Bose SoundLink Plus Review: Big, Bold, and Bose

If you’re looking for a rugged Bluetooth speaker that can jam your favorite playlists all day long, indoors or outdoors—look no further than the Bose SoundLink Plus. While Bose didn’t break any new ground with this IP67 device, the speaker delivers great sound quality, a solid build, and several in-app customizations.

Price and Availability

The Bose SoundLink Plus sells for $270 and is available to purchase at retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, or directly through Bose’s site. There are also three colorways to choose from: Blue Dusk, Black, and Citrus Yellow (Bose only).

Smooth All Over

The SoundLink Plus is going to be a great option for anyone looking for a mid-sized Bluetooth speaker that isn’t going to break the bank. Hierarchically, the speaker is wedged between Bose’s smaller SoundLink Flex and larger SoundLink Max. At 9.1 inches wide, 3.94 inches tall, and 3.4 inches from front to back, I had no issue placing the speaker on my already-crowded work desk. I admire Bose’s craftsmanship with the SoundLink Plus; it looks and feels like a premium speaker. Weighing just over three pounds, it’s very easy to transport from A to B, too.

Soft silicone makes up most of the chassis, with a metallic grille covering the speaker drivers. I also appreciated the silicone bump out on the bottom, which helps the speaker grip the surface you put it on, as well as the side-mounted utility loop. You can actually use it to hold onto the speaker, though I much preferred gripping the SoundLink Plus from the top.

A row of recessed buttons adorns the top of the device, including power, Bluetooth, volume up, volume down, play/pause, and a customizable multifunction button. You’ll only find a single USB-C port on the speaker, but in addition to charging the speaker, you can also use it to charge other USB-C gear like phones and tablets.

As far as setup goes, simply turn your SoundLink Plus on and tap the Bluetooth button to put the speaker in pairing mode. You can also connect devices using the Bose app (for iPhone and Android).

Outside the speaker itself, other box contents should include a USB-C charging cable and a safety pamphlet. Speaking of safety, the SoundLink Plus is IP67 rated, which makes it a safe option for poolside tunes or jamming playlists on the beach.

Bold Sound

I really enjoyed the sound quality the SoundLink Plus delivered, and I was completely blown away at just how loud the speaker gets. Properly placed, I could totally see this Bose speaker filling most medium- to large-sized listening spaces with crisp-clear tunes. Using the “Standard” audio preset, the SoundLink Plus delivers a well-balanced, bass-friendly sound profile with some extra thump, bringing home that iconic Bose sound.

I also thought there was a good bit of treble articulation, giving singer-songwriter material and podcasts some extra shine. Tracks like Thrice’s Moving Mountains played through the SoundLink Plus made it sound like vocalist Dustin Kensrue was hanging out in my living room. The same goes for WTF with Marc Maron, where the Plus’s heightened low-end lent a bit more heft to Maron’s interviews.

I did have some complaints, though: First and foremost, this isn’t a 360-degree speaker, so once you start moving away from the Plus’s front-firing drivers, various audio details begin fading from the mix. It’s also a shame that the SoundLink Plus has to down-mix stereo content to mono, unless you have it linked up to another compatible Bose speaker.

And while the speaker is able to get plenty loud, songs played above the 70% volume threshold start sounding muddy. I noticed this the most with heavier rock tracks like Porcupine Tree’s Herd Culling, especially when the rip-roaring guitars I was expecting lacked the sonic punch I was used to.

Still, the Bose app offers several EQ customizations to help you hone in on the sound that works best for you. I also don’t want to sound like a Negative Nancy, because I’d still choose the SoundLink Plus’s default sound profile over most other Bluetooth speakers in the same price range.

Beastly Battery

According to the manufacturer, you can expect to get up to 20 hours of playback from the SoundLink Plus when it’s fully charged. That’s more than enough for a full day of outdoor adventures, especially if you’re not using the speaker every last second. It also has a programmable auto-off capability in case you forget to turn it off.

While I never recharged my test unit over the week or so I used the speaker, one thing to keep in mind is how long it takes to recharge from zero, should your Plus hit rock bottom: close to five hours.

As mentioned, the speaker’s USB-C port can be used to charge other devices, too, but keep in mind that the more battery you donate from your SoundLink Plus to your phone, the less overall battery your speaker will have to work with.

Using the Bose App

The Bose app is everything I like about a solid companion app: it’s packed with all the right features with minimal fat-trimming required. Once you’ve set up your SoundLink Plus, you’ll be able to select it from the home page, at which point you’ll be brought to the device dashboard. You’ll be able to get a quick readout on battery life and volume on this screen, with additional settings located at the bottom of the control center. One of these is even a three-band graphic EQ you can use to customize the sound of your Bose speaker!

You can also tap “Shortcut” to program one of two custom commands to your SoundLink’s shortcut button: Bose’s Speaker Link for pairing more than one speaker together, or a Spotify hotkey.

Should You Buy the Bose SoundLink Plus?

The Bose SoundLink Plus is one of the better Bluetooth speakers I’ve heard in a minute. Yes, it has its list of shortcomings, but it does all the most important things really well; namely, delivering a big, balanced sound with an undercurrent of Bose bass we’d all feel lost without.