Customer Ratings & Reviews

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.

Bought this 3 days ago, was skeptical as they did not have one setup but after listening to all the others (Jaw Bone, Pills, etc) I bit and took the chance as I have always been impressed with Bose products. Was I glad I did! I had been looking a long time for a portable blue-tooth device to grab on the go, outside by the barbeque, etc. but always figure I would sacrifice some sound quality for portability - but not so with the Bose Sound link Mini. It's small, heavy and pumps out a sound I would have never imagined possible from a unit this size. Your not going to thump anyone out with the base but it's very good and CLEAR. I cannot say enough about the clarity and depth of sound this little unit produces. When I first hooked up and had going my wife actually thought I had the stereo on - she was SHOCKED when I told her it was coming from the little box on the shelf streaming music from my Iphone. It's quick and easy to setup. I could not be happier with this purchase.

WOW! I also own the bigger brother to this unit, with which I am very happy. However that said, I am SLOPPY IN LOVE with this little dynamo. I received mine in the mail yesterday and let me tell you I am impressed. The quality and clarity of sound is truly impressive. The volume for a unit of this size is also pretty darn good when you consider that it is not supposed to replace ghetto blasters. Sedate sounds like classical and christian music are clear and sweet. Rock and other progressive and hard charging foot stomping - neck snapping and head bopping tunes practically jump out at you! If you are looking for something that feels like quality in your hands and delivers quality sounds to your ears at a fair price, run - don't - walk to BB an scoop one up. You will not be sorry.

I received this in the mail yesterday and the "clear" plastic is yellow. It looks as if this product is old even though it is brand new. I just read a few prior reviews and others have said the same. I wish I had read these reviews prior to purchase. For this quality, the product should be less than half the price.

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.

I purchased this speaker, gave it a try and am taking it back. Bose does not advertise their spec's. Specifically, frequency response, impedance and sensitivity for any of their products. There's a reason for that fact and that is if they did, nobody would buy them for the price they command. They achieve the Bose "sound" by tricky porting and other technical adjustments that take away from the quality of the sound in my opinion. Much like a cheerleader using a megaphone. If one where to read the professional reviews, they never state that these are clear, crisp, the bass is punchy, or the frequency response is flat. That being said, nothing is as good as listening to them yourself, which I've done. In my opinion they are dull and lack any type of refinement at any frequency. To add insult to injury, they don't produce the volume that I expect. If I use them outside, they are worthless. Give them a try for yourself and ask yourself if the music you're hearing sounds anywhere near realistic. These were a huge disappointment. They lack the features of other speakers in this price range and the battery life is sad compared to their competitors (6 hours, really?). It is small and they sound good for there size. They would be excellent for the office, a hotel room, the bathroom or any other small room where one can't make too much noise. The packaging is exceptional, they look cool and there is some heft to them that keeps them from rattling or bouncing off the table. Their small size is impressive, the build quality is exceptional and I very much like the cradle but I'm not willing to sacrifice the musical quality for size, name or how cool they look. If you like clear voices, guitar riffs, some punch to the bass, crisp highs and enough volume to really hear the music, these might not be the speaker for you. If quiet is what one wants, turn down the volume.

I have all 3 wireless Bose speakers. Soundlink Air, Soundlink II and now Soundlink mini. First all 3 are different categories. It is extremely important that you have in mind that the 3 speakers provide a different range of power and loudness. Soundlink Air is for home. ( works with wifi and not Bluetooth). It very loud and it great for noisy places. Soundlink II and Soundlink mini are Bluetooth and portable. If you are going to play music in a big location that is noisy and open area and you want to play pretty loud get Soundlink II If you are need something portable and will play it in a hotel room, office, bedroom, around the house and other places like that the Soundlink mini are awesome. The mini gets loud but obviously will not be as loud as the Soundlink II. FOR THE SIZE I'm amazed at how awesome the sound. Clear and well balanced I will keep the Soundlink Air at home and the mini for the road. Will sell my Soundlink II I would definitely recommend this.

It does help protect from scratches, but it is very limited protection. Not worth it. They can do much better.

I looked at a few other mini speakers such a beats audio. The sound was not even close. The build quality is just like Apple products.....simple and not cheap feeling. The Sound is full. I bought this for garage use, outdoor entertaining, and other portable music needs. Easy and fast Bluetooth connection. Battery life seems to be great. Would buy again!

I mulled over buying a portable speaker for quite some time. This one was suggested by a friend and I'm so happy about my purchase! This product meets the standard I expect from Bose sound equipment; it provides clear, quality sound. I was pleasantly surprised by the power of this small speaker. Great, sleek design as well. Overall, highly satisfied.

My wife originally purchased me a Beats Pill Bluetooth speaker for Xmas. I was very excited by its looks, size and portability, but when I turned it on I was very disappointed. The sound was very "Tinny" and lacked bass. It was lousy. I have purchased many Bose products in past so I went to Best Buy and picked up the Soundlink Mini. I did a side by side comparison, and the Bose blew the doors off of the pill. The sound quality of Mini was superior to that of Pill. For such a small speaker, the Mini has full, rich sound. Good bass, mid range, and treble. Speaker sounds great at higher and low volumes. Just what you would expect of a Bose product, and this one does not disappoint. Speaker is a bit bigger than pill, but still pretty portable to take to office or to park. Speaker has solid, elegant build. Easy connectivity, signal not dropped when moved my iPad to separate room from speaker, very simple to operate. Bose products tend to be on the pricier side, but no buyers remorse here. I love this little speaker, and have listened to it every day since I have purchased. Needless to say, promptly returned the pill. I would definitely recommend this speaker.

If you're after a high quality sound from a small package, look no further. Testing in store, I was actually more impressed with this product than I was with the next step up in the Bose line, and it EASILY outperforms any of the other competing products. I purchased the carrying case to go along with this speaker, and although I was a little disappointed that there wasn't a slot to carry the charging base with the power adapter, I love the fit and feel, and this speaker travels back and forth to work with me on a regular basis. At home, in the office, in the garage, on the back patio... generous sound (more than you'd expect) with more than adequate bass, and amazing clarity from every frequency. Sure, it's a little costly when compared to other similar products, but when you listen to them side by side, the superior quality is very apparent. I wouldn't have been satisfied with anything else!

Was purchased for my brother-in-law to use at work on tow motor/forklift and turned out to be the perfect gift. Big, full, and clear sound from a fairly lightweight portable speaker. No wires is an obvious plus and helps it to serve its purpose. Definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a small portable speaker.

This mini speaker is a musical illusion. It's so small, sleek and simple yet so clear, loud and boastful. This might be weird but I think I'm in love with a speaker.

I was really debating on which speakers to get between Beat Pills and the Bose. The reason i choose the Bose is because the reviews on here were better then pills reviews and i also realized the beat pills doesnt have a strong bass. So i buy the Bose, go home and set it up. I think its cool that you can just set it on the charge pad and it will charge the speakers. Anyway I play the first song and i was beyond impressed i didn't expect to be this satisfied with a speaker system. Its tiny and packs a huge punch. Incredible bass, I literally love my songs 10x more now. Im glad i made the right choice

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.

Being an avid audiophile I've been looking for good sounding portable BT speakers for some time. After going through all the cheaper brands I decided to bite the bullet and buy the BOSE unit. The sound quality from such a small package is amazing. Bass is actually there. One thing to know is to get the best base performance it to place the unit close to a vertical object like a wall. Play around with it and you'll see what I mean. The best bass performance I've gotten is in my bathroom with the unit next to the corner of the wall on my counter. Volume level is not too high but I wouldn't expect it to be in such a small package. It will fill a small room nicely though. I've noticed that they do sound tinny at higher volumes. Again I think it's because of the small package and lack of bass kick at these higher volumes. Setup was a breeze. I had it paired with my cell phone and my tablet within minutes. I even used the AUX in and connected it to my TV (42 inch Panasonic Plasma) and it sounded 100% better than the TV speakers. The only downside that I see is BOSE should have included the travel bag or the silicone cover at the $200 price point. $25 for the cover and $40+ for the bag is a little ridiculous. Other than that this was a great purchase and should last a long time because the built quality is out of this world.

Wow! Excellent sound from such a small speaker. I was a little hesitant on purchasing this because of the $200 price tag, but I have yet to regret it. The best part is the portability. I just put my phone in my pocket and walk around with this. It's a dance party in my hands!

I'm very happy with this device. I had an original Bose Soundlink and they seem to have improved the connectivity on this model. My original will not connect to my Mac Mini but this one does. It affords me some additional room on my little desk. I have one of those tiny $40 desks from Ikea. There is not enough room for a textbook. However I can fit this little SoundLink mini and have one less cord. By using bluetooth I do not use up a USB nor do I fill the headphone jack. I use my computer as a TV now. I'd recommend it for any Dorm room setting. Also you can easily pick up the speaker and move it to a shelf or bring it to an outdoor event. I've been tempted to throw a dance party while waiting for the bus.

This speaker is expensive for being so small, but it has great sound, and the batter lasts a long time. I would buy it again even with all the newer models on the market. This one still sounds great.