Customer Ratings & Reviews

Bought mainly for noisy env like kitchen while cooking but not up to mark for Bose speaker

I recently bought this product as my first bluetooth speaker. I was looking to buy jawbreaker, but this speaker recently came out and the rating was excellent. I'm a big fan of Bose and very pleased with this product. I love the design, sound, and portability. I have tried connecting to the speaker using my macbook, galaxy phone, iphone, and ipads and no disconnection at all. If you think the battery life is too short, you can also buy car charger so you can charge it when you drive. Some people are saying you can't adjust eq., but you can't expect any adjusting for a portable speaker that cost $200. Bose usually has a great sound quality, especially with base and this mini speaker still has that quality. Buy this and try it your own.

It is very thin cover that provides you with another color option. It does was is expected.

Sound quality not good! ! Not loud enough either, i thought Bose was top of the line! Not this item! !

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 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.

It is ok to protect some areas of your speaker...not the best one, but at least is something.

It keeps our mini Bose from slipping, but we don't know if it will protect it if it falls.

I did lots of research looking for a bluetooth speaker that would meet my specifications. I wanted good range, long battery life, easy use, and of course great sound quality. The Bose Soundlink Mini doesn't disappoint on any of these points. We had guests over the other day and they were astounded that the quality sound they were hearing was coming from this tiny speaker. We also used it for over 7 hours and its battery never gave out. Yes it is expensive and having a protective cover as an additional purchase seems a bit chincy, but the sound quality is awesome. Only important note is that the speaker doesn't deliver big volume. I suspect that Bose engineers focused on sound quality at a respectable volume instead of distoration at big volume. So, if you want to really crank it opt for the Bose Soundlink and don't go mini.

The Bose Soundlink Mini has Great sound and is a true testiment of the production quality of Bose. I was able to test it at a Best Buy location with my wife. The connectivity of the unit to my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and my wife's iPhone was quick. Like any other bluetooth connection, the sound began to get choppy at approximately 30 feet from the speaker. The sound was clear, crisp producing sharp highs and strong lows for such a compact speaker. The Soundlink Mini's battery is not internal and can be replaced if it goes bad. The Soundlink Mini is an excerllent travel companion because of its size and small enough to be carried in the hand during a stroll at night. The sound that comes out of this small package can't be put into words. It is a must test and see, and with a price of $200, you will see, test and purchase. For all us gadget lovers, this is a must have for the collection.

After a few months of use the rechargeable battery does not hold a charge anymore.

This is hard to get one off. Thought it would made of a softer material

I wanted to like this as the portability and usability is awesome. The charging cradle is a cool design and the battery last about 5-6 hrs in real usage. It does have good sound but the treble could be smoother/crisper and the mid level frequencies could be more pronounced. It is a bit expensive compared to other bt speakers. This one does have a heavy apple-aluminum esque feel to it so the build quality is fantastic. I just thought the sound is good but not great.

I rarely used this product for few times . Stopped working in 40 days.

I'll start by saying I initially purchased the Beats Pill, what a piece of junk. Talk about slapping something together sticking a lower case b on it and charging you $200. Needless to say I took that back the next day and purchased the Bose. The first thing I noticed was the weight. I guess that's the gift and the curse, you cannot produce this type of sound without large magnets. But I purchased this to be mobile and have great sound, not to walk around with so at the end of the day that doesn't matter much. If you're wavering between which device to purchase do yourself a favor and go into the store. I paired my phone with all the Bluetooth speakers I could and this was the clear cut winner for me. I do not like the proprietary charging cable. That was almost a deal breaker. And this speaker doesn't come with a travel case, they charge you another $45. But I guess you get what you pay for.

I opted for a cheaper option first, and bought a $40 Photive Cyren, thinking that it should be okay as I am not a sound expert. Boy was I wrong. The minute I turned on the cheaper speaker my whole body felt annoyed by the sound it produced. Then I tested out the Bose Mini at my local Best Buy. I was immediately impressed by how deep and rich the speaker sounded in the giant open store. Bought it on the spot and tested in different rooms at home. I listen to both melodic music as well as electronic dance music. The bass produced by this tiny device is truly amazing! I am so pleased by my new purchase and really feel that the $200 price tag is worth it. No wonder this is the #1 best seller on amazon. Buyers, a speaker is something you buy to enjoy, don't save money on this one. Go for the No. 1, you won't regret it.

Protection could be better but may sacrifice sound in the end?

This is one of the best things I've ever bought. My Nook HD and Droid Razr both had no problem syncing up with this speaker. Now I can listen to XM internet radio and Rhapsody right in my bedroom anytime I want. The sound is simply outstanding. The quality of the speaker unit is top notch, something built to last for years. Every nuance of the music is brought forth, with clarity at all ranges. I love my Bose Mini, and its small enough to bring everywhere you go. I highly recommend this speaker to any music lover. Absolutely no buyer remorse whatsoever, I wouldn't dream of returning this product!

Not much happy with the product, expected more beats

This is the first product I have felt compelled to write a review for. I tried a UL Boom from Best buy, but the sound quality was terrible so i returned it for this Soundlink Mini. I am to this day still impressed with this speaker. Pros -The overall quality of this Bose is better than all the other speakers I have heard. It is the most powerful sounding and has the best base. -The battery lasts longer than I need it to. I tested the battery life once at ~80-90% volume (very loud), it lasted about 6-7 hours before it started blinking at me to charge it. -Portable with the carry case, though the case is expensive, the speaker has been thrown around in my backpack for about 9 months now with no damage. -I like the weight. It has a quality, heavy, feel to it combined with a rubber bottom so It doesn't vibrate itself around like other speakers of its type. Cons -A little lacking in the highs, but not a deal breaker -No speaker phone feature -No carry case included -Proprietary charging cable -High volumes or overly complicated sounds can make the speaker pop and crackle. This doesn't happen often, but it is very annoying when it does. -Pairing between devices is difficult to say the least. The speaker always seems to prefer my computer (even when my phone was the last to pair with it and the computer is asleep). Clicking the pair button usually makes it re-connect to the device I don't want, and yes, I know what I am doing. I am 22 years old an not a stranger to computers/bluetooth by any means. -Will un-pair from phone to pair with computer while playing music sometimes.... This is very annoying and happens often. I just turn my computer's bluetooth off, but this should not be an issue. I hope Bose puts out a firmware update for these pairing woes. Summary I use this speaker instead of my TV speakers when playing video from my computer. I carry it to school with me, I use it multiple times per day and would definitely recommend to a friend. I'd like to see a feature like UE where you can connect multiple of these speakers to each other and have multiple devices connected to it.