The Bose SoundLink Plus Is $50 Off Right Now

A price drop is always more noticeable when the product in question already has a reputation for being above its size, and this is the case with the Bose SoundLink Plus. It hasn’t been on the market long, but it’s already gotten some pretty good reviews – CNET even labeled it “”the goldilocks of Bose Bluetooth speakers.“And right now it’s down to $219 from $269, which price trackers the show is the lowest it has ever been.

Bose positions it right in the middle of the SoundLink range and you feel that balance in the way it’s built. It’s compact enough to attach to a backpack with its built-in nylon strap, and durable enough to withstand impact, and waterproof against dust and total water immersion with an IP67 rating. Battery life is up to 20 hours, depending on volume, which is enough for full-day rides. However, the recharge time of around five hours means it’s best to charge it overnight rather than relying on a quick boost. Connectivity-wise, there’s Bluetooth 5.4 with AAC and AptX Adaptive support, as well as the ability to keep two devices paired for smoother switching. What you don’t get is a microphone, aux port, or other voice assistant support, which can be important if you prefer wired options or use speakers for calls.

The sound profile of this Bluetooth speaker leans into the mids and highs, giving electronic and pop tracks a lively pulse without making everything muddy. It doesn’t reach true low-end bass territory, so anyone who wants punchy sub-bass might not get it here, but the punch it delivers seems clean for its size, notes this PCMag review. Vocals lag a little behind the beat in denser tracks as the mids pull back slightly, although you can adjust this with the app’s EQ tools. It’s also worth knowing that the speaker plays everything in mono, so you lose the space and width you’d hear in a stereo mix, but its directivity is good: you don’t need to stand directly in front of it to hear things clearly. That said, at higher volumes there is some compression, which is common in speakers of this size.