The Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) is a compact, rugged Bluetooth speaker designed for portable use, with an IP67 rating and a built-in strap for easy mounting. Where the original Bose SoundLink Micro used Micro-USB to charge, the second generation uses USB-C and also adds support for equalization via its companion app. However, unlike the first-gen, the new speaker lacks a built-in microphone, so it's not suitable for calls or voice assistant access.
Our Verdict
The Bose SoundLink Micro 2 is acceptable for listening to music, so long as you're aware of its limitations. Its treble and mid-range are fairly well-balanced by default, so vocals and instruments sound clear and detailed. That said, it's a very small speaker, so it lacks deep low-end thump and doesn't get loud enough to fill more than a small room with sound. Still, the companion app includes a 3-band EQ for basic sound tweaks, and you can position the unit vertically or horizontally, which offers flexibility when placing it. The speaker downmixes audio to mono, but you can pair two units together for stereo playback.
Balanced mid-range represents voices accurately.
Good directivity when placed on its back.
Downmixes your audio to mono.
Doesn't get very loud.
The Bose SoundLink Micro 2 is sub-par for watching videos and movies, though it's not really intended for this purpose. It's a very small, portable speaker that struggles to reproduce much bass at all, let alone the low-bass rumbles of explosion effects. It also downmixes your audio to mono, so cinematic soundtracks don't sound very immersive, and it can't get very loud. That said, you can link two units together to get stereo sound and a louder subjective experience, but don't expect miracles. You may also run into lip-sync issues when watching videos, although different apps and devices compensate for latency in different ways.
Good directivity when placed on its back.
Downmixes your audio to mono.
Doesn't get very loud.
Latency a little high.
The Bose SoundLink Micro 2 is good for podcasts thanks to its clear and well-balanced mid-range, which helps dialogue sound natural and easy to follow. It's small and light enough to carry one-handed from room to room with you, but it doesn't get loud enough to fill larger spaces like garages or gardens. You can either position it with the drivers facing you or facing upward. When facing upward, the audio sounds the same regardless of your listening angle, which can offer you some placement flexibility.
Balanced mid-range represents voices accurately.
Good directivity when placed on its back.
Doesn't get very loud.
The Bose SoundLink Micro 2 doesn't have a built-in mic, so it doesn't offer voice assistant support.
The Bose SoundLink Micro Portable Speaker 2nd Gen is decent for outdoor use thanks to its compact size and rugged build quality. It's highly portable and carries an IP67 rating, so it can handle rain or accidental drops into shallow water, and its rear strap makes it easy to attach to a backpack or bike. Its battery life of around seven hours is enough for most short outings, but it won't last through longer trips without recharging. This pocket-sized speaker also can't get very loud, but when laid on its back, it offers good directivity, so the audio sounds similar regardless of your listening angle.
Good directivity when placed on its back.
Rear strap makes it easy to attach to bags or poles.
Downmixes your audio to mono.
Doesn't get very loud.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) comes in five color variants: 'Black,' 'Blue Dusk,' 'Twilight Blue,' 'Petal Pink,' and 'Sandstone.' We tested the 'Blue Dusk' variant, and this is its label. We expect all color variants to perform similarly.
If you come across a different variant, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) is the smallest of Bose's portable speaker lineup. That said, it's a touch larger than the original Bose SoundLink Micro, but in exchange, you get a longer battery life, a USB-C charging port, and EQ in the companion app. Perhaps the main downside of the 2nd Gen, when compared to the first, is the lack of a built-in microphone. If you plan to use your speaker with your phone's built-in voice assistant, the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 is a good alternative. It's about as portable as Bose's Micro series, but comes with a built-in mic. And if you're a fan of Bose's designs and sound but don't want to compromise much on bass output or loudness, check out the larger Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) and the Bose SoundLink Max speakers. The Max is the largest in the brand's lineup of portable speakers, offering the most bass and loudest volume, while the Flex (2nd Gen) sits at the midpoint, offering a nice compromise. Looking outside Bose's lineup, the JBL Clip 5 is cheaper and easier to clip onto bags than the Micro (2nd Gen), but not everyone's a fan of its carabiner-style design.
For more, check out our recommendations for the best Bluetooth speakers, the best waterproof speakers, and the best small Bluetooth speakers.
The JBL Clip 5 and the Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) are both small, portable Bluetooth speakers that you can easily toss in a bag or coat pocket. Both speakers sound fairly similar, with little bass and a balanced mid-range. The Bose lasts a little longer, but the JBL gets louder. The choice probably comes down to use case: the JBL's defining feature is its large, built-in carabiner-style clip. That makes it easy to clip onto bags and ropes, but also means it takes up more pocket space than the compact Bose. If you still can't decide, pick whichever you can find cheaper. It's usually the JBL.
The Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 and the Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) are very similar-looking small speakers. They're both highly portable and designed to withstand the elements, although the Bose has a slightly higher IP68 rating, meaning it can withstand deeper submersion in water. The Bose also puts out a bit more bass, but the Tribit gets a touch louder and lasts about an hour longer off a single charge. The Tribit is the only one with a built-in mic for voice assistant support, which might be the decisive factor for some.
The Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) and the Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) are fairly closely positioned in Bose's lineup of portable speakers, but they have different strengths. The Micro is much more portable: you can toss it into a pocket with ease, and it won't weigh down anything it's clipped onto, but that smaller size means you get less bass and a quieter max volume. Both speakers have a similar battery life. The Flex is the only one of the two that offers voice assistant support. If portability is your top priority, the Micro is the obvious choice. But for most people, the Flex strikes a better balance between sound quality and portability.
The Bose SoundLink Max and the Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) are both portable speakers, but they target different segments of the market. The Max is larger and heavier, but it puts out more bass, gets louder, and lasts over twice as long as the Micro off a single charge. The strengths of the Micro are just the opposite: it's small, lightweight, and easy to toss in a pocket, but it can't fill larger spaces with sound or put out much low-end.
Test Results
The Bose SoundLink Micro 2 has a very similar overall look to the original Bose SoundLink Micro, though it's slightly larger and adds a few extra control buttons. The entire speaker is covered in silicone rubber, which gives it a grippy, rugged feel and helps protect it from drops and impacts. A thick textile and Velcro strap is mounted on the back of the speaker for attaching it to bags, handlebars, or other objects, replacing the rubber strap used on the last generation. There's a small dot LED on the bottom that lights up when the speaker's in use or charging, and the Bose logo sits just above the control panel. The speaker is available in five colorways: 'Black,' 'Blue Dusk,' 'Midnight Blue,' 'Petal Pink,' and 'Sandstone.' We tested the 'Blue Dusk' variant.
The Bose SoundLink Micro 2 is remarkably portable. It's easy to carry in one hand and small enough to fit into a coat pocket. It's also battery-powered and designed for on-the-go use.
The Bose SoundLink Micro 2 has an amazing build quality. It's covered in soft-touch silicone rubber, which helps protect it from bumps and drops while also providing a grippy texture that's useful for transportation. The cloth and Velcro strap on the back replace the silicone strap from the previous model and feel thicker and more durable. All the physical controls are integrated directly into the silicone casing, including the new Shortcut button for multi-speaker pairing, and the USB-C port and power button are located on the bottom. While Bose doesn't specify an official drop rating, the company shows the speaker being dropped and continuing to work on its product page. Take that for what it's worth: a suggestion that this speaker can withstand being dropped is not a promise.
The Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) has okay controls. The controls score is lower than the Bose SoundLink Micro's because the 2nd Gen no longer supports call answer or end functions since it doesn't have a built-in microphone. The controls that are present are well laid out, and you can view them all in the manual. The Bluetooth and Shortcut buttons are separated by small raised dividers from the main playback controls to help prevent accidental presses. The new Shortcut button makes multi-speaker linking quick and easy once you're familiar with the process. You can also short-press the Bluetooth button to hear which devices are connected, press and hold it to enter pairing mode when you hear the "Ready to Connect" prompt, or hold it for about 15 seconds to clear the stored device list and reset Bluetooth connections.
The speaker provides voice prompts for pairing mode, multi-speaker pairing, and battery status when it powers on, along with audible chimes when a device connects or disconnects. However, there's no chime when powering off, and no audio cue for minimum or maximum volume, and the LED indicator lights are quite small and can be hard to see from a distance. This model also drops the dedicated battery indicator light found on the previous generation, relying instead on voice prompts.
- Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen)
- USB-A to USB-C charging cable (0.5 m/1.6 ft)
- Safety instructions
The Bose SoundLink Micro 2 has acceptable frequency response accuracy. For a small speaker, it offers a pretty balanced sound that represents voices and instruments accurately and with plenty of detail, but its small size prevents it from reproducing low bass. That said, there's more mid bass on offer here than with the previous generation Bose SoundLink Micro, so kick drums feel punchier and basslines fuller. We also measured and graphed the effects different EQ presets have on the sound.
We measured the speaker lying on its back with the drivers pointing upward, as that's the most common use case, but we also measured it standing upright with its drivers facing our measurement rig.
The Bose SoundLink Micro 2 has a good soundstage, largely because of its impressive directivity when placed flat on its back. In that position, the sound doesn't change much with your listening angle, as the drivers point upwards. That said, if you place the speaker upright, it will sound muffled from behind. This speaker also downmixes your audio to mono, which is common in small speakers.
This is a small speaker, so it's not well-suited for filling larger rooms with audio. It doesn't get very loud and compresses your audio a bit at max volume.
The Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) has a passable battery performance. It's advertised to deliver up to 12 hours of battery life, but only three hours at max volume. We measured just over 6.5 hours, which is roughly par with the previous generation. In our testing, the speaker fully charged in 2.9 hours, which is on par with Bose's promise of a three-hour charge time.
The speaker automatically turns off after 20 minutes of inactivity to conserve power, and you can customize this setting through the Bose companion app.
This speaker doesn't have a built-in microphone.
The Bose SoundLink Micro Gen 2 has a very good app, as our clip of it in action shows. The app lets you see the currently connected source, change the function of the Shortcut button, rename the speaker, update firmware, adjust the auto-off timer, manage voice prompts, review companion device permissions, and access technical information. You can also choose between EQ presets like Bass Boost, Bass Reducer, Treble Boost, and Treble Reducer, or create your own custom EQ using a three-band graphic EQ.
You can also use the app for Party Mode and Stereo Mode pairing, but this speaker isn't compatible with the previous-generation Bose SoundLink Micro. You can only link it with Bose speakers that include a Shortcut button, such as the Bose SoundLink Max or the Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen). The app also supports Bose SimpleSync, which lets you connect the speaker with compatible Bose smart soundbars and smart speakers.
This speaker has a USB-C port for charging, but you can't listen to audio via the port.
The Bose SoundLink Micro 2 has impressive Bluetooth performance. It can connect to two devices at once, but you need to manually pause playback on one device before audio plays from the other, as it doesn't automatically detect and switch between active sources. It has fairly low latency via iOS but higher latency via Android, so you may run into lip-sync issues when watching videos. That said, different apps and devices compensate for latency in different ways.