From my tests, I'd say it would have to be a relatively small living room - a single speaker can only output so much sound. For some reason, it uses the older Bluetooth 4.2 instead of 5.0, but I didn't have any problems with connectivity.īose says it can fill a living room with sound. The Flex also floats and Bose says it can survive drops and bumps, with a soft silicone back and powder-coated steel grille that 'won't peel or flake and is resistant to corrosion and UV light.'īose's SoundLink Micro also delivers impressive sound for its tiny size and this speaker is bigger, weighing just over a pound (0.45 kg) and measuring 7.9 inches wide, 2.1 inches deep and 3.6 inches high (20 by 5.3 by 9.1 centimeters), so it sounds significantly better than the Micro. The speaker is IP67 dust- and waterproof, and rated for 12 hours of battery life at moderate volume levels. Available in three color options - black, white smoke and stone blue (pictured) - it's equipped with Bose's PositionIQ technology to automatically detect the speaker's orientation and deliver optimized sound based on whether it's upright, hanging or flat on its back. But it mostly lives up to the hype and arguably is the best-sounding wireless speaker for its compact size. When the SoundLink Flex speaker launched, Bose made some bold claims about its new Bluetooth speaker, particularly its extra bass performance. If you're looking for the best sound quality, as I said, bigger is usually better, and some larger portable Bluetooth speakers - sometimes referred to as Bluetooth boom boxes - can put out a lot of sound and have an integrated handle for toting them around. Also, certain 'value' brands that sell primarily on Amazon are strongly worth considering because they do offer a lot for the money. Luckily, there are plenty of good options for $100, and some decent mini Bluetooth speakers can cost less than $50. You may not want to spend $150 or more for a small speaker. But finding the best portable Bluetooth speaker also comes down to your budget. For a lot of people it's a question of finding a speaker that's not too big or too small - one that travels well but also is capable of producing good sound for its size. So while there are plenty of mini Bluetooth speakers that deliver bigger sound than you might expect, they do have their sonic limitations. If you're looking for a very portable speaker, you'll want to get something very compact, but remember that smaller speakers usually produce less sound and bass than larger ones. When choosing a Bluetooth speaker, what it really comes down to is size and price.

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