Filip Brož The king is dead, long live the king! I shouted this sentence after the first half hour of using and listening to the new Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker II portable speaker. He replaced his older sibling after two years, and I must say that in all respects it is a damn good and quality change. The new speaker can finally make hands-free calls, has a much longer battery life that can be recharged via USB, and even added practical voice notifications.
The new Bose SoundLink Mini II sits on the imaginary throne of portable speakers, which at first glance resembles the first generation. Don't be fooled though, inside this is a brand new product that the engineers at Bose Corporation have done a great job on.
This company, and especially its founder Amaru Bose, who died two years ago, is known to have focused a lot on psychoacoustics – the study of how people perceive sound. This is also confirmed by the new speaker. Thanks to the emphasis on easily audible bands, the speaker system sounds natural and pleasant, especially without excessive bass.
When I play my JBL Flip 2, thanks to the bass reflex, which accentuates the bass nicely, I enjoy great sound from two to three meters away. If I do the same with the JBL Charge 2, I can go another meter. On the other hand, when I play the Beats Pill, I have to go a meter closer. With the Bose SoundLink Mini II, I can enjoy clear bass even at a distance of five meters. Similarly, when I set all the mentioned speakers to the highest volume level, from all of them except the Bose, there is a rattling or unpleasant sound at certain moments, which always forces me to turn down the volume.
I put the new Bose speaker through a lot, listening to music at the highest possible volume the entire time. Muse, Eminem, System of a Down, Arctic Monkeys, Rytmus, AC/DC, Separ, Skrillex, Tiesto, Rammstein, Lana Del Rey, Hans Zimmer, The Naked and Famous, Rihanna, Dr. Dre, Bob Dylan and many more. They all played or sang their songs through the new speaker and not once did I hear a single hesitation. Thanks to two standard and two passive speakers, Bose ensures high-quality treble, sonorous and clear midrange and clear bass.
The creators also did not forget the weakest point of all portable speakers, i.e. the packaging. Even the second generation Bose SoundLink Mini II is in an elegant cast aluminum. It not only looks good in terms of design, but also reproduces music perfectly. In the same way, the upper buttons have undergone significant changes, above all, a new multifunctional button has been added, which is used not only to control playback, but also to control the loudspeaker during calls.
Newly, the speaker can pair up to eight devices and, of course, also pairs other devices or computers than those from Apple. So you don't have to use only iPhone, iPad and MacBook. The possibility of switching between devices is also new. When powered on, the speaker connects to the two most recently used mobile devices from its pairing list. Thanks to this, you can, for example, take turns playing songs with a friend. At the same time, you will have an overview of all devices, as the new Bose also has a voice output. He seems to have lost sight of Apple's Siri assistance.
The voice output speaks to you practically every time you turn the Bose speaker on or off. You will find out, for example, what percentage of the battery you have left on the speaker, what devices are connected or even who is calling you. Thanks to the new button, you can easily accept the call and handle it via the speaker.
Likewise, pairing new devices is very simple and intuitive. Just press the button with the symbol for Bluetooth and the Bose speaker will immediately appear on the device in question. If you want to clear the entire list of paired devices, just hold down the Bluetooth button for ten seconds and you will immediately hear "Bluetooth device list is clear".
The package includes a docking cradle for USB charging. However, the newly charged device lasts up to three hours longer than the first model. So now you can enjoy about ten hours of music and entertainment. You can charge the device at home and on the go from a standard USB, and you no longer need a special charger as was the case with the previous model.
Of course, battery consumption also depends on the volume level you have the device set to. Logically, the higher, the faster the battery will go down. However, recharging via the docking station or separately also works. The speaker also has various energy-saving modes and can turn itself off after thirty minutes of inactivity. On Bose, you will find an AUX socket for a classic 3,5mm connector, if your device does not support Bluetooth technology.
As for the weight and dimensions of the device, they have also been preserved. Bose weighs 670 grams with dimensions of 18 x 5,8 centimeters and only 5,1 centimeters in height. This little thing fits comfortably in a backpack or a larger pocket. If you would like some protection against possible damage, you can purchase a case or protective colored covers. You can match the Bose with the cover for your iPhone or iPad, as you have a choice of green, blue, black or gray. You can have the new Bose SoundLink speaker in the basic version in either black or white.
All in all, I have to say that I am very satisfied with the new SoundLink Mini II. The device looks great and has incredible range and sound. He also improved his range, which is a little over ten meters, depending on the space. Of course, the lower part of the speaker remained rubberized, so the Bose stays in place as if it were nailed and at the same time it doesn't get scratched. The biggest benefit is the incredibly long battery life with USB charging, voice output and hands-free calling.
The device is also very pleasant to the touch, the buttons are shaped like a human finger and are easy to press. I firmly believe that the new Bose SoundLink Mini II will be more than enough for a smaller home party and will amaze everyone with how much potential is hidden in such a small body.
You can buy the Bose SoundLink Mini II in the online store Rstore.cz for 5 CZK, which in my opinion is very well invested money considering what this little thing can do and what it will make you happy. If you like high-quality sound, you will definitely not be stupid by buying this speaker. For me, this is the king of all portable speakers. Long live!
I'm also now picking out some portable speakers and came across the Denon Envaya Mini and the reviews are great. Moreover, with a price of two thousand less than the Bose Mini 2, it is a very interesting offer
http://www.pocket-lint.com/review/132339-denon-envaya-mini-review-massive-sound-from-mini-bluetooth-speaker
The Bose is really great :-).
how is it with the new model with automatic shutdown when powered from the source? I understand that when powered by battery it turns off after 30 minutes, but it really annoys me when it turns off even when powered from the source. BaW A7 is solved perfectly through Airplay, I can connect anytime and from anywhere, with the mini it complicates my life terribly and I can't use it as I thought. so you have to turn it on in the morning from bed via iPhone. you have to get up, go to the speaker, turn it on, go back to bed.
Automatic shutdown can be turned off if the speaker is powered by an adapter. Tried, I have it at home.
Can I guide how? Does it also apply to the old version? I tried aux and + and nothing... Thanks a lot for the help, that would be great
Although it is not possible with the first version, it should be possible to deactivate it with the second and SL color.
By simultaneously holding the AUX and VOLUME + buttons for a few seconds (it is confirmed by an acoustic tone), confirming the shutdown of the "automatic shutdown" after 30 minutes.
Does it play better than the Bose Soundlink® Bluetooth III mobile speaker? This one is €100 more expensive
Anyone have experience comparing the Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay A2 please?
Unfortunately, I'm very disappointed. I have the 1st version and I also bought a new version and the sound of the 1st version made in Malaysia is much denser and a bit louder than the newer version made in Mexico, where the sound is more flat and a bit quieter.