The Bose SoundLink Revolve is a well-built Bluetooth speaker. It has a sleek design, and it's small and easy to bring with you on-the-go. It's rated for dust, impact, and water resistance, so you can use it outdoors, though we don't test for this. Unfortunately, it lacks low-bass and it doesn't get very loud. However, its balanced mid-range makes it suitable for listening to vocal-centric content like podcasts and audiobooks.
Our Verdict
The Bose SoundLink Revolve isn't bad for music. Its sound profile is quite neutral, especially in the mid and treble ranges where vocals and lead instruments are reproduced. However, it lacks a lot of low-bass, which is disappointing for fans of bass-heavy music genres. Its 360° speaker system helps create large and wide directivity, but unfortunately, it doesn't get very loud.
- 360° speaker system.
- Multi-device pairing.
- Lacks low-bass.
- Not very loud.
The Bose SoundLink Revolve is middling for videos and movies. While its balanced mid-range can reproduce dialogue clearly, it lacks a lot of low-bass, so you don't feel the deep thump in action-packed scenes. It doesn't get very loud, and it has to downmix stereo content into mono, which isn't very immersive. Its latency on iOS and Android devices is high, though some apps compensate for latency differently, so your experience can vary.
- 360° speaker system.
- Lacks low-bass.
- Not very loud.
The Bose SoundLink Revolve is very good for podcasts. This portable speaker has a balanced mid-range, so it can reproduce voices clearly and accurately. It's Bluetooth-compatible, so you can easily stream podcasts wirelessly from your phone or tablet, and you can pair it with up to two devices at the same time. However, it doesn't get very loud.
- Multi-device pairing.
- Bluetooth-compatible.
- Not very loud.
The Bose SoundLink Revolve is fair for voice assistants. It doesn't have any built-in voice assistant capabilities, so it just uses the voice assistant on your paired device. As a result, the speaker isn't always looking for your voice, and it can't be voice-activated. On the upside, it can understand your voice from far away.
- Excellent far-field performance.
- No built-in voice assistant.
The Bose SoundLink Revolve is decent for outdoor use. This well-built, portable speaker has an IPX4 rating for water resistance and it's rated for dust and impact resistance, though we don't test for this. Its over 12-hour battery life is suitable for long days outside, too. However, it doesn't get very loud.
- IPX4 rating for water resistance.
- Not very loud.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 02, 2023: We've confirmed that the speaker has a physical microphone on/off feature.
- Updated Jan 21, 2021: Updated Alexa support to 'NO' as you need a third-party device to make it work.
- Updated Dec 14, 2020: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
This speaker comes in two different colors: 'Lux Gray' and 'Triple Black'. We tested the 'Lux Gray' variant, but we believe the 'Triple Black' performs similarly.
If you come across another variant of this speaker, let us know in the discussions so we can update our review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The Bose SoundLink Revolve is a portable Bluetooth speaker. It's rated for dust, water, and impact resistance, though we don't for this. It has a long battery life and a neutral sound profile, though it's lacking a lot of low-bass. Unfortunately, it doesn't get very loud, and its voice assistant performance isn't as good as that of the Bose SoundLink Revolve II.
The Bose SoundLink Revolve is a better speaker for most uses than the Sonos One Gen 2/One SL. The Bose is more portable and better built. It also has a wider soundstage and supports Bluetooth. However, the Sonos is better suited for voice assistants. It has Alexa and Google Assistant built-in and has a companion app with bass and treble sliders. It also supports Wi-Fi.
You may prefer either the Bose SoundLink Revolve or the Bose SoundLink Flex, depending on your listening habits. The Revolve's 360-degree design ensures its soundstage is perceived as wide and spacious. It also has a longer-lasting battery life, though this can vary depending on your usage. That said, the Flex has a better-balanced sound profile out of the box. It's better built with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. It can also get a bit louder with a bit less compression present at max volume,
The Bose SoundLink Revolve and the Marshall Emberton have similar overall performances, meaning you may prefer one over the other. The Bose supports voice assistants, unlike the Marshall, and it's better-built with longer continuous battery life. However, the Marshall is a bit better for videos and movies as it has a better soundstage and lower latency with Android and iOS devices. Some apps compensate for latency, however, so your real-world experience may vary.
The Bose SoundLink Revolve is a better speaker than the JBL Pulse 4. The Bose is a better-built speaker with a more balanced sound profile, and it's compatible with your smartphone's voice assistant. It also has a longer battery life and takes less time to recharge. That said, the JBL has less compression present at max volume, and it has 360-degree RGB lights that you can customize with its companion app. Its soundstage is also perceived as larger and more open.
Test Results
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