Bose Soundlink Mini II Review

In Shorts:

• Compact, portable Bluetooth speaker with excellent sound
• Stunning audio performance with deep bass, crisp treble, and clear mids
• Iconic and durable aluminium design with premium build quality
• Convenient controls located on top of the speaker
• Good 10-hour battery life, charges via USB or included cradle
• Bluetooth for wireless music streaming from devices

The Bose SoundLink Mini II is a compact Bluetooth speaker released in 2015. Despite its age, it remains popular due to its excellent sound quality.  The Bose SoundLink Mini offers pros and cons for bass. Let’s start with sound. Unlike some, this Bluetooth speaker produces bass without a table or other surface. The Bose is just as bass-heavy when held over your head as on your desk. Unfortunately, like many Bluetooth speakers, it struggles to deliver bass in such a small speaker.

This review will examine the design, features, sound performance, and value of the SoundLink Mini II.

Bose Soundlink Mini II Specs

What Is In The Box?

The Bose SoundLink Mini’s packaging is perplexing, with the speaker in the top part and the accessories in the lower half. The speaker comes with a power charger and cradle. Only a little handbook is included.’

Design

The SoundLink Mini II features a sleek, durable aluminum enclosure that looks great and feels premium. It strikes a balance between portability and power at just 2 x 7.1 x 2.3 inches and 1.5 lbs. The controls are conveniently located on top of the speaker. It lacks modern features like waterproofing and multi-point Bluetooth, but its iconic design has stood the test of time.

Is the Bose SoundLink Mini II portable? Yes, the SoundLink Mini II is very portable thanks to its compact size of just 2 x 7.1 x 2.3 inches and 1.5 lb weight. It can easily fit into a bag or backpack.

Features

The SoundLink Mini II has Bluetooth for wireless music streaming from smartphones, tablets, and laptops. It also has a 3.5mm aux input for wired connectivity. You can take calls through the built-in speakerphone and access voice assistants like Siri. Charging is done via an included wall charger or charging cradle.

New features like NFC pairing, multipoint Bluetooth, and waterproofing are absent. Battery life is rated at an average of 10 hours, decent but less than newer speakers.

What features does the Bose SoundLink Mini II have? The key features are Bluetooth streaming, speakerphone, voice assistant access, 3.5mm aux input, and a battery life of around 10 hours. It lacks NFC pairing, multipoint Bluetooth, and waterproofing.

Sound Performance

The SoundLink Mini II delivers stunning sound quality for its size. The bass is deep and punchy, with good control and no distortion, even at high volumes. The treble is crisp and airy. The vocals and midrange are clear and balanced. It sounds full and spacious, defying expectations for such a compact speaker. It retains audio fidelity at any volume level. There is no hiss at low volumes, making it great for quiet listening. The stereo separation is understandably limited due to the small size. But overall, the sound is far superior to most speakers in this price and size class.

How good is the sound quality of the Bose SoundLink Mini II? The sound quality is excellent, with powerful bass, crisp treble, and clear mids. It delivers a room-filling sound that belies its compact size. The audio remains clear and balanced even at high volumes.

Value

At $199, the SoundLink Mini II is reasonably priced for the category but expensive compared to newer models with more features. You are paying a premium for Bose’s audio engineering and performance. For pure sound quality, the extra cost is justified. But buyers who want modern conveniences may find better value elsewhere.

So, Is the Bose SoundLink Mini II worth the price?

For audio purists, the superb sound quality makes the SoundLink Mini II worthwhile despite its price premium. If you want the latest features, cheaper options with compromises in audio fidelity may be better.

The Build Quality

The Bose SoundLink Mini is attractive and well-built. Aluminium makes the speaker heavy, unlike other Bluetooth speakers. This stops it from being pushed off a table or desk, but it adds weight if you carry it while travelling. Though I heard it was Bose’s tiniest speaker, I was astonished by how little it was, especially given its quality, but we’ll get to that later. The speaker may be plugged straight in or positioned on the cradle to charge using the wall charger. The second choice is preferable if you often move the SoundLink Mini about the house. Leaving the speaker hooked into the power charger may be simpler if you always leave it at your desk.

When testing the SoundLink Mini, pairing and playing were always quick. My Moto X generally found the SoundLink Mini by entering the Bluetooth settings, but once it didn’t, clicking the Bluetooth button on top of the speaker did.

As an alternative to Bluetooth, the Bose features a 1/8″ auxiliary connector near the DC jack on the right side for direct device connection. SoundLink Mini includes a bottom USB port, which is unusual. I questioned why this was there, but it lets the firmware support new Bluetooth protocols and functionality with future updates. The Bose SoundLink Mini can only play music, podcasts, and other audio material, which is a small drawback. It cannot be used as a speakerphone. This only bothers some people, but you’ll have to search elsewhere if you need a phone.

Sound Quality

I said this previously, but the SoundLink Mini’s volume is impressive for its size. It’s unlikely you’ll bring this to a party with a DJ, but whether you’re listening to music with friends or alone, it’s hard to fathom wanting greater volume. And all this loudness doesn’t hurt the sound. I could crank the Bose to high volumes without sound distortion. The Bose SoundLink Mini excels at high frequencies. Highs were bright and clear, without the high-frequency roll-off of lesser Bluetooth speakers. A strong midrange was also evident. This is great for guitar-heavy rock or anything with a guitar or keyboard. Despite the volume, voices were clear.

The SoundLink Mini, like other Bose speakers, uses a huge chamber inside the shell to simulate massive sound. Although it sounds great, it can’t reproduce low frequencies as effectively as a bigger woofer or subwoofer. The Bose SoundLink Mini has great bass rumbling but could be more defined, so songs with a lot of low-end action will suffer. This is an issue with all speakers this compact, and the Bose SoundLink Mini outperforms most of its competitors, but it’s worth noting.

Note: The speaker’s modest size limits stereo dispersion unless you’re close. Stand far enough from even the largest speaker system to hear mono sound. The Bose SoundLink Mini is tiny, so standing even a few steps away reduces stereo effects. Again, every speaker of this sort has this, and this one is better than most of its competitors.

Should I Get One?

The Bose SoundLink Mini II stands out in the crowded Bluetooth speaker market thanks to its stellar audio. The iconic design, premium build, and surprising power also impress. The need for new features and high prices prevent it from being a universal recommendation. But overall, it remains one of the best compact wireless speakers available for audio-focused buyers.

FAQs

Is the Bose SoundLink Mini II waterproof?

No, the SoundLink Mini II is not waterproof or water-resistant. You’ll need to be careful not to expose it to moisture.

How long does the battery last on the SoundLink Mini II?

Bose claims up to 10 hours of battery life at moderate volume levels. High volumes may reduce battery life.

Can you use voice assistants like Siri on the SoundLink Mini II?

Yes, the built-in microphone allows you to access voice assistants like Siri when connected to a smartphone.

Does the Bose SoundLink Mini II have speakerphone capabilities?

You can take calls on the SoundLink Mini II thanks to its integrated microphone.

Can you pair multiple devices to the SoundLink Mini II?

The SoundLink Mini II lacks multipoint Bluetooth, so it can only be connected to one device at a time. You’ll need to switch between paired devices manually.