Review: Bose Soundlink Plus Bluetooth Speaker

With so many Bluetooth speakers out there, and more arriving almost daily, it can be easy to underestimate one that dwells in the middle ground. Sandwiched between the packable Soundlink Flex and the beefy Soundlink Max (9/10, WIRED Recommends), Bose’s new midsize Soundlink Plus (no, these aren’t streaming services) carves out its own niche thanks largely to winning sound with equal parts nuance and bravado.

Like its siblings, the Plus looks and feels like a premium speaker with an accordingly premium price; it’s dressed to the nines, especially fetching in the Citrus Yellow color I reviewed, but bears commensurate dust- and waterproofing for good defense against the elements. Medium build notwithstanding, this is still a hefty package, but if you’re after a good compromise between boombox might and breezy portability, the Soundlink Plus abides.

Premium Protection

Photograph: Ryan Waniata

There’s style in the Sound Plus’s minimalism, with a sleek yet strong powder-coated steel grille, supple touch keys along its rubberized topside, and a hearty checkered nylon handle at the side that makes it easier to haul (or hang).

At the back are vents for its four bass radiators and an open USB-C port. A point of note there: the Plus is fine to dunk given its IP67 rating, and it even floats, but you’ll need to wait for the port to dry before charging. That’s further notable given that, like the Max, the Plus takes a sluggish five hours to charge its 20-hour battery from zero. That said, it didn’t take long for the orange-and-white flashing LED to return to solid white following a bath in my laundry sink, signaling a clear and ready port.

Measuring 9.1 x 3.94 x 3.4 inches (WxHxD) and weighing over 3 pounds, this is not the most packable speaker, but it’s still game for the open road. It took me a while to get used to its heft, but it fared well on its first task after unboxing, a camping trip in the Columbia River Gorge. If it seems risky taking a shiny new lemon-meringue speaker into the dusty woods, you’re not wrong, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well the speaker cleans up. You’ll inevitably attract some marks, though, and the Dusk Blue and Black should age better.

Whatever the color, I dig the Plus’ aesthetic, and so did most people I showed it to (though they mostly remarked on the great sound). It feels nice to the touch, and both the look and build quality seem a step above flack-jacketed rivals like the JBL Charge 6 and UE MegaBoom 4. I’d still prefer either of those speakers for a hard fall—not because the Bose wouldn’t survive, it’s just more likely to get nicks or dents. The Charge 6’s IP68 rating theoretically gives it bragging rights for water resistance, but all three are dunkable, like most speakers we test.

Solid Extras

Photograph: Ryan Waniata

Soundlink Plus features seem a little austere at first glance, but there’s enough here to keep away feature envy. The unified Bose app’s compact interface will be familiar to anyone with Bose headphones, with options like the ability to connect to two devices over Bluetooth multipoint, a three-band EQ and presets, and monitoring for battery and volume.

A single point of customization lets you swap one of the Plus’ topside control keys from linking with other Bose speakers like the Flex and Max to become a Spotify quick key. You can stereo pair two Soundlink Plus speakers, and Android users will get handy extras like Google Fast Pair and aptX Adaptive support for high-quality Bluetooth streaming.

Another nice touch is the ability to send the speaker to Bose to swap out the battery down the line. At full charge, it lasts pretty dead-on with Bose’s 20-hour claim at midrange volume or below. It falls to around 15 hours (or less) if you crank it above that, so it would have been nice to get a full 24 hours like you’ll get with some cheaper competitors, including the Charge 6 and Beats’ latest Pill (8/10, WIRED Recommends), especially since it’s designed to charge other devices via the USB port.

Options you don’t get include a speaker phone, an Aux input/USB-C playback, or future-proofing features like Auracast audio sharing, something JBL’s latest speakers already employ. Admittedly, Aurcast isn’t very useful yet since most source devices don’t support it, but it would be nice as an option at this price. That said, it could be something Bose plans to add later.

Touch and Punch

Photograph: Ryan Waniata

I spent multiple weeks with the Soundlink Plus accompanying me to backyard barbecues and events. It’s been a while since I got so many compliments from friends and neighbors on a simple speaker. People really seemed to dig its blend of punch and poise, providing more full-throttle power and bass than you’d expect for its size and some lovely moments of lyricism and detail, especially in the upper midrange and treble.

Bose doesn’t list driver specs, but the Plus’ dual-driver system is talented, especially the tweeter tasked with carrying much of the load when it comes to detail and instrumental timbres. Multiple times during my review, I was struck by the delicacy and touch with which it handles instruments, delighting in crisp acoustic guitars, rich vocals, crunchy woodwinds, and pillowy brass across registers.

The woofer adds plenty of bass for the size, and while it doesn’t dig deep into the lowest Hz, it supports the topside with a robust foundation that makes the speaker feel bigger and bolder than its profile. At one point, I swapped it for the SVS Prime Wireless Pro currently in my living room, and was surprised how well it filled the room in relief with clear, full sound. Bass can sometimes feel boomy or sluggish, but it’s mostly a welcome addition, and you can always adjust it in the EQ.

Photograph: Ryan Waniata

Going back to the oft-mentioned Charge 6 for some A/B testing, the Charge feels a bit more confident and punchy in the mids with raucous tracks like Supergrass’ messy rocker “Caught By the Fuzz,” while the Plus showed more presence and precision, especially notable in more acoustic-based songs like Kris Kristofferson’s “Border Lord.”

In general, the Plus offers better detail and can still let things loose at high volume. Occasionally, the little tweeter feels like it’s trying to do too much, adding some extra sizzle and brashness and/or distortion if you really punch it. It would have been nice to get two tweeters for some stereo separation. Overall, this is a lovely sounding speaker that’s equally at home playing low-volume grooves or filling a room.

There’s certainly an abundance of choice for portable Bluetooth speakers, but the Soundlink Plus stakes its ground with a premium build and impressive sound. If you can handle its price (and Bose fans are pretty used to doing so), the Plus is a worthy sonic companion.