The most important things when it comes to Bluetooth speakers are sound quality and output. As for sound output the Bose does pretty well. While it is not the loudest speaker I have tested of this size, it is still louder than most people would expect. As for sound quality, like many Bose products, the SoundLink Mini II is unique in that Bose has done an absolutely amazing job of making it sound great below ~75% volume. This is the only portable speaker I have tested to date that actually produces low bass. I believe Bose is doing some magic in the background through dynamic equalization to make this happen, but the end result is nothing short of phenomenal. At moderate levels this speaker will put many large stereo systems to shame as far as sound quality. I am not saying this little guy will keep up with a full sized sub woofer, but I have not heard a speaker this small come close to hitting the lows so well. The highs are crystal clear with sharp detail while the mids are smooth. This speaker is very easy to listen to and non fatiguing below ~75% volume. Crank the volume on this speaker and the old saying, “no highs, no lows, must be Bose,” is unfortunately true. As the volume increases above ~75% the bass vanishes and those crystal clear highs begin to get muddy. While this may sound harsh, even at these levels the speaker sounds decent, but in comparison to itself at lower volumes, it is nowhere near as good. I believe Bose has done this to save the drivers. The small drivers simply can’t move enough to keep up with the bass at this volume, instead of causing distortion and possibly damaging the speakers, Bose simply turns the bass and trebble down. This is smart really, and should allow the speaker to last through abuse of excessive volume. This approach is actually better than most speakers in my opinion as they simply get distorted at high volumes.
Overall the Bose SoundLink Mini II is one of the best portable Bluetooth speakers I have ever used. The battery life is enough for a full day of work. It gets loud enough to use at a small party or gathering and sounds good enough to listen to your favorite songs while relaxing. The sound quality is good enough to surprise even the pickiest of listeners and don’t forget the awesome build quality and classy aesthetics. So what are you waiting for, get to your nearest Verizon Wireless store, where it is currently on sale, and pick one up for the Christmas party or gathering you are having in the coming weeks.
The Bose SoundLink Mini II Can be found here.