Back in 2011 we reviewed the Bose SoundLink Bluetooth speaker. Bose being the old guard of the audio industry, we weren’t sure if they had what it takes to still be relevant and “cool” amongst newer, more trendier companies. However Bose definitely impressed us with the look and sound of this product, check out our review of the Bose SoundLink here. Now we are back again with the release of another product by Bose, the SoundLink Mini wireless speaker. It seems Bose has taken what was good about the original SoundLink speaker and made it more portable. But by just making something smaller, can it make it better? We take it through its paces to find out.
Style
One of the first things you notice with the Bose SoundLink Mini is its design. Sporting an all silver metal look, the SoundLink Mini has a premium feel. This should be expected, because well it is Bose. The SoundLink is a metal silver all around with gray rubberized buttons on top of the unit and rubberized bottom that serves as a bottom stand for the unit so the metal parts don’t make contact with any surface area. The design is simple and elegant. But if you want splash of color, Bose is also selling with it a couple soft covers that’s available separately in blue, green, or orange. There are also some premium leather covers as well.
Beyond the simple look to the SoundLink Mini, there isn’t much more detail in terms of looks and feels. Bose keeps it simple, and simple is better!
Sound
The true power and impressive feature of the Bose SoundLink Mini is of course the sound this thing produces. Bose has taken the great sound from the SoundLink and truly made it more portable. The SoundLink Mini delivers full-range sound including deep lows in this very compact size. In using the SoundLink Mini, I noticed it doesn’t deliver as powerful and loud sound as the original SoundLink, but you do have to take its size in consideration. It does however sound very good based on the size of the listening area you intend to cover, and so far found no gripes with it.
For it’s size the SoundLink Mini is perfect for day trips. With the sound it produces, it can be used well for a small picnic, or in a small to medium-sized room. If you need something more powerful than this, I would suggest the original SoundLink.
Experience
The SoundLink Mini is perfect for the grab and go. At 1.5 pounds you can just toss it in your bag and keep it moving. I definitely would rather take this with me than the original one. It is just smaller and lighter, but packs a punch with the sound.
Setting up devices with the SoundLink Mini is quite easy as well. Power it on, hit the Bluetooth bottom and then turn on the Bluetooth option on your device. Pairing is super easy! I was able to connect both of my phones (Nexus 5 and Moto X) with easy and within about a minute at max. Once the devices are connected, you can use the controls on the top for access to muting, volume up and down pretty quickly.
Wrap Up
The Bose SoundLink Mini will run you $199.95 and is perfect when you want some great sounds on the go from a convenient size to carry around. And if you want to personalize with one of those soft covers, they will run you about $24.95. Check out more information on this over at www.bose.com
