comment on that

I too listen music at night right before i sleep on my Flex. No negatives there as well. The only drawback with bose flex is that the loudness will not suffice if you want to use it outdoors. But if indoors is your use case, Flex is the best

Last week I compared a JBL charge 5 and Bose sound link flex side by side. Charge 5 was much 'fuller' sounding and made the sound link feel a bit muffled.

Most portable bluetooth speakers like the Flip are mono, but can be paired to a similar model from the manufacturer to create a party mode (both mono) or stereo mode. Stereo mode can really wake up these smaller speakers but come at a cost of buying 2. Bose recently released the Bose SoundLink Max which is stereo, but also cost more than 2 Soundlink Flex speakers which are presently my favourites. Another issue with a stereo speaker in a small form is the lack of stereo separation with the speakers so close to each other. I haven't listened to a Soundlink Max but I would go more for 2 Flexes for better sounding stereo since you can separate the individual speakers for a wider stereo sound stage.

I have them. They’re cool to show off to your friends right up until the moment that you turn them on. They have zero depth, zero bass, and really aren’t that loud. My Bose SoundLink sounds 1000x better and is much louder. You’ll get better sound from just turning on your stereo and rolling down the windows. I was highly disappointed. I don’t have any connectivity issues like a lot of people. As soon as I drop the gate, it turns on and immediately starts playing music from my phone. I really wouldn’t spend the money unless you hear one in person and decide it’s worth it. Because it’s not.

Using an old Bose sound link Bluetooth speaker when I need more sound that the mini provides.

I’ve got a Bose Soundlink, worth every penny.

Budget speakers might get really loud but the expensive ones offer better quality and balance. If you plan using your speaker strictly for outdoor, go with a cheap one. For indoors premium ones are better. I'm currently using a Sony ult field 1. Bose soundlink flex is a great choice too. But it's sound is little less compared to sony. Simple rule(applies to most speakers) Under 5k - outdoor speakers. 5k -10- mix use. 10-20k- indoor. >20k depends on model.

I really liked my boom 2, I only retired it bc the battery was pretty degraded after years of daily use. I’d imagine the newer versions are decent as well. Right now, I have a Bose soundlink flex I bought refurbished directly from Bose for like $120. I’ve been really surprised how much I like it. I bought it after being really disappointed with the JBL flip and charge I tried out

I have both the Beats pill and the Bose soundlink flex. Design wise, I like the look of the pill more than the flex due to the size and shape although the flex doesn’t look bad at all and is almost as portable as the pill. They both have ways to be hung as well (the pill has the removable lanyard and the flex has the utility loop). The pill’s battery is twice as long as the flex (pill lasts for 24hrs at 50% volume compared to the flex’s 12hr battery life) and can be used as a power bank (the flex can’t charge other devices). Sound wise, they both sound really good but there are some differences. The pill is louder and clearer with powerful bass even at 50% (the bass can be less noticeable at 75% or higher), while the flex is more subdue and not as bright. That’s because the pill has both a woofer and a tweeter so there’s better sound separation and better mids and highs compared to the flex. The flex uses a single transducer and dual passive radiator setup. This makes the pill better for hip-hop, rock, and EDM music while the flex may be better for classical and contemporary music. That doesn’t mean that the flex doesn’t sound bad with hip-hop and rock music. It does great with those genres, just not as well as the pill. And did I mention that you can use the pill for wired lossless audio via usb-c. I personally prefer the beats pill, but the pill and the flex are both great speakers. It’s just a matter of preference between the vibrant Beats pill or the sophisticated Bose soundlink flex. If neither suits you, the alternatives would be the following: JBL Flip 6/Charge 5, Marshall Emberton 2, Sonos Roam 2, UE Boom 4, and the Sony ULT Field 1

I have both. I got the pill yesterday and the bass is deeper on the pill but music with strings sounds more detailed on the flex. The pill gets significantly louder and doesn’t sound compressed even at 100% whereas the bass on the flex is compressed past 70% for me. There’s not an EQ for either but it depends on what your purpose for the speaker is and what genres of music you listen to. I have no preference between the two at the moment.

I got a Bose Soundlink Flex a few months ago that I really enjoy

Bose Soundlink. I am notoriously bad about not taking care of things and them falling apart or breaking. These things are indestructible, provide bose sound and all three of mine link together despite the fact that my oldest one is 13 years old. I love them.

I think you know which one has the most bass 😉 1. JBL Boombox 3 2. Bose Portable Smart Speaker 3. Ultimate Ears Epicboom 4. Ultimate Ears Megaboom 5. Sonos Roam 6. Bose Soundlink Flex 7. Sony SRS-XB12

Yeah, wondering the same about the Roam being over Flex. I have 2 Flex’s, no Roams.

Both are good choices. Size wise, the Flip 6 is slightly more portable given its cylindrical shape. Both sound good but in different ways — Flex has a boosted bass and warmer sound (typical of Bose audio signature), Flip is more neutral and a little less bass. Features are on par with each other where it counts, though the JBL app has better custom EQ. One thing to consider is party mode — if her friends have the same brand, they can party up their speakers which makes it sound way better and more fun. I think this would be your main consideration. Good luck!

From the Roam that I had, I liked how the midrange and highs sounded, but the bass is very weak if I compare it to my SoundLink Flex or the Flip 6, and it loses bass at higher volumes of 60%, which is more noticeable. The other negative thing is the battery life, in my case it only lasted 6 hours at 50% volume. If you want it to last longer, you have to deactivate the microphone and you lose Trueplay and the voice assistant.

I have 2 of these for a few months now, they sound amazing for the price and look good too. I actually prefer the sound to flip 6, ult field 1, emberton 2 and sound link flex

The Bose Flex is more versatile than the Flip 6, it supports voice assistants through your smartphone and is excellent at hearing your commands from far and in noisier settings. It can also produce a more extended low-bass than the JBL. It also has a slightly longer-lasting battery life, though this varies depending on your usage habits. That said, the JBL comes with a graphic EQ to tweak its sound to your liking and offers a slightly wider-sounding soundstage. Both are IP67 so outdoor capabilities are the same. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the initial review! You seem to be pretty much the only person I can find who is reviewing this product early. I almost bought two of the flex’s for stereo mode but then saw this was dropping and decided it’s maybe best to wait for this. I don’t mind the price as I’ve had a Bose Micro for 3+ years and use it almost everyday. I’m expecting this to be a significant upgrade lmao… Please keep posting your thoughts / feelings / review findings regarding this speaker I’m extremely curious and will be following your content! Thanks.

First, the disclaimer. I receive products through a program with a major retailer to provide honest and unbiased reviews. I was given the opportunity to receive a Soundlink Max and test it out. I have a Revolve+ (gen 1), the Flex, and now the Max, to use as comparisons. Quick initial impressions while I keep testing it out - the sound is much more full than either of the other speakers, which is expected. It is a stereo speaker and the sound stage, especially about 3-4 feet away, is huge. It sounds much wider than it is. Nice to not have to link two speakers to get stereo. Build quality is solid, although I still find it odd that Bose doesn’t cover the ports on a device designed for beach and splash. The analog input port in particular seems like a sand magnet. I have covers for both and will probably pop them in when outside. Audio is still where I’m testing and evaluating. It sounds better than both of the others by a pretty good margin, with a very full sound and more well rounded bass. In my initial listens I seem to hear an odd drop off in the mids probably around the crossover point between the tweeter and woofers. It sounds kind of like the tweeter can’t get that low and the woofer hasn’t picked up yet. Maybe a software tweak will correct that, or maybe it’s the tracks I have tested with so far and their encoding or mixes. I need to do some listening on a non-Bose speaker to see how that compares. It’s also very bright out of the box; I found that an eq of bass +5 and a treble of -1 or -2 seems to be more balanced for rocking outside. All of that said, it blows away the flex and revolve and I’m being picky as it is a $400 speaker. I’ll post some more thoughts as I continue to test.

The flex is the better choice in my opinion.. I bought mine 3 weeks ago and don’t go anywhere without it… great sound for such a small speaker

Bose sound flex is a fantastic little speaker r

I've got 2 Bose soundlink flex, they are small but have enough power and bass to fill a medium sized room. I got them refurbished through Bose and I think I paid like 100ish for each. I really enjoy them for the size and great sound. If you want to go bigger and have loads of bass, I'd go with the Tribit Stormbox blast, also ha e 2 of them and they are very loud and have tons of bass. For the money you prb won't find anything better. Plus they have insane battery life and if you like they have a LED light show, it kind of cool, kind of... For me not a selling point. I had 2 Jbl Xtreme 3s and returned them for the Stormbox. No competition what so ever. Soundcore makes some really cool stuff, don't have any of them yet....but from my research seems like the 600 is the one to go with.

i only have this one and its good

Bose sound link flex x2 or Bose Soundlink Max Or get two Fluance Signature Series bookshelves, a receiver and maybe a used BIC-F12 subwoofer but it should will be fine without

What size we talking??? Bose soundlink flex is a good option for bass and sound quality. Another option is the Motion 300. Sounds pretty good all around, but has distortion problems on certain tracks. JBL Charge 5 is also good as well, but maybe might be a bit pricey.

I totally agree. I got one of these Bose SoundLink Flex Bluetooth Portable Speakers. I loved it so much I bought another, just so I don't have to carry it between rooms. You won't regret this one.. It's not super HiFi, but it's perfect for background listening. Eg. Bose SoundLink Flex Bluetooth Portable Speaker, Wireless Waterproof Speaker for Outdoor Travel - Black https://amzn.asia/d/6gPiFR3

Soundlink Max OR 2 x Soundlink Flex in Stereo mode? I've tried many speakers such as Edifier R1280DB, R1700BT etc. but Soundlink Flex sounds something more special than any other, no idea why. Looking forward to buy 1 more to make it stereo.

I bought a certified refurbished one recently for 100 off Best Buy Canada. I’ve owned Bose soundflex before and tried a few speakers from Jbl, tribit etc. I found Bose to be best in terms of soothing/warm sound. I’ve been testing out x600 all day with a bunch of custom EQ from Reddit. I still haven’t been able to make them sound as warm as Bose since I feel it’s a physical restriction. Soundcore lacks that refined bass. That being said it sure is has a very crisp and balanced sound when playing .ogg files through a BTR 5. About the spatial audio, I was super excited to experience it but it’s mostly a gimmick. Just an additional upward facing driver which makes it sound a bit roomier but it’s not as strong. The speaker with spatial sound off are simply bad. Whereas Bass up just adds unrefined bass.

Knife sharpener is a game changer! I also bring my own coffee and I have a travel Aeropress. Generally, I also carry my Bose Flex speaker so I can have music in whatever room I’m in. It also doesn’t hurt to bring some laundry detergent pods if the place has a washer.

If portability, durability and sound clarity are your priorities, the SoundLink Flex is an excellent choice

I use a 3 point chest strap running bag [similar to this except I sewed my own 3rd strap on](https://getsprints.com/products/shadow-noir-sling-it-bag?variant=41000745369661¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwxqayBhDFARIsAANWRnSP5qZ5n3yNfpcq-MSvfmfuP2mKA02xZzmA9OaZqNlg1WBUrSVwG5gaAq88EALw_wcB) and hang a Bose Flex from the joint with a little carabiner! However if I'm not going somewhere where I'll use the speaker or not on a group ride I'll usually just use Airpod Pros in passthrough mode which I highly recommend!

It has been a while that no one has posted posted Bose speakers here. Anyways I have finally bought a really good sounding bass Bose portable speaker. I said that because I have the soundlink color 2 and it sounds good but I needed something with better bass response in other songs. So I finally got the revolve + and it sounds amazing and since it’s used I bought for 65 bucks! Such a super deal when these be costing like 200 brand new! For the price I got it I’m very satisfied with the sound quality, bass, and 360 sound. I was impressed that even it was grade C used it was in very good condition even for the price. The only thing it has is a little tiny dent and it’s not even scratched. If y’all searching for a Bose portable speaker I go with the revolve + or the soundlink flex, the color 2 is good but not as bass heavy so I would rather get the soundlink flex.

I bought mine in 2018 and it's still my favorite speaker. the Soundlink Max is admittedly better in direct comparison (sounds somehow clearer and more refined) however the Revolve is more convenient in daily life due to is size and shape. It's also superior in settings where you place the speaker somewhere and then move around a lot Weirdly Bose has kinda abandoned the Revolve line even though the Flex series cannot match it (I've compared them too)

I was just deciding between JBL Flip 6 and Bose Soundlink Flex and got myself the Bose. I am more than satisfied with my choice. I use it mostly indoors, so I rarely go above 60 % volume, but I tried and it can be really loud too. It has a deep bass and a clean sound and if you prefer different EQ settings, the gen 2 has EQ in app.

Bose SoundLink Flex It gets surprisingly loud and has a nice balance of bass and treble.