The Anker Soundcore Select 2S is a budget portable speaker offering from Anker. Despite its diminutive size, the manufacturer advertises that its 'Bass Up' technology will coax some extra bass from its small frame. Its dual-driver design means that it can playback stereo content without downmixing to mono, and there are sound customization options available through the companion app, too, which is rare at this price point.
Our Verdict
The Anker Soundcore Select 2S is middling for music. Its small size means that it's not capable of outputting much bass, even with the 'Bass Up' function engaged, and its treble range leans towards sounding muffled and veiled. However, it reproduces mid-range content, like vocals and speech, in a balanced and detailed way. You can always adjust the sound further through the graphic EQ and presets in the app, too. Though this speaker is capable of playing back stereo content without downmixing to mono, its directivity isn't the best, so you'll need to be careful about positioning yourself around the speaker. While it doesn't get too loud, there's minimal compression at max volume.
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Graphic EQ and presets in the app.
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Directivity isn't the best.
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Can't get very loud.
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Veiled treble response and underemphasized bass.
The Anker Soundcore Select 2S is disappointing for videos and movies. It lacks boom and rumble in the bass range, meaning cinematic sequences lack a bit of oomph. Its directivity isn't the best either, so not everyone watching a movie will enjoy the same audio reproduction. It also can't get very loud, and its latency via iOS and Android devices is high enough that you could notice lip-sync issues. That said, its balanced mid-range helps render dialogue in speech in great detail, and there isn't a great deal of compression at max volume.
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Graphic EQ and presets in the app.
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Can't get very loud.
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Veiled treble response and underemphasized bass.
The Anker Soundcore Select 2S is okay for podcasts. Its balanced mid-range adds plenty of detail to your favorite podcast hosts' voices, and you can even enable the 'Voice' EQ preset in the app for better dialogue accentuation. It's portable enough to be carried around from place to place and can get loud enough to be audible in the same room while you do chores. That said, its directivity isn't the best, so you'll have to position yourself intentionally to get the best sound.
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Very portable design.
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14 hours of continuous battery life.
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Directivity isn't the best.
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Can't get very loud.
The Anker Soundcore Select 2S doesn't have any voice assistant capabilities, so it's not suitable for this use.
The Anker Soundcore Select 2S is decent for outdoor use. It's well-built, extremely portable, and rugged, with an IPX7 rating that ensures it can survive everything from a light shower to temporary submersion underwater. Its 14-hour battery life means it can go on a weekend trip without needing to pack the charging cable, too. That said, it can't get particularly loud, and its directivity isn't the best, so not everyone will enjoy consistent sound in an outdoor setting.
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Very portable design.
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IPX7 rating against water damage.
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14 hours of continuous battery life.
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Directivity isn't the best.
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Can't get very loud.
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No Bluetooth multi-device pairing.
- 5.9 Music
- 5.3 Videos/Movies
- 6.9 Podcasts
- 2.4 Voice Assistant
- 7.0 Outdoors
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Updated Nov 15, 2024:
We referenced the Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go in the Build Quality box.
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Updated Oct 17, 2024:
The Portability section has been updated to mention the Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM PLAY.
- Updated Oct 07, 2024: Review published.
- Updated Sep 30, 2024: Early access published.
- Updated Sep 25, 2024: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Aug 30, 2024: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
- Updated Aug 30, 2024: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Anker Soundcore Select 2S comes in three color variants: 'Black,' 'White,' and 'Blue' (here's a picture of its label).
If you encounter another variant of this speaker, let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Speakers
The Anker Soundcore Select 2S is one of the cheapest Bluetooth speakers available on the market today, making it a solid option for those on a budget who want something portable and rugged. It has a similar battery life and sound profile to the slightly more expensive Anker Soundcore 3, but the Soundcore Select 2S boasts a better build quality and dynamics performance. It's challenging to find a speaker at the same price point that offers comparable features and performance. The JBL Go 4 retails for slightly more, but it lacks the Anker's long continuous battery life and produces even less bass. It is a little more portable and ruggedly built, though.
Check out our recommendations for the best Bluetooth speakers, the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers, and the best budget and cheap speakers.
The Anker Soundcore Select 2S is a cheaper alternative to the Anker Soundcore 3, with comparable performance and features. Though both feature Anker's 'Bass Up' function, neither speaker is capable of outputting much bass. The Soundcore 3 has a more balanced sound profile overall, though, and features some rudimentary voice assistant implementation. The two have comparable battery lives and a similar build quality; however, the Soundcore Select 2S has a better dynamics performance
The Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go is a better speaker for most use cases than the Anker Soundcore Select 2S. The Select 4 Go has a more balanced mid-range and a flatter treble, so cymbals aren't dulled slightly like they are when listening via the Select 2S. The Select 4 Go is also rated against dust ingress and is more portable than the Select 2S, so it's a better choice for taking on a hike with you. On the other hand, the Select 2S has a longer battery life and can reproduce stereo audio, although since the two drivers are positioned so close together, you don't get much of a sense of width.
If you're not constrained by budget, the JBL Flip 6 offers quite a bit of value over the Anker Soundcore Select 2S for the additional outlay. Despite being roughly the same size, the JBL has a better build quality and a more balanced frequency response, with more bass on tap. It also has better connectivity options, as you can pair two devices at once via Bluetooth and form a stereo pair with a host of different JBL speakers via the companion app. That said, the Anker is able to deliver a longer battery life and a better dynamics performance at a lower price point, which makes it a solid choice for those who want an outdoor speaker on a budget.
The JBL Go 4 and the Anker Soundcore Select 2S are both good options if you're looking for a portable speaker on a budget. While the JBL has greater portability and a more rugged build quality going for it, its battery life is considerably shorter than the Anker's, and it outputs even less bass. Both speakers feature sound customization options via their respective companion apps, though this won't help you overcome sound limitations that stem from their design.
Test Results
The Anker Soundcore Select 2S is a portable, rectangular speaker designed to be placed horizontally. It features rounded edges and a large Soundcore logo emblazoned on the front grille. There are small, angled feet on the bottom of the speaker to help with stability, and the controls are located on the top. There's also a charging port on the side that can be a little difficult to prise open.
This speaker is extremely portable, thanks to its streamlined and lightweight design. It can easily be stowed in a tote bag or backpack or even carried around in one hand, though it lacks a dedicated hand strap, like the Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM PLAY. It's battery-powered, so you don't need to worry about keeping it plugged in.
This speaker has a good build quality. It's rated IPX7, so it can be submerged in a meter of water for up to 30 minutes. It lacks dust and impact resistance ratings and can't float in water, though. The Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go i worth considering if dust protection and the ability to float are important to you. The Select 2S's body is made from dense and durable plastic, with a metal grill and a rubberized strip covering the controls. However, its shiny coating makes it a bit of a magnet for fingerprints.
This speaker has an intuitive set of controls located on its top panel. The buttons themselves are tactile and easy to press, and their layout is logical. There are LED indicators next to the power, Bluetooth, and 'Bass Up' buttons, and there's audio feedback when you engage these functions. The power button will also flash when you hit min/max volume.
When using the Soundcore Signature EQ preset with the 'Bass Up' function engaged, this speaker has a sub-par frequency response accuracy. As with other smaller speakers, there's a lack of bass response that can rob the pounding rhythms of techno and house some of their intensity. While the mid-range is quite balanced and detailed, the treble reproduction is inconsistent and underemphasized overall, meaning cymbals and hi-hats lack an airy quality. You can rectify this to some extent by using the EQ presets found in the app, though.
This speaker has a passable soundstage performance. It's able to playback stereo content without downmixing to mono, though the drivers are positioned too close together to discern much separation between the channels. You can always pair a second Soundcore Select 2S speaker via the controls to create a stereo pair, too. Its directivity isn't the best, though, so audio will sound quite inconsistent from different listening angles.
The dynamics performance is decent. It gets roughly as loud as other speakers of the same size, with minimal compression present as you crank the volume up. The compression present at max volume is mostly in the bass range, too.
This speaker has an excellent battery life performance. The manufacturer advertises around 16 hours of playback, but we were able to measure a little over 14 hours during testing, which is still enough for most weekend trips. That said, the battery life varies according to a range of factors. This speaker also comes with an auto-off feature that you can set to different time increments on the app.
Speakers at this price point often don't include app support, so it's great to have access to the Soundcore app, even if it gives you limited control over functions that aren't related to the sound. That said, there's a multi-band graphic EQ and presets you can use, and you can also enable the 'Bass Up' feature and adjust the volume. You can also set the auto-off timer to various increments of time. You can check out the interface for yourself in our app video.
This Bluetooth-compatible speaker doesn't support Bluetooth multi-device pairing, so you'll have to disconnect a paired device before pairing another. Latency levels with both iOS and Android devices are okay, though you could still run into lip-sync issues with video content. However, different apps and devices compensate for latency in different ways.