Customer Ratings & Reviews

Terrible purchase. Wasted $400. The Power button is FLIMSY and WEAK. I pressed the button too hard and heard the plastic break and fall into the speaker. Now it is un-usuable. There is also no remote or automatic bluetooth turn on functionality so now the speaker has become a brick. I only owned it for 7 months. And trying to replace it with BOSE now, the serial number is printed so poorly they cannot recognize the ID. Please don’t waste your money and time with this poorly made product.

Bose Rock's Bose a very good company I recommended to anyone going to get the speaker it's a very good speaker

Great speaker. This is the second time the power button has broken. Only had it about 2 months and already having to go back and get it replaced.

This speaker's sound is elite. The battery is ok but after just 5 months the sound is distorted and crackling speakers. I'm sad.

The Verdict: The Bose SoundLink Max Speaker is without a doubt incredible. If you are an audiophile like me, this is a must-have speaker. I have had many Bose products through the years and they never disappoint. This latest portable SoundLink Max has the word “Max” in its name for a reason. Setup Setup is simple, straightforward, and very intuitive. When I received the speaker, it was about halfway charged and took a few hours to charge up to full. Once charged up, pairing it to my iPhone was easy and I also paired it with a computer via Bluetooth. It retains the connection well and pairs right back up when you power it back on, provided the paired device is close enough. While not required, the Bose App gives you a lot of additional functionality and settings. I would highly recommend using the app to tweak your speaker to your ears’ liking. More on that below. Use I can’t say enough how incredible this little speaker is. The form factor is the perfect size for portability and it doesn’t weigh as much as you’d think given the amazing sound it produces. This speaker takes bass to the MAX – it will literally rattle your windows like a small earthquake if you turn the bass all the way up via the app. The sound is rich, full, and sounds like it is coming from a speaker 3-4 times the size of this little mini MAX. As I mentioned before, the app, while not required, should really be downloaded and utilized. It not only allows you to manage the EQ settings, but allows for Firmware/Software updates, registration/warranty support (if you ever need it), Battery life has been outstanding. I’ve been using this speaker often for nearly 5 days and I’m still at over 50 percent charged – very impressive. I currently have it placed in a bathroom (separate from the shower) for listening to music in the morning while showering. It’s sound is powerful enough even though it’s in a separate room. While you can control just about anything and everything from either the app or whatever device you connect via Bluetooth, my only wish is that this speaker came with a remote. I realize this is designed mainly to be a portable speaker, but I would be willing to pay a little more for a remote. I would highly recommend this speaker to anyone looking for a high quality, reasonably priced portable speaker with outstanding sound quality.

The Bose SoundLink Max is the latest iteration to the SoundLink family, a well respected line up of portable Bluetooth speakers. Does this one live up the name, and as its own name suggests, provide the Maximum experience? Lets take a listen and find out. The packaging is clean and straightforward, with an emphasis on minimal use of plastic or Styrofoam. Refreshingly, the speaker comes with both a USB-C cable and a high wattage charger, bucking a recent trend of not including chargers with products. Other than those two items, some basic documentation, and the speaker, there is nothing else in the box. The speaker itself looks like a grown up version of the SoundLink Flex. It has side grilles for the passive radiators, a set of buttons on the top, and the carrying handle. It’s an understated design with no flashing lights or other gimmicks, which is what a speaker should be, in my opinion. The Blue Dusk color is very on trend and looks great. Inside, the speaker features two woofers and a tweeter, and does support stereo sound, which is nice to not have to link two smaller speakers together. It also supports Bluetooth 5.4, finally moving the line away from the older Bluetooth 4 standards. Another nice include is an analog audio input, letting you connect it to any number of devices, like a turntable if you are hopping on the vintage audio trend of late. You can also use the battery in the speaker to reverse charge your phone or other device by plugging it into the USB-C port. I do wish there were dust covers on the ports to keep sand and liquids out of them, especially the aux input port. If you are going to take it outside you might want to get a couple of dust plugs for the ports to keep stuff out of there. After charging the speaker the recommendation is to connect it and use the Bose app to configure things like the EQ, apply any product updates, and customize the shortcut button. Weirdly, the shortcut button right now has just two options – configure it to switch to the line in input, or be kind of an oddly hacked up interface only for Spotify. I left it at input switching. You don’t have to use the Bose app if you don’t want to, but a few controls do require connecting it to the app from time to time. After connecting, it’s time for a listen. It’s immediate that this by far has the most bass of any SoundLink speaker to date. It’s not room shaking, as there are limits to the size and power of a portable speaker, but it is present for sure. It also has a very wide stereo sound stage, remarkably so for a smaller speaker, especially at the sweet spot of about 4-5 feet away. Bose is claiming they are using some of their virtual surround enhancements normally reserved for a soundbar in here, and there is kind of an uncanny depth to some audio tracks that does sound more like a surround sound setup than just stereo. It may also lead to kind of an overprocessed sound on occasion, with Charle Puth’s “Left and Right” (which I used to test the stereo separation) having an oddly distorted sound at some moments in the drums. This could either be an issue with the track’s encoding or how the speaker is processing it, and Bose may still be working the kinks out of how their sound processing works with this specific speaker. I found the speaker with the default EQ to be a little bright and actually a little lacking in bass when used outside. I tuned the EQ to +5 bass and -2 treble to find what I found to be a more balanced sound. It can get SUPER loud at full volume. Overall, it sounds good, which at this premium price point, it should. As anyone with other SoundLink speakers know, one feature of the SoundLink family is the ability to link SoundLink speakers together in a “party mode” to spread sound around a space. Sadly, this speaker, despite the name SoundLink, does not actually link to any of its SoundLink cousins. In fact, it uses the Bose app, not the Bose Connect app, so it sits outside of the SoundLink line and only seems to share the name and the look. That said, this speaker is quite capable of filling a space with sound on its own, and having stereo means you don’t need two speakers linked together for stereo sound. You can link it to some other Bose smart speakers as well, but it's still a little odd that the SoundLink Max can’t link to the other SoundLink speakers. Overall, this is an expensive, premium portable speaker that punches well above its size. Showing up at a party with it or using it when you have guests over will almost certainly get comments about how much sound is coming out of this still relatively compact package. Portable, modern Bluetooth and charging capabilities, and still having an analog input make for a well rounded speaker that will keep your party rocking for hours.

I previously had an older Bose 360 degree speaker and it was great - it was portable, sounded good, and you could hear music in any direction. This definitely takes it up several notches, however. With the SoundLink Max, you get stereo sound and good bass as well. It isn't extremely large, I would say roughly the size of a shoe. I really like the rubberized finish on it, which means that it is durable and can handle a few bumps and bruises. I also like the fact that it is powered by USB-C and can charge your phone as well! Having an aux input jack is also very nice. Because it has stereo drivers, it is able to do left/right, whereas other speakers have just a single driver. Bass is further enhanced by the radiators on the sides, as some other competitor models also do. That being said, I was impressed by the sound quality. By default the sound is "energetic", with prominent mids and good bass. However the app provides the ability to adjust the EQ (though only in bass/mid/high, instead of a more precise layout with sliders for the different bands) to tune the sound to your liking. The carry handle is also fairly sturdy, and the speaker can get pretty loud. All in all, I really like this device in that it has good quality sound without being overly large/heavy.

The SoundLink Max delivers excellent sound quality (which BOSE is known for!) The speaker measures in at 10.5” x 5” x 4” which makes it very portable. The first thing I noticed was the building quality. It has a little heft, which I love, and the rope handle is a nice touch. The sound quality is amazing, which is nice is such a small package. Too many times, I have used bluetooth portable speakers, and the sound quality negates portability. The bass was not too much, and the mids sounded great. I am a big classical fan, and this speaker manages to perform well in the genre. For battery, we are looking at 20 hours at moderate volume. I was able to use the device for around 5 hours, low volume, and the device was still at 100%, which was crazy. I believe if you keep the device at a decent to low volume, you could possibly see better battery life in terms of hours. There is also a USB-C port you can use to charge a phone, which is a neat feature to have. You can never have enough ways to charge handy. Overall, this is a well-designed, excellent performing Bluetooth speak. This will be a daily driver for me and my family as the portablity and sound, along with excellent battery life make this a must have for us.

Without question, the SL Max provides great sound out-of-the-box dominating speakers twice its size and form factor. With very few shortcomings, it will be my go-to speaker for beach/picnic outings due to its space filling soundscape and portability. Performance- Rich, full sound with a great balance of treble and bass. No peaking on high volumes and easily able fill a room and/or cover a space in a mid-size gathering. App based EQ can further implement a specific sound profile to match different genres of music. My overall rating is specifically tied to its robust performance. Size/ Portability- A lot packed into a little. For comparison, it's roughly the size of a Fiji water bottle and easily able to fit into any backpack without hogging too much space. With that, the control panel buttons are sized just right, even for my thick fingers. Another high point. Build- When you first grab the handle, you may be slightly surprised at how heavy the capsule is. With that weight comes confidence in the build. This is a solid, sturdy road companion. I have no issue toss around, getting wet, or placing in the sand. A downside it there are no covers for the power or aux inputs, but there is a warning system for charging. If there is water detected, the led will flash until dry. In any event Bose recommends fan usage for drying/clearing debris, so I can still feel confident in taking it wherever I boldly go. This goes for the handle as well. Very sturdy, without the need to be delicate. Battery- The first 10% of the fully charged battery disappeared after about an hour and some change, which I assumed I was going to get roughly 10% per hour. But, I've been at 80% for well past that metric which gives a solid plus for battery life. Of course, the louder the play, the shorter the battery life, but for sporadic usage, the battery has surpassed satisfaction. Finish- This is where I find one of my main issues. The finish of the Max is a rubber based matte coating. While I know it helps with durability, it is terrible for keeping your speaker looking its best. All knicks, dust, specks, marks, etc. show on the surface and are not easily removed. So, if you're going to put this speaker to hardship, let it be known it will look the part over time. Also, I have known such finishes to not do well over time with oxidation. Only time will tell, but this is/has been my experience. App experience- Easily connected to several BT sources with/without the app. App adds EQ and quick settings so it will be advantageous if you like to tinker with your sound. The app has been improved since my last foray with the S1 Pro. So far, dependable and useful when I choose to use it. A few things to wrap up. The first is the Shortcut button. It is promoted as programmable, but the only choices are for the AUX and Spotify. I'm hoping that can be expanded through a software update at a later date, as of writing this, it is simply a disguised "source" button. I would love to set the button to my preferred music app of choice. Second, there are no in-call options. No mic or speaker output of calls. That can be a hit or miss feature, and they chose to exclude it here. When you take a call, music stops, call is taken through handset. Once call completes, music automatically resumes with no interaction needed. Not an issue, but is one of those features that should be noted. In closing, The Soundlink Max lives up to the boisterous claims and satisfies just about all of my needs and wants in an on-the-go speaker. A worthy companion.

Bose has come out swinging powerfully with the release of the Soundlink Max wireless speaker. As an owner and fan of the SoundLink Flex speaker, I was surprised and excited to hear that Bose would be releasing a bigger and louder version of it. If you already own a prior version of this line of speakers, you'll kind of know what to expect, but I promise you that you will be impressed! Sound Quality: I am blown away by how good this Bose speaker sounds. It definitely sounds a lot bigger than it physically is. I like to sit it on my window sill when I am listening to music and it fills our living room with music easily. It has such a nice full and immersive sound. I feel like I am standing in a concert hall when I use this speaker in my living room to listen to music. It is loud, even at a low 30-40% volume setting. The bass is very punchy, without drowning out the mids and highs. Mids have a nice subtle tone that carry the treble and voices very nicely to your ears. This speaker sounds so good, that I cannot wait to hear what the next song on my playlist is going to sound like through it. If you're an audiophile, You'll understand what I am saying. I honestly love this speaker, and I plan on using it every chance I get. Bose has proven their sound engineering knowledge and If there is an award for "Portable speaker of the year" I think this one deserves it. Build quality: This speaker is very very rugged. I think it will definitely survive a drop from shoulder height. I'm not going to test my theory, but it is tough. It is heavy, and it's built like a tank. The carry strap is a very nice touch, you can remove it easily if you don't want it. But I think it is classy and since the speaker is chunky ( I can barely wrap my hand around the whole thing), it makes carrying it around a lot easier. my one and only complaint about this speaker, is that the silicone "skin" that covers the speaker is a huge lint and dust magnet. If you have OCD about keeping things dust free as I do. You will find yourself wiping this thing clean very often. lol. I understand the need for it though. It gives the speaker a nice rugged protective skin. I do love that Bose included a 3.5mm aux port on here. I plan on using it to connect it to my home projector when watching movies. The USB C port is for input/output. So it will charge the speaker with a fast charging cable, and it will output power to charge your phone or tablet! I don't know how I feel about draining the battery from this amazing speaker to charge my phone, but it is definitely a very nice feature to have if I need to charge my phone in an emergency. Would I recommend this speaker? Yes, I highly recommend this speaker. You will not be disappointed.

Bose never ceases to amaze me with their products. I hate to sound like a “fan boy” but man…quality and performance is what counts and Bose takes it to the max with the Soundlink Max! I cannot not believe the range, clarity and bass that bursts from the speakers in the Soundlink Max. I wanted to replace a speaker that I had in my garage for projects due to environmental damage. The previous garage speaker had a critter that stored seeds and made a nest in the subwoofer opening! Ruined! IPX proofing is important on an outdoor speaker! Soundlink Max is IPX6… No critter, no water or dust gonna stop Soundlink from brining the tunes. IPX6 rated protection is extremely waterproof but not submersible. It can take rain, splashes or a spilled beverage! It’s ready for the beach, pool or adventure! NOTE: if you get it wet…let it dry COMPLETELY before trying to charge it usb! No hair dryers either. I don’t like reading manuals…but Bose kept it simple on the app so I would recommend checking it out to maximize your Soundlink Max. It also is usb C for charging which I really love. You can also charge your phone from it but note that it will decrease the 20 hours or play. Bose also makes a mention that if you are using max sound setting the 20 hours is greatly reduced as one would expect. To help with battery, if you leave it on accidently, after 20 minutes it will auto shut off which is nice. I also really love the premium material of skin, It feels soft but slip resistant if you have wet hands. The buttons are responsive. You can turn the volume up and down and play and pause on the speaker itself….BUT NO NEXT/BACK SONG BUTTON! That’s definitely a design misstep or bad design choice but totally forgivable. I use my phone most of the time anyway. The speaker sets solid on anything you set it on…beach towel or beach bag. While looking at the manual in the Bose App, I discovered you can change the handle with ease to different color rope design! I like that little touch. I also like the ergonomic handle… feels good and solid in the hand or to use it to tie on the boat somewhere or a canoe on a float trip! I like the app Bose has. I had the app with my BOSE Headphones and the Soundlink Max synced right up no problem. You can play with the EQ if you want…I found the factory set is the best for me. Back to the sound…Just world class. I love music and I have too many headphones and speakers to be honest but I like having the right device for the right job….For summer fun or out door adventure…BOSE SOUNDLINK MAX is by far the way to go. It completely fills my back deck, garage or any room in my house up with full rich, clear and crisp sound with bass that seems impossible from such a small device with no visible subwoofer or tweeters!!! So easy to transport anywhere you want to go! Loud for a party or soft for ambience….just amazing. Not to mention the rich warm conversations from podcasts. I absolutely love the Soundlink Max!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Absolutely love this speaker! The Bose SoundLink Max delivers powerful, crystal-clear sound with deep bass that fills any room or backyard. The battery easily lasts all day, and the removable handle makes it super easy to carry to the beach or a friend’s house. It feels solid and premium, and the water-resistant design gives me peace of mind outdoors. Pairing was instant, and the Bluetooth connection stays rock-steady. Worth every penny—this is the best portable speaker I’ve ever owned!

I bought this to replace my Bose Mini SoundLink 1. That speaker served me for 11 years! College parties, beach trips, kayaking, camping, work, grilling, sad boy hours. You name it, that speaker played its little heart out. It became an icon in the friend group. While many have had 4-6 speakers over the years, I've had just the one. I unfortunately dunked it in water while on the river. The battery was beginning to fail anyway, but that deemed to be too much for my Mini. It still played for a few hours after that, but its final song was Great Expectations by Day Wave on 07/04/2024. It played all the way through and turned off for its last time. I put that speaker though things it was never built to do, and it just kept going. I bought the Max because it IS built to withstand my lifestyle, and Bose as a portable speaker has won me over. I will forever buy Bose, and this speaker.. I mean wow! What a sound! The battery life is incredible, the tone and bass is amazing! truly one of the best sounding Bluetooth speakers I've heard for its size. To be fair it's a little too soon to tell, but if this is anything like my Mini SoundLink 1, (and this can withstand the river) I will be playing music out of it for many years to come, and I believe this too will become the next icon amongst friends and family. I have already enjoyed many hours from the new Bose Max.

Indulge in a sensory voyage like no other with the Bose SounkLink Max speaker, a harmonious fusion of syle, power, and unparalleled audio prowess. From the moment you press play, you're catapulted into a realm where sound transcends mere listening and becomes an immersive experience that envelops your entire being. Let's start with the design, sleek, sophisticated, and undeniably Bose. The SoundLink Max blends well in any environment, whether you're sitting around a cozy fire or partying pool side. It's compact size belies its capabilities, making it the perfect companion for both intimate moments or lively celebrations. The SoundLink Max isn't just about raw power. It's also about versatility and convenience. With its seamless bluetooth connectivity you can effortlessly stream your favorite tunes from any compatible device, freeing you from the constraints of wires and cables. And thanks to its great battery life you can keep the party going for hours on end with out missing a beat. And if you are like me and have other Bose units you will be happy to know it uses the same app and is very easy to set up, navigate and use. And the wife just loves the light blue color!!

The Bose SoundLink Max Portable Bluetooth Speaker is an impressive piece of audio engineering and the Blue Dusk color is a nice touch too! The speaker is quite lightweight relative to the extremely impressive audio quality that it delivers. The deep base is stereo sound is really quite impressive and it will keep delivering such impressive audio for nearly 20 hours according to Bose on a single charge. When you're not charging the speaker, you can even use it to charge your phone! The speaker is charged by a USB-C charger (included). It has an IP67 Water and Dust resistance rating and so it's ready to go on your next adventure wherever that may take you. It weighs in at 4.7lbs and measures 4.73" H x 10.42" W x 4.13" D. It's definitely a companion you'll want with you wherever you're going. The handle at the top is detachable should you want to remove it. Setup was exceptionally easy using the Bose app on iOS. The app is also available on the Google Play store for those with an Android based phone or tablet. You can easily connect to the speaker using the app, Bluetooth or the Aux connection. I would definitely recommend this speaker to anyone looking for a speaker to take on the road with them!

Having tried two other popular brands, the BOSE Max was FAR superior in sound. I'm not looking for a party speaker that sounds flat or accentuates the highs but not the lows. At 70% this speaker has plenty of sound to do my house or outdoor deck. I would suggest to BOSE that they developed a more robust app to include many presets and a multi channel eq to replace the 3 channel very basic eq. Otherwise, this is the best wireless speaker I've found that is waterproof and solid for drops.

The Bose - SoundLink Max Portable Bluetooth Speaker is a top of the line portable speaker! The sound is crisp, clear and overall just awesome! When the speaker is charged it last close to 20 hours, which makes it great to carry to the lake, pool, or a park. Included in my box was the Bose Soundlink Max Portable Bluetooth Speaker, a safety sheet, USB-C to C cable, and the USB-C power supply. Quick set-up instuctions are located on the box along with a QR code to download the Bose app. After downloading the app, I followed the instructions to connect to bluetooth. I had no problems connecting the Bose portable speaker to my android cellphone. Within the app you may chose whether you want a Bass Boost, Bass reducer, Treble Boost, or Treble reducer. If connected to your phone you can hear connection status, connected devices, and incoming caller ID. You can not answer a phone call. This Bose Soundlink speaker can be paired with 8 devices. If you have another Bose speaker that is compatible, you can link both speakers to play simultaneously. I have my speaker connected to my cellphone along with my Smart TV, TV Sound Bar, and desktop computer. Highly recommend.

This speaker ROCKS. It is powerful, with amazing highs, lows, and midrange sound. I LOVE how the grab handle is on top. Simple things like that make it a keeper. It was NOT cheap, but at the same time, the sound is just....wow. And a 20 hour battery? Oh, and this thing actually has STEREO sound. Sit close enough to it and you can hear the left and right channels. Bonus...keeper. I might buy another one and link them up.

This Bose SoundLink Max is awesome. The sound is powerful, clear, and the bass hits just right. It gets loud without sounding messy, which is a big plus. It’s easy to carry, connects fast, and the battery lasts long enough for a full day of music. Whether you’re at home, outside, or hanging out with friends, it just works. If you want a portable speaker with great sound and no headaches, this Bose is a solid pick. Totally worth it.

TLDR: For anyone looking for a portable Bluetooth speaker in the price range, you will most be happy with your purchase. As an owner of Bose Soundlink Color II, I was pretty excited to try out Bose’s latest offering. Right of the bat, the speaker gives a much fuller sound. With the larger size, you get a lot more bass than the Color II. Setup of the speaker was simple. Bose recommended performing a factory reset before pairing for the first time (holding + and – button for a few seconds). After resetting, I was able to connect the speaker to my iPhone. Next, I highly recommend downloading the latest Bose app and adding the speaker. The app has a few built-in guides that explain most of the speaker’s functionality and customizations you can perform. As a Spotify user, I like the fact that I can change the Shortcut button to directly launch Spotify. One thing I will say is that initially, I thought the sound from the speaker was a little harsh. Thankfully within the app you can customize the EQ. After a good amount of experimentation, I was able to find a configuration that sounded good to me. For reference, my settings are: Bass: +1 Mid: -3 Treble: +3 While I haven’t done any testing in this area, the speaker is IP67 rated, so you should be able to take it just about anywhere and not have to worry about the speaker getting wet or full of dust. The speaker also has some sensors to determine if it is wet, so you don’t plug it in while there is still some moisture in the USB port. Having an included USB-C cable and charger is a nice touch. You can also use the speaker as a power bank and charge your phone through the USB port. You can remove the carrying handle, but I am not sure why you would. Overall, after a bit of tweaking of the settings, I am happy with the speaker and would recommend it to most people. While it won’t replace my home theater setup, it does make for a good experience on the go.