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Review: The Bose SoundLink Mini is the best-sounding portable Bluetooth speaker…ever

Bose-soundlink-mini-best-price-review

We’ve had a look at just about all of the best portable Bluetooth speakers on the market but Bose, a company known for high (prices and) quality speakers, has never made our ‘best of‘ lists. Its regular Soundlink and Soundlink II products at $300-$349 have sound and features that lower-priced competitors, especially Logitech UE JBL Charge and even the Beats Pill were able to handily beat.

All of that ended the moment I got the $199 Bose Soundlink Mini, a product that shows that Bose is willing to think outside of its “hyper-premium price” box without sacrificing the quality of its product…

I attended the Bose Soundlink Mini launch event in June which was a good opportunity to get a first listen to the new offering and discuss the product with some of the engineers involved in its creation.  Right off the bat, you’ll note the substantial build quality and weight on the SoundLink Mini.  It is wrapped in very Apple-like silver anodized aluminum and weighs about as much as the much bigger Logitech Boombox or Big Jambox.  According to the engineers, all of that extra weight is due to big magnets and you can’t get the type of bass this thing produces in any other way. They are right, the base on this thing is no joke and is helped even more if placed within a foot of a vertical wall.

I got my Soundlink Mini right before a road trip around Europe so I thought I’d put this portable device into a trial by fire.  It comes in simple, elegant packaging and I opened it on the way to the rental car outlet. In the small box comes only a small AC adapter and a charging stand. It came with a small bit of charge but because it doesn’t charge via USB, we weren’t able to use it in the car on the way to our first destination.  Once plugged in at our hotel however, we were easily able to pair a MacBook, an iPad and an iPhone in a matter of minutes. The Soundlink can ‘remember’ 6 different Bluetooth devices which is really handy when switching between different devices. It fully charges in about 3 hours, even while playing, and easily gets the 7 hours of playback from its 7.4V, 2330mAh, 17Wh, Li-ion battery that Bose boasts. That was good enough for most full days but a universal USB adapter, even if it charged much slower, would have been preferable (strangely, it has a micro-USB port right next to the dock charging interface, but alas, it is only for Firmware updates). Also the SoundLink will turn off after a few minutes of non-use when on Battery only. I’d prefer a bit more time.

Bose-soundlink-mini-best-price-discount

The Mini comes with a rubber bottom that keeps it mostly from bouncing around and for another $18-25 you can buy a colored ‘soft cover’ that will protect it from scratches and give it a personalized look. Another $45 buys you a full Travel Bag (overpriced). The buttons on top are clearly marked though not terribly easy to access, especially when it is adorned with the soft cover. I do like the mute ‘kill switch’ but a back-forward button would also have been appreciated. I also appreciate Bose’s attempt to keep its price down but a remote control option would have been nice as well.

The sound. The Sound…and the Sound.
This is the best-sounding portable Bluetooth player I’ve ever heard. Full Stop. It is like magic what comes out of this thing. Take it to the beach or a public park and watch people freak out at how much deep, rich sound comes out of such a small object.

Here’s a great YouTube video comparison of the sound vs. the original Jambox. You can replace the Jambox with just about any sub-$200 Bluetooth speakers out there (Pill, Charge, UE Boom, Big Jambox) and expect the same total obliteration. The sound level even matches bigger, more expensive Logitech Boombox or Big Jambox but is much, much clearer with a much richer bass.  This product sounds like a quality home stereo albeit without the stereo separation. In fact, I think the sound might even be better than Bose’s own more expensive, much bigger original SoundLink product. Bose, you might as well throw those out the window.

Even Amazon reviewers are impressed with a rare 5/5 rating from almost 100 reviewers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsyel0ZHLlc

Drawbacks:
If this were only about sound and price, you could stop reading and go buy a $199 SoundLink Mini right now. But there are other variables to consider here.

The Bose Mini doesn’t have a Mic or “Bluetooth Hands-Free Profile (HFP1.5)” so you can’t use it for a speakerphone like the Logitech MiniBoom or Jamboxes.  I don’t use this feature often but for some, it could be a dealbreaker.

As I mentioned before, it won’t charge via USB; only the included AC adapter. That’s a bummer for trips because it means you have to carry around an extra adapter and be tied to an outlet if you need a recharge. If that’s a dealbreaker, the $149 JBL Charge, which also lets you charge other USB devices with its much bigger 14-hour battery might be in your cards. Again, the $199 Logitech Boom or the Beats Pill also charge via microUSB as well.

The big buttons on the Big Jambox also let you skip forward and backward in songs and it works with some cool apps. Bose’s buttons are minimalist and recessed.

Also, the SoundLink Mini is about the size of the original Jambox, meaning you can easily throw it in a bag, purse or even a coat pocket – but it is way heavier. If you are looking for extreme portability and/or a lower price point, head to the $90 Logitech UE Mini, Beats Pill,  or even the $40 Oontz Angle.

Wrap Up.

Bose makes premium audio products but unfortunately usually prices itself outside of most budgets.  With the SoundLink Mini however, Bose keeps the incredible sound of its $350 product, makes it more portable, and then cuts the price to $199.  I highly, highly recommend this product, unless one of the nitpicks above makes an inferior sounding product a more sensible buy. Hit our full Bluetooth Speaker roundup for the best options there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_4g5rnDOVk

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Comments

  1. Mr. Grey (@mister_grey) - 11 years ago

    If it doesn’t support Airplay (and it seems like it doesn’t), it’s a deal breaker for me. Airplay is just easier and more feature rich.

    • degraevesofie - 11 years ago

      If it doesn’t support Airplay (and it seems like it doesn’t), it’s a deal breaker for me. Airplay is just easier and more feature rich.

      Doesn’t AirPlay require WiFi? If so, that would be limiting for what is presumably most an “outdoor”/”away” device, no?

      • Seth Weintraub - 11 years ago

        Agree. No it doesn’t support Airplay and yes, AirPlay makes no sense for a portable device (You’d have to create/configure a new network wherever you went). I don’t know what ‘features’ Airplay has that are needed but Bluetooth is dead simple.

      • telemedted - 11 years ago

        The original Bose SoundLink with Airplay did support mobility. If you took it to the beach you could press the reset button on the device to broadcast it’s own network called Bose SoundLink Air.

      • Seth Weintraub - 11 years ago

        Then change your device’s SSID network settings? Pass. Also, I’ve had a tough time with AirPlay overall. Always get skips during Time Machine backups.

      • Alan Jun - 10 years ago

        Good to know AirPlay is not as essential as I previously believed. Thanks for the helpful info! I’m buying Bose SoundLink Mini as a Father’s Day gift: http://www.squidoo.com/a-wireless-speakers-review-from-a-thoughtful-son. Thanks!

  2. Mikael Hansen - 11 years ago

    This looks awesome.

  3. No USB charging is a dealbreaker. I’ll eventually lose the charger, and in the meantime, I don’t care to be dealing with one in the first place. USB charging or I won’t buy it.

    • Seth Weintraub - 11 years ago

      I agree with that. From now on I’m taking the Logitech UE Mini or JBL Charge with me on trips. Won’t sound as good but needs USB

  4. www.mightydwarf.com - 11 years ago

    The charging base is unfortunate but I believe necessary in order to charge the unit up in under a week. To charge it using the standard USB would take excessively long. Is this the case?

    • Seth Weintraub - 11 years ago

      Yes, USB is too slow – that’s what one of the engineers told me (you don’t need the base, just a cord). But I’d rather have a slow USB charge option – was my point.

      • Dan M - 10 years ago

        Most tablet USB chargers charge at the rate of 2 amps or 2,000ma. Im assuming it uses a dual battery design like the o2 amp to give the amplifier its +v -v and ground. you would require an ac to achieve its voltage requirement, Since usb gives only 5vdc only, its not possible, unless you have a usb inverter, 5vdc to ?v ac. Please Google ‘o2 amp’ schematics shows a dual battery design with ac -+ charger.

  5. Bruno Ricardo - 11 years ago

    I totally agree with the author. My wife and I bought one of those about a month ago at the Bose Store in the outlets in Pennsylvania and it is the best outdoors speaker ever. The bluetooth connects with everything (iPhone, iPod, iPad, macbook pro and even my old motorola dumbphone). We had a barbecue couple weekend ago and the batteries last the whole afternoon, we got back inside the house and the light haven’t yet come out. The best 200 bucks purchase of the year :D

  6. dryeyes - 11 years ago

    Wow, best ever ehh? So you
    a) bought the set
    b) feel pretty good about it
    c) wanna let us know you think they are awesome

    So you just come up with a title ‘best ever’. Well, ask any audiophile salesperson and you get the same response: ‘Bose is for rich folks who know nothing about audio’ and I would sign that statement any day.

    While it is true that they are better than you average walmart poop, they are not even close to the leading bunch. So please stick to iPhone reports and don’t shout out ‘best ever’ when you obviously don’t know anything about decent audio quality.

    • Seth Weintraub - 11 years ago

      I’ll bite. Which portable BT speaker is better in your opinion Mr. Audiophile? Oh, you forgot?

    • jeb20 - 11 years ago

      Give me a break. You want to carry around a ten pound speaker that passes your “audiophile” ear test? Be my guest. I’ve never owned anything by Bose because I just never thought they were worth the money. This new speaker is a game changer. To crap all over it because of the name brand is foolish at best. Hearing is believing bro.

    • Paul Atkinson - 11 years ago

      So tell us, what did you and the 17 year old “adiophile” salesperson at BestBuy determine was a better option than this Bose model? Speak up, I can’t hear you over the awesome sounding music from my Bose Mini that us “rich” folk can afford. Oh wait, don’t bother. I don’t care. Now don’t you need to get back to waxing the spoiler on your Acord Civic?

  7. Jarred Mohring - 11 years ago

    If you think Bose sounds good, please stop reviewing anything audio related. You are no longer qualified to do so.

    • Seth Weintraub - 11 years ago

      Ha! Like I said, I hated their stuff until now (read 1st paragraph). The sound will even impress haters especially if you consider this is a small portable speaker.

    • mistergsf - 11 years ago

      Dude, you sound so elitist and it’s very unbecoming. I consider myself an “audiophile”; enough so that I’m pretty sure I’m qualified to know what sounds good and what doesn’t. Like the author, I too wasn’t a big fan of Bose (haven’t since the late 70’s) but I happened to hear one of these Minis at a mall while on a trip to New Jersey and it is the best sounding BT speaker I’ve heard at this size. Of course, it’s all a matter of preference and it isn’t perfect. You’ll just have to have an open mind, open your ears and take a listen for yourself. I bought one!

    • I guess Jarred is the ultimate authority on what sounds good? Okay Jerrod, I’m not a professional audio guy however I own Denon AH-D5000 and K701 Reference headphones. For iniear i have the Shure 535s. For my one of my iMacs I have Focal XS speakers. So I have a frame of reference of what sounds good.

      So unless you own one, don’t even bother trying to act like you know the “real deal”.

  8. marsbars06 - 11 years ago

    I recently bought some Bose Companion 2 Series 3 speakers. These are desktop computer speakers. Would the Soundlink Mini be better quality than those due to the expensive price? Or is the price just for portability?

    • Seth Weintraub - 11 years ago

      haven’t tested those

    • Scott Weiner - 10 years ago

      I’ve had the Bose Companion® 5 multimedia speaker system for over 5 years. They are expensive but sound like I have a high end speaker system connected to my computer – they sound amazing. I’m not a huge Bose fan but I did see the Soundlink Mini and test it out and I was blown away at how such a small speaker could sound so awesome. In fact I kept playing with it because I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I agree with the reviewer.

  9. I literally stumbled upon one right after reading this review at target. The sound is indeed jaw dropping. I have the original small jambox and there really is no comparison. It’s almost inconsiderable that a device this small can not only deliver such rich sound but also, sound four times bigger than it actually is. In the consumer space, it’s easy to become jaded. The sound link mini is a genuine technological marvel.

    Be warned though, the speaker will never sound as good as the demos in store. Those songs are tuned to the speakers. If you connect your phone and play some music, you will see what I mean. That being said, it’s sounds fucking amazing. It’s a generational leap in quality vs size and I am replacing my jambox with this speaker ASAP.

    • Seth Weintraub - 11 years ago

      Agree. At the Bose event, they did demos which really seemed unreal. Getting my own, you could hear more flaws-probably a lot was in the quality of my music. HEaring a FLAC type rip brings it all back though

  10. zBrain (@joeregular) - 11 years ago

    off-topic: do i need a wordpress account to reply? that fails big time, imo.

    seth stated, that with FLAC music the richness of the sound is great. considering that consumers have their music in mp3/aac format. is the bose soundlink mini still the best? if not, which is “the best” in your opinion?

    • Seth Weintraub - 11 years ago

      I meant that you can really hear imperfections with this speaker because it is so clean (for instance live music really sounds more washed out than studio). On most of the speakers I’ve tested the disparity is much smaller. so, no, getting bad speakers just makes everything sound bad.

  11. Clark Cross - 11 years ago

    you have obviously never heard the TDK A33 Life of Record Bluetooth speaker. Ive never run across one in a retail store, and got mine through amazon. Its a little bigger than the Bose, but its louder, better lows and highs, AND its water resistant. I dipped mine in a hottub with no issues. It also has a USB port for charging. And best yet, its only 150 on amazon with next day shipping.

    • Seth Weintraub - 11 years ago

      https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008VMT2HQ/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=thepartim-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B008VMT2HQ&adid=1DMYSVSJD90AR1Z1QZ4H&

      This thing is a monster. Maybe like 10x the size of the bose meaning that big base is easy…but I’d still wager something from TDK isn’t as clean.

      • Clark Cross - 11 years ago

        2.3 x 7.1 x 2 inches (1.5lbs) for the Bose vs 2 x 9.5 x 3.7 inches (2.8lbs) for the TDK. Not exactly 10x. I listened to the Bose and was impressed with the clarity of the highs and mids, but would never trade my TDK for it. Though this speaker is reasonably priced, it doesn’t change the fact that Bose has quite a legacy of overpriced audio equipment. They get high praise for mediocrity, much like Beats.

      • David Bowtell - 10 years ago

        You are as boring as bat shit BUT your are very detailed.

        Thank you for being so detailed.

        As I will not really use the sound over 60% as I am not a person who listens to loud music I think I will be going with the BOSE.

        the whole idea of not having full control over the permissions and having a machine that is trying to ‘think’ for you is my greatest nightmare.

        I would be interested to know if you have regretted your choice or if you are still happy with what you chose.

    • kaspar001 - 10 years ago

      I just compared the Bose mini with that of the TDK A33 and decided on TDK. I find the TDK sounded better. Also, even the sales rep recommended the TDK. IT IS NOW AVAILABLE AT BEST BUY as well as BH photo. A great find at a great price.

    • Infinite Mass - 10 years ago

      I was seriously considering the TDK over the Bose. That is, until I watched a review on youtube.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1ZDiHWaeVs&feature=youtube_gdata_player

      Long story, short – the reviewer mentions the battery is far inferior to a Li-ion. The TDK at 80% volume gives about an hour of life. Not exactly portable.but feature wise, it’s a winner.

      • Troy Lopez - 10 years ago

        I didn’t watch this video but I can tell you from personal experience, at about 3/4 volume, which is pretty loud outside, the TDK A33 will play about 5 hours.

    • Troy Lopez - 10 years ago

      I completely agree Clark. I bought one of these for my daughter for $125 after comparing many different ones at best buy. Amazing sound. I am flabbergasted at these reviews. Compared to the A33 the jawbone’s, Boze’s, Jamboxes are all overpriced junk. The only thing comparable in sound and price to the A33 is the Sony SRSBX300 which I just got for $99 at Target. Both have AMAZING sound and very reasonable price. I can only come to the conclusion that these reviewers are getting not impartial they must be getting paid to rate these things they way they do.

  12. I have one. It’s awesome. Great, full sound.

  13. immrfabulous - 11 years ago

    Read your review standing in the store…. So I bought it!
    Your review was my ‘Bose for Dummies’ guide.
    Thanks for the help

  14. Idon't Know (@snookasnoo) - 11 years ago

    The Logitech UE Boom sounds about the same and has far more features like usb charging, speakerphone and mic, carrying case, 360 degree sound, iOS app, can use two at once, is waterproof. For a speaker that needs to travel he Boom makes much more sense than the Bose.

    • Seth Weintraub - 11 years ago

      sounds about the same but Bose has better base hands down. No one will dispute the other arguments.

  15. Idon't Know (@snookasnoo) - 11 years ago

    Also the Boom has TWICE the battery life.

  16. fuzzylojak - 11 years ago

    What a joke. Stating that something is the BEST EVER BT speaker. Wow. Do you/did you own all of them on the market? I own both this one and JBL Flip which is half of the weight, has better sound and better base. Plus half the price. Bose has bass of a pen hitting the empty cardboard box. I’m really disappointed with it(thinking of returning it). 1.5lbs is very heavy for a speaker this size. Just because it has BOSE written on it, doesn’t mean its good. Its a mediocre speaker. Buy JBL Flip, you won’t be disappointed.

    • Tony Sandoval - 10 years ago

      Fuzzylojak, You are absolutely right!. I tested myself between this and the JBL Flip and was amazed how much more clarity was coming from the JBL Flip. When I saw the JBL at half the price I thought, wow, Bose should reduce their Minilink to half price ASAP! ha, ha. I bought myself the Flip hands down!.

  17. Stephanie Morgan - 11 years ago

    I am really considering buying one of these this week. Only issue I have is that I am moving to the UK next week for school. Did you just use an adapter to charge while you were in Europe? Any issues?

  18. Rodney Wakeman - 11 years ago

    The Bose SoundLink Mini is, in a word, incredible!

    I was introduced to the concept of portable speakers at our local cell phone store and was impressed with the original Bose SoundLink. Since then I have been passively looking at what’s out there in the marketplace for a few weeks and had not made a purchase because I wanted to test more of them — and because of price.

    Only recently, while visiting a big box store to look for something altogether different, I noticed the new SoundLink Mini…and its price!

    The salesperson whipped out his cell phone and linked his music to the speaker. I was blown away by now only how much sound was coming out of this little box, but how great it sounded! I even told the salesperson that it even sounded better than the original SoundLink — something you even addressed in your review. It went home with me within minutes. Since then it has provided wonderful sounding music for my wife in her reading room, and for me, it sits on a shelf above our center channel speaker of our surround sound entertainment system in the living room.

    Even though I did not see your review until after I purchased the Bose Mini, nothing in the review has changed my mind about the product. No buyer’s remorse here! We love it!

  19. Wayne Levin - 11 years ago

    I bought the SoundLink Mini based on this review and I can say that the review is accurate. These speakers are great – a lot of base – very clear. I don’t know yet about battery life. I’ve run them for about 2 hours now without recharging.

    I also wonder how much it’ll cost to replace the battery when it finally dies completely. Time will tell.

    Thanks for the review, Seth. I really appreciate all the reviews I read on 9 to 5 Mac.

    Wayne

  20. Paul Atkinson - 11 years ago

    This thing smokes. I was at a Verizon for a closed door event. I didn’t go there with any preconceived views on BT speakers because it wasn’t even why I was there. However, out of boredom a group of us started messing with the speakers on display and started comparing them. They had JBL, Altec, iLuv, Beats Pill and a few others I can’t remember. I kept gravitating back to this Bose unit and many others agreed it sounded better than anything else, even more expensive units. Needless to say I left with one when I didn’t intend to buy anything.

    I agree with the review on almost everything. Before I even read the review I thought the mini sounded better than the bigger Bose offering. I was glad to read someone else thought so as well. I think the critique on no remote is a little off base. My iPhone / iPad is my remote. I don’t want one more accessory to keep track of. Also, I don’t care about the speaker phone part either. I have other units that have that and never really used it. Plus I don’t want my calls blaring over a speaker especially if I’m using it in a social or outdoor setting to boot. But that’s just me. Bottom line is that I have rarely spent a better $200 on a tech gadget.

  21. Quinto Blanco - 11 years ago

    I bought a SoundLink Mini a few weeks ago. Partly because of this review. Certainly not ‘audiophile’ sound quality. But very, very good sound quality for its diminutive size.

    It’s amazing that Bose can create a room filling sound with such a small device. Also good clarity.

    I never was a fan of the brand, but if they get it right, they get it right. I own a few of their products, which is not something I would have expected a few years ago.

    I agree with the nuisance not being able to charge it through USB though.

  22. Rath Skeller - 11 years ago

    I have been looking, a while, at many BT speakers in the ‘small size category’. This was after I heard the $250 Jambox and was wowed. I was leaning toward a lower price range, so I have gone to many box stores to check portable BT speakers out. The Bose Soundlink Mini is the best so far I listened to and I listened to it Via a MP3/ iPhone as well as the demo. Soon will be buying one. Figured a little extra money will be worth it over the $100 to $150 range. And it is nicer and cheaper than the Jambox.

  23. Sonos Boulder - 11 years ago

    You can probably tell from my blog posts, I prefer the Sonos® Soundlink.

    I can get you a coupon code for a totally free Sonos® Bridge® (which is $49 retail). That’s the Soundlink equivolent in Sonos brand.Saves a few bucks.If you’re interested, I can email it from the Sonos site. Just let me know first name, last name and email so I can add you in the system to send coupon. I will promise to get to it within 1-2 days of hearing back. I’m Rob. Enjoy whatever sound system you end up choosing! – Rob

    sonosboulder@gmail.com

  24. Vincent Ford - 11 years ago

    I purchased the mini mostly due to the amazing sound. I was recently in a verizon store and as soon as I walked in I was surprised at how clear, crisp and deep the sound from the ceiling was until I approached the counter and realized all that sound was coming from a little box. The associate gave me a quick demo on how it works from his cell and I was hooked. I drove over to best buy and picked up the whole set up, orange cover, carrying case and warranty. Best investment ever since I travel frequently and prefer music over the T.V. Seth this was an AWESOME review and I actually got all of my questions answered. I wish bose would have added all of the nitpicks but I’d rather have quality sound over features any day. Keep up the good work and ignore the audiophile wanna be experts. Thnx!! Oh and I mostly use my mini with my Galaxy Note 2. Works flawlessly with Google music.

  25. Adhunika Seedhar - 10 years ago

    Have you tried a new kid around the block? That is TRANSIT by Soen Audio. TRANSIT doesn’t have the drawbacks you mentioned for Sound Link mini. I’ve personally tried both of the speakers. It’s a high quality,lightweight,Rich,elegant look,loud and clear sound bluetooth speaker with inbuilt mic to take handsfree calls. Of course designed and priced for people who aspire to have best in their life and won’t compromise on anything less than that.

  26. Lawrence Marshall - 10 years ago

    the bose sound link is the best speaker ever i wish i had one

  27. Jason Eala - 10 years ago

    There are a lot of options out and the competition is getting fierce but it is always surprising to hear people hate on Bose. I like to think I know a thing or two about sound quality and I always put Bose ahead of most brands. I run Focals in my car and some people would say they suck too and sound harsh but yet are considered high-end speakers and I love them. All subjective I guess but one also has to really consider the source of music. If you can’t tell the difference between a CD and an iPod streaming via Bluetooth, than it’s hard to imagine that same person calling Bose a piece of crap.

  28. Sune Lundman - 10 years ago

    Klipsch kmc1 is a better speaker. Try it out!
    Ita brand new still, but soon its well known!

  29. Earl Yetman - 10 years ago

    Great review Seth! “If you think Bose sounds good, please stop reviewing anything audio related. You are no longer qualified to do so.” This is the comment of a buffoon. Across the board comments such as this usually indicates a lack of knowledge and/or education.

    I am willing to qualify that I have owned very high-end audio equipment made by the likes of Krell KAV-400xi (USA), Bryston amp/preamps (Canada) and Dynaudio Contour 1.3 SE (Denmark), plus many, many more! A well set-up $10,000 audio system is a truly stunning listen! Not everybody needs, nor wants that type of sound system though. I purchased a Bose LS 235 system for my TV last January and I love it! It sounds pretty decent and is easy to use and set-up.

    Anyways, I heard the SoundLink Mini at BestBuy and it made me stop in my tracks! I find it ridiculous that a speaker of that size can sound that good! Is it the best ever??? I do not know, but it does sound pretty damn good for what it is!

    BTW, I used to write off BOSE products as complete junk, I don’t believe that to be the case. Within their design limitations they work and sound pretty decent. I will not comment on the cost of their products as value is in the eye of the purchaser/consumer. Bose customer service is beyond reproach (as is Krell’s and Dynaudio’s) and lives up to a “premium” reputation.

    Again, thank you for the review!

  30. Sune Lundman - 10 years ago

    Hello? Have you heard Loewe 2go or Klipsch kmc1? The Bluetooth speakers have a good pace on evolution. Bose mini have a horrible bas sound that is lacking punch and only roar diffuse. where is the details in the sound? No, I search for a speaker to carry every day instead of my very old mini boom box. Its ment to be my companion when i play harmonica.
    PS. The Bose dont even support aptX for even more details.

  31. Jongwoo Lee (@Jongwoo) - 10 years ago

    Hi Seth, thank you for the detailed review. I got the mini yesterday and was impressed with sound and sleek design. I have one question. You mentioned ‘SoundLink will turn off after a few minutes of non-use when on Battery only.’ Does it turn off as well while charging after some minutes of non-use? It seems like mine does… I want to keep it on.

    • Rich Love (@CarnationSW) - 10 years ago

      Yes, it does turn itself off when on the charging cradle. That is the only thing Bose did wrong with the Mini. I hope they can re-think this decision and fix with a firmware update.

  32. Ram Pb - 10 years ago

    Terrific mobility …at home, in the car, at picnic pure sound great fun

  33. Seth Weintraub - 10 years ago

    Flip isn’t great TBH (mediocre sound and not USB charger. The JBL Charge is nice tho.

  34. Erik Samuel - 10 years ago

    I bought sound link mini last night after a long research for the performance of it and I’m very happy with my purchase. Even though this thing is very small but It sounds incredible! It proves that size doesn’t matter lol. Btw nice review.

  35. Kim Bingaman - 10 years ago

    Does the Bose Mini have a option so that you could put a input adapter in? I do not use or like bluetooth, and I prefer to put my input into the speaker. Is it possible?

  36. Rath Skeller - 10 years ago

    I posted earlier about my shopping around for a portable BT speaker. I was leaning toward the Bose SoundLink Mini. I did buy one and had it a few weeks now. I am glad I did. Would highly recommend. The sound is great and the battery lasts me for many hours. Never timed it actually, but haven’t had any problems. I also get lots of compliments on it. Kim Bingaman, yes it has 3.5 mm input to go direct. That works good too. Having it wireless is so convenient though.

  37. Padmini Mirchandani - 10 years ago

    Hi – I just got the Soundlink Mini – never thought I’d say this but there’s TOO MUCH base! What could be wrong? The sound is not “crisp and clear” as in one of the comments below. I’ve linked it to my MacBook Pro – listening to music downloaded from iTunes, and also online stream of movies.
    The sound is muffled, heavy, no high and/or ranges, and even a deep rumbling with some soundtracks :(( The glass on the table next to the speaker rattles a bit.
    Is there a setting required or something? What can I do? Please help!!! :((((((

    • Randy Jay Levine - 10 years ago

      Try putting your mini on a different surface, and move it to a different position in the room until you get the best sound from it. It really works.

  38. Randy Jay Levine - 10 years ago

    Anyone who thinks they can get $10,000 worth of sound out of a tiny bluetooth speaker will be terribly dissapointed. But for those of us who are more realistic, the Bose Mini offers tremendous value and extrememly satisfying sound in a tiny, portable, and afordable package. I’m totally happy with my purchase.

  39. Aashéé Dogra - 10 years ago

    if you are looking for good SOUND quality , great battery back up and smart and sleek design then go for BOse soundlink
    i really like this one ..
    don’t need to charge this much , i really worth buying portable speakers . just bought this from http://amzn.to/1qA4j1i , Amazon, in really cheap price :D

  40. Tarandeep Singh - 10 years ago

    Is there a way to change tracks using Bose SoundLink Mini. I don’t see any button for next and previous track

  41. Alan Jun - 10 years ago

    Thanks for the detailed and very helpful review! Bose SoundLink Mini also makes a great Father’s Day gift: http://www.squidoo.com/a-wireless-speakers-review-from-a-thoughtful-son.

  42. Jose Miguel - 10 years ago

    Excellent product, sound qualitty is amazing. I traveled to Brazil Fifa world cup, took 6 flights, and return home, always with soundlink mini. For me the travel bag was absolutely necesary, it has space for the charger. The charger is flat and I was able to used in 4 differents airports, Never had problems whit conectivity w laptop or my android device. I really recomend it because high quality (enphasized high) justify price, imho.

  43. David G Moore - 10 years ago

    Hello

    Ive just bought a Bose Mini Soundlink as I was also amazed at its performance.
    Bass performance is amazing but sometimes it can be a little overbearing on some tracks unless you can equalise to suit your preferences.brill

    I listen a lot to Spotify and started investigating equalizers to balance the sound and came across the amazing Spoteq app. This little app enables me to visually bend into shape an EQ curve as the track is playing and then save this as a named preset.

    I can now tailor the Bose Mini to perform at its best for any type of music I listen to so it truly is delivering brilliant reproduction in such a small unit.

    I too had become dismissive of the Bose hype on their other products over the years but this unit is truly a speaker innovation. Those who are dismissive of Bose products generally should just listen to one playing their favourite miusic.

    David

  44. Des Andriesse - 10 years ago

    I absolute hate it that the SoundLink Mini turns itself off after a while. The user should be able to control that. Massive NO NO NO NO NO

  45. athanica - 10 years ago

    Seth, could you please comment on the sound of the Soundlink Mini compared with the Harman Kardon Soundsticks? Thanks

  46. Grantley Markland - 10 years ago

    Heard one during a function on Monday , couldn’t believe something so small could be so loud while being so clear . Ordered mine that evening , excellent little unit !

  47. i think this accessories is too expensive for my iphone, i will get some cheap iphone speakers ,here is one http://iphones1955.com/iphone-speakers

  48. Fábio Paladino - 9 years ago

    Nice review Seth, i’m willing to buy this speaker but i have a important question. I want a speaker that i will be able to connect via bluetooth with my Ipad Mini that is connected with my pc (by Remote app) to play .m4a songs. Is the Mini capable of doing this?

  49. Rita M. Whissell - 9 years ago

    We loveour bose minj….it goes everywhere with us….one question though, as long as we have adapters for EU and UK can we charge it without having a 110-220 converter??

  50. Hey Seth, thanks for that review. It was well written and complete.

    Though, if I may, I think your review i highly biased and exaggerated regarding the sound quality.

    Indeed, on one hand, you have people that are impressed by trashcans with a sub (There are a lot of these) and on the other hand you have people that still feel unsatisfied with 30k$ B&W Diamond speakers. I am an Audio Mastering engineer and I also design speakers, so I guess I’m kind of at the other opposite end of the spectrum. Let’s find a balance here.

    Sound quality isn’t just about having a big bass in a small enclosure. It is true that for the size, the bass is quite impressive. I do agree on that. To me the statement: “It is like magic what comes out of this thing. ” is a bit intense. When I listen to acoustic guitar, it doesn’t fill the room, and does not feel anything any close to an actual guitarist performance that would happen in my living room.

    A good speaker makes us feel like the source is really in front of you. For example, if you listen to a piano playing and close your eyes, you should have the feeling you have a piano in front of you. It’s definitely not the case here. It really sounds tiny and boxy. It’s a fancy little box, but it still sound like a little box.

    The quality of the speaker is all about how it is truthful to the material that passes through. Some attributes will make it better, like by having low distortion, linear frequency and phase response, as well as a fast and accurate response. This speaker is pretty bad in terms of distortion and frequency response. Everything that comes out of it seems muffled and dark. The distortion is also quite intense, especially in the low end. They do well on the fast response compared to similar size boxes and that’s probably what you like so much about it (Beside a big bass for the size, of course).

    I didn’t hear other comparable systems, but I can believe you when you say they are some of the best available at that size. I just think some statements are exaggerated to prove your point. By reading your article, we tend to believe that we can through all other speakers on the market and get this little thing instead. We are not there at all. I mean, we are pretty far away from anything HiFi. It’s good FOR THE SIZE and the price makes sense That’s it.

    Have a good Seth,

    Chris

  51. Samuel Chell - 8 years ago

    I disliked Bose (no good reason–popularity and price, maybe–but my wife got one after buying a smart phone and gave it to me (I’m already smothered in JBL, HK, Tivoli equipment. But I’m afraid I had greatly underrated Bose–or this particular speaker. It’s little short of spectacular. It’s not just the frequencies, spaciousness, ans loudness (it’s an inefficent speaker, so turn it up)–it’s the way the speak ie is tuned. I began hearing dialogue, ambiant sounds, subtones–all with striking clarity. Bose has cleverly subverted much of the thinking about speakers. They must be tuning the speaker to optimally suit the human ear, in the process eliminating coliding and over-saturated tonal colors. This little thing is practically the only speaker I now want to use! I’m glad to see that I wasn’t crazy for doing such an about-face. This speaker alone makes Apple look all the more foolish for throwing $4 Billion at Dr. Dre and Beats. Apple once had partnership with Harmon Industries (JBL, HK). For the kind of money they spent on trendy Kanye and Taylor Swift, they might have been able to buy Harmon Industries–or Bose. Steve Jobs must be rolling somewhere.

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Avatar for Seth Weintraub Seth Weintraub

Publisher and Editorial Director of the 9to5/Electrek sites.


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