Bluetooth speakers are all the rage these days. It seems like every major electronics company has some variant of one. The features of Bluetooth speakers vary widely, but the decision to buy one usually comes down to a person's preference on portability, sound quality, battery life, Bluetooth range, and price.
I recently entered the market for a speaker. I wanted something that was portable that I could carry around the house or travel with, and I've always been particular about sound quality, so that was another big factor in my decision. I checked out several different speakers, ranging in price from $30 to $200. In my search, a couple of different speakers immediately stood out. There's the incredibly popular and affordable Anker SoundCore 2, which comes in at around $30. It touts a long battery life and wide Bluetooth range. JBL makes several speakers, popular for their water resistance , and they are very widely reviewed on Amazon, so you can get a feel for what other people think about them. Finally, I arrived at the Bose Soundlink Mini II. Coming in at $179, it's far more expensive than the other two I've mentioned, and one of the most expensive in its class. However, I couldn't help notice that it has 4.6 stars after over 4,000 reviews on Amazon.
The thing that pushed me over the edge to the Soundlink Mini was actually hearing one in person. I visited my local Target, where they had all three of the speakers I mentioned, as well as several more in the price range I was looking at. The speakers were displayed side-by-side and you could listen to a few predetermined tracks across all of the devices there on the display. I proceeded to go one by one and figure out what I liked about the sound. I wouldn't say I'm an audiophile, but I do care about good sound quality. Bose has always made quality speakers. I remember as a kid going to some friends' house who had a Bose Wave Radio, and I always enjoyed listening to it because of the impressive sound.
I was blown away at the sound coming from such a small device. I listened to some of the others, but in the way of sound quality, I was extremely impressed by the Bose, which led me to purchase it.
Now that I've had it for around a week, I've decided to point out some of the pros and cons of this speaker, which I hope will be helpful to you. First, since I just made a comment about its size, I'll talk about that.
The official dimensions are listed as 8.88 x 4.62 x 5 inches on the Amazon product page, and you can see the size relative to my hand in the image above. The small size definitely makes it portable. The speaker is however quite heavy. Amazon lists it as weighing over 2.5 pounds, and I must say, it does feel heavy. That has not been an issue for me since I usually place it on a counter top, bookshelf or the bedside table, but if you're looking for something that doesn't add much extra weight to a bag or backpack when traveling, you might want to literally weigh your options.
The physical design of the speaker makes it feel well-built. It has an aluminum frame, and the bottom of the speaker has padding so that it does not scuff the surface it is sitting on. I've taken pictures of the speaker from all angles so that you can see the buttons, connections, and padding:
High Resolution versions:
Now that you've seen the speaker from all sides, let's talk about some of the features. First, there are two ways to charge the speaker. First, you can plug in an ubiquitous micro USB cable into the port on the side to charge if you're on the go. The speaker also comes with a charging dock, which may be plugged into the wall via the included adapter. You can see the charging pins in the image of the bottom of the speaker. The speaker sits in the dock, and the pins make contact, so the device can charge in its dock and be picked up straightaway without the need to unplug, which is what makes the dock useful. If you're planning on keeping the device in one place, the dock is a nice aesthetic way to charge without having a cable protruding from the side of the speaker.
Also on the side of the speaker with the charging port is a 3.5 mm connection, in case you want to physically connect a device to the speaker. This is a nice feature to have for legacy devices with no Bluetooth (I've used this device with a turntable), and the speaker will switch the source to this auxiliary input any time a cable is plugged in. So far, I've been very impressed with the battery life. The product description touts "10 hours of unplugged playtime," and I believe this to be an accurate assessment. Sure, you may not get 10 hours out of it if you're playing at max volume, but for normal listening levels indoors, the 10 hour claim has definitely held up. Also, each time you power on the device, it will give you an approximate battery percentage, so you can know when it needs to be charged.
As for Bluetooth pairing, simply press and hold the Bluetooth button on the top of the device to begin pairing. Find "Bose Soundlink Mini II" in your device's Bluetooth menu, and in seconds you're ready to play music. It will pair to two devices simultaneously, and I believe it remembers up to 8 devices. Once connected, use the volume control buttons to increase or decrease the volume, or use the volume control on your phone. I've found that controlling the audio volume from your phone is easier since it takes several presses of the volume buttons on the speaker to notice a difference. The Bluetooth range is something I've not tested scientifically with a tape measure yet, but the product claim of "30 feet" seems to be roughly accurate, given that I've carried my phone in my pocket around the apartment and maintained a solid connection. If I decide to test it, I will update this post.
Another feature to note is that when paired with a phone, the device will act as a speakerphone. I've not used this feature extensively yet, but I believe that the audio quality for phone calls is great. The microphone does require you to be within 3 feet or so in order for the other person on the call to hear you. My wife tried using it across the room, and while I could make out what she was saying, it was clear she was far away from the microphone.
Finally, I want to talk about general use. This speaker is great. My favorite place to put it has become my bookshelf, as you can see above. It has such a sleek design, that it blends in nicely with the shelf, and can be hard to notice because of its size. It's easy to grab and move to another room, and fills the room with incredible sounding music. I'm constantly impressed with the quality of this speaker each time I hear a new song played on it. Upon picking up and examining the device, you can see there are two speakers on the right and left of the device, and what appears to be a small subwoofer in the middle, which is responsible for producing very clear bass tones that pack just the right amount of punch. As a bass player, I'm always listening for bass lines in songs, and this speaker makes it very easy to pick them out. It's balanced across the highs and the mids also, which is what sets this apart from other speakers. If you've ever owned any other Bose speakers, the Soundlink Mini II holds up to their quality standards. I'm incredibly happy to have purchased this speaker despite the additional cost.
This speaker suits my needs since I use it primarily indoors in my living room, kitchen, or bedroom, and I don't need it extremely loud (although it will definitely get loud). So if you're looking for something to take outside or to the pool or beach, you may want to check out other speakers with water resistance (Bose even has some of those now). But if you want a solid speaker with a sleek design and fantastic audio quality for listening around the house, look no further than the Bose Soundlink Mini II. I love mine, and now I can't wait to go home to listen to it.
The Bose Soundlink Mini II can be purchased on Amazon here, and you can access its page on Bose's website here.
I'd love to know your thoughts if you own one of these, or if you have another Bluetooth speaker that you enjoy using! Thanks for taking the time to read this review! I hope to do more in the future.
I own one. The sound is fantastic. Just the Bluetooth doesn't work very well if you have at least 3 Bluetooth activated in the same time. In my previous flat I already had my internet connection, my keyboard and my trackpad with Bluetooth. In my new flat the internet connection is by wired so it works well now.
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I have only tried it with two devices connected so I'll remember that. Thanks for your comment!
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I love Bose. My employer gave us all Bose Soundlink Colour speakers. It sounds great as well. My car also has a Bose sound system which is amazing. I feel like Bose is the best bang for your buck when it comes to simple audio equipment.
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I've always been impressed with their equipment, and I'm glad you have been too. The Bose sound system in the car sounds fantastic. I believe my parents have a Bose sound system in one of their vehicles.
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Great! I've never considered a Bluetooth speaker because the sound quality of those I've heard so far is just terrible... I didn't know about this one from Bose, now I'm curious to how it sounds... I will check this out!
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It's honestly just as good as all of the other Bose speakers I've heard. I'm continually amazed by how much sound can come from something so small.
Bose also has several other models of Bluetooth speakers now that serve a variety of purposes. Even some that can be linked together or connected to wifi.
Glad you enjoyed the post. Let me know if you pick a speaker!
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I own one and talking about its sound quality, for me it's the best so far.
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Couldn't agree more. So far the only ones I've found that sound as good are also Bose.
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Awesome review! I have the Bose CD player from years ago and it's an awesome system. Bose comes out with very quality products. The review makes me want to get the Bluetooth for other rooms in my house. Thanks for the review and I'll keep an eye out for future ones!
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Those Bose CD players are what inspired my love for their products. It's too bad that the Wave radio with CD player adapter costs around $600. I still love to listen to CDs, and I'm sure I'd do it more if I had one of those radios. Now that I have the Bluetooth speaker, I can't complain much though. Let me know if you get one, I'm sure you'll love it if you already like Bose's products.
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Yeah, the CD player was a "before kids" purchase. I wouldn't get it now, although it's an awesome device. Seeing the price for the Bluetooth is enticing though.
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I understand. I guess I'm in the "before kids" stage now. I'm sure I'll have the speaker for many years to come just like your CD player. Thanks for your comments!
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Hey @ethandsmith! This outstanding review of yours will be nominated for my small-time blog Steemit Digest issue. Thanks a lot man! Good luck!
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Fantastic! Thanks so much for reading and I humbly accept the nomination. I'll check out the digest soon! Thanks for your comment!
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Can I borrow some of those books? :)
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I was wondering how long it would be before someone commented on the books. Haha I love having this bookshelf in my living room. I enjoy looking at it. And I've read the majority of the books. Someday I'd like to be able to read all of the books I own. Lofty ambition! Thanks for your comment.
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Have a similar bookshelf. The difference being, I have read only a very few. I am collecting them for reading post retirement hahaha :)
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That's a good plan. Maybe I'll do the same. If I ever have children, I also want them to be able to read the books I did, so that's another plus of keeping a nice library.
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Yeah that would be awesome. My first book was David Copperfield. The first time, my cousin read it out for me. About a year later when I could read, that was the first book that I picked up. In a way, I am happy that my cousin did not read about princess and dragons to me. I started with a book that dealt with the reality of life.
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That's an interesting perspective. I think there's still something magical about escaping to another world through a book. Whether that world is like our own, or if it's completely unrealistic, books can be powerful. So I'll keep reading both. I love a good story with magic, but I like reading nonfiction, too.
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I love my portable speaker, its a monster superstar. Got it on sale last year boxing day, sound is great and the battery life is decent. BUT there is something about BOSE speakers that put them in a league of their own. The sound quality makes you feel like the musicians are right in front of you. Sometimes you do get what you pay for.
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I would definitely agree with this. I think that's why I decided to just spend the money and get the Bose. I love how it continues to surprise me with how good it plays songs. I keep hearing things in songs that I've never noticed before. I think I'll be enjoying it for many years to come.
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great review @ethandsmith i was planning to buy one myself and now i'm even more convinced that bose is the way to go thank you for sharing,greetings from Aruba :)
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Greetings from the East coast of the US! Great to hear from you. I'm glad my review helped convince you! There's really no substitute for hearing the speaker before you buy it, though! I hope you find one that makes all your music sound wonderful!
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i've been using an alternate bose called the harman kardon onyx line. the great thing about this speaker is its mobility.
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I've not heard of that, so I'll have to check it out! Thanks for commenting!
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A great piece of technology. I have the bose sound sport earbuds.
I like the company and they are making good music systems. I also considered buying this one. Thanks for this article.
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I actually don't own any Bose earphones. I got a set of Klipsch on ear headphones that I like better than the one Bose sells in their price range. But I know they make great earphones. Thanks for your comment!
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I will support you, God bless you, I learn english, so if I made some mistakes, then I apologize and keep it
thank you very much
非常感谢你
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Thanks for your support! Best wishes learning English.
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i am also curious to listen this speaker's sound, if u post a audio from this speaker's it will be good for all of us. nice post brother..
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Unfortunately, it might not help as much as you think it will. The reason I said you should go to a store to listen is because if I were to record a video, you'd be hearing the speaker through two more audio devices: my microphone for the camera and your speakers that you listen to it with. So you probably still wouldn't get a good idea of how it sounds unless both of those were great quality.
Try to find a store that sells them. Beyond that, I'm not sure what to tell you. I want you to get the best possible representation of the speaker's sound. I know I think it sounds good, but you might think another speaker sounds better. Good luck!
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These things are amazing... Have one myself in my garage
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Yes! They are great. Glad you agree!
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I got one from a NYC thrift store for $5 without the charger base. I think it's a great product. Feels very durable and the portability/style is great! Thanks for your review.
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Wow! What a lucky find. I'm sure you'll enjoy it for years to come. I agree that it feels like a quality product. Thanks for commenting!
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Bose is no. 1 in sound quality. its very compatible speaker i was having jbl before then i change it with bose. followed you kindly do a favour plz spread my post as much you can if you are real human. your one click can change my life.
https://steemit.com/story/@kumar.malhotra/dear-all-stemians-help-me-i-really-need-it-seriously
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Awesome thorough review, thanks for sharing your experience :)
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No problem! Glad you enjoyed it!
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Very thorough review. I think wireless accessories are going to be the future. I have bluetooth earphones, and when you use it, it doesn't feel all that better than wired, but when you lose it and you have to revert back to wired, THAT's when you REALLY start to love wireless.
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I agree! I also have some Bluetooth headphones, and they're very nice when I'm working on things with my hands because there is no wire to worry about. As I'm typing this, I'm listening to my speaker. It's across the room, and my phone is right beside me, and I can just reach over and control it from my phone without having to get up. It's so great.
Last night, I went to an event where I had to plug up to the sound system to play music. It's still not the worst, but I'm sure as I get used to the wireless speaker, I'll enjoy it even more. Thanks for your comment!
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It's scary how good it sounds for how small it is. Doesn't beat having real speakers, but still is an amazing portable sound device.
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I agree. There are definitely better setups I could pursue, but for the average everyday listening, it's phenomenal. Thanks for your comment!
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