"I Want an Outdoor Speaker for My Next Garden Party" — Our Audio Expert Tested Bose's Most Powerful Portable Device and Gave It a Near Perfect Score

When it comes to portable speakers, there isn't a shortage of options out there. You'll find everything from small speakers that you can slip into a pocket if you want to bring music with you on the go, to larger devices like the Sonos Move 2, designed to be moved around the home but not necessarily taken outdoors.

The Bose SoundLink Max sits somewhat in the middle of those two descriptions. It's bigger than the highly-regarded JBL Charge 6 and the Sonos Roam 2, but it's smaller than the Sonos Move 2. This Bluetooth speaker comes with an interchangeable handle, making it easy to take with you, whether that's to the bottom of your garden or the beach.

Sitting at the top of Bose's portable Bluetooth portfolio, the SoundLink Max is larger and more expensive than both the newer SoundLink Plus and the older SoundLink Flex. I've been reviewing consumer technology for over a decade, and I've seen and heard more than my fair share of Bluetooth speakers – some are superb, while others are no better than what your phone can manage. How does the Bose SoundLink Max hold up, though, and does it justify its high price tag?

Style

It depends on what you're looking for from a Bluetooth speaker as to whether the Bose SoundLink Max will fit your style and the style of your home. It's more rugged than some other Bluetooth speakers available – the handle at the top with the rope detailing being the main reason for this – but it also has soft curves and together they make for what I think is a lovely overall design.

There are three color options, comprising of Black, Blue Dusk, and Citrus Yellow, with all featuring a short color-matched handle a standard, though that handle is swappable for a longer version you can buy separately to allow you to carry the SoundLink Max over your shoulder should you wish to. Switching the handles is simple too, requiring a quick twist and pull.

Bose branding is positioned centrally and subtly on the front at the top of the main speaker grille, while the smooth and soft-to-touch silicone finish of the rest of the speaker is broken up with smaller speaker grilles on the sides.

On the rear, there is only an Aux In port and a USB-C port in the bottom right corner, while easy-to-use controls sit within a trough at the top of the speaker, next to the handle. I said at the beginning of this review that the SoundLink Max isn't small, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's a substantial speaker in both size and weight, which makes it perfect for a garden party or a trip to the beach, but less recommendable for popping into a suitcase and bringing on holiday.

Sound Quality

The Bose SoundLink Max sounds excellent, and while it's not as small as I mentioned, its sound far exceeds its size, resulting in superb overall performance. It is bass-heavy out of the box, so you might consider adjusting the EQ settings through the Bose app if you prefer more subtle bass. The EQ settings give you the option of moving a slider for Bass, Mids, and Treble, though you can also tap on the “Bass Boost”, “Bass Reducer”, “Treble Boost”, or “Treble Reducer” buttons for a quick fix.

Whatever genre of music you enjoy, however, the SoundLink Max delivers an exciting, punchy sound performance that makes it a very enjoyable speaker to listen to. There's definition in all the right places, and it offers great balance so everything from dance tracks to the voices talking on the radio sound excellent.

It's got a lot more about it than the smaller SoundLink Flex, and, comparing Sonos vs Bose, it's louder and more impressive than the Sonos Roam 2, allowing it to easily fill a room or garden in much the same way the more expensive Sonos Move 2 can.

Ease of Use

The Bose SoundLink Max is lovely and simple to use, connecting to the same Bose app as the company's soundbars and headphones. It's very easy to set up – taking a matter of minutes – and Bose has a little fun with you in the process too, recommending no less than 15 quirky name suggestions for this Bluetooth speaker as an alternative to its standard name. Earth Shaker and Thumper were particular favourites of mine.

The app also gives you access to settings like EQ adjustments, as I mentioned, and allows you to program the physical shortcut button on the top of the speaker itself, though options are a little limited here. By default, the shortcut button will switch to Aux In, and while you can change that to launch Spotify instead, there’s no option for other music streaming services like Apple Music.

The physical controls on top of the speaker, which include that shortcut button, are easy to understand and satisfying to press, though, as well as easy to press if your hands are wet. There's multi-point Bluetooth connectivity so you can connect it to a couple of devices at once, and the Aux In port means you can quickly connect other devices like a CD player or turntable.

Where the Bose SoundLink Max misses out is its lack of Wi-Fi connectivity, which means it doesn't have features like Apple's AirPlay on board, or voice control from assistants like Alexa, both of which you will find on the cheaper Sonos Roam 2. There’s also no built-in microphone, so you can’t take calls through it, though that’s not a deal breaker. You can stereo pair two SoundLink Max speakers together, and Bose has a Party Mode that will allow you to group this Bluetooth speaker with other Bose portable speakers, should you have more than one and you’re having, well, a party.

Battery Life

The Bose SoundLink Max has a battery life of 20 hours, which is more than the likes of the Bose SoundLink Flex and the Sonos Roam 2, both of which will last around 12 hours, but it's less than you'll find in the JBL Charge 6 that boasts 28 hours and the Sonos Move 2 that boasts 24 hours.

It's still a decent number of hours, however, more than enough to see you through hosting a BBQ in your garden, or a day at the beach. That 20-hour claim is pretty much on the money in use, but in case you aren't listening in one stint, the Bose SoundLink Max will tell you every time you turn it on what the battery percentage is. That's more handy than you might initially appreciate as it means you'll know when it's running a little low and might need to be topped up before you bring it anywhere. It’s worth mentioning that if you crank up the volume however, the battery will deplete faster so do keep that in mind.

The SoundLink Max is charged via the USB-C port on the rear of the speaker, and it takes around five hours to charge it from flat to full. It can also charge your phone through that port should you have it out and about and you’re struggling to find a charger.

Value

The Bose SoundLink Max sis currently priced at £399.95, by far the most expensive of the portable speakers we've talked about today. That is 60% more than the JBL Charge 6, and more than double the Sonos Roam 2, however, so think about what you want from your Bluetooth speaker and whether one of those cheaper options will be sufficient.

I would also recommend taking a look at the Bose SoundLink Plus, which comes in £50 cheaper at £249.95 if you are looking for something similar to the SoundLink Max but on a tighter budget.

For a Bluetooth speaker that's big enough to fill a garden with sound and easy enough to move around without feeling like you've done a workout, though, the Bose SoundLink Max is a superb option.