Bose® - SoundLink® Mini Bluetooth Speaker Soft Cover - Gray

I have quite a collection of portable bluetooth speakers that include the Beats Pill, UE Boom, JamBox Big, a cheap no-name option, and now this. I am continually choosing to use the SoundLink Mini over my other options. It offers excellent high and low end response, much better than anything else I have tested. The UE Boom handles mids better but not by much, I think the SoundLink Mini has better balanced sound whereas the UE Boom sounds shallow due to its lack of bass. The only bluetooth speaker I have, which is able to outdo the SoundLink Mini in terms of sheer volume, is the JamBox Big. That is a $300 speaker though and it's to be expected. The UE Boom does get noticeably louder than the SoundLink Mini but it tends to distort the audio, especially bass-heavy music. I played a Rammstein song and the UE Boom sounded as if it was going to blow up while the SoundLink Mini handled everything with ease. Bose engineers were able to get more out of the SoundLink Mini compared to Ultimate Ear (now a Logitech company) as the Mini and Boom use a very similar setup. The construction of the SoundLink Mini is very solid and looks like it came right off of an Apple assembly line. The speaker will easily blend in with an office desk, dorm room, bedroom, or kitchen and still look sophisticated. The only negative aspect regarding the use of brushed aluminum is that it can scratch, that is why I recommend buying one of Bose's soft covers along with this. I do have a few complaints regarding this. First, the price is a little hefty for the amount of features that this has. I have become used to adjusting the volume of a bluetooth speaker using the volume adjustment on my iPhone. The UE Boom and JamBox Big are both like this. The volume on my iPhone controls the volume that the speakers play at. It's a nice feature so I don't always have to keep hitting buttons on top of the speaker just to turn things slightly up or down. Plus it allows me to be in the kitchen and change the volume while the speaker is on my porch. The SoundLink Mini does not have this feature though. At $200, I think it should be standard. The battery life is also short. Both the UE Boom and JamBox Big are able to squeeze 15 hours out of a single charge. Although the SoundLink Mini is the same size as the UE Boom, it lasts for half of that. I would have been OK with a 10 hour run time (at least enough to match my iPad mini) but I normally get about 6.5-7 hours out of a single charge. Lastly, this does not have speakerphone capabilities. I have never used any of my bluetooth speakers as speakerphones so I could care less but that is important to some people. Some people complain about the lack of micro-USB charging with the Mini. I think that the charging cradle Bose includes with every speaker is much better than relying on either a hefty proprietary charging setup (like the AC adapter that comes with the JamBox Big and Beats Pill) or having yet another generic USB charger in my collection. The charging cradle is dead-simple to use and, at the end of the day, I normally just plop my speaker into that (with the soft cover on). It's really convenient and I think outweighs the lack of USB charging. Bose also includes a small AC adapter that can fold to take up less space. It's about 1/4 the size of my iPhone 5. The SoundLink Mini has a micro-USB port for firmware updates and I really hope Bose adds more features (mainly volume adjustment on a device and a battery indicator icon in the iOS/Android task bar) down the line. Right now the features are a little short, especially when compared to the UE Boom, JamBox, or JamBox big. It is easily the best sounding $200 bluetooth speaker but I have to knock the score for those couple of aspects. I would have preferred if Bose made the unit a little heavier and bigger so that a larger battery could be included. If you favor sound quality, I can fully recommend the SoundLink Mini. It is portable enough to take anywhere and has the best sound from a speaker in the $200-$250 price category. However, if you are looking for something that has more features and can take more of a beating, I recommend going with the UE Boom. It is water resistant and has every feature that is missing from the SoundLink Mini. Bose may eventually get there but Logitech (and even Jawbone) are already implementing those features into their speakers now. I still chose to use the SoundLink Mini on a daily basis as I value sound quality over everything else. It is small enough that I can throw it in my backpack without noticing or even a cargo pocket on my shorts without issues. Bose can improve things over time and I hope they do.

This speaker was the obvious choice for me after I had compared it to the other bluetooth speakers in it's price range like the JBL Charge and the Beats Pill. But what really blew me away was the astounding amount of bass produced from this incredibly small system. This one feature sets this speaker far beyond it's competitors. So how does Bose do it? It comes down to three important factors that you don't get from other systems at this size. The first component that adds such bass is the shear surface area given to the woofers on the dock. The front and back is almost completely covered by woofer inside the grill. The passive radiators really enable the two drivers to dish out all they have and extend the low frequency response. The second feature that seems to add bass is what Bose is notorious for doing and is deceptive but completely genius. At normal listening levels and more quiet listening levels, Bose will automatically eq's the bass higher to give you a more full sound, but then as you turn up the volume the bass levels off to protect the woofers. Bose has been doing this for years in it's speaker systems and it's always set them apart from their competitors in portable audio. The third and final defining feature that helps dish out the bass is something I just recently noticed. The way this thing is built is completely oriented around resonation with whatever surface this monster sits on. It is very dense and heavy but the base of the enclosure is made out of a strange, thick rubber that not only grips onto the surface it sits on, but also passes vibrations from the speakers to the surface very efficiently. But what does this mean for sound quality? It means that the bass can resonate extremely well on whatever surface you place it on. If you set the Soundlink Mini on a solid oak table in the corner of a room, the bass is going to smack you square in the face. This doesn't mean there is significantly less bass when you pick it up off of the given surface, I'm just saying it's another factor that adds to the intensity of full sound that you simply don't get with other speakers in this range or hardly anywhere in docks. Now I've only talked about bass because it is very hard to achieve a full sound with something this size, but trust me, this thing doesn't lack anywhere else. The highs are surprisingly good for Bose's standards but that's simply because the speakers are practically the size of tweeters already. My only gripe in sound quality, is that the mid is lost at a decent distance with this speaker, but a full sounding midrange is literally impossible with the given size of these speakers. The mid bass punch will carry surprisingly far along with the highs. This thing will fill up any room with sound in your average house. The battery life is surprising on the Soundlink Mini; it'll go the distance. Bose didn't mess around with the battery on this bad boy. It's got your standard bluetooth, which can be a little screwy at times but you're going to encounter the same issues with any bluetooth device. I fell in love with this thing whenI listened to my friend’s Soundlink Mini. I got my hands on it for a whole day and played my own music, I was laughing at how incredible it sounded. It continued to surprise me song after song, yet it is so little. You can practically put this thing in a baggy pocket and go anywhere with it. It is absolutely gorgeous in person. Very modern look with the brushed aluminum, which matches the Mac brushed aluminum nicely. I think it’s the best looking speaker on the market for it’s range. If you need something portable don't waste your time looking into other brands, Bose did their research and absolutely crushed the competition here.

Just brought this home earlier today after eyeing it for many weeks now. I own a Bose Sounddock 10, and I LOVE it. I use it quite a bit, but I wanted something that is more portable, yet packs nearly the same punch. I've tried all the bluetooth speakers on display at BB, and although there were a few mentionables, I kept coming back to the Bose Soundlink Mini. It seems a little pricey for many, but it's worth the money. My reward zone discount points helped. No regrets here. One of the best purchase I've done so far! Here are what I really liked about Bose's smallest bluetooth speaker: 1. Portability: Being able to take it anywhere was the biggest factor for me. I can take it anywhere in the house, outdoors, or when traveling. Now I can listen to my tunes while washing the car! It really is small enough to carry in a purse or small bag. 2. Ease of use: Pairing up was simple and quick and I didn't even read the instructions. It can pair up to 6 devices (tablets, laptops, smart phone, mp3, etc.). 3. Power: I realize that it will never compare to a Bose wave system or theater system. It is what it is, and what it is is Bose ingenuity! Don't let the size fool you. It is very unassuming at first, but I was blown away by the deep bass and clear crispness of sound that came out of this little speaker. Even at high volumes, sound distortions are not an issue. It's much at home in a big living room as it is in a dorm room. I strongly believe that it even beat the other bigger bluetooth systems. 4. Design: It is quite simple and sleek. I love the aluminum casing which matched my Macbook Pro and gave it the look of a higher end product. For it's size, it's hefty so there's really no worry about it vibrating off the base or table. Loving the fact that there are two slots for the charger to connect to (base dock or Mini itself). A jack is present for connecting non-bluetooth devices with an audio cable. Probably the only thing that I would love for Bose to improve on for this system is to add a remote control feature. Being a personal device, I realize that the Soundlink Mini is meant to be kept at close range. For those times, when I'm at home and the Soundlink Mini and iPhone are not quite at reach, a remote would come in handy. I haven't tested the battery life yet, but I think 7 hours is plenty for me as I don't expect to use it for that length of time every time. I have read reviews online and watched reviews on YouTube and one issue mentioned was the lack of sound customizability. It is true that the Mini excelled in the lower range with deep impactful bass, and that others wished more treble was available at the upper range. I thought that it was a moot issue. There's not very many product this size on the market with a strong bass factor, and in my opinion it's the bass that's priority. Customizing the equalizer setting on my iPhone allowed me to have more treble and less bass if I desired (Settings----Music---Equalizer). You just have to look at the source and not at the Soundlink Mini. Another feature that others wish it had is the microphone and speaker phone feature. I tried calling my iPhone to see what the system will do and it volumed down the music when a phone call is coming in which alerted me to a call. It did not pick up the ring tone. These are not deal breakers for me as I would hate to lose out on such an awesome product. I would also like to mention that soft skin cases are available in green, blue, and solid orange for those times when you want a different look. The case also offer protection against the occasional bumps. I got the green, and it makes the Mini looks so sleek. For those looking for the perfect travel companion to their mp3 device or smart phone, I would highly recommend the Soundlink Mini. Hearing is definitely believing when it comes to Bose, and the Mini is simply amazing for it's size. It is quite frankly, unbelievable!

The Bose Soundlink mini is a great piece of audio equipment. I'm usually listening to tunes from my iPhone 5s over Bluetooth, but will use it for movies from my iPad, also over Bluetooth. For listening at moderate volumes (about half#, the sound is unmatched, especially given the small size of the soundlink. Others make speakers about the size of the soundlink, but the sound they produce is nowhere as rich or clear. When in a small room, the volume is pretty impressive, but when placed in larger rooms, this is where the soundlink starts to show its size. As said in the cnet review, the placement of the unit is paramount to make the most of the low range notes it can produce. When near a wall to the back side, it sounds like a speaker that is 5X the size. However when out in the open, and in a large room, a little guy will need to pushed to produce a little more volume that will be needed to make the room filled with sound. Now for background tunes during a settle social gathering, it would be great. Let it be known, the soundlink mini is no party maker! When at higher volumes, sometimes even half volume, there is a lot of distortion with some tracks. So far, some songs that seem to exacerbate the distortion are songs like " When I'm Alone' by Lissie. The mid rich bassline in the song prove to be an issue for the little guy when asked to play loud. Another example tune that may be an issue is The Neighbourhoods "Sweater Weather". The low hits of bass from multiple instruments cause issues. There are times when you could get this feeling that the Bose engineers got too busy thinking about making the most bass from the unit and forgot that people may want to crank it. Now, with this said, with the very same tunes, my Harman/Kardon soundbar also has just a hint of distortion at high volumes. There are songs that sound great though like U2s "Ordinary Love", even at max volume. It’s a tradeoff of sound quality in some tracks for the small size. Even having the soundlink mini for about a week, and listening to it for about 20hrs all together, I would buy the unit again, hands down. With 80% of tracks, the soundlink handles them no problem, and at anything under 50% volume is a doddle. I've listened to some dub-step with no distortion. Keep in mind that it is the side of a case for eye glasses, and compared to everything on the market that is the same size, #Jawbone jambox, Beats Pill, JBL Charge, ect# there no competition for sound quality across the entire volume range. As I said, this is no party maker, so if you like your music loud, or have large rooms, or both, I would recommend the larger Bose Soundlink II as it is also Bluetooth, battery power capable, and the sound is unbeatable in both quality and volume . Although it is portable, it wouldn't fit in a laptop bag or backpack like the mini does. All said, in short the Bose Soundlink Mini makes all the right sounds, from crisp highs to grumbly lows, nothing comes close given the size and price.

This review is designed to give you three great options, including the SL Mini which I own. All three sound fantastic overall, so don’t be overly discouraged to check out a specific model because I say it sounds this way or that. All three will blow you away for such a small package. They are just three totally different animals. I’ll start with the Bose SL Mini, since it’s my personal favorite and I own it. Both strengths and weaknesses for the Bose SL Mini stem from the same feature, a double edge sword if you will. The built in tonal balancing circuitry is helpful and annoying. Bose SL Mini strengths: -Clarity of sound and pure, flat tone (best of any in segment) -Fullest bass of any small bluetooth speaker, especially at higher volumes (bass actually keeps up with mids and highs) -Resists distorting at loud volumes (due to auto tone circuit) -Refined features and styling Bose SL Mini weaknesses: -Auto tonal calibration cancels out custom equalization -Narrower sweet spot compared to comparably priced models -Overall lack of features compared to many other units, mainly smart phone apps and USB charging (Apple and Bose love their proprietary chargers) Basically the Bose SL Mini destroys anything else with clear sound and balanced bass. It's only sound drawback is a narrower sweet spot, or listening field. It also lacks features offered by other units but some may enjoy it's refined nature. Two alternatives are the Logitech UE Boom and Bose Soundlink II. Here are advantages and drawbacks vs. the Bose SL Mini. Logitech UE Boom vs. Bose SL Mini Advantages: -Much wider sound field (bigger sweet spot# -Tons of techie features -Water and dirt resistant -Twice the battery life Drawbacks: -Less bass with sound focused on mids and highs -Looks like a toy instead of a high quality sound machine To me the UE Boom is great for background music at lager gatherings, it may also be a great outdoor option especially near water. It will sound better than the Bose SL Mini at 40 feet away due to a large sound field. What it lacks in clarity and bass it makes up for in dynamics. Bose Soundlink II vs. Bose SL Mini Advantages: -Slightly louder with richer mid range -Slightly wider sweet spot #but not as wide as the UE Boom# -Less aggressive tonal balancing circuit allows for more custom equalization -More features #but not as many as the UE Boom# Drawbacks: -Much bigger, over twice the size -$100 more expensive than the SL Mini or UE Boom -Not as clear with slightly less bass response -Less overall build quality and durability #than either the SL Mini or UE Boom) To sum it up the Bose SL Mini sounds the best, especially if you're sitting directly in front of it within about 20 feet. It's very refined feature wise, but that may be nice to some. The UE Boom will fill a large space with sound much better that the SL Mini, but the bass and clarity of sound lack in comparison. The UE Boom's features are amazing, including custom smart phone apps to control dozens of the unit's features. It's also tough guarded by water and dirt resistance. The Bose Soundlink II is a great middle man in the bunch sonically. The sound field, clarity, tonal balance, bass response and features are in between the SL Mini and UE Boom. The drawback is the size. It’s twice as big as either and not nearly as durable. You'll also pay $100 more to get the best of both worlds but in a slightly bigger package.

All of life should have a sound track. In our house, in our cars, in my offices, traveling for work or family . . . I always have music and demand big, full, loud sound, be it rock, bluegrass, a newscast, or whatever. We've tried every kind of product there is, and keep coming back to Bose. We wanted music around our house from room to room as well as in the kitchen where we tend to gather all the time. My wife wanted something she could listen to while she cooked or while she went to the basement to do laundry, or cleaning from room to room. I wanted music to play in music meetings to demo songs, as well as in my classes as a professor to demonstrate something, or to play a lecture, sermon, a FaceTime - whatever. The point is we use this and the Soundlink II everywhere and had never seen a product that played music well, wirelessly, was easy as well as tough, had long battery life, and sounded great. This Mini does all of these things. I really stood speechless as I tried style after stye, streaming from my Mac, or my iPad, or iPhone via Bluetooth. I can't believe how big and full this unit plays music. I don't think you could possibly ask for better quality out of such a small speaker. (You should also try the Soundlink II, a little bigger but still easily slips into a computer bag or briefcase). The reviews here and all over the internet say the same thing - before hearing it in action, no one expected such a huge, full sound with big bass out of such a small package. I demand rich (and loud), full sound, and never thought I'd get it from anything called "mini," since "mini" in audio always meant "mini sound" and "clock radio." That's not the case here. Just go to BB and try one. We bought this as well as a Soundlink II after testing one out at a friend's house. Both are amazing, truly portable anywhere there's bluetooth (many of the wifi units don't come with Bluetooth, so don't assume) and look great, especially the Mini since it looks like it is made from the same metal as a MacBook Pro. It's all metal, is heavier than you think--feels solid--yet slips into the available case and into my computer bag before I go anywhere. (If you take it outside of the house then spring for the protective black too.) Some people kind of roll their eyes at all the Bose loyalists, and end up going with something else to be different. To each his own. But there's a reason why every BB employee I asked at our local store said that they own one of these and love it. There's a reason why the BB customer rating for these is 4.8 out of 5, and it's not due to "Bose hype." Some of the hype is deserved. At least go try it. It looks great, sounds amazing, is way easy to operate, and can be played anywhere you and your phone are. It can even be used as an external TV speaker via the 3.5mm input (if your TV has that kind of out). Anyhow, we tried every kind, and after weeks of research, reading reviews, and test drives, we bought the Mini and the Soundlink II (over the SoundTouch 20 and 20 Portable, and the Sonos offerings). We love these products. Our home is filled with music! Rich, full sound!

I'll admit it, I'm an audio snob. Unfortunately my wallet doesn't match my audio desires - so I try to get the best bang for my buck. I have tried many portable speakers starting at $50 and steadily worked my way up. I really didn't want to spend $200 on a speaker, but once I got to demo the Bose Soundlink Mini I found out that there was something very special about this little gem. I've tested speakers 2 times, even 3 times its size and none have reproduced the full spectrum and warmth of sound that the Soundlink Mini has. To be honest as a self-proclaimed audiophile I have shunned Bose products, they were always too mainstream for me - too mass marketed and price / value never made sense to me. I instead would opt for the more esoteric name brands (and still do). But in this case there is simply no competition at this price point (and Bose products never go on sale). Being able to pack this much sound into such a small case is just unbelievable. The engineers at Bose are simply magicians, or at least "wicked smart". It almost doesn't make sense when you hear this speaker playing, you expect to see a subwoofer hidden somewhere. I’d like to suggest to Bose that they change the name from Soundlink to “The Bose Tardis”, as its size belies its true capabilities (Dr. Who reference). I did several side by side comparisons with more than a half dozen Bluetooth speakers and the closest any one of them came was the UE Boom. The Bose has warmer tones overall, which I particularly like (vocals sound full, but not overdone). The UE Boom has better sound separation; the bass is good – but not as good as the Bose. Its upper end is crisp, and actually too bright for my ears. Of all the sub $200 speakers I’ve tried, these 2 are the crème of the crop. The edges out a win for me, but if I were more interested in portability (throwing the speaker in a backpack and heading to the beach), in that case the UE Boom is a better choice. The Bose is more of a home-body; it looks great perched upon its dock, charging. Frankly the Bose is too nice to bring outside. It’s not without its faults though, the Bose lacks a Line Out jack (which would be nice), and although it’s pointless to me some people might want a speakerphone built-in. The docking station is a great feature too, allowing you to quickly set it down to charge (and it looks good too). The Bose Soundlink Mini is a winner, buy it- you’ll not regret it.

SOUND: Its well established on consumer and some critic reviews that this product is the go-to for picking up a portable bluetooth speaker. Something to note that might not be obvious for others, this wont sound any different from other 99$ speakers (UE Boom mini) at lower volumes; it's optimal at medium to higher volumes. To put it concisely: i wish everything in the sound was tighter and more separated; I know, its alot to ask for in a speaker this small, but i think bose could have done better. LOW END: The bass is definitely there, more so than any other in its class, but it doesn't perform well on more punchy and sharp tones. It works well where you expect it to: in a continuous hum in some jazz songs, acoustics, ... MID AND HIGHS: Again, the sound needs more separation. The mids and highs get lost. They arent overpowered by the bass, they just dont perform that well. I want to hear the clash of tambourines; its a bit underwhelming. As for volume, its easily one of the loudest in its class; its great for outdoor listening. EVERYTHING ELSE: For 200$, your getting a robust device with a tank-like build quality. It feels like a device priced higher than 200. It follows Bose's simple, conservative and understated design statement, and it works. Although, i get anxious when i bring it outside; it feels more like something that should be kept inside. Because of this, I do recommend getting some type of protective case, even the overpriced soft cover sold by bose; you don't want to scratch up a 200$ investment. It has no microphone for calling; for me, its not a Problem since i planned on using this exclusively for music. I wish Bose included a aux cable, but i guess they make up for it with an included nifty docking station. Controls are simple. No battery indicator but im ok with that. The rating in only based on sound and build. ADVICE: Everyone has different preferences. Im being very critical in this review, so for most people, they will find the sound absolutely perfect, for others with a more distinct taste, it might disappoint. If you are considering buying one, go ahead, you can always return it if you want. ALSO, make sure you understand what your looking for: if you not looking for something portable, you can find speaker systems for 200 that offer a better dynamic range. Think of this as an exemplum of its class, if it doesnt work for you, you'll know you have to spend more for better PORTABLE sound. Hope you find something that works for you!