The Bose SoundLink Max is a portable stereo speaker that's designed to be both compact and loud. Its premium price tag comes with a bevy of features and a sound that helps you bring the party wherever you go (and keep it going, as the manufacturer advertises nearly all-day battery life). It's dust-resistant and submergible in water, too, so it seems well-suited to rainy camping trips and wild pool parties alike.
Our Verdict
The Bose SoundLink Max is good for music. It has a pretty flat default sound profile with balanced mids. It lacks some low-bass extension, but a little extra high-bass adds warmth to basslines and keeps your audio from sounding thin. Unlike previous SoundLink speakers, this speaker can play stereo content, and its directivity is okay for a front-facing speaker. Plus, it gets loud enough to soundtrack spontaneous dance parties, although there's some compression at max volume. A graphic EQ and presets are also available via the app for more precise sound tuning.
- Gets pretty loud, with minimal compression.
- Over 15 hours of continuous battery life.
- Graphic EQ and presets in app.
- Directivity isn't the best.
- No room correction feature.
The Bose SoundLink Max is okay for videos and movies. It can get loud enough to soundtrack your movie night in a pinch, and its okay directivity and stereo capabilities help with locating dialogue within the stereo field. While it lacks deep bass for cinematic sound effects, its even mid-range helps bring out dialogue clearly. Audiovisual synchronization error is relatively low with both iOS and Android devices, too, so you don't need to worry about sync issues between your audio and video.
- Gets pretty loud, with minimal compression.
- Graphic EQ and presets in app.
- Directivity isn't the best.
- No room correction feature.
The Bose SoundLink Max is great for podcasts. It's easy to carry around with one hand and gets loud enough to ensure your favorite podcast hosts aren't drowned out by construction or household appliances. Voices and speech are rendered clearly, thanks to its even mid-range. While its directivity is okay, audio sounds darker if you're behind the speaker, so you'll want to stay around the front for the best sound.
- Sturdy, portable design with detachable carrying handle.
- Gets pretty loud, with minimal compression.
- Over 15 hours of continuous battery life.
- Graphic EQ and presets in app.
- No room correction feature.
The Bose SoundLink Max doesn't feature any voice assistant integration, so it's not suitable for this use.
The Bose SoundLink Max is great for outdoor use. It's designed for portability, and its IP67 certification against water and dust means it's prepared for whatever the elements have to offer. With over 15 hours of battery life, you won't have to fret about finding an outlet outdoors, either. With plenty of volume on tap and okay directivity, you can treat your outdoor gathering to stereo sound, though there's some compression at max volume.
- Sturdy, portable design with detachable carrying handle.
- IP67 rating for submergibility in water and protection against dust.
- Gets pretty loud, with minimal compression.
- Over 15 hours of continuous battery life.
- Directivity isn't the best.
Changelog
- Updated Aug 28, 2026: This review has been updated to Test Bench 1.0.1. This includes the Test Bench 1.0 updates to all of our Sound tests: Frequency Response Accuracy, Raw Frequency Response, Directivity, and Loudness, as well as the revised Low-Frequency Extension calculation and related DRC updates introduced in Test Bench 1.0.1. There have also been text changes throughout the review, including to the usages and product comparisons, where applicable, to match these results. You can read more about these changes in our Test Bench 1.0 changelog and Test Bench 1.0.1 changelog.
- Updated Aug 11, 2026: This review has been updated to Test Bench 1.0, which includes new results for all of our Sound tests: Frequency Response Accuracy, Raw Frequency Response, Directivity, and Loudness. There have also been text changes made throughout the review, including to the usages and product comparisons, to match these results. You can read more about these changes in our changelog.
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Updated Jan 08, 2026:
We've added a comparison to the LG xboom Bounce in the Voice Assistant box.
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Updated Jul 08, 2025:
Updates to the Controls, Frequency Response Accuracy, and the App sections have been made to reflect firmware 4.12.4 retests.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Bose SoundLink Max is available in three color variants: 'Black,' 'Blue Dusk,' and 'Citrus Yellow.' We tested the 'Blue Dusk' variant, but expect all color variants to perform similarly. You can see our unit's label here.
If you encounter another variant, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The Bose SoundLink Max is one of the larger speakers in the SoundLink lineup. While it's larger and heavier than the Bose SoundLink Flex and the SoundLink Mini II Special Edition, it's still very portable and comes with a detachable carrying strap. It also puts out more bass than either of those speakers. While it's quite a bit pricier than these other Bose speakers, it offers improved battery life and louder sound. That said, while there's a decent amount of punch in the low-end, users who want a bit more rumble and thump should check out the slightly heftier Brane X.
You can also see our recommendations for the best Bluetooth speakers, the best waterproof speakers, and the best Bluetooth speakers for bass.
The JBL Xtreme 4 and Bose SoundLink Max are both stylish, durable, portable speakers with modern features. That said, the Bose is a better choice for most use cases, unless you plan to take advantage of the JBL's longer battery life for long hikes or own other JBL speakers you'd like to pair with. While the two speakers are similarly portable, the Bose has a more balanced sound overall, with a more prominent bass range and better directivity. It also features an AUX input and lower latency with iOS and Android devices. That said, the JBL's 27 hours of battery life can't be overlooked, as it's almost double that of the Bose, and will surely be a deciding factor for users who value multi-day performance.
The Sonos Move 2 and the Bose SoundLink Max are both portable but larger speakers with different strengths. The Sonos is designed as a Wi-Fi hub with a dedicated dock that you can also take outside. You can even replace its battery down the line. The Bose has a longer-lasting battery and doesn't require an adapter to connect to analog line-in sources, but it can't connect to Wi-Fi.
The Bose SoundLink Max is a lighter weight speaker than the Sony ULT FIELD 5, with an integrated handle, compared to the Sony's removable strap. Which speaker is better depends on your preferences. Both are well-built with IP67 ratings. The Bose is primarily coated in silicone, while the Sony is wrapped in a durable mesh. Only the Sony will float, though. The controls on the Bose are more comprehensive, and there's support for voice assistants. The Bose puts out more bass. You can EQ either speaker, but the Sony has a more detailed 10-band EQ, and lower Bluetooth latency, alongside support for LDAC for higher-quality streaming. While the Bose has a longer battery life, the Sony's 'Stamina' mode can extend the battery life much longer than the Bose.
The Bose SoundLink Plus is a better portable option than the Bose SoundLink Max, though the latter is a better choice for listening to music. While both speakers feature nylon carrying handles, the Plus is a fair bit lighter and smaller. The two have similar frequency responses, though the Max has a bit more bass on tap. As the larger speaker, it can get louder without as much compression at max volume. It can also play back stereo content without downmixing to mono, which will be a boon for music lovers. Though the two speakers have a similar build quality, the Plus's longer battery life can make it a better companion for longer expeditions or camping trips, though be wary that it'll need the best part of five hours to charge.
Test Results
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