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Bose SoundLink Color II Review

An almost perfect blend of sound quality, portability, and reasonable price
Best Buy Award
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Price:   $130 List | $129 at Amazon
Pros:  Great Sound quality, water resistant, good battery life
Cons:  Rubber coating sometimes hangs onto dust
Manufacturer:   Bose
By Max Mutter ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  Apr 5, 2017
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73
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#6 of 21
  • Sound Quality - 40% 8
  • Portability - 25% 7
  • Volume - 20% 8
  • Battery Life - 15% 5

Our Verdict

The Bose SoundLink Color II is a slightly less symphonious but slightly more rugged version of Bose's other Bluetooth speaker offering, the SoundLink Revolve. While the dropoff in sound quality is noticeable, the Color II was still one of the top performers in our sound quality testing and manages to sound rich and full. It also has an IPX4 rating, meaning that it can handle healthy splashes of water. This combination of high-end sound and good portability at a fairly reasonable price earned the Color II our Best Buy Award. If you want good sound but a bit more waterproofing check out the UE Boom 2. It doesn't sound quite as good as the Color II, but can survive a complete dunking.


Compare to Similar Products

(change comparison)
 
Awards Best Buy Award Editors' Choice Award Editors' Choice Award   
Price $130 List
$129.00 at Amazon		$300 List
$299.00 at Amazon		$200 List
$199.00 at Amazon		$150 List
$119.99 at Amazon		$120 List
$119.99 at Amazon
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Pros Great Sound quality, water resistant, good battery lifeExcellent sound quality, very loud, long battery lifeExcellent sound quality, water resistant, great battery lifeGood overall sound, great volume, great battery life, waterproofGood sound quality, waterproof, long battery life
Cons Rubber coating sometimes hangs onto dustExpensive, relatively large and heavyExpensive, relatively heavyNot the strongest bass, a bit priceyNot the best sounding nor most portable
Bottom Line An almost perfect blend of sound quality, portability, and reasonable priceTop notch sound quality and volume in a somewhat heavy packageThe best portable speaker for audiophilesA good mix of sound qaultiy/volume and durabilityA great balance of sound quality, portability, and price
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Rating Categories Bose SoundLink... Bose Soundlink... Bose SoundLink... UE Boom 3 JBL Flip 5
Sound Quality (40%)
10
0
8
10
0
10
10
0
10
10
0
7
10
0
7
Portability (25%)
10
0
7
10
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6
10
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7
10
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8
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7
Volume (20%)
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8
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8
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8
10
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9
Battery Life (15%)
10
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5
10
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9
10
0
8
10
0
9
10
0
9
Specs Bose SoundLink... Bose Soundlink... Bose SoundLink... UE Boom 3 JBL Flip 5
Dimensions (in x in x in) 5.25" x 5" x 2.25" 4.1" x 4.1" x 7.3" 5.97" x 3.24" x 3.24" 2.9" x 2.9" x 7.25" 3.64" x 3.6" x 8.5"
Inputs 3.5 mm auxiliary input, Micro-B USB port Charging port, Micro-USB, 3.5mm auxillary input 3.5 mm auxiliary input, Micro USB port Micro USB port none
Reported Weight 19.2 oz 34 oz 24 oz 24 oz 19.04 oz
Measured Weight 19.8 oz 34 oz 24 oz 22 oz 19 oz
Wireless Range (feet) 30 30 feet 30 feet 150 feet Not Listed
Reported Battery Life (hours) 8 16 12 15 12
Measured Battery Life (hours) 13 24 18 24 27
Warranty 1 year limited 1 year limited 1 year limited 2 year limited 1 year limited
Receive Phone Calls Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Bose SoundLink Color II provides top-notch sound quality, splash proofness, and lasted 13 hours in our battery testing. It is a near-perfect balance of sound quality and ruggedness for those that want something that sounds great but can handle some rain and splashes.


Performance Comparison


The Bose SoundLink Color II was one of the best overall performers in our testing and earned our Best Overall Value Award. The sections that follow discuss how the SoundLink Color II performed in all of our testing metrics.

Sound Quality


The SoundLink Color II was a solid performer in our sound quality testing, earning an 8 out of 10. This put it close to the top models as scores ranged from 3 to 10.


This speaker has enough power and clarity to impress the vast majority of users. Even those who spend inordinate amounts of time adjusting the EQ on their home stereo will probably be relatively happy with this model's sound. It does represent a noticeable step down from the top performers (namely the Bose SoundLink Revolve) with a bit less powerful bass and just a tad less clarity. However, these slight shortcomings are really only noticeable in a direct side-by-side comparison. Listening to the Color II in isolation we doubt anyone would be able to point out any glaring deficiencies.

The SoundLink Color II is great for both indoor and outdoor listening.
The SoundLink Color II is great for both indoor and outdoor listening.

Portability


The SoundLink Color II does a good job of balancing top notch sound with good portability. It earned a respectable score of 7 out of 10 in this metric, which had scores ranging from 2 to 10.


With a weight of 19.8 ounces, the Color II probably isn't going to make it on any extended treks, but it is light enough that it won't burden your pool or beach bag. It also has an IPX4 rating, making it splash proof. We know 'splash proof' can be a bit of an ambiguous term, so in our testing we ran the Color II under a standard sink faucet, tipping it to and fro so the water ran all over the speaker. After this dowsing the Color II sounded just fine, so we're confident it will take on even the most torrential of downpours. The rubber coating makes it quite scratch resistant, but we did find that dust and lint can sometimes stick to it. Good thing you can run it under the faucet to clean it. The UE Boom 2 is a good option if you want something lighter and fully waterproof, but it doesn't sound quite as good as the Color II.

The SoundLink Color II about an average size and weight but is much more portable than the other tops scorers in our sound quality test.
The SoundLink Color II about an average size and weight, but is much more portable than the other tops scorers in our sound quality test.

Volume


The Color II earned an 8 out of 10 in our volume testing, putting it towards the top of a metric where scores ranged from 4 to 9.


In our testing the Color II retained its sound quality at higher volumes, only starting to sound a teensy bit shrill when we reached the absolute highest volume setting (so just be sure not to turn it up to 11). It was able to easily fill a small apartment with sound when set at a volume that didn't deteriorate sound quality. It most likely wouldn't be able to power a crowded dance party in that apartment, but it's plenty loud enough for large groups of people hanging out, or a board game night (even if your friends get loud and angry when you steal the longest road card from them).

Battery Life


Based on our testing Bose like to underestimate the battery life of its products. The SoundLink Color II lasted a full 13 hours in our test, well besting its claimed life of 8 hours. This is plenty of juice for days at the beach or by the lake. We did have some very impressive performers in this test, so though we were pleased with the Color II's battery life it only earned a score of 5 out of 10.


Value


When you consider the full range of portable Bluetooth speakers available, the Bose SoundLink Color II's price is about average. However, its sound quality is decidedly above average, and all of its other performance attributes are at or above average. This makes the Color II a phenomenal value. If your Bluetooth speaker budget is small check out the Anker SoundCore. It won our Best Buy on a Tight Budget Award.

The SoundLink Color II charges with a simple USB cable.
The SoundLink Color II charges with a simple USB cable.

Conclusion


The Bose SoundLink Color II strikes a near-perfect balance of sound quality, portability, and price. Sure, you can get slightly better sounding or more portable speakers, but the Color II is such a great blend that we doubt anyone will be disappointed with it.


— Max Mutter