Bose SoundLink Max Bluetooth Speaker Review: Big Sound, Big Price
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- Опубліковано 31 тра 2024
- The SoundLink Max delivers excellent sound for its size in a premium mini boombox design, rope handle and all. But is it worth $399? CNET Editor David Carnoy helps you figure that out in his full review.
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00:00 Intro
00:28 An Upgrade on The SoundLink Flex?
01:33 Design
02:44 Connectivity & Accessories
03:24 Lack of Features
04:05 Sound Quality
05:39 Versus the Competition
06:26 Sound Test
09:40 Final Thoughts
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#bose #bluetooth #speaker - Наука та технологія
I would buy this at $250 or $299. $399 is too much. This coming from a Bose fan. I'll stick to my 2x SoundLink flexs for now until this goes on sale
399 is a joke xD
I agree. I managed to buy two Flexes for total price of $220. And for my listening one Flex is fully adequate since I listen at moderate volume around the house. For those needing an outdoor “party” speaker I guess $299 would be fair…but definitely not $399.
Lol its competition is with extreme 4
Yo la compraré primeramente Dios
yeah i wonder how long it took for flex to go on sale
I’m in at $250 max. I’ll be keeping an eye at Costco for it
$250?! I guess you’ll be waiting until 2027. That’s if you’re lucky
@@waynedexter you must not be familiar with Costco. I got the Flex almost immediately after it came out for $99
Not sure if it'll go for that cheap but a good alternative would be the Soundcore Boom 2.
It's about $130usd and super loud and crisp. check it out :)
@@timvlogtv512 wait nd chek out the Boom 2 Plus ..
Cringey cheapcore fan@@timvlogtv512
I bought their older $399 speaker and it is still amazing. Just bought the Max and its even better It is hard to find to compare this speaker to others because you also pay for the smaller form factor. Fitting this kind of sound in such a small package is not easy. I have damn near every decent speaker in this size category, JBL, Sony, Sonos, UE, SoundCore, Marshall etc.. None come close to this
Bought it (pre sale,got it today) It sounds amazing...I love it!!
The thing that makes me wanna buy this speaker is mostly the form factor. Nothing to be afraid of when putting it in a backpack or something..smoot material like the flex also.. gotta look into it
$299 is the sweet spot $249 on sale price would hit just right
Yea, 300 for the first few months maybe...
I bought this yesterday to use as a keyboard practice amp via the AUX input. Unfortunately the software has some latency, and the sound lags slightly after I hit a key. Not a problem for listening to music, but it won’t work for making music. Returning it tomorrow, even though the sound is great.
yes omg I experienced the same thing when I plugged my dj controller into it. I was dissapointed
250 £ is the correct price .
Yes it sounds good and all that but 400£ for a small compact speaker ,no matter how good it sounds ,it's still to expensive.
For that price you can buy anything else bit bigger that sounds better 🤷♂️
Great review David! Very informative and love your style.
Thanks for watching!
Bose Max or Sonos Move 2? What do you think? Thanks for your opinion.
Can you also comment for your review whether you would prefer 1 max or 2 flexes? Because if you prefer 2 flexes for the benefit of flexible speaker placement, I don't see many choosing the max over 2 flexes that cost less and take up less space.
I have two flexs..
I think major difference between two flexs & max would be depth of bass...
Max would definitely have better bass in my opinion...
Compared to sonos Move 2?
My dog will love it!! 🐶
The thing the Flex has going for it is they can be paired creating a larger sound field. Since the Max is being pushed as a party speaker, that suggests it needs to play very loud and cover a good sized area. The Max sounds very good until you play it very loud and distortion becomes very noticeable. It's a no brainer that stereo pairing is needed. The length of time Bose products are in development often makes me shake my head un disbelief how they miss so many things customers want, especially in a crowded market like Bluetooth speakers.
This is a great review! I wish all reviews were like this. Thank you.
Appreciate the support!
I bought my Sony XG 300 last year in August and I love it!! I wonder how this compares to that. I take mine to the beach, my pool and the office and I have never loved a portable speaker so much! My car has a Bose sound system and I love how it sounds so definitely want to see how this compares to my Sony
David's reviews are the best
Thanks for watching!
@@davidcarnoy961 They are the best! I was looking forward to your review of the Bose Max. One Question David if I can ask you, what do you think is the best speaker between the Sonos Move 2 and the Bose Soundlink Max? I have not been able to hear the Sonos. Thanks a lot for your help in advance!
@@davidcarnoy961Your reviews are really good! I have one question, between the Bose Max and the Sonos Move 2, which one will you buy? Thanks!
Love the handle!
I have 7 Sonos speakers and I bought this due to size and sound. The Sonos Move 2 is just to big and my Roam is not loud enough at the resident pool. Bose is back at it again finally!
Looking forward to comparisons to the Revolve+. I don't mind paying $400 more if it sounds much better.
Which is better, my soundcore x600, or this Bose Max?
I’m going to wait for them to make it available to pair in stereo pairing to buy, i want to buy 2 soundlink max
Great review David - as usual.
Thorough and comprehensive, just like most of the time.
I really appreciated the blind test though. That was an important contributor to the review and their responses to the pricing was predictable and relatable.
I like the idea of this speaker and All the things that Bose is trying to do with it.
However ... and of course there would be a however... haha.
I have the Bose Sound link Revolve+ and I have e two of them.
I also have the SoundLink Portable Speaker of old which I think this one is replacing. (That speaker still sounds fantastic)
The Soundlink Revolve+ speakers in stereo pair are utterly subline and have been for years.
Together they sound better and louder then the soundlink portable speaker.
That is really saying something.
They are amazing.
When I use them outside - their fill a garden with absolutely no problem.
They are also truly omnidirectional speakers so the sound really is everywhere.
Having them as a stereo pair means each speaker is doing just one channel's work and that makes that single speaker sound better than if it was doing both channels.
This means as a stereo pair you get a more detailed sound than when you listen to just one on its own.
You get more of the music.
I say this because not having the stereo sound is a real problem for Bose here.
Tye did this with the Portable Home Speaker and I think that hurt it's chances.
It is a great speaker but does not have stereo pairing capability.
I have heard the Flex and I think it would be great in stereo pair and would even possibly be able to deliver lower registers of bass.
I liked that speaker but did not find that it went low enough so I was missing some of my music - could not abide that.
The Bang and Olufsen Beoplay A1 was a better deliverer of that sound and goers a little lower. In stereo they are just another thing altogether.
I am glad Bose have made this speaker sound like a stereo speaker but as you mentioned true stereo is only achieve d with actual distance between drivers.
Having stereo pairing allows you to implement that distance when they finally do it - they might have a world beater on their hands but till then - it will be a, no doubt, good attempt but I suspect they don't get the cigar yet.
What do you think.
Do you think that stereo pairing is as important as I am making out and are you happy to have the mono speaker setup? (Most people are not even bothered at all by it - it drives me crazy haha)
Am I alone ins having this desire for the stereo capability of Bluetooth speakers?
Much appreciated. The only issue we had was that we had to use royalty free music for the blind audio test. I wish we could have played tracks everybody knew.
@@davidcarnoy961 surprisingly alan walkers songs are copyright free
@@davidcarnoy961 Thanks so much for responding - I know you have so many responses to get to. If you see this also - I'd love a few mins of your time but I would understand if you can't.
Any thoughts on Stereo pairing. For $399....I don't think I could part with my cash unless I could get good quality stereo.
I know they can do it - I have been listening to Bose Stereo paired Bluetooth speakers for years now(See above haha)....why can't they do that with this and why release it without that feature?...and still charge us $399?
Has to be wrong.
I wonder if there are ANY other speakers other than Bose ones which do NOt have that feature at that kind of price.
I doubt it.
What do you think?
You would know more than me.
@@iu1191 The stereo pairing feature is supposed to be added. I assume they just want to get it right and don’t think so many people are running out to buy two of these for $800. Bose can be slow with adding features (like multipoint for their earbuds) and they seem to be tweaking their app. But they promised me the feature is coming. They just didn’t say exactly when.
@@davidcarnoy961 Like you, I believe Bose will add the feature, and I am a fan of their stuff so am absolutely not trying to bash them.
It is interesting that so many audio products are being released currently with features promised but missing at launch.
Sennheiser released the Momentum and had to update the features later. 5 bar equalizer!!!
Didn't stop me getting them and enjoying them.
I just wish it didn't feel like we were receiving unfinished products, especially when the features that we are waiting for are already out there in other products, sometimes in similar products in their own portfolio.
I wish they could allow for 2.1 wireless pairing setups. This + two Flex'es as R and L channels would be a monster portable setup!
Appreciate this video with the reactions.
Thanks for watching!
Make some comparisons in the future 😁, Move 1,2 JBL extreme, HK onyx, go play 3 etc,also you can compare vs 2 units like x2 Flex,x2 ult field , 2xmotion 300 etc
I haven't heard it in personal. Sure it's fine. But as you said, you can get a boombox or partybox for the same or nearly the same price. Or two flexes easily fit in your backpack.
And how you can compare 2 paired bose soundlink flex with this one? Because I have 2 flex and if together they sound better than this one, it's pointless to consider purchasing?
This, especially that this speaker is bigger and heavier than 2 flexs!
@@savvasneophytou5664 So you think it sounds better?
@@savvasneophytou5664 So it sounds better than 2?
Good to have comparison with Sonos move 2
I'm liking that idea 💡
$200-250 I may go for it. Speaker phone is a nice to have but not a big deal. I do have the Soundcore Boom 2 which is a nice boombox outdoor speaker but I also just got the Tribit Xsound Plus 2 which is $69 and yeah not boombox size but great sound and still has 3.5 aux which many speakers are losing sadly
Even at 300 .. I’m gonna wait until it goes on sale
How many bluetooth devices can be connected at the same time?
2
I have had 4 Bose BT speakers. Great sound but, but, the iOS app, connectivity and sync for party mode are a nightmare!!
Finally bose added dome tweeter!
Can it be charged/wall-powered while in use?
I would assume so since the SoundLink Flex can.
It can. I plugged mine in and and set it up and started using it right away. It came out of the box with 30% charge.
Did you listen to any well-mixed stereo tracks on this? I disagree, the stereo image of the max is accurate and for the quality of bluetooth. I can perceive a 20-30 foot sound stage in a good room. The curtains completely ruined their stereo experience.
Direct competition is probably the Sonos Move 2
Or the JBL Xtreme 3 which you can buy right now for $199
Which is a better choice, Bose SoundLink Max or JBL Xtreme 4,in comparison of sound quality, maximum volume and bass
Max volume is about the same, xtreme 4 slightly better clarity, bose max is significantly better bass.
If you like bass definitely go bose. If we talking overall value go xtreme.
I like Bose really much..but at 399 you get the field 7 so idk what they were thinking with the price of max
You can buy a Harman Kardon go play 3 or JBL party box 120 for that price
But they are way bigger, I got the go play 3 with 220$. Absolutely amazing sounding speaker for what I paid. Curious about this one,since im most likely gonna buy it
Great review as always good sir. I always read and watch your reviews first before I buy. I have the Flex and your take into it is spot on. Kudos to you.
I’m interested in how this compares to a pair of soundlink flex. I have a pair of the flex and they sound excellent, the Bluetooth pairing is a bit hit and miss mind as is getting them into party mode, especially after a couple beers! so I like the idea of this one larger speaker. Stereo seperation isn’t that big a deal on a speaker that’s likely to be used for parties or outside etc, yes in a lounge where you sit in a fixed position nothing beats the sweet spot between a pair of hifi speakers but that’s not the design of something like this. Intrigued at the driver setup in this, torchlight through the grill generally gives away the speaker setup if you still have the speaker to check!
Does this sound better than the JBL 3 or 4?
You give great reviews thanks I’ll stick with the flex they are making it in so many color like JBL THE MAXWAY OUT OF MY PRICE RANGE AND THE MICRO TIME TO UPDATE TO USB C AND PRODUCE IT IN VIBRANT COLORS THE ORANGE EAS THE BEST
I will stick with my jbl boombox 2 for now ive had it since summer 2021 would like to get a soundlink mini 2 special edition
i’ll just wait a year or so until it goes on sale. my flex is treating me just well
The flex sounds like a phone speaker next to it
@@shoerice5083for being 1/4 the price it better be worse, lmao
I feel like their products never come down I bought a used bose 700 soundbar and was trying to get the bass for it and that is still Full price pretty much anywhere 😠 it was released in 2019
@@Fonzi79 i bought my soundlink flex for 120$, and I thought that was expensive. I'm sure I've seen it sold for 100$ even on amazon.
On the high side 269 USD would have been ideal
日本在住で２０年前からBOSEを愛用していて生活するうえでBOSEのスピーカーは欠かせません この新商品 早く買いたいです❤
Watts?
See now you have to test it against the Marshall Kilburn or Tufton those sound exceptionally well. I found nothing that sounds anywhere near as good as them.
Is this a stereo (1 driver each side)?
No
4:16
@@aribloch thanks for your reply
With Soundcore offering a proper speaker for around 100 bucks, instead of 400, this is insane!
I like this simplest design 😢 but can't afford
Bose I've never been more disappointed in my life you really just point me😮😢
Id get 3 flex or maybe even just 2 for that price with the bt pairing its gonna sound pretty good, i think soundcore is coming up with a much cheaper competitor
you can't pair 3. you can just about pair 2 without them disconnecting
Wow the first reviewer!!
Lets see if it kills the JBL BB3 and Tribit Stormbox Blast
It wont. Jbl is clear. Stormbox blast isnt even a comparison tho. Sounds canny for most people
It's a jbl xtreme 4 competitor, let's see how it does against it
Quien me puede dar la lista de canciones que hacen la prueba
That's the best review I have ever witnessed.period.
Thanks for watching! I don't think I'll ever get a better comment than that so maybe I should retire
@@davidcarnoy961 the only way I believe to identify good sound without the bias of brands or speaker unit size is a blindfold test, which is a first in a review, so,it is indeed the best way to review as per me. Cheers !
The flex is truly the best product Bose has made. It’s not overpriced, and truly lives up to the Bose name. Bose was undoubtedly the first company to make a good sounding Bluetooth speaker with its Soundlink Mini, but their revolve series was a big step down, especially when other manufacturers (looking at you, JBL) had caught up and produced better sounding speakers than the Soundlink Mini. Finally, Bose is back in the competition with the flex.
I love my Bose flex. Great for shower or my room when I don't wanna use my desk speakers or cleaning kitchen etc. the bass honestly is pretty amazing considering it's size. In my room makes the walls vibrate ever so slightly
Step down? Pls explain...
@@vilmfilm I agree it’s a good product. They’re just overpriced for what they are. The flex has more bass and clearer treble for less price than the revolve. My point was that there are better options than the revolve at a lower price, and the revolve is honestly no better than the Soundlink Mini from a decade ago.
@@leckers15 More like a lack of a real upgrade in sound through the years. The revolve does not sound any better than the Soundlink Mini from a decade ago. While it was was the best at the time, other manufacturers quickly made speakers that were just as good or better than the original Soundlink Mini, while Bose seemed to struggle to keep up until the flex came out.
@@djijspeakerguy4628 really? For $120 I think it's a pretty good deal for what it is. I don't really have much experience with other Bluetooth speakers tho
Name of the speaker next to the bose??
Bose flex sound link
I’m sure it’s wonderful sound but 400$ it’s for those who truly loves BOSE and will overlook Soundcore or UE Boom for fraction of that cost
Imo 250$ is sweet price BOSE should be asking for this speaker especially it’s lucking microphone feature and not IP68
What does Bose have against tweeters?
Harsh sound 👎🏼
@@baylor4life what are you talking about????
You know that it has a tweeter in the middle right?
And bose is class leading with full range drivers anyway..
The bose flex has one driver and it doesn't distort and plays clean highs even when moving a lot
Great review, as always! Why does Bose keep copying Apple's naming, such as "Plus", now its "Max." Bose should come up with their own naming. Bose is not some kind of cheap knockoff small company that is imitating others..
I’ll wait for the bootleg version on Temu.
Espero q no distorcione como la soundlink flex
bose should make a bigger soundlink mini , that's the best mini speaker ever
The Bose value proposition must take their top notch customer service into account. They are excellent.
lol. I chatted with their customer service about this product yesterday and the rep didn’t even know it was coming out, let alone any details.
I will be getting the Bose on release date on 5/19
In sure it's good. But just get 2 soundcore x600 and stereo pair them for that money
I have the flex the sound is fantastic. I paid 129 for it. 399 is way too much. I would rather have 2 flexes.
$399 and no Wi-Fi? No way. And I’m a Bose fan. I have a Sonos Roam and Bose needs to put out a WiFi speaker at $159-$199 price point
Love Anker
It’s a nice sounding speaker, but for $399.99? If you’re using it inside only, where you’ll be able to maximize its sound quality, sure.
For outdoor use, there are larger, cheaper, & more, if not most important,much louder. Loudness is very critical while listening to in an outdoor environment.
If you’re buying to strictly use indoors, the price is somewhat justified by what I mentioned above, & the fact that the outdoor elements won’t have the tear & wear effect, considering it does cost $400.00.
Lol - fastest I've ever been uninterested in a review - for that price?? There are fantastic speakers you can find at a fraction of the cost - big fan of the Sonos Roam, might not have as big a base and get as loud as this - but excellent high quality audio
Party Box 310 price. let that sink in
Why release it before you can pair 2. I'll wait.
Great 👍 video.
Want stereo sound? Go for Emberton 2!
5:36 college students usually don’t have $400 to spend unless they use their student loans
Boss it's the best speaker loud in nice
For that price, I’d rather have 2 flex’s. I have 1 now and it fits the bill for my needs.
$399 without a caller function is a crime...
I’ll stay with Bose sp1 pro.
Love all your reviews. I love the speaker but would not spend that amount, even a possible sale price.
Thanks for watching!
thats what she said ... 8:06
It it so nice with its portability since my blast is too bulky but 3 hours for 400usd😂😂😂 is insane
lol I own 2 JBL partybox 110, and 2 beolit 20s and a devialet phantom I plus some aka beolab 9s $$$ This speaker Immediately impressed me with the sound WIDTH not the bass which is also insane… 400 is well priced IMHO
Very cool!
They should at least drop the price 50$ on sale by Christmas HOPEFULLY😊
Wait till it goes on sales… yup
Why not create a Soundlink Mini big alternative. Good material, good design, good sound.
Bring back the Bose 300.
$200.00 is the attractive prize!
It's a new product. Price range is expected. They will make money on its early days then offer it to real Bose people.
Flex is only good if you are after portability. But sound-wise, Revolve is way better not to mention the looks. Even if you buy 2 of them.
But, of course, it depends on whoever is listening.
Just my take...
*That’s what she said… 8:07
😂
I’ll wait for a sale also 😂
399 ain’t bad tbh
How are they going to charge that much for a speaker and it doesn’t even include line-in audio?
It does.
Release? Price ?
$399
Don't read my name!
Today
Release date is 5/19
Design problem . Missing that form that make you to buy it just becouse you like the form of it .
400 and I cant answer the phone or add another speaker???? Aint no way bra!!!