Bose SoundLink Flex review: A Bluetooth speaker with striking looks, pleasing sonics

At a glance

Expert’s Score

Execs

• Good sound for a mono speaker
• Handsome physical appearance
• Additional thump than you may well assume
• Can pair for stereo.

Negatives

• Monaural sound
• No EQ in application

Our Verdict

The IP67-rated Bose SoundLink Flex outdoor speaker is right at property all-around the pool, or at the beach. It is also eye-catching, and provides both of those clear monophonic seem and a significant sum of thump for its measurement.

Cost When Reviewed

$149.00

Very best Price ranges Today

$149.00

Free of charge

$149.99

Totally free

I ordinarily be expecting very good sound from Bose goods, and the climate-proofed, $149 SoundLink Flex easily fulfilled my expectation. In actuality, I was a tad shocked to discover that it was a monaural speaker offered the dulcet tones radiating from its enclosure.

The Flex is a little bit bass-centric, but supplied the younger audience, which is the two understandable–and appealing. To heck with that. I like it as perfectly.

This overview is part of TechHive’s coverage of the finest Bluetooth speakers, where by you will obtain assessments of the competition’s choices, as well as a buyer’s guidebook to the options you ought to think about when searching for this sort of solution.

Style and design and characteristics

The SoundLink Flex measures 3.6 x 7.9 x 21 inches (HxWxD) and weighs 1.3 lbs. It feels sizeable, but not like an anchor in the backpack. It is available in stone blue, black, and white smoke. I tested the stone blue, and to be genuine, it’s my preferred of the a few hues.

The non-grill regions of the Flex are included in a grippy silicone product, so it doesn’t slip from your grasp about or in the pool. The trade-off is that the materials has a tendency to get grime. There is also a compact cloth utility loop so you can dangle/have it on a single finger or cling it on whatever’s handy. You could also use the loop to tether a for a longer time lanyard if you so drive.

Bose gives the speaker an IP67 rating, that means it can withstand up to 30 minutes submerged in up to a meter of drinking water, and that particulate subject (dust, sand, and the like) will not penetrate into its critical sections specifically, the electronics. It floats, while it is relatively near to neutral buoyancy, generating it entertaining to poke in the pool. You’ll discover an in-depth explanation of IP codes at the preceding connection.

Jon L. Jacobi/Foundry

Inside of the Flex is a one 60 mm (about 2.3-inch) whole-vary driver, as effectively as somewhere around 3-inch large rounded rectangular radiators firing forward and back again as a result of the massive entrance, and more compact back again grills. Bose has an animated exploded illustration of the SoundLink Flex halfway down the page at the previous hyperlink. Also on board is a microphone for handling telephone phone calls and summoning your smartphone’s voice assistant.

On prime of the device are the electricity, Bluetooth pair, quantity up/down, and a multi-perform button, as effectively as the Bluetooth and ability standing lights. The speaker relies on a USB-C port to demand its battery, but there no other connections–which is unusual.

Bose delivers an application (see the future section for screens) to enable connecting the Flex to your telephone or tablet, should you not know how to do so manually. I was hoping for an EQ functionality, but no dice. There are, however, a users’ guideline and facilities to link with other Bose speakers in Celebration (unison/repeater) or Stereo (R/L stereo) modes.

Seem, Bluetooth, and Battery

Inspite of currently being a mono speaker with no channel separation, the SoundLink Flex is a very good sounding speaker in point, it is one of the improved-sounding monaural speakers I have examined. I’d have cherished to hear a pair in stereo, but Bose only sent us the one particular.

I was primarily amazed with the clarity of vocals. In fact I’m tempted to say the enclosure might’ve been tuned with them in thoughts. If you like to sing alongside with the correct lyrics, you’ll under no circumstances error phrases listening to the Flex. There is also a good quantity of bottom end–and it’s limited, not boomy.

Speaking of growth, it would seem that Bose optimized for usual bass (over 60Hz), not sub-bass, which is only hinted at. This was a tad surprising as just one commonly connotes the presence of the other. I’m not a large lover of sub-bass, but if you are, verify out the Spark Mini.

The Bose SoundLink Flex connected quickly by using Bluetooth (there’s variation 4.2 radio onboard). Which is great, because there is no auxiliary input. My operate time with the 3.2aH battery was at close to 7 several hours through relatively minimal-level listening with about 30 p.c life (declared by way of voice prompt) remaining. Bose statements up to 12 hrs.

Jon L. Jacobi/Foundry

Good stuff

Even though it’s a little bit expensive, the Bose SoundLink Flex is stylish, seems excellent, and provides a nice quantity of thump. Becoming thoroughly water-proofed, it is also a fantastic speaker for all over the pool or at the seashore. It is just one of–if not my favorite–speakers of this dimension.