Bose SoundLink Flex Portable Bluetooth Speaker (2nd Gen)

Pros

• Voice clarity 5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 5.0
  Reviewers consistently praise the Flex 2’s vocal clarity, saying it keeps voices clear and undistorted even at higher listening levels and brings out subtle vocal nuances better than many similarly sized portable speakers.
• Water resistance rating 4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 4.8
  Reviewers highlight the Flex 2’s IP67 rating, noting that it is both dustproof and waterproof and feels trustworthy for use in the shower, by the pool, or outdoors in bad weather.
• Dust resistance rating 4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 4.7
  The IP67 rating means the Flex 2 is fully protected against dust ingress, and owners feel comfortable using it outdoors or tossing it in backpacks, though the silicone coating can pick up surface lint that needs occasional wiping.
• Design & aesthetics 4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 4.5
  Keeping its compact, pill-shaped metal and silicone body, the Flex 2 is widely praised for its subtle, premium look and soft pastel colors, though reviewers note the silicone shell can attract lint, the exposed grille may show scuffs and some now wish the fixed loop were more flexible or carabiner friendly to make carrying even easier.
• Float capability 4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 4.5
  Reviewers highlight that the SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) can float if dropped in the water, making it easy to spot and retrieve during pool or lakeside mishaps while continuing to function once dried off.
• Latency with TV (lip sync) 4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 4.5
  Reviewers report that latency is low enough that lip-sync is not a problem when watching videos on a phone or tablet, making the Flex 2 usable for casual video viewing over Bluetooth.
• Multi-speaker pairing reliability 4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 4.5
  Those who use the Bose stereo or party modes find that pairing two Flex 2 units or linking with a compatible soundbar is straightforward, with stable playback and no notable echo or dropout once connected.
• Weight convenience 4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 4.4
  Weighing around 1.3 pounds with a slim profile, the Flex 2 is widely described as easy to pack and carry for hikes, showers and small get-togethers, offering a more portable alternative to larger outdoor speakers.
• Multipoint connectivity 4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.4
  Reviewers appreciate that the Flex 2 can connect to two devices at once, making it easy for family members or friends to share control without constantly repairing.
• Drop resistance durability 4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 4.3
  Reviewers describe the Flex 2's powder coated metal grille and rubberized silicone shell as rugged, and its IP67, drop proof and rust proof build makes it well suited to bumps, scrapes and outdoor adventures, with long-term users reporting strong durability even though the exposed front grille can pick up cosmetic marks if it is dropped on its face.
• Detail retrieval 4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.3
  Most reviewers find that the Flex 2 pulls out impressive detail for a compact Bluetooth speaker, rendering vocals, strings and ambient effects with convincing texture and better separation than many similarly sized portables, though in dense, layered tracks some instruments can still blur together and it cannot match true hi-fi speakers for separation.
• App reliability 4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.3
  The Flex 2 integrates with the Bose Music app, and reviewers describe the app as polished, reliable and straightforward, centralizing EQ, multipoint setup, tips and shortcut customization, though some note its feature set is fairly barebones beyond these basics.
• EQ customization 4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 7 reviews 4.1
  The Bose app’s simple three-band EQ and basic presets are widely seen as a major improvement over the original Flex, letting listeners tame the stock tuning and dial in more impactful bass or clearer highs without adding obvious distortion, and several reviews describe the new in-app EQ and shortcut options as a game-changing addition even though some still wish for more advanced, genre-based controls like those on certain rivals.
• Frequency response balance 4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 7 reviews 4.1
  Reviews characterize the Flex 2 as a warm, bass heavy portable that many still hear as reasonably balanced for its size, with clean, tidy low end and smooth highs that can be tweaked in the app, though mid bass can overshadow delicate treble and some listeners miss the extra openness and separation a dedicated tweeter might provide.
• Distortion at high volume 4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 4.0
  Most listeners find the Flex 2 stays impressively clean through much of its volume range, with controlled bass and clear vocals, and some note that even compared with aging original units its low end distorts less and resists becoming obviously muddy, though at very high volumes the sound can still compress and the treble edge up.
• Bluetooth codec support 4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.0
  The Flex 2’s addition of Snapdragon Sound with aptX over Bluetooth 5.3 is still seen as a welcome upgrade that brings slightly higher quality, lower latency streams for compatible Android phones, though iPhone owners cannot benefit and some reviewers view it as a modest bonus rather than a must-have compared with bigger battery or hardware upgrades.
• Bluetooth connection stability 4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 4.0
  Reviewers highlight that the move to Bluetooth 5.3 and Snapdragon Sound aims to improve connection stability and streaming latency, and in practice the Flex 2 maintains a solid wireless link during everyday listening with no major dropout complaints.
• Dynamic headroom 4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 4.0
  For a pint sized speaker, the Flex 2 is noted for punchy, dynamic playback, with bass lines and drum hits that rise and fall convincingly and good energy through the mids, although some listeners hear the sound flatten slightly and lose ease when pushed to the very top of its volume range.
• Smart features 3.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 3.8
  Beyond its rugged waterproof build, the Flex 2 offers smart conveniences like PositionIQ orientation sensing, stereo and party pairing, multipoint support, a configurable shortcut button for voice assistants or Spotify resume and a simple in-app EQ, and while it still lacks Wi-Fi or built-in voice control, some reviewers now see these software features as a key part of its appeal rather than just minor extras.
• USB-C charging 3.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 3 reviews 3.8
  Owners appreciate that the Flex 2 charges over USB C as expected, but the port is limited to power input only and cannot be used for wired audio or device charging.
• Inter-speaker connectivity 3.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 3.8
  The Flex 2 can pair with another Flex 2 in stereo or party mode and sync with select Bose speakers to boost coverage and volume, but you are limited to two speakers at a time, cannot mix the new model with the original Flex and several reviewers describe the overall ecosystem as more restrictive than they would like.
• Loudness / maximum volume 3.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 3.8
  Reviewers agree the Flex 2 gets impressively loud for its small footprint and can fill typical rooms or small outdoor spaces, but note that bigger rivals like JBL and UE still play a bit louder and that running near maximum volume both compresses the sound somewhat and drains the battery in just a few hours.
• Handle or strap quality 3.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 3.7
  The compact Flex 2 includes a fixed nylon loop that allows it to be clipped to bags or hooks, but while some appreciate the added attachment point, several reviewers now argue the strap is too stiff and would prefer a more flexible loop or included carabiner or elastic strap to make on the go hanging easier.
• On-device controls 3.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 3.6
  Reviewers find the Flex 2’s top-mounted buttons make control straightforward and appreciate the dedicated shortcut key for linking speakers or resuming Spotify, though some still report the buttons feel a little mushy and require a firmer press than the clickier controls on certain competitors.
• Value for money 3.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 3.5
  At around 149 dollars and often discounted lower, the Flex 2 costs noticeably more than budget Bluetooth speakers, and while many feel its refined sound, rugged metal and silicone build and app features partly justify the brand premium, others say that even at sale prices it can feel like paying a Bose tax compared with rivals that offer longer battery life or bigger sound for similar money.