Bose has announced two additions to its SoundLink range of Bluetooth speakers: the SoundLink Plus and the SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen).
Teasing a "rich sound" blended with a "rugged, ready-for-anything design", Bose envisions the SoundLink Plus as being big enough to "bring the bass" but portable enough to take with you wherever you go.
It sits below the pricier SoundLink Max Bluetooth speaker (£399 / $399 / AU$599), which received a five-star review from us last year.
The new SoundLink Plus speaker features a bespoke acoustic architecture with one subwoofer, a tweeter, and four passive radiators working together in pursuit of class-leading sound and plenty of lower-end muscle.
In a bid to boost its portable credentials, Bose has made the SoundLink Plus shock- and rust-resistant, with an IP67 rating ensuring protection from small particles and immersion in water up to one meter deep for 30 minutes. Like the older SoundLink Flex speaker, the SoundLink Plus floats in water, while a nylon rope makes it easier to carry.
It offers up to 20 hours of playtime on a single charge. Plus, the unit's USB-C can be used to charge phones and similar portable devices – again, a trick that apes the power bank capabilities of the rival JBL Charge 6 (£170 / $199 / AU$200).
What about the SoundLink Plus' smaller sibling? The SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) is a sequel to the original Micro model, promising improved audio and enhanced features in a pocket-friendly design. Despite its small stature, Bose promises "loud, clear sound without sacrificing bass" courtesy of the speaker's single driver and dual passive radiators.
Like the Plus, the Max sports an impressive IP67 rating and Bluetooth 5.4, as well as a new removable fabric nylon strap for making it easier than ever to clip or loop the speaker onto bags, bikes and, Bose imagines, even your shower head. It is waterproof, after all...
Unlike the outgoing model, which only offered a micro USB-C port, the second-generation speaker supports USB-C charging, teasing an extended battery life of up to 12 hours on a single charge. That's a big improvement on the roughly six hours offered by its predecessor.
The new SoundLink Plus, the SoundLink Max and last year's Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) can all be paired together, either in Stereo Mode for left and right channel separation, or Party Mode, wherein multiple compatible speakers play synced audio simultaneously.
Managing both new additions to the SoundLink line is taken care of in the Bose app, wherein users can adjust their EQ settings and even connect the speaker to compatible Bose soundbars and smart speakers via 'Bose SimpleSync'.
The Bose SoundLink Plus will cost £250 / $269 / AU$429. It goes on sale on 26th June in the UK, available in black, blue, dusk and a limited-edition citrus yellow finish. For US customers, the Plus speaker will launch on June 12th, with the yellow edition available from June 18th. Those in Australia, meanwhile, will have to wait until July 7th for full availability.
The smaller Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) will be available for £120 / $129 / AU$179 in blue and blue dusk colourways, with a release scheduled for later this summer. We'll let you know when we have official dates.
MORE:
Read our review of the five-star Bose SoundLink Max
Do portable Bluetooth speakers need a wired connection?
Check out our list of the best Bluetooth speakers you can buy
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
