Customer Ratings & Reviews

The Bose SoundWear Companion portable speaker....what can I say about another awesome Bose product? This lightweight speaker is very comfortable with a durable, zippered cloth covering. Charging the speaker is simple when using the provided charging cable. The Companion offers great sound, including impressive bass and highs, from such a little speaker. The power and sound buttons are conveniently located in easy reach if you don't happen to have your smartphone close at hand in order to use the great Bose Connect app. Speaking of power, this speaker holds a charge for several hours. From decent, continuous use with a moderate volume, I get approximately 12 hours of play time. That's impressive from a wearable speaker system. Overall, this is an amazing wearable for the price and Bose excels again in quality, performance, and user-friendly control. I give this speaker 5 stars and 2 thumbs up.

I tried this for a day and just didn't find it more useful than headphones in my case.. it is a neat product but did feel a bit heavy around my neck. I went back to using my earbuds as I just didn't find this to be comfortable enough.

I think the concept of the speaker is really interesting. It's a personal speaker that doesn't go in your ears. It took me a bit to get used to having to use the app for it. Im one of those people who just want to turn something on and leave it alone. The speaker fits comfortably on your shoulders. I dont really mind it being there. But if you have small children like I do you might wanna watch out! lol I honestly would probably only use this speaker if I were at home alone or if I was just in a different room from everyone else. The sound coming from this speaker is great. But I certainly cant sit next to my husband on the couch and use these without interrupting what hes listening to. They are great if your coooking in the kitchen or working out. You dont have ear buds that hurt your ears or fall out while moving around which is a big plus. I havent used the speaker very much, maybe a few hours total. But it holds a great charge. For me I wouldnt walk around in public wearing it. I think its too big to just be casually in walmart or somewhere with it on my shoulders. Overall I think it's nice. But it's certainly not great if you dont want to interrupt others listening to music if they are close enough to you.

Do you want your music to follow you leaving your hands free but also want to be aware of your surroundings and be able to hear the rest of the world? If this is you then these are perfect for you. Listen to music, take a phone call, listen to an audio book...in deep bass rich Bose sound. The SoundWear Companion is easy to pair (with even two devices at the same time!) lasts a long time on a charge just over 12hrs for me (takes about 3hrs to fully charge) and if the battery goes dead on you just give it a quick 15min charge that will last you about 3hrs...it’s flexible and comfortable to wear while going on a walk, biking or just hanging around the house. I use it quite a bit for conference calls and it works great. It’s true Bose quality built to second to none specifications. Buy one and you won’t know how you lived without one.

I tried these as an alternative to head phones at work. They are great. I am able to listen to my music at a low/high enough volume that I can hear it and still hear my surrounding work environment as I move around the facility. It was weird getting use to them around my neck as they felt like there were going to fall off. But after wearing them a few days I didn't even notice they were there and I learned to trust that they would stay. Great sound, they get loud if you want them for that (loud enough that you can't hear someone right in front of you speaking) but for me the best feature was being able to enjoy my music and yet still able to hear my surroundings, as well as the 12 hour battery life. They make the work day go much faster and much more enjoyable.

I know you wouldn’t think that such a small weight would hurt but after a couple hours it did hurt my neck. The sound however was really good. These were returned.

Good quality for what they are but a very small niche in the personal speaker market. Just get yourself some real earphones or headphones.

I bought Soundwear for my husband who is hard of hearing, thinking this is perfect for him But when I turn the volume on my tv they are not syncing & the sounds is a echo, very annoying.

Bought this as a gift for my wife (she asked for it), and even though these were trendy at the time, she hated it. Maybe wearing speakers on your shoulders isn't such a great idea.

Wow, just wow! This Bose SoundWear Companion Speaker is truly phenomenal! Fashionable, functional, and with every bit of that trusted performance Bose has become famous for. We’re talking exceptional quality here! Upon opening the box, you’re presented with a beautiful piece of hardware. And getting this SoundWear Speaker up and running was a breeze. All you need do is follow the simple instruction guide and download the Bose Connect App to set up your speaker. Through the app you can control its Bluetooth connections, adjust base levels, set an auto-off timer, view remaining battery life, manage phone call alerts, turn voice prompts on or off, and set prompt language preferences. A ‘User Manual’ is included, along with the ‘Product Tour’ (to refresh your memory after the device’s initial setup) - I recommend doing that short tutorial the first time through, it is helpful. You can even rename your speaker later on. There’s also a ‘Find My Buds’ feature, which I’ve yet to make use of, but what it’s meant to do is show you the last time and place you used your device in case you’ve misplaced it; which is a nice extra cause “stuff (invariably) happens.” At first, I was wondering if wearing this speaker for a considerable length of time was going to pose an issue, but I’m pleased to say that it does not. After a while, I wasn’t even really aware I was “wearing” it; it’s that comfortable - a solid piece of hardware, but not bulky or heavy, by any means. And my concerns about whether or not this wearable device would stay in place as you move around also proved to not be an issue, because of the way the speaker is designed to be form-fitting and rest comfortably on your shoulders. There are times I just don’t want to put in earbuds or wear a headset. Sometimes I don’t want to completely shut out the world around me; but instead prefer to be aware of my surroundings and yet, enjoy my music or have phone conversations. Here is where the Bose SoundWear Speaker excels - immersing you in full, deep, rich, clear sound - yet the sound from the device is minimized for those around you in your immediate vicinity. This Bose SoundWear Companion Speaker comes equipped with a classic black protective cover, however, there are other color options available for purchase, in case you want to switch that out for something more fitting your personal style. The custom designed ‘fabric’ cover fits snugly, but is stretchable too, so that changing the cover isn’t a chore. It’s also “static free” so your clothes and hair won’t snag on it. Here’s a short breakdown of pertinent stats: Bluetooth range - 30 feet Bluetooth wireless connectivity - voice prompts makes pairing easy Battery charging time - up to 3 hours Battery life - up to 12 hours on a full charge Device is sweat and weather resistant Micro-USB cord for charging via the port (concealed beneath the fabric cover on the underside of the wearable speaker) Final thoughts - Bose has earned it’s reputation as one of the most respected brands for audio innovation. And this SoundWear Speaker is no exception. At it’s core you’ll find Bose’s Legendary Waveguide Technology. You can hear the quality inherent in this device. I’m beyond impressed. It’s sleek, modern, stylish design is truly lovely, and the performance you want is in there. Bose knows sound design.

Bought a set of QC 15s and they died about a year and a half later just out of warranty. Figured I'd give Bose one more chance. The SoundWear sounds great, they look great and then they die in about a year. For $300 I definitely expected better. “There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again.” ― George W. Bush

(Disclaimer - I was given this product in exchange for my fair and unbiased review.) Bose is known for a lot of things - speakers, headphones, active ride damping systems, and noise-cancellation technologies. They're also innovative in the sound field; when you think of surround systems with tiny speakers, Bose generally is mentioned before other brands. So when I came across the SoundWear companion speaker, it was something that I really wanted to try. The concept seems like something that should already be a common item on the personal audio market - a band you wear around your neck that allows you to listen to your music and play games on your phone, tablet, PC, or other Bluetooth-capable device with both ease and clean audio quality. The device itself is great. The packaging is clean and screams "premium" throughout the unboxing experience. The speaker itself feels like a premium product, from it's weight to the speaker cloth that covers the device. It's also flexible so it can both handle constant usage and it can be worn comfortably during a run, while you're working in your yard, or when you're at home using your device. The only negative thing I have to say about it is the micro USB charge port is a little difficult to get the charge cable into and out of until you're used to how it works; had the designers rotated the port 90 degrees and/or used USB-C instead of the old micro USB standard, it would be easier to deal with. Considering the price, this speaker should have come with USB-C. Functionality is controlled by 5 buttons on the device and an app for your iOS and Android devices. The buttons control basic functionality - power, Bluetooth pairing, volume, and a multi-function button that answers calls, pauses music, skips tracks back and forth, and activates Siri or Google Assistant. In the app, you can adjust your bass level, connect additional bluetooth devices, and configure prompts, alerts, and it's auto-off functionality, along with updating the firmware of the headset. So the most important thing - sound quality. For testing, I used an iPhone 6s, a Moto Z Play, a Mac running the High Sierra beta and Bluetooth 2.1, and a Windows 10 computer with Bluetooth 4.0. All for devices sounded great through this speaker. Highs are pretty crisp, bass is surprisingly deep while it's on your neck but tends to go away somewhat if you take it off. Part of the reasoning behind this has to do with body contact; the human body is actually a decent conductor of sound, especially when something is pressing against your neck or your jawbone. Hip-hop, classical, and metal all sounded clean. Bluetooth also can connect to two different devices at the same time; I had this speaker connected to my Mac and iPhone simultaneously without issues, playing music from both devices at the same time. The only other complaint I have about this speaker is you can't charge it and have it connected to your devices via Bluetooth simultaneously. This would be useful for firmware updates, as they do take a while to complete (26 minutes for me, start to finish). All in all, this is a Bose innovation that's worth looking into. Good sound quality, comfortable to wear, flexible connectivity options, and overall great design add up to a overall great speaker.

This is an interesting product. It was easy to set up right out of the box. The sound field it creates around your head is actually very nice. Generally it is comfortable though when I use it driving it gets caught up in my seat belt and I need to push it forward into proper position. Otherwise I really like that I can listen to music and be totally aware of my surroundings and avoid some of the comfort issues with earbuds or headphones. As for using it for calls, it really works great. When speaking with friends, I asked if they could hear me and even with some ambient sound around me they said they could not tell I was using a hands free device. As for disturbing others I have not used it yet when around other people but on low volume when I set it down it is inaudible when I take just a couple steps away. Yet on low volume the sound is still rich through the full range.

Setup: Pairing was relatively easy with or without the Bose Connect app. When pairing with Android device, the unit requested access to my contacts. Just say no! Unless you want the speaker to try to pronounce the name of the caller when receiving calls from numbers in your contact list, there is no reason for a speaker to need access to contacts. Bose Connect App: Bose connect app requires access to your location information and collects information about your device, usage, music selection, etc. If you install the app, please read the terms and conditions carefully. There is a switch under the Privacy Statement that can turn off collection of certain data, but the Terms and Conditions indicate that quite a bit of your data could still be transmitted to Bose even with this “privacy” switch set to disable data collection. Again, just say no! You don’t need the app to use the device and I have found only one advantage to having the app installed. The Bose Connect app has a “Find my buds” feature that will help you navigate to the location where your “buds” were connected with your device and, once you are within Bluetooth range (and assuming your “buds” still have any battery left), will send a loud tone to the earphones to help you locate them. I don’t need or want this “feature” and consider my personal data more valuable than any pair of Bluetooth headphones. Comfort: The unit is comfortable with or without the cloth cover. The cover has pads over the control buttons so they are easy to access. The cover is quite snug and a difficult to remove and replace. The Bose Soundwear is advertised to be “sweat and weather resistant”. I am unlikely to test either of these claims. Bluetooth: Bluetooth range is adequate for most purposes. It is possible (albeit confusing) to be actively connected with two devices at once. You only hear one at a time, but, if both devices are transmitting, you will automatically switch to the other when you shut down the first. Bluetooth streaming uses a lot of battery. If only to save battery on the source device, I recommend connecting to only one device at a time and making sure that the Bluetooth broadcast from the second device is turned off. The Bluetooth button (small button on the upper left side) lets you add new devices easily, but cannot be used to disconnect a device. The unit will store information on up to eight paired devices. Holding the Bluetooth button for about 2sec puts the Soundwear in pairing mode. Microphone & remote control: From what friends and colleagues tell me, the microphone works well with good voice quality and no feedback. Since you are not tethered to your phone or computer with a cable, Bose Soundwear would be a good choice for teleconferences. The three-button remote control on the unit works with iOS and Android apps. The center button is play/pause. The +/- buttons work for volume. Long presses on the +/- buttons simply continue to change the volume. They do not work for track selection. The remote also works with phone calls. The center play/pause can be used to answer an incoming call or disconnect a call in progress. The volume +/- work as expected on the output volume. I do not know if they also change the microphone gain. Pressing the + and - buttons at the same time will mute the microphone. I have not yet experienced the haptic (i.e. vibration) alert for an incoming call, but this would seem to be a nice feature. Battery: The downfall of many Bluetooth devices, battery life. The battery came “40% charged” (voice messages at startup let you know the battery status). The good news is that the size of the Bose Soundwear allows for a very large battery relative to Bluetooth IEMs. On the flip side, the speakers are larger than IEMs and likely require more current to drive. It took about 3 hours of use to go from 40% to 30%. Bose advertises 12h battery life and a charging time of up to 3h with a 15min charge advertised to provide 3h of use. Based on my use over the past two days, 12h (or more) seems like a good estimate. I suspect that the advertised 12h is “play time” (not standby time). Please note that the user’s guide states that the speakers will not play when it is charging. Sound Quality: These are not audiophile quality speakers, but very good for a “wearable”. The sound signature is surprisingly flat. Instrument separation is good, but the sound stage is “in your head” with no directionality. Even in-ear monitors (IEMs), not known for their directionality, are better than the Bose Soundwear. This may because the speakers are position below the ear. This is certainly not a “deal-breaker”, but those looking for a deep sound stage may be disappointed. The stereo is highly positional. Tilting one’s head to the side is enough to make one channel take over. System sounds (i.e. button push tones, etc.) can be startlingly loud if you are listening to source music with lower recording volume. The open design is a blessing and a curse. The blessing, you can hear what is going on around you. The curse, you can hear what is going on around you. If you want an immersive experience, you need to turn the volume up to (perhaps) unsafe or uncomfortable levels. I was fatigued listening for about an hour. The following albums were sampled during my review: • Adam Harasiewicz: Chopin Nocturnes & Preludes • Adrian Legg: Waiting for a Dancer • Antonio Pleeth: 6 Geminiani cello sonatas • Beatles: 1 • Billy Mclaughlin: Fingerdance • Bonnie Raitt: Road Tested • Calum Graham: Phoenix Rising • Creed: My Own Prison • Dirks und Wirtz: Kinski Spencer Gismonti • Don Ross: PS15 • Earl Klugh: Whispers and Promises • Francois Sciortino: French Guitar • Giovanni Palombo: La melodia segreta, A Secret Melody • Goran Sollscher: Eleven-String Baroque • Hoff Ensemble: Quiet Winter Night • Jeff Beck: Who Else! • Jewel: Spirit • Jian Wang: The Baroque Album • Joe Satriani, Surfing with the Alien, Crystal Planet, Flying ;;in a Blue Dream, Unstoppable Momentum • John Doan: A Celtic Pilgrimage • John Williams: The Guitarist • Julian Webber: Elgar Cello Concerto - Saint-Saens Cello Concerto No.1 • Krzysztof Meisinger: Villa-Lobos Melodia Sentimental • Laurence Juber: Guitar Noir • Lawson Rollins: Elevation • Los Angeles Spin • Luca Stricagnoli: Luca Stricagnoli • Markus Segschneider: Snapshots • Michel Haumont: Michel Haumont & Co • Mike Dawes: What Just Happened • Miles Davis: Kind of Blue • Mstislav Rostropovich: Beethoven The Cello Sonatas- Vol1&2, Chopin Cello Sotatas, Schubert Schuman Debusy Cello Sonatas, The Brahms Sonatas, Vivaldi - Tartini - Boccherini Cello Concertos • Nora Jones: Come Away with Me • Oslo String Quartet: The Shubert Connection • Peppino D'Agostino: Acoustic Guitar • Ryan LeBlanc: Speechless • Sarah Mclachlan: Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, Surfacing • Sergio & Odair Assad: Sérgio & Odair Assad Play Piazzolla • Steve Vai: The Ultra Zone, Fire Garden • Tomasz Gaworek: Born To Be Together • Tori Amos: Little Earthquakes • TRONDHEIMSOLISTENE: In Folk Style, Souvenir I & II, • Vladimir Horowitz: Rachmaninov Piano Concerto #3 • Yo-Yo Ma: Bach Cello Suites Nos. 1, 5 & 6, Rachmaninov Prokofiev Cello Sonatas, Mendelssohn Piano Trios, Op. 49 & Op. 6

Ive never seen a device quite like this one, and was VERY skeptical about the whole concept, but I was completely blown away upon first use! The sound quality is pretty much perfect for watching tv/streaming online content, and for casual music listening, and you can connect two devices to it simultaneously (but no more than two), and it is very easy to use with the app required for operation. I started with streaming music from my phone, and although the sound quality is impressive (its like wearing your own personal surround sound entertainment center on your shoulders!) I would say it is just slightly lacking in the bass department for die hard bass lovers (still an impressive effort for a device like this!). Bluetooth was easy to use with the app and everything within the app was intuitive for operating the device. Most amazing is the fact that you get such a powerful sound in your immediate vicinity, but if you remove the device from your neck, you clearly hear how contained the sound is to the center of the device. I can only hope that a version of this with a bass boost effect will be released in the near future. The down side is that you are forced to use the app (it comes with an instruction booklet that only tells you to download the app) and there are really no other instructions outside of using the app to set-up, use, and learn about even the most basic functions of the device. I'm not a fan of being forced to download yet another intrusive app, but the app does make it easy to use this device to its full potential. I can definitely picture this device coming in handy at work and for basic home leisure (I can give my wireless headphones some periodic rest!), and it would be especially useful if you want to get a full sound but perhaps are in a living or work situation that requires low outward sound projection. I would definitely recommend this, for the experience alone, much more the array of situations this would be handy in. I've never encountered anything quite like it!

I purchased this on the advice of that salesperson at the store. Only problem, it does not work with my tv as he said it would and I had to take it back.

Had to return this item. It would not charge past 30%. Sound quality was amazing, though.

Purchased to use with the TV. But when the person using it left the room there was no sound for anyone still watching the TV.

These are not comfortable around the neck for longer periods of time. It keeps rubbing my neck when i turn and it flips when I bend down

Good product and design, but no real purpose for purchasing. Practical only in limited situations.