Latest news with #SoundLinkPlus
Irish Examiner
31-07-2025
- Irish Examiner
Bose SoundLink Plus review: A waterproof, high-fidelity speaker for indoors and out
The Bose SoundLink Plus boasts a rugged design and sound quality that belies its size, delivering a compelling combination of performance, durability, and everyday usability. Whether you're poolside, camping, or just looking for better audio at home, it's a speaker that adapts to your lifestyle. Design and build quality While the SoundLink Plus has a lot of rugged charm, its design is far from sleek, but it looks and feels solid and is built to last. The steel grille has a cool industrial vibe, complemented by soft-touch silicone that makes it easy to grip and carry. The black colourway I tested may seem a bit plain, but I love its clean, minimalist aesthetic. The speaker weighs 1.5 kg and measures about 23 cm across, which puts it firmly in the portable category without sacrificing presence. It feels premium in the hand, with rounded edges and clean lines that speak to Bose's refined approach. thick, rugged nylon rope loop hangs off the end of the speaker and is actually useful. You could use it to hang the speaker from a tree branch or to clip it onto a backpack, but I found it great for carrying the speaker. Portability and durability Built for the outdoors, the SoundLink Plus features an IP67 rating, meaning it's fully dust-tight and waterproof. You can use it at the beach, by the pool, or in light rain without stress. Although not featherlight, it's compact enough to throw in a rucksack, and it feels tough enough to handle drops and scrapes. Features and connectivity The SoundLink Plus supports aptX Adaptive for high-resolution audio (if you have a compatible device), Bluetooth 5.4 for stable connections, and multi-point pairing, allowing you to stay connected to two devices simultaneously. There's also Google Fast Pair for Android users, and Bose's own SimpleSync tech lets you pair with other Bose speakers or soundbars for stereo or party mode. The speaker also features a 15W USB-C charging port, which can quickly charge your phone in a pinch. Control-wise, the Bose Music app allows you to fine-tune audio with a 3-band EQ (more bands would have been nice), assign the shortcut button functions (such as Spotify), and manage speaker firmware updates. You also get physical buttons on the top of the speaker for volume, pause/play, Bluetooth mode, a shortcut button that you can assign in the app, and a power button. Battery life Battery life is decent for a speaker this size, but not class-leading. You can expect up to 20 hours of playback on a single charge, depending on the volume and EQ settings. A five-minute quick charge gives you around 2.5 hours of playback. That kind of rapid recharge is a lifesaver when you're rushing out the door. Sound quality Bose has packed in a tweeter, a subwoofer and four passive radiators, and the result is remarkable sound for the size. The bass is deep and responsive, but not overwhelming, while mids and highs are clean and defined. Whether you're playing laid-back acoustic playlists or bass-heavy EDM tracks, the sound remains balanced and powerful. Bass heads will love this compact speaker, but others may feel the need to turn the bass down a tad. Thanks to Bose's Active EQ, the speaker automatically adjusts its sound curve based on volume, maintaining clarity whether you're keeping it low at a dinner gathering or blasting it during a barbecue. Compared to other speakers in its size class, and even a few that are bigger, it holds its own and often outperforms, particularly in how well it maintains clarity at higher volumes. Verdict The Bose SoundLink Plus is a good-sounding speaker. It's durable, sounds great and is a versatile piece of kit that excels indoors and out. With thoughtful features like device charging, stereo pairing, app customisation, and IP67 waterproofing, it's the ideal Bluetooth speaker for music lovers who live life on the go. €280
Hans India
12-06-2025
- Hans India
Bose unveils second-gen quietcomfort ultra earbuds
Bose is doubling down on premium audio with the launch of its second-generation QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, set to release later this summer. While the new model keeps the sleek design of its predecessor, Bose has added major upgrades—without raising the $300 price tag. The updated earbuds come in black, white smoke, and a bold deep plum, and now include wireless charging—a long-awaited feature. Users can also turn off the capacitive tap and swipe controls to avoid accidental touches. Perhaps the most notable enhancement is the AI-powered noise suppression system, designed to deliver clearer calls by minimizing background noise. Bose also updated its ActiveSense technology, making transitions between ambient and noise-canceling modes smoother and more intelligent. In tandem with the earbuds, Bose also announced two speakers: the all-new SoundLink Plus ($269) and a second-generation SoundLink Micro ($129). Preorders for the SoundLink Plus begin June 12, while both the earbuds and Micro speaker will ship later this summer via Audiophiles and remote workers alike have reason to be excited, as Bose aims to reclaim its edge in the fiercely competitive audio space.
Engadget
12-06-2025
- Business
- Engadget
Bose's second-gen QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds have AI-enhanced adaptive ANC
On Thursday, Bose unveiled its next-gen premium wireless earbuds. The latest QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds have enhanced adaptive noise cancellation, thanks to AI. Among their other upgrades over the originals are boosted call quality and wireless charging. Since AI is the tech world's obsession, it's no surprise that Bose is jumping on that bandwagon. Here, the company uses it to improve adaptive noise cancellation. AI algorithms in the new model can smooth out sudden spikes in background noise while using aware mode. (That's the feature that lets you hear your surroundings while listening to music.) So, for example, the ANC should respond more quickly to a suddenly passing train or siren. In theory, that means fewer distractions from your music. AI is also behind improved call quality in the second-gen QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. Bose claims that its noise suppression system improves voice pickup and overall quality. The new model supports wireless charging natively. The first-gen QC Ultra Earbuds only offered it in a roundabout way. You had to buy a $50 silicone cover for the case, which wasn't the most elegant solution. The rest of the 2025 model's upgrades are subtler. Their ear tips now include a built-in earwax filter. That should make it easier to clean them and avoid sound degradation over time. You can also turn off the earbuds' capacitive touch controls in the app. The inability to do that was a common complaint about the 2023 originals. (They'll receive an update later this year that adds the same functionality.) The second-gen Bose QC Ultra Earbuds retail for the same $299 as their predecessors. They'll be available in black, white smoke and deep plum. Later this summer, the company will start pre-orders and provide a release date. Alongside the earbuds, Bose announced two new Bluetooth speakers. The SoundLink Plus is a mid-range one, sitting between the SoundLink Flex and Max. The company's tagline for the speaker sums up the niche it wants to fill: "big enough to bring the bass but portable enough to take on the go." The SoundLink Plus has one subwoofer, a tweeter and four passive radiators. It also includes an automatic tuning system called Active EQ. Bose says it adjusts its frequency response to match an optimal sound curve. It weighs 3.29 lbs. It supports Bluetooth Core 5.4. The speaker supports up to 20 hours of playback. In a nice touch, you can use its USB-C port to charge your phone and other devices. The SoundLink Plus costs $269. If you're looking to grab one, you won't have to wait long. Pre-orders open today, ahead of a June 26 launch. It will be available in black, blue dusk and citrus yellow. (The latter won't be available to pre-order until June 18.) SoundLink Micro (second-gen) (Bose) Finally, Bose is rolling out a second-gen version of the SoundLink Micro. The speaker is still small — just slightly less so than the first model. (The second-gen Micro measures 4.06 x 4.06 x 1.54 inches.) But in exchange, you get much longer battery life. Bose says the new speaker lasts up to 12 hours, an increase from six hours in its predecessor. The SoundLink Micro also includes some modernizations. First, it now works with the Bose app. The speaker also ditches the micro-USB charging from its predecessor in favor of USB-C. Elsewhere, it adds the same Active EQ and Bluetooth Core 5.4 support in its mid-range sibling. The company claims that the speaker plays back sounds more clearly at higher frequencies. (And it does so without muddying bass.) It also has a removable nylon strap. This should be handy for attaching the speaker to bags, bikes, shower heads and the like. The Bose SoundLink Micro will be available in black and blue dusk. It costs $129. The company will provide specific launch info later this summer.
Gizmodo
12-06-2025
- Gizmodo
Bose's New Bluetooth Speaker Looks Like a Solid Way to Annoy Everybody at the Beach
The only thing I love more than foisting my music on other people at the park is doing it with a speaker that delivers solid or above-average sound quality. While I haven't had a chance to use Bose's new portable Bluetooth speaker, it seems like it could be a great option for doing just that. Bose's SoundLink Plus is a midrange Bluetooth speaker that is very clearly designed for outdoor excursions since it can float and has an IP67 rating that makes it damn near waterproof and dustproof. Per Bose, the portable speaker is 'ready for anything' and is small enough to fit comfortably in a backpack or a duffel bag. I'd agree with that assessment—the speaker is nine inches wide and weighs a manageable 3.29 pounds. Despite that compact size, it still has a subwoofer, a tweeter, four passive radiators, and an estimated 20 hours of battery life, though that depends on how loud your beach neighbors' competing music is and whether you need to crank the volume or not. It also has a nylon strap attached, which isn't exactly the most high-tech feature for a wireless speaker, but is pretty nice if you're carrying this thing around or want to attach it to your backpack or something. There's a new color, too, which Bose calls Citrus Yellow and gives what would otherwise be a pretty boring-looking speaker a nice pop. It falls pretty solidly in the midrange price category at $269, which sits between Bose's SoundLink Flex and the Max. Preorders launch June 12, with general availability coming June 26. While the SoundLink Plus is the newest thing Bose is introducing today, there are also second-gen updates to a couple of other audio products: the QuietComfort Ultra wireless earbuds and the SoundLink Micro Bluetooth speaker. Highlights for the QuietComfort Ultra earbuds include new and improved algorithms for adaptive noise cancellation and call quality, better battery life, and also a case that charges wirelessly. The SoundLink Micro gets some major quality-of-life upgrades with the addition of USB-C charging, a major battery life bump from 6 hours to 12 hours, and, according to Bose, 'improved sound performance.' Both are expected to be released later this summer at $299 and $129, respectively. As for the new SoundLink Plus speaker, we'll have our hands on one soon enough, so make sure you report back for my full review about whether Bose's newest Bluetooth speaker is worth the price. Apologies in advance to all my park neighbors; I'm annoying you for science.
