The Bose SoundLink Color II is a portable Bluetooth speaker with a square-shaped design. It can reproduce vocals and lead instruments clearly thanks to its well-balanced mid-range. However, its treble range is underemphasized, so the higher frequencies of these instruments may sound dull or veiled. It has an IPX4 rating for water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. Although it doesn't have any voice assistants built-in, it can understand you easily when using the voice assistant from your paired smartphone.
Our Verdict
The Bose SoundLink Color II is passable for music. Its mid-range is well-balanced, so vocals and lead instruments sound clear. However, it really struggles to produce low-bass, and higher frequencies like cymbals might sound veiled due to its underemphasized treble. It also doesn't have an EQ to let you tweak its sound. Thankfully, it can play stereo content without downmixing it into mono.
- Can play stereo content without downmixing it into mono.
- Well-balanced mid-range.
- Small and portable.
- Lacks low-bass.
- Doesn't get very loud.
- No EQ.
- Veiled treble range.
The Bose SoundLink Color II is middling for videos and movies. It really struggles to produce low-bass, so you don't feel the deep thump and rumble in action-packed movie scenes. It also can't get very loud. Fortunately, its Bluetooth latency with iOS and Android devices is low, so it's suitable for watching videos. That said, some apps compensate differently for latency, so your experience may differ.
- Can play stereo content without downmixing it into mono.
- Low Bluetooth latency with iOS and Android devices.
- Lacks low-bass.
- Veiled treble range.
The Bose SoundLink Color II is decent for podcasts. It has a well-balanced mid-range, so dialogue is reproduced clearly and accurately. It's also very portable and lasts for almost ten hours on a single charge, so you can listen to podcasts on-the-go. That said, sibilants like S and T sounds may be perceived as dull or veiled due to the speaker's underemphasized treble range.
- Well-balanced mid-range.
- Small and portable.
- No EQ.
- Veiled treble range.
The Bose SoundLink Color II is sub-par for voice assistants. It doesn't have any voice assistants built-in, so it relies on the voice assistant from your paired smartphone. It's compatible with Siri and Google Assistant, but not Alexa. Fortunately, it can understand you even if you're far away or in a noisy environment.
- Can understand you from a distance or in a noisy room.
- No built-in voice assistants.
The Bose SoundLink Color II is adequate for outdoor use. It's lightweight and portable, and its battery lasts for just under ten hours, which should be enough for most listening sessions. It's also rated IPX4 for water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. Unfortunately, it doesn't get very loud, and it really struggles to produce low-bass.
- Small and portable.
- Good battery performance.
- Doesn't get very loud.
- No EQ.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Bose SoundLink Color II comes in five color variants: 'Soft Black', 'Aqua Blue', 'Citron', 'Polar White', and 'Coral Red'. We tested the 'Soft Black' variant, and you can see the label for the model we tested here. We expect all variants to perform similarly in tests.
If you come across a variant not listed here, let us know in the discussions so we can update our review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The Bose SoundLink Color II is a small, portable Bluetooth speaker that comes in many color variants. Like many Bose speakers we've tested, it doesn't get very loud, and it struggles to produce low-bass. However, unlike many others we've tested, it can play stereo content without downmixing it into mono, which is nice. This speaker doesn't come with any voice assistants built-in, although it's compatible with Google Assistant and Siri through your paired smartphone.
See also our recommendations for the best Bluetooth speakers, the best Bluetooth speakers under $100, and the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers.
The Bose SoundLink Micro and the Bose SoundLink Color II are similarly performing speakers with a few different features. Although both are incredibly portable, the SoundLink Micro is even smaller, and it comes with a strap that lets you attach it to your bag or backpack. Its soundstage also has better directivity. However, only the SoundLink Color II can play stereo content without downmixing it into mono, and it can get quite a bit louder.
The Bose SoundLink Mini II Special Edition and the Bose SoundLink Color II have similar strengths, with only slight differences. They're both portable speakers that are similarly well-built. The SoundLink Mini has a more balanced default sound profile, with a less veiled treble response that adds a nice high-end sparkle to vocals and lead instruments. However, the SoundLink Color has a longer continuous battery life, better sound directivity, and an IPx4 rating for protection against water splashes.
The Sonos Roam/Roam SL is a better speaker than the Bose SoundLink Color II overall. With its room correction feature enabled, the Sonos offers a better-balanced sound profile that can produce a more extended low bass than the Bose. Its Roam variant also offers outstanding voice assistant support with Alexa and Google Assistant built-in. That said, you can pair the Bose to two devices simultaneously, which can be useful if you need to quickly switch between audio sources. It can also get slightly louder than the Sonos with less compression at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio at louder volumes.
The Bose SoundLink Flex is a better speaker than the Bose SoundLink Color II overall. The Flex is better built and has a better-balanced sound profile that can produce a more extended low-bass than the Color. That said, the Color has a longer-lasting battery life of almost 10 hours, though this can vary depending on your usage.
Test Results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
