The Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II is a small, portable speaker that comes with a woven handle, which makes it look a little bit like a lantern when using it to hold it up. It's rated IP55 for dust and water resistance, so you can take it outdoors with you, though we didn't test this. It also has a fairly balanced sound profile and mid-range, making it suitable for listening to dialogue-centric audio content like audiobooks and podcasts. Unfortunately, it struggles to reproduce a deep low-bass, and its companion app doesn't feature a graphic EQ you can use to tweak its sound to your liking, which may be disappointing to fans of bass-heavy music genres like EDM or hip-hop.
Our Verdict
The Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II is alright for music. Its fairly well-balanced sound profile makes this speaker suitable for a variety of music genres. Thanks to its 360-degree design, it has a decent soundstage with amazing directivity, so your audio should sound clear from all angles. Though this speaker can get reasonably loud, there are compression artifacts at max volume, so your audio may not sound as clear when listening at louder volumes. Unfortunately, it struggles to reproduce a deep, thumpy, and rumbling bass, which may be disappointing to fans of bass-heavy music like hip-hop or EDM. It also requires two units to play stereo sound, and has to downmix your audio to mono when using it on its own, which may not sound as immersive.
- Amazing directivity.
- Balanced mid-range.
- Compression artifacts at max volume.
- Requires two units for stereo sound.
The Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II is passable for videos and movies. This speaker struggles to reproduce low-bass, so it can be difficult to hear the thump and rumble in action-packed scenes. It has many compression artifacts at max volume, so your audio may not sound as clean and clear during louder listening sessions. It also requires two units to play stereo sound, and has to downmix stereo content to mono when using it on its own, which may not sound very immersive. That said, it has low latency with iOS and Android devices, though some apps compensate for latency differently, and your real-world experience may vary. It also has amazing directivity, so your audio should sound clear from most angles.
- Amazing directivity.
- Low latency with iOS and Android devices.
- Compression artifacts at max volume.
- Requires two units for stereo sound.
The Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II is good for podcasts. It has a fairly balanced mid-range, so vocals and lead instruments sound clear, making it good for dialogue-centric audio like audiobooks and podcasts. It has amazing directivity thanks to its 360-degree design, so your audio should sound clear from all angles. It can also be paired to two devices at a time, which can come in handy if you need to switch audio sources. That said, there are some compression artifacts at max volume that can affect the clarity of your audio when listening at louder volumes.
- Amazing directivity.
- Balanced mid-range.
- Compression artifacts at max volume.
The Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II is middling for voice assistants. It doesn't have any built-in voice assistants, so it uses the ones from your smartphone. It also doesn't have a mute mic button you can use to turn its mic off when you no longer want the speaker to hear you. Additionally, it has great far-field performance so your speaker can still hear you when you're far away, and it also does a decent job of hearing you in noisier environments.
- Balanced mid-range.
- No built-in voice assistants.
- No mute mic button.
The Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II is decent for outdoor use. This remarkably portable speaker is very well-built and even comes with an IP55 rating for dust and water resistance. It's also battery-powered, so you don't have to look for an outlet when taking it outdoors with you. That said, though it can get fairly loud, it has a lot of compression artifacts at max volume, so your audio may not sound very clean during louder listening sessions. It also requires two units to play stereo sound, and has to downmix stereo content to mono when using it on its own, which may not sound as immersive.
- IP55 for dust and water resistance.
- Battery-powered.
- Compression artifacts at max volume.
- Requires two units for stereo sound.
Changelog
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Updated Oct 15, 2026:
We mentioned the JBL Pulse 6 in the App section of this review.
- Updated Sep 04, 2024: We've updated the Battery scores and text, as we've reevaluated how the Battery Life, Charge Time, and Power Saving scores are weighted. We've also updated the relevant usage boxes and side-by-sides affected by this recalculation.
- Updated Mar 25, 2024: We've added a comparison between this soundbar and the Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 8 in Soundstage.
- Updated Aug 18, 2022: Changed the test result for 'Microphone On/Off' from 'Yes' to 'Yes (Physical)' in the Controls box.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II comes in two color variants, 'Triple Black' and 'Luxe Silver'. We tested the 'Triple Black' variant, and you can find its label here. We expect both variants to perform similarly. The manufacturer also released an earlier version of this speaker called the Bose SoundLink Revolve+ that's rated IPX4 for water resistance and is advertised to last up to 16 hours from a single charge, though we haven't tested this model.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II is a small, portable Bluetooth speaker similar to the Bose SoundLink Revolve. It's rated IP55 for dust and water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. Like the Revolve, it has a fairly balanced sound profile with a balanced mid-range making it suitable for dialogue-centric audio content like audiobooks or podcasts. However, like many speakers of its size, it lacks low-bass. Unfortunately, it doesn't have an EQ you can use to tweak its sound to your liking.
See also our recommendations for the best Bose speakers, the best Bluetooth speakers, and the best home speakers.
The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is a better speaker than the Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II. The Smart Speaker offers a more customizable sound profile via the bass and treble sliders in its companion app, so you can tweak it to your liking. It also has fantastic voice assistant performance, with Alexa and Google Assistant built in. That said, the Revolve+ is better built and has a longer battery life, which some users may prefer.
The Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II is a slightly better speaker than the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2, though they have different strengths. The Bose offers a better-balanced sound profile out of the box that can produce a more extended low bass. It also has a longer-lasting battery life, though this can depend on your usage, and your experience may differ. The Bang & Olufsen is more customizable thanks to its EQ presets and 'Beosonic' sound customization feature. It also offers fantastic voice assistant support with Alexa built-in and does an excellent job of understanding you from far and in noisier environments.
The Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II and the Bose SoundLink Revolve II are very similar speakers with different strengths. These two versatile speakers have a similarly neutral and well-balanced sound profile suitable for a wide variety of audio content. However, the Revolve+ II can get slightly louder than the Revolve II, with fewer compression artifacts at max volume. It also comes with a carrying handle to help with transporting it. That said, if you like using voice assistants, the Revolve II does a better job than the Revolve+ II at understanding your commands from far away and in noisier environments.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either The Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II or the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore. The Bose has a better-balanced sound profile out-of-the-box and can support voice assistants through your smartphone, though its performance isn't very good. It also has a Party Mode feature, so you can pair it to multiple other compatible speakers when you want your audio to fill a large room. The Bang & Olufsen is more portable and can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono. It also features EQ presets and a 'Beosonic' sound customization feature you can use to tweak its sound to your liking.
Test Results
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