Bose SoundLink Max Review

Our Bose SoundLink Max Experience

The SoundLink Max is one of the most impressive speakers we've ever tested. This speaker was ready to party right out of the box. We were able to pair it immediately with no issues and never experienced any connectivity problems during use.

On its highest volume, the Max filled our mid-sized room with pure, exhilarating music. This is the speaker we'd reach for for any celebration.

We took it camping, and it fell face-first into a rock, with only some light scratching. We even dropped it in the lake for good measure, and it still continued to float and play music.

When we drop it into water, it floats to the top.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

The carrying handle can be detached and swapped out with a longer strap for carrying over your shoulder.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

We're able to adjust the sound profile settings via the Bose app.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

The controls are responsive.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

The carrying handle is comfortable and sturdy.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

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While the SoundLink Max is an amazing party speaker, it doesn't give off the appearance of one. We appreciate its nice, clean aesthetic that blends in with any environment.

When we brought this speaker home, we connected it to our projector to watch our favorite TV shows, and the difference in audio quality is incredible. Our show finally had smooth and realistic dialogue, whereas it was previously grainy and compressed, like an old TV from the 80's.

When listening to this speaker at the beach, sand grains managed to fall through the steel grille on the front. Now, whenever we pick it up, it faintly sounds like a rain stick, and it's impossible to get the sand out. While we couldn't tell any difference in the sound quality, we wouldn't bring it to the beach again since too much trapped sand could muffle the sound.

The SoundLink Max doubles as a phone charger when we're away from home, has an aux port, and has an app where we can adjust the sound profile—but that's about it. It doesn't have a microphone or voice assistance. Still, it was nice to be able to drive up the bass when listening to house music, which made it sound deeper and punchier. We liked being able to charge our phone on it, but it drained the speaker's battery much faster.

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The controls are small, labeled buttons on top that all perform one function and are easy to understand with no instructions necessary.

Our Analysis and Test Results

Sound Quality

The sound profile on this speaker is bold, yet balanced. The Max was designed to improve upon Bose's smaller portable speakers, remaining portable while delivering more powerful sound and deeper, richer bass.

The SoundLink Max maintains good quality at all volumes, with minimal compression when blasting on the highest volume. The lows and highs still come through with a clean punchiness.

The bass sounds elegant, controlled, and refined. When listening to “Slide” (feat. Frank Ocean & Migos) by Calvin Harris, the low, sliding vocals and beat at 2:00 are full-bodied without sounding boomy. While it doesn't compete with the aggressiveness of larger boomboxes, we think the bass here is far more palatable to the average listener. Though, bass-heads may be disappointed with the less emphasized lows. Trebles sound natural and clean, with higher quality and detail than most of the speakers in our lineup.

We also appreciate listening to our favorite books on this speaker. It emits realistic dialogue, as if someone is standing beside us telling a story. We love how detailed and refined the sound is.

The Max delivers full-blown sound from the front and sides of the speaker.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

Most of the sound is delivered through the front of this speaker.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

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While not a total 360 sound experience, this speaker sound pours out from three sides at a comparable level of quality. When put in the corner of the room facing toward us, the sound is rich and flavorful. The experience is somewhat diminished when listening from the rear of the speaker, sounding dampened but still pleasant. We think the SoundLink Max succeeds in creating a wide, immersive sonic experience with the right orientation.

Portability

The SoundLink Max is about the size of a 1-liter Nalgene bottle, which, compared to other portable speakers we tested, is on the larger side. While carrying it long distances is no problem (whether with the sturdy handle or in a backpack), it's less preferred than the smaller speakers we tested, many of which weigh under 1 pound.

That said, we were highly impressed with its IP67 rating—meaning that it can be dunked in water for up to 30 minutes and is supposedly dust-tight. We tested this out by throwing it into water, and it even floated on the surface for easy retrieval—that said, it's not meant to be used in the water. We're not confident that it's dust tight, as sand wiggled its way inside on speaker at the beach. We can't say for sure that it affected the sound quality.

Volume

This compact speaker gets loud, up to 98.2 decibels, which is enough to fill a mid-sized room and plenty for a party. The mid volume is a bit quieter than most, and the lower volumes are so quiet we can hardly hear a thing—though this could be ideal for those who like to fall asleep listening to music or podcasts.

Overall, we didn't notice much of a change in quality, even when cranking the volume up high. On the highest volume, the bass comes through with a clean punch, and the trebles aren't piercing like most other speakers.

After a few drops, the silicon on the SoundLink Max begins to rip at the seams.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

There were some tiny dents in the corners of the grille.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

Luckily the only damage the SoundLink Max sustained is cosmetic.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

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Drop Test

The heavier the speaker, the harder the fall. Because the Max is one of the heavier speakers, it sustained a bit of scarring around the edges after being dropped several feet onto the floor.

To our surprise, its functionality remains the same. It still plays music loud and clear. So, this speaker is a safe investment.

Battery Life

This speaker lasted over twice as long as Bose's claimed battery life at 43 hours and 7 minutes, so you could get through a week or two without needing a charge, depending on how much you listen.