Bose - SoundLink Revolve II Portable Bluetooth Speaker - Luxe Silver

I'm a big fan of most Bose products and the sound quality that they deliver. I've mainly used their headphones and earbuds over the years so I was excited to try out the new Soundlink Revolve II. I had heard great things about the first generation Soundlink speakers and was hoping this refreshed model would have some exciting new features to keep up with the competition. The sound quality is excellent, as expected, and there is a slight boost to battery life and water/dust protection. But I'm disappointed to see that not much else is new, and it seems that Bose is starting to fall behind in this category. PROS: - Setup is super quick and easy, especially if you already have other Bluetooth-based Bose products. If you've ever paired a set of wireless headphones or Bluetooth to your phone, you won't have any problems. - There are multiple ways to play audio through the speaker, including via Bluetooth as well as the auxiliary input and a micro USB port. The micro USB port is used for charging but can also be used to play music from a computer. - The Revolve II maintains nearly the same design as its predecessor, so it is extremely lightweight and portable. It has a matte texture that does not show fingerprints or smudges. This easily fits in my backpack and tote bags and will be great for taking to the pool or on a camping trip. - The real strength of this speaker is its 360-degree design: The speaker fires sound in all directions, so there is no distortion or volume drop-off as you rotate the speaker or move around it. - Sound quality is very good for a speaker of this size. I'm surprised at just how loud this can get and it fills my medium-sized apartment with great sounding music. Midrange and high frequencies are clear and crisp, though there is some distortion in bass at higher volumes. Bass distortion is much more noticeable when you are closer to the speaker, but seems to be a non-issue after you get about 8 feet away. - If you happen to own another Bose Revolve speaker, you can pair them together to enable "party mode" or a stereo pair for even richer sound. - Battery life is excellent, rated at 13 hours for the Revolve II. I haven't had a chance to use the speaker non-stop for that long, but battery life has not been an issue at all in the few weeks I've used this speaker. - The dust and water protection rating of the Revolve II has been increased to IP55, up from IPX4 in the previous generation. So the Revolve II adds dust protection and slightly better splash protection. However, this rating is still not high enough to protect from complete immersion in water, so don't drop it in a pool. CONS: Unfortunately, Bose seems to be stuck in the past with its line of Revolve speakers. Here is a rundown of things that could have been improved but weren't: - Still uses micro USB for charging (not USB-C like most newer high-end wireless devices) - No standardized wireless charging support. You can buy a proprietary charging cradle, but it is not included with the speaker and costs an extra $30. - Low dust & water protection rating compared to competitors. Other speakers in the same price range offer IP67 protection which would protect against full immersion in water. - No built-in, hands-free voice control such as Alexa or Google Assistant. - Wireless connection is via Bluetooth only; there is no Wi-Fi or AirPlay support. OVERALL: Sonos, a major Bose competitor, recently announced a portable speaker with all of these missing features -- and it will actually be cheaper than the Revolve II. Given the major advancements from other wireless speaker brands, it amazes me that Bose did so little to update its Revolve speakers. There was practically zero innovation in designing the Revolve II, and I fear that Bose is going to be left in the dust of Sonos and other players in the compact speaker market. Don't get me wrong, the Revolve II is a great-sounding speaker with some nice features, but I certainly don't think it's the best value for the money. I would only recommend the Revolve II if you are already heavily invested in Bose products or really love the sound profile of Bose speakers. Otherwise, I think your money is better spent on a more innovative portable speaker.

As an owner of many various brands of Bluetooth speakers over the years, I always find myself leaning on Bose to really provide a quality, portable, Bluetooth product and the Revolve hits the mark! Out of the box, nothing fancy – simple no fuss packaging and a quick start guide. Also included is a micro USB cable for charging (no plug) – one note to add is this speaker was not charged so you’ll need to plug it in to get it up and connected to your phone initially. The speaker also offers an auxiliary mini jack if needed, you also use the USB for aux audio as well. One thing I do see myself doing is buying the charging dock accessory for convenience. The prominent feature that really sticks out with the Revolve is the 360-sound dispersion. My other BT speakers are traditionally unidirectional so whenever we bring them outside, the placement is always a factor. The Revolve eliminates that concern and provides a true projection of sound from all angles, with no audible decline in clarity or volume. This is a HUGE selling point for me and even leads to me consider purchasing another Revolve to get complete coverage around our pool area. The Bose Soundlink line of speakers offers a “Party mode” where multiple Bose speakers can be linked together, very handy for playing music inside/outside in large areas. If you have any Bose products you probably already know or have some expectation of the sound quality, and I’ll say that the Revolve holds up to the Bose standard. There are no EQ settings available but any genre I play though the speaker comes out with moderate bass and crisp highs. For the size of this speaker its truly impressive and I am very satisfied with the sound quality. The revolve also offers voice assistant prompts with a button press on the top, although I do not use voice prompts for much, I can confirm it works well with Siri. From a physical and aesthetic standpoint, the Revolve is very streamlined and sleek. When you hold this thing, it really feels like a solid piece of metal, very sturdy and durable. There is rubber like bumpers on the top and bottom of the speaker to avoid mishandling scrapes and scratches. The bumpers are slightly raised from the main body of the speaker so there is a small gap between the body and a flat surface when laid down on its side. The same manner as a cell phone case with raised edges prevents your screen from direct contact with flat surfaces. The speaker is about the same size a standard pint glass so very compact and portable. Overall, I am thrilled with this speaker. At this price point you absolutely get what you pay for and it shows. I plan on having this speaker for many summer activities like the golf course, poolside or at the beach!!

First, the most notable thing about this speaker is just how flat the sound is. Not “flat” in a bad, way, but how the speaker just presents the music the way that it was recorded and gets out of your way. There is no “bass boost” port that can cause a resonant “boomy” sound. The bass is present, but is not artificially enhanced. So, acoustically, this speaker sounds amazing for its size, both in fidelity and volume. If you download the phone app, you can easily pair two of these speakers to get true stereo. However, as I only have one, I could not test this. This can also be accomplished by pressing button combination on the top of the unit, but the odds of you remembering the magic buttons are low, so just stick to the app. Second, the small size. This thing is about the same length as a dollar bill, but packs quite a punch for its size. It is a little on the tall side (don’t knock it over), but it is also quite heavy. The design also features a standard ¼” tripod socket in the bottom, so this can be mounted in a more permanent fashion if desired. Being roughly cylindrical, there is no “front” of the speaker, so you get true 360° sound. The battery life is quite impressive. I charged mine when I first got it, and have used it for probably around five hours at moderate volume, and it still reports having a 70% charge. I would guess that the battery life to be approximately 15 hours or more. Now for the one stupid decision that otherwise mars a nearly perfect speaker: it still uses a micro-USB connector for charging. This is 2021, and USB-C is now the standard. This is certainly not a deal-breaker by any means, but is certainly confusing. Bose is a premium brand, and this is not a budget device by any means, so not including USB-C is puzzling. Overall, even including using a Jurassic charging connector, this is still an excellent speaker that I am very pleased to own.

The sound quality that only BOSE knows. This thing sounds amazing and the battery life is just crazy... I listen to it for almost 8 hours a day and I only go down like 10% each day. Best speaker buy I have made in a long time.

I am enjoying this speaker in outside environment this summer

Very nice! For my home office and when meditating! Thumbs UP!! I’ve always loved BOSE!

The size and weight of this speaker makes it easy to carry around in a backpack. The sound quality is consistent with the Bose line of speakers. Syncing with a smart device is simple and no app is required. Ideal for lounging in or next to the pool. Very happy with this purchase.

This was my first experience with the Soundlink Revolve II. I must say the set up was extremely easy and the Bluetooth hooked up no problem. Had to wait a bit for the update, but not bad. Let's discuss the sound. This surprisingly had more base than I expected and as usual with Bose, the highs and balance are crystal clear. I Love the 360 sound. No matter which way you turn the speaker, the sound is the same high quality. I really like the ability to be able to pair with another speaker. One thing I wish it had was a few other sound options like most units have in the market. But since the quality of sound is so good, I can live without it. Battery life exceeds expectations. Portability and durability seem to match and exceed competitors. The short of it is if you can fit Bose into your budget then do it. It is a little pricey, but what high quality speaker isn't? I own a lot of Bose and Sonos speakers throughout my home and I have never been disappointed. This product is great for indoors and outdoors, doesn't take up a lot of room and is even perfect for traveling. I would highly recommend this product.