The Bose SoundLink Mini II Special Edition promises to deliver solid build quality and powerful sound within a sleek, compact format. The manufacturer advertises a battery life that's 20% longer than its predecessor, the Bose SoundLink Mini II, and it features voice assistant support. However, you'll have to rely on your mobile device for this. Unlike the Bose SoundLink Color II, this version omits companion app compatibility, so you have to input all controls using the buttons on the top panel.
Our Verdict
The Bose SoundLink Mini 2 is okay for listening to music, thanks to its relatively balanced default sound profile. Like other small speakers, it lacks low-bass, but in this case, it has a punchy high-bass response that still works well for genres like EDM and hip-hop. The mid-range is fairly neutral and adds plenty of detail to voices and lead instruments, supplemented by a bright treble response that brings out upper harmonics. While it's able to play audio in stereo, without downmixing to mono, its directivity is sub-par so audio won't sound consistent across all listening angles. It also gets quite loud, but some compression artifacts are present at max volume.
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Balanced default sound profile.
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Gets pretty loud.
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Poor directivity.
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No graphic EQ or presets.
The Bose SoundLink Mini is disappointing for videos and movies, though it's not intended for this purpose. While its lack of low-bass rumble takes some of the excitement away from cinematic sequences, the detailed mids and highs mean that dialogue has plenty of detail and clarity. However, its narrow soundstage and sub-par directivity mean you'll struggle to get consistent sound from all angles. Its Bluetooth latency with Android and iOS devices is also high enough to experience sync issues between the audio and video when watching video content on a paired device.
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Balanced default sound profile.
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Poor directivity.
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No graphic EQ or presets.
The Bose SoundLink Mini 2 is decent for podcasts. It has a balanced mid-range response that reproduces vocals and speech with detail and clarity. It's also portable enough to carry around the house if you want to take your favorite podcasts on the move. However, it has poor directivity, so you'll need to ensure you're positioned in front of the speaker to ensure consistent sound. While it's loud enough for you to listen to a podcast in your kitchen, it's still unable to fill a large room with sound.
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Balanced default sound profile.
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Gets pretty loud.
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Poor directivity.
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No graphic EQ or presets.
The Bose SoundLink Mini doesn't have built-in voice assistant support. However, you can pair it with a voice assistant-enabled smartphone to use the assistant through your device. While it isn't compatible with Alexa, it does a great job of picking up your voice from across the room when using Siri or Google Assistant.
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Gets pretty loud.
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No built-in voice assistants.
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No Alexa compatibility.
The Bose SoundLink Mini 2 is alright for outdoor use. It's small and portable enough to take with you for hikes or camping trips. Although it has a sturdy build quality, it doesn't have a rating against dust or water damage, so you'll want to be careful with it near bodies of water or rain. While it has a reasonably long continuous battery life, it won't get you through a full-day hike without needing to recharge.
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Balanced default sound profile.
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Gets pretty loud.
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Compact and portable design.
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No rating against dust or water damage.
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Poor directivity.
- 6.3 Music
- 5.7 Videos/Movies
- 7.1 Podcasts
- 5.8 Voice Assistant
- 6.7 Outdoors
- Updated Jul 12, 2024: We've added a comparison between this speaker and the Bose SoundLink Max in Dynamics.
- Updated Feb 02, 2024: Review published.
- Updated Jan 29, 2024: Early access published.
- Updated Jan 23, 2024: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Jan 22, 2024: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Jan 08, 2024: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
- Updated Jan 07, 2024: The product has won our suggestion poll, so we'll buy and test it soon.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Bose SoundLink Mini II Special Edition is the latest iteration of the SoundLink Mini series of portable, wireless speakers. It comes in two color variants: 'Triple Black' and 'Luxe Silver', We tested the 'Triple Black' variant, but we expect other colors to perform similarly. You can see our unit's label here.
If you encounter a variant not listed here, let us know in the forums so we can update our review.
Compared To Other Speakers
The Bose SoundLink Mini 2 SE is the next generation of the Bose SoundLink Mini II. While its advertised battery life has increased by 20%, and it now features a USB-C charging port, it lacks the previous generation's ability to adjust settings using the Bose Connect app. It has a more balanced sound than the Bose SoundLink Color II but lacks the IPX4 rating for water resistance. The manufacturer also produces the Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II, which offers a more rugged build quality and better directivity in a slightly heavier format. Sadly, this speaker lacks the kind of room correction features seen in premium smart speakers at this price point, like the Sonos Roam/Roam SL's TruePlay function.
See also our recommendations for the best Bluetooth speakers, the best Bose speakers, and the best small Bluetooth speakers.
The Bose SoundLink Flex is a better speaker than the Bose SoundLink Mini II Special Edition. Both speakers are highly portable and have similarly balanced sound profiles that lack low-bass but feature detailed and accurate mids. They even have very similar continuous battery life performances. However, the SoundLink Flex has a better build quality and is rated IP67 for submersion in water. It also has companion app compatibility, which lets you pair it up with other Bose speakers.
The Sonos Roam/Roam SL and the Bose SoundLink Mini II Special Edition are similar speakers with slightly different strengths. Both are very portable and have similar default sound profiles, although you can adjust the bass and treble levels on the Sonos via the companion app. The Sonos is also better built, and its Roam variant features built-in Alexa and Google Assistant integration. The Bose has a longer continuous battery life, supports multi-device pairing, and can get a little louder with less compression at max volume.
The JBL Charge 5 is a better speaker than the Bose SoundLink Mini II Special Edition. While the JBL has a more narrow soundstage and downmixes stereo content to mono, its battery life is twice as long, and it has a more rugged build quality, including an IPx7 rating for submersion in water. It also has companion app compatibility and can be linked to other JBL speakers via the PartyBoost function. That said, unlike the Bose, it lacks any voice assistant integration.
While the Bose SoundLink Max and the Bose SoundLink Mini II Special Edition are both portable speakers, The SoundLink Max has a larger form factor and a higher price tag that might dissuade some users. However, if you're okay with these caveats, you'll be rewarded with a much better overall performance. The SoundLink Max is better built, with an IP67 rating against dust and water, and it has a considerably longer battery life. It can also get louder, with less compression present at max volume. It has a more balanced frequency response, too, with a more even treble response and some additional punch in the low end. That said, it doesn't feature any kind of voice assistant integration as the SoundLink Mini II does.
The Bose SoundLink Mini II Special Edition and the Bose SoundLink Color II have similar strengths, with only slight differences. They're both portable speakers that are similarly well-built. The SoundLink Mini has a more balanced default sound profile, with a less veiled treble response that adds a nice high-end sparkle to vocals and lead instruments. However, the SoundLink Color has a longer continuous battery life, better sound directivity, and an IPx4 rating for protection against water splashes.
Test Results
The Bose SoundLink Mini 2 is a small, rectangular speaker that's designed to sit horizontally. Its sleek design and small form factor mean that it'll easily blend into your home decor. It comes in two color variants: 'Triple Black' and 'Luxe Silver'.
This speaker is exceptionally portable. It's very small and lightweight and can easily be carried around in one hand or in a small bag. It's also battery-powered, so it can be used on the go without access to an outlet.
This speaker has decent build quality. Its housing is constructed from one solid piece of aluminum, with a rubber surface on the bottom that's designed to provide a stable foundation on the surface it's placed on. The solid aluminum construction adds a nice heft to the speaker, considering its diminutive size, which makes it feel sturdy and solid. There are metal grilles on both the front and the back that house the drivers and bass radiators, respectively, and the rubber buttons on the top feel nice and responsive. Overall, this speaker indicates Bose's usual commitment to good build quality. Unfortunately, it's not rated for any level of protection against dust or water damage.
This speaker has excellent controls. The simple button layout is intuitive and user-friendly, with some buttons that have multiple functions. There's a power button, buttons for adjusting the volume, a multi-function button, and a Bluetooth button (which glows when a device is connected). The buttons are tactile and responsive, and there's even voice assistant functionality through your smartphone. You can hold the multi-function button to activate your smartphone's voice assistant, and you can also use it to switch between two calls, turn off speakerphone, and transfer the call to the phone it was connected to.
There are also clear voice prompts that indicate that you're pairing with the speaker via Bluetooth and which device you're connected to, as well as when the auto-off function is enabled or disabled. It tells you the battery level when the speaker's turned on, but you can also hold the power button for this information. Additionally, there are visual indicators for when the speaker is connected via Bluetooth or the AUX input, as well as for the battery level. Unfortunately, there's no audible feedback for lowering or raising the volume.
- Bose SoundLink Mini II Special Edition speaker
- USB-A to USB-C cable (length: 3.3 ft / 1 m)
- User Manual
This speaker has okay frequency response accuracy. Like many smaller speakers, it struggles to reproduce low-bass frequencies, so your audio lacks boom and rumble. However, the high bass is quite prominent, so kicks and bass instruments still have enough punch to cut through a mix. The mid-range is balanced and accurate, so vocal-centric content, like podcasts, sounds smooth and detailed. Unfortunately, there are no sound customization features, so you can't tailor the sound profile to your liking.
The soundstage performance is reasonable. It can play stereo content without downmixing to mono, but its directivity is disappointing, so you won't get a consistent sound when listening at different angles around the speaker. There's also a lot of overemphasis in the treble range, so the sound might seem brighter from different angles.
This speaker has adequate dynamics. Though it can get reasonably loud for a small speaker, there are quite a few compression artifacts present at a max volume that create a pumping effect in audio playback. If you're looking for a Bose speaker that can get louder with less compression, it's worth checking out the slightly larger Bose SoundLink Max.
This speaker has an alright battery life performance. The manufacturer advertises twelve hours of continuous playback, but we tested a little under seven hours. However, it's worth noting that battery life tends to vary according to usage. It takes around 4 hours to fully charge, and you can enable a convenient power-saving auto-off feature that turns the speaker off after 30 minutes of inactivity.
It has a sub-par voice assistant performance. There's no built-in voice assistant functionality to the speaker, and it relies instead on your smartphone's Siri or Google Assistant features. It's also not compatible with Alexa. It does a great job of picking up on your voice even when you're on the other side of the room, but there's no option to mute the speaker's microphone for voice assistant-related features. That said, the speaker could pick up on speech cues in noisy environments slightly more easily with Google Assistant than with Siri.
This speaker isn't compatible with the Bose Connect app, unlike other speakers from the same manufacturer, like the Bose SoundLink Color II or the Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II.
This speaker has a 3.5mm AUX port to play audio via a wired connection.
This speaker has great Bluetooth connectivity. It supports multi-device pairing, so you can connect up to two devices simultaneously. It also has an amazing Bluetooth range, so you can stay connected even if you're in another room. The AV synchronization error with Android devices is not bad, but you'll experience sync issues between the audio and visuals if you use it to watch videos. AV synchronization error with iOS devices is lower, but you'll still experience lip-syncing issues. However, apps compensate for this differently, so your experience may differ.
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Comments
Bose SoundLink Mini II Special Edition: Main Discussion
Let us know why you want us to review the product here, or encourage others to vote for this product.
Update: We’ve added a comparison to the Status Between Pro True Wireless in the Battery box.
- 32120
I use those earbuds for around a year and quality of those is bad, they broken for third time since i own them, one of the buds will not turn on, or will not connect to second bud. there is no way to manually turn them on, its done by some proximity sensor on each bud. factory reset most often cause them to not be able to connect to anything. sometimes it helps to put them in to case for few minutes, but it stops working after some times.
beside that they work and play as well as in review
- 32120
About a month ago I purchased a pair of QC II buds, they had loads of weird noises and beeps during calls. I got a replacement 4 days later, these ones had buzzing and crackling noises in both the left and right earbuds. Replaced them again, this time with buzzing and crackling noises in the left bud. As just a buyer beware for the quality control. The same issues happened with the QC Ultra Buds
Note: this happened in any environment and regardless of if they were connected to a device or not. Even straight out of the box.
Update: We’ve converted this review to Test Bench 1.6, which updates how we measure latency. We’ve updated and renamed the following test groups: Wired Connection, Bluetooth Connection, and Wireless Connection (Dongle). We’ve also added new codec latency measurements and provided an audio sample of recorded latency.
- 21010
I use those earbuds for around a year and quality of those is bad, they broken for third time since i own them, one of the buds will not turn on, or will not connect to second bud. there is no way to manually turn them on, its done by some proximity sensor on each bud. factory reset most often cause them to not be able to connect to anything. sometimes it helps to put them in to case for few minutes, but it stops working after some times. beside that they work and play as well as in review
I have the same experience, It’s really annoying when sometimes i take out one of the buds to talk to someone, then putting the earbud back in only to find out that the earbud has turned itself off and won’t turn on again no matter what. (Putting it back in the case and taking it out again won’t help. It only turns back on when it suddenly “feels like doing it” after a while)
- 21010
Had mine for half a year. Strange noises sometimes but what bothers me the most is its touch, Too sensitive and goes bananas if you wear a rain hood and even a mosquito net which also triggers play, pause, forward, volume. Was in place with an update so you could turn off touch completely, but it seems as if Bose has abandoned the product. But the sound hits all my others in ear. Apple Pro, Power beats Pro etc. Amazing sound!
Edited 1 year ago: Amazing sound. Update: We’ve added a comparison between these headphones and the Sony WF-1000XM5 in Battery.
- 21010
This review either takes sides or they fall heavily for advertising slogans of the products. Or they send you the headset they produce best as a sample for review. Anyway, let me get to the point. I also recently bought a QC 2 and everything worked fine and properly on the headset. Only 1 day has passed and the headset has started to show connection problems with the Android application. It was difficult to connect, I had to try to connect it too much. I solved this problem. Afterwards, a continuous sound in the back, such as a white noise inside the headphones, a slight rain outside, or the sound of the wind, began to bother me. I couldn’t figure out what I was sleeping on. Afterwards, I returned it immediately and ordered a new QC 2. The new product had the same problem, this time there was noise in this headset from the moment I first installed it. I don’t trust any of these headphones anymore and I don’t recommend them to anyone. I’m looking for a new high quality headset. I’m open to suggestions.
- 21010
This review either takes sides or they fall heavily for advertising slogans of the products. Or they send you the headset they produce best as a sample for review. Anyway, let me get to the point. I also recently bought a QC 2 and everything worked fine and properly on the headset. Only 1 day has passed and the headset has started to show connection problems with the Android application. It was difficult to connect, I had to try to connect it too much. I solved this problem. Afterwards, a continuous sound in the back, such as a white noise inside the headphones, a slight rain outside, or the sound of the wind, began to bother me. I couldn’t figure out what I was sleeping on. Afterwards, I returned it immediately and ordered a new QC 2. The new product had the same problem, this time there was noise in this headset from the moment I first installed it. I don’t trust any of these headphones anymore and I don’t recommend them to anyone. I’m looking for a new high quality headset. I’m open to suggestions.
We’re quite sorry to hear about your poor experience with these. Bluetooth connection issues seem to be somewhat of a frequent event for a lot of users according to this reddit thread. Maybe getting rid of the app as suggested in here would help your situation! As for the white noise, there’s also this thread. Does this sound similar to what you’re experiencing?
It’s also worth noting that we buy and test all of the products we review ourselves to ensure our experience is the same as the average user. That said, the unit we bought and tested didn’t showcase the same issues you’re having, but we’ll add a note to the review as it seems like a pretty widespread issue. Thanks for sharing your experience!
As for other premium options, have you tried the Sony WF-1000XM5? We also plan on reviewing the latest Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 True Wireless soon!
Update: We’ve converted this review to Test Bench 1.7, which updates our Noise Isolation test. We’ve also expanded the scope of this test to include Common Scenarios in addition to Voice Handling and Wind Handling.