Bose SoundLink Max Portable Speaker

Pros

• Bluetooth range ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 5.0
• Float capability ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 5.0
• Build quality ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 8 reviews 4.8
  Powder coated, silicone wrapped metal construction and IP67 sealing give the SoundLink Max a rugged yet premium feel that many describe as built like a tank, standing up well to outdoor and occasionally careless use and inspiring confidence at crowded parties, though the soft silicone exterior can pick up dust on its surface.
• App reliability ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.8
  Reviewers find the Bose control app stable and straightforward, offering EQ presets, volume control, connection management and firmware updates in a clean interface that makes it easy to fine tune the SoundLink Max.
• Cohesive presentation ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.8
  Reviews say the SoundLink Max sounds tonally consistent from top to bottom, tying bass, mids and treble into a unified, focused presentation that maintains its balance even at higher volumes.
• Voice clarity ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.8
• Water resistance rating ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 7 reviews 4.7
  Thanks to its IP67 rating, reviewers are comfortable using the SoundLink Max around pools, in the rain or at the beach, confident it will survive splashes and brief submersion in typical real world use.
• Loudness / maximum volume ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 4.7
  Reviewers find the SoundLink Max surprisingly loud for its compact size, easily filling typical rooms and outdoor spaces and even pushing to very high volumes without obvious distortion, often sounding strikingly loud at moderate settings even if the jump from quiet to very loud is not as dramatic as with some rivals.
• Treble clarity ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 4.5
  While some find the stock tuning a touch dark, applying modest treble and bass adjustments reveals crisp, sparkling highs that add detail and air without making the SoundLink Max sound harsh, and tests note it stays composed in the treble even at higher volumes.
• Control button responsiveness ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 4.5
  Users describe the top mounted buttons on the SoundLink Max as nicely positive and responsive, making it easy to power on, pair Bluetooth, adjust volume and trigger the shortcut function without mis presses.
• Multi-speaker pairing reliability ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 4.5
  SimpleSync connections are described as quick and straightforward, with the SoundLink Max joining compatible Bose speakers or soundbars reliably when forming a group for multiroom or linked playback.
• Bluetooth codec support ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 4.5
  The SoundLink Max uses Bluetooth 5.3 and supports SBC, AAC and aptX Adaptive codecs, giving it broad compatibility with phones and tablets while allowing higher quality wireless audio when paired with devices that can send aptX Adaptive.
• Bass performance ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 8 reviews 4.4
  Reviews agree the SoundLink Max delivers deep, hard hitting bass that stays relatively tight and agile with strong low frequency punch at moderate to high volumes, keeping clear of the midrange and offering good rhythmic precision, and tests note it holds its own down to roughly 65Hz before rolling off so it can struggle with the very deepest sub bass or kick drum weight at maximum volume unless you rein it in with the EQ.
• Drop resistance durability ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.4
  Reviews highlight the silicone wrapped aluminium body as robust and able to shrug off everyday knocks and bumps, reinforcing the SoundLink Max speaker’s go anywhere positioning.
• Handle or strap quality ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 7 reviews 4.3
  The included rope and silicone carry handle on the SoundLink Max feels tactile and sturdy, twists on and off easily, and can be swapped for differently colored or over the shoulder strap options to suit taste and carrying needs.
• On-device controls ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 4.3
  The top panel of the SoundLink Max groups power, Bluetooth pairing, playback, volume and a configurable shortcut button in a simple layout that users find easy to understand and operate without relying on the app.
• Wired input availability ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 4.3
  The inclusion of a 3.5 millimetre aux in on the SoundLink Max is praised for letting listeners hook up non Bluetooth sources, and the configurable shortcut button makes switching to this input especially convenient.
• Design & aesthetics ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 4.3
  Commenters like the rugged, outdoorsy look of the SoundLink Max, with its aluminium chassis, silicone wrap and swappable rope handle, but note that the soft finish readily collects dust and fingerprints and can be tricky to keep looking clean.
• Dust resistance rating ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 4.3
  With its IP67 rating, sealed construction and rugged materials, the SoundLink Max is designed to resist dust ingress so it can be used confidently in sandy, dusty or outdoor environments.
• USB-C charging ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.3
  Owners like the convenience of USB C charging on the SoundLink Max and appreciate that the same port can also provide power out to other devices, reducing the number of chargers needed when travelling.
• Multipoint connectivity ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 4.2
  The SoundLink Max supports Bluetooth multipoint so listeners can keep two devices paired and switch sources with minimal friction, which many find convenient in daily use.
• Battery life (if portable) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 4.2
  Reviews report roughly 20 hours of playtime from a single charge, which most consider solid all day stamina for outdoor listening and parties.
• Soundstage width ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.1
  Listeners describe the SoundLink Max as throwing a surprisingly wide soundstage for a compact mono style box, with rock and classical recordings spreading out beyond the speaker itself even if it cannot match a true stereo pair.
• Power bank function ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 4.0
  Reviews appreciate that the rear USB C port on the SoundLink Max can reverse charge a phone when the speaker battery is well stocked, adding a handy emergency power bank style function for outdoor or travel use.
• Inter-speaker connectivity ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.0
  Bose’s SimpleSync feature lets the SoundLink Max pair quickly with compatible Bose speakers and soundbars, creating a basic multiroom or grouped audio setup with little fuss.
• EQ customization ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 8 reviews 3.9
  A straightforward three band EQ with Bass and Treble presets lets listeners significantly boost or reduce lows, mids and highs to tame the stock bass heavy tuning or approach a more neutral balance, even if it lacks the fine grained control of some rivals.
• Frequency response balance ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 8 reviews 3.9
  Most describe the SoundLink Max as broadly clear and natural, with punchy lows and lively highs that give music an upfront, airy character, while the midrange can sound slightly processed or off color in typical Bose fashion, so modest EQ tweaks are often recommended to keep vocals clean and achieve a smoother, more balanced presentation that still works well across rock, pop and even classical recordings.
• Dynamic headroom ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 3.8
  Listeners report punchy shifts between quiet and loud passages from the SoundLink Max, though the speaker tends to sound fairly loud even at lower levels, so the perceived gap between soft and very loud is smaller than with some rivals.