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- Table of Contents
- Top
- Main Differences
- Design
- Sound
- Active Features
- Connectivity
- Comments
Bose SoundLink Max vs Bose SoundLink Home
Side-by-Side Comparison
Products
Bose SoundLink Max
Bose SoundLink Home
Tested using Methodology v0.8
Updated May 01, 2025 03:54 PM
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Amazon.comTested using Methodology v0.8
Updated Nov 28, 2024 05:55 PM
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Amazon.com
BluetoothYes
Wi-FiNo
SpeakerphoneNo
Voice AssistantNo
Battery PoweredYes
BluetoothYes
Wi-FiNo
SpeakerphoneYes
Voice AssistantYes
Battery PoweredYes
Variants
- SoundLink Max (Black)
- SoundLink Max (Blue Dusk)
- SoundLink Home (Cool Gray)
- SoundLink Home (Light Silver)
Our Verdict
Bose SoundLink Max
Bose SoundLink Home
The Bose SoundLink Home and Bose SoundLink Max are both portable speakers, but they have different strengths. The Home is the sleeker version of the two. Its mid-century modern vibes add a touch of class to any room. But it doesn't have an IP rating against the elements, so it won't be the best companion for a camping trip. The Max is the larger of the two, so it gets louder and puts out more bass. Its IP67 rating and 15-hour battery life make it a better picnic buddy than the Home, and its companion app lets you adjust its sound to suit your tastes. That said, the Max doesn't have a mic, so it can't be used with your phone's voice assistant, unlike the Home.
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Black
SoundLink Max
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SoundLink Home
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SoundLink Max
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SoundLink Home
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Music
Threshold
Music
7.4
6.3
Soundstage
7.8
5.1
Dynamics
7.6
5.8
EQ
Graphic + Presets
No
Full Comparison
Design
Style
Style Photo
RGB Lights
No
No
Portability
8.9
9.1
Dimensions Photo
Volume
222 in³ (3,644 cm³)
87 in³ (1,428 cm³)
Weight
4.9 lbs (2.2 kg)
2.0 lbs (0.9 kg)
Power Source
Battery & USB
Battery & USB
One-Hand Carry
Yes
Yes
Build Quality
8.7
6.4
Build Quality Photo
Material Quality
Good
Good
Water Resistance
Submersible (IPx7)
No
Dust Resistance
Dust-Proof (IP6x)
No
Impact Resistance
Yes (IK rating unspecified)
No
Floats In Water
Yes
No
Controls
7.8
8.8
Controls Photo
Controls Photo 2
Ease Of Use
Good
Good
Feedback
Good
Good
Music Play/Pause
Yes (Physical)
Yes (Physical)
Call Answer/End
Yes (Physical)
Yes (Physical)
Volume Up/Down
Yes (Physical)
Yes (Physical)
Track Next/Previous
Yes (Physical)
Yes (Physical)
Microphone On/Off
No
Yes (Physical)
Additional Controls
Yes
Yes
In The Box
In The Box Photo
Sound
Frequency Response Accuracy
7.2
7.2
Frequency Response Graph
Slope
-0.21
0.10
Std. Err.
2.65 dB
2.11 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
52.6 Hz
57.4 Hz
High-Frequency Extension
18.8 kHz
18.5 kHz
Raw Frequency Response
Raw Frequency Response Graph
Binaural Recording @ 1m
Binaural Recording @ 2m
Soundstage
7.8
5.1
Directivity Graph
Directivity Index
4.23 dB
5.46 dB
Stereo
Yes
No (mono)
Dynamics
7.6
5.8
Dynamic Range Compression
SPL @ Max Volume
95.7 dB SPL
86.1 dB SPL
DRC @ Max Volume
2.55 dB
3.82 dB
Active Features
Battery
8.8
5.2
Battery Life
15.5 hrs
4.5 hrs
Charge Time
3.7 hrs
2.8 hrs
Power Saving
Yes
Yes
Charging Port
USB-C
USB-C
Battery Powered
Yes
Yes
Voice Assistant
0.0
5.7
Alexa
No
No
Google Assistant
No
Yes (Requires Smartphone)
Speakerphone
No
Yes
Siri
No
Yes (Requires Smartphone)
Voice Assistant
No
Yes
Voice Activation
No
No
Microphone Mute
No
No
Far-Field Performance
No Microphone
Excellent
Ambient Noise Performance
No Microphone
Excellent
App
7.9
0.0
App Picture
App Name
Bose Music
No App
iOS
Yes
No
Android
Yes
No
EQ
Graphic + Presets
No
Stereo Pair Mode
Yes
No
Party Mode
Yes
No
Multi-Room
No
No
Connectivity
Wired
Aux Input
Yes
No
USB Audio
No
Yes
Other Ports
No
No
Bluetooth
8.6
7.9
Bluetooth
Yes
Yes
Bluetooth Version
5.4
5.3
Bluetooth iOS Latency
106 ms
186 ms
Bluetooth Android Latency
84 ms
194 ms
Bluetooth Range
334.6 ft (102.0 m)
334.6 ft (102.0 m)
Multi-Device Pairing
2 Devices
2 Devices
Wi-Fi
0.0
0.0
Wi-Fi Version
No Wi-Fi
No Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi Frequency Band
No Wi-Fi
No Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
No
No
Apple AirPlay
No
No
AirPlay Latency
N/A
N/A
Google Chromecast
No
No
Chromecast Latency
N/A
N/A
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Black
SoundLink Max
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SoundLink Home
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SoundLink Max
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SoundLink Home
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Bose SoundLink Max
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Comments
Bose SoundLink Max vs Bose SoundLink Home: Main Discussion
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