Bose may be famous for being the best noise canceling headphonesbut the company does rugged portable Bluetooth speakers too. In fact, the company’s SoundLink Flex is ours best bluetooth speakers list as an excellent choice among contenders in the price range. Today, the company adds to the SoundLink lineup with its largest portable Bluetooth speaker: SoundLink Max ($399). While the overall design is similar to previous Bose devices, this model offers bigger sound and longer battery life in an expanded frame.
According to Bose, inside the SoundLink Max, three transducers and two passive radiators enhance a “wide stereo experience” that includes bass performance that sounds like a larger speaker. The company says this portable device uses commonly used technology on his soundbars and pairs with digital signal processing to reduce distortion for “full, natural sound” across genres. Bose promises that you’ll be able to hear every aspect of the song clearly, regardless of the style of music or where the speaker is placed. If the stock tuning doesn’t suit your preferences, you’ll also be able to adjust the lows, mids, and highs through the Bose app.
Bose opted for a powder-coated, silicone-coated steel body for the SoundLink Max, which the company says offers a slimmer look. The speaker is also IP67 rated, so dust, water, rust and drops shouldn’t be a problem. All this makes the Max well-suited for outdoor use, and you won’t have to worry about charging it often when you take it on the road. Bose says the SoundLink Max will last up to 20 hours, plus it can juice up your phone via a USB-C cable if needed. A removable rope handle will help with portability, but if you prefer to carry it over the shoulder, Bose also makes a carrying strap.
SoundLink Max is equipped with Snapdragon Sound, which offers a more consistent connection with the latest Android devices, and aptX Adaptive, which provides improved sound quality over Bluetooth. The speaker also supports Google Fast Pair and Bluetooth 5.3.
Pre-orders for the SoundLink Max begin today From Bose, and the speaker is scheduled to ship on May 16. In addition to being the company’s largest portable Bluetooth device, it also ties the Bose Portable Smart Speaker as the most expensive at $399. If you’re looking for something smaller, the SoundLink Micro ($99), SoundLink Flex ($119), and SoundLink Mini II ($149) are also available from Bose.
