Bose SoundLink Wireless Mobile Speaker

Finally, something sturdy and portable from the world’s best sound engineers

In the good old days, listening to music meant owning a collection of cassettes, MiniDiscs or CDs. Then came the digital audio player (DAP), which could hold all that music and then some more. Its severe assault relegated CD and cassette players to attics and antique shops. In time, dad’s hand-me-down amps and speakers were also turned redundant by things that could speak to your DAP directly, and wirelessly, rather than through docks.

While the world was catching up, my favourite audio equipment brand—Bose—was lagging behind. But no longer. Bose’s Wireless Mobile Speaker, the SoundLink, is here. When it came to me for testing, all it had was brown leather trim, the Bose badge, and a few large buttons. Nothing else. But it is a Bose.

The speaker has been designed to take all the abuse that a portable sound box could be subjected to. The buttons have been pressed 100,000 times to ensure their sturdiness. The unit has been dropped from tables, had gallons of water poured over it, and has been tested under extremely humid conditions for 1,500 hours. It is smart too. As soon as you close the integrated smart cover, it powers off to save battery power.

It can connect to a DAP, tablet or smartphone via Bluetooth and an EP cable, if you prefer a wired speaker. The speaker lasts three hours on a single charge, and you can keep it plugged in for longer sessions.

Bose products are known for their technology. The SoundLink is no exception. It has a high-powered Bluetooth antenna, four neodymium transducers that generate full range audio, a new waffle-design passive radiator that allows for the full range of lows to be generated from such a small box, and, of course, Bose’s famous sound engineering.

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