It's summer party season, and while we hope you're managing to find some shade, it's definitely sunny enough for an outdoor party or garden get-together.
But if you're planning a shindig, you will need some music. Enter the Bose SoundLink Max, now £299 at Amazon: a powerful, premium Bluetooth speaker that is more than up to the job.
With outstanding battery life and buckets of likeable sound, our expert testers saw fit to put the SoundLink Max on our best outdoor speakers list.
The Bose SoundLink Max will do a mightily impressive job delivering a soundtrack for park picnics or your latest garden gathering.
With a water and dust-proof IP67 rating, the SoundLink Max should be able to withstand rain or shine. It's tactile and rugged, wrapped in a silicone casing and with a carry-handle ideal for frequent movement.
But most importantly, the sound is befitting that of a premium Bluetooth speaker.
"The Soundlink Max shouldn’t have any issues getting the party started – thanks, in the main, to its lively, punchy delivery," our Bose SoundLink Max review reads. "It’s in its element rocking along to Guns N’ Roses Welcome To The Jungle.
"The wireless speaker’s expressive midrange enthusiastically sprays out Axl Rose’s wailing lead vocal, while every thwack of the band’s drum kit is dispatched with force and vigour. There's an energy to the band’s performance that is easy to tap into and makes for a hugely enjoyable listen."
The sound is a tad bassy straight out of the box, however, so we recommend turning this down to minus five or six – and then you're good to go.
With a claimed range of 30ft and an impressive 20 hours of battery life, this is a Bluetooth speaker that can go big and go all day.
There’s also aptX Adaptive Bluetooth codec support, Google Fast Pair for Android users and Bluetooth multipoint for connecting two devices at once for easy switching. The SoundLink Max can also double as a power bank, ideal if you're out at the park all day.
The JBL Xtreme 5 is also available at a similar price, and one we'd recommend considering too. It's a bit bulkier than the SoundLink Max, but it does have a great sense of scale and sonic presence.
But if you're turning to music to get you through this heatwave, the Bose SoundLink Max is still an excellent pick, especially with £100 off at Amazon.
MORE:
Read our full Bose SoundLink Max review
Check out the best Bluetooth speakers: tried and tested for every budget
And the best speakers: budget to premium models tested by our expert reviewers
