Bose SoundLink Micro review: lean and light on the bass

Name: Bose SoundLink Micro review: lean and light on the bass
Item: Bose SoundLink Micro review: lean and light on the bass
Rating: 3.25
Author: Fergus Halliday

Fergus Halliday

PC World

@Cvamped

07/11/17

Expert Rating

3.25 / 5

Pros

Inexpensive
Good form-factor

Cons

Low battery life
Weak bass

Bottom Line

The people who dig the minimalist aesthetics of Bose speakers will probably like this speaker. However, for the rest of us, the somewhat-rigid design and lack of weight to the sound quality mean that this might be worth waiting on a sale before nabbing.

Would you buy this?

Yes 35
No 18

Price
$ 169.00 (AUD)

The Pitch

The pitch for the latest addition to Bose’s portable SoundLink sub brand isn’t too complicated. In essence, it’s pretty much the same pitch found in all Bose speakers. It’s portable audio - done by the experts and made easy.

And if you’re on the hunt a Bluetooth speaker that takes up as little space as possible whilst also giving you the best sound possible for a product in this category, the Bose SoundLink Micro makes a strong case for itself - even if it is still subject to a few of the usual caveats.

Specs

Weighing 290 grams, the Bose SoundLink Micro is a portable Bluetooth speaker with a custom-mounted transducer and passive radiators. Fully charged, it’ll give you six hours of battery life. Designed to be used when you’re out and about, it’s also IPX7-rated against water, dirt and dust damage.

Where to buy?

In Australia, you can find the Bose SoundLink Micro via Amazon, JB Hi-Fi and Bose.

Design

Roughly about the size of a hockey-puck, the Bose SoundLink Micro fits nicely within the palm of your hand. The only physical features to note here are the speaker grill on the front and the stretch strap on the back. There’s no kickstand or whatnot, so you are a little limited in your options if you’re trying to carry sound in a specific direction.

Nevertheless, the rubberized material encompassing the SoundLink Micro feels nice to the touch and, combined with the IPX7-rating against water, dirt and dust damage, it does inspire a degree of confidence that the speaker will hold its own against the stresses and strains of everyday use.

In addition, the simple one-color palette here might make it a better fit for those who are interested in a portable Bluetooth speaker but uninterested in the neon, playful aesthetics offered by a lot of the competition. Even at this size, this looks and feels like a Bose speaker - and it takes itself as seriously as you’d expect.

In terms of button and ports, it’s only got a single MicroUSB port used to charge the thing. This port is flanked by the power and Bluetooth buttons. Meanwhile, set above the speaker grill itself, are the two volume keys and - as is necessary in 2017 - a shortcut key designed to be used with Google Assistant or Siri. The SoundLink Micro features an integrated microphone, this means it can also be used for hands-free phone calls as well.

In terms of setup, there’s not a whole lot to be said here. It’s a Bluetooth speaker made by Bose. It glided through the pairing process without any major issues. Bose do say that you can connect a second Micro using the Bose Connect App and synchronize the audio output or even set them up for stereo playback. However, unlike the competition, you can only connect two units together - which, again, may limit the appeal.