Skip the Bose SoundLink Micro. Start With the Flex
Buy the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen at $119 if you want one Bose speaker that handles most jobs. Step up to the SoundLink Max at $329 when you want room filling sound and you can carry about 5 pounds.
Skip the SoundLink Micro at $99. A speaker that small gives away the sound you are paying Bose for.
One thing catches longtime Bose owners off guard. None of the new SoundLink speakers Bose sells today does 360 degree sound.
What Bose actually sells right now
Bose lists seven Bluetooth speakers as of July 2026. Five carry the SoundLink name, and the other two are the Bose Portable Smart Speaker at $349 and the S1 Pro+ PA system at $699.
| Model | Price | Battery | Water and dust |
|---|---|---|---|
| SoundLink Micro 2nd Gen | $99 | 12 hours | IP67 |
| SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen | $119 | 12 hours | IP67 |
| SoundLink Home | $179 | 9 hours | None |
| SoundLink Plus | $199 | 20 hours | IP67 |
| SoundLink Max | $329 | 20 hours | IP67 |
| Start here | $119 | 12 hours | The Flex 2nd Gen |
Prices are Bose’s own as of July 31, 2026. The Micro, Flex, Plus, and Max are all on summer sale, with list prices $30 to $70 higher. The SoundLink Home sits at a flat $179.
Why longtime Bose owners cannot find the Revolve
The SoundLink Revolve and Revolve+ were the tall, narrow speakers that threw sound in every direction.
Bose does not list either one among its new Bluetooth speakers. Bose’s own support page for the original SoundLink Revolve shows it as sold from 2017 to 2021.
You can still buy the Revolve II and Revolve+ II as Bose Certified Refurbished, with the same one year warranty Bose puts on new speakers.
None of the five new SoundLink speakers Bose sells today claims 360 degree sound. Bose describes four of them as mono and the Max as stereo.
For 360 degree sound you have two doors left. The Bose Portable Smart Speaker at $349 is the only new one, and Bose lists it at 360 degree sound with about 12 hours of battery and an IPX4 splash rating.
The other door is buying a Revolve II or Revolve+ II Certified Refurbished, since both of those pages still describe 360 degree sound.
The bathroom problem nobody warns you about
The SoundLink Home looks like the natural replacement for a Revolve sitting on a bathroom counter. It is not built for that room.
Bose says plainly that the SoundLink Home is not waterproof or dustproof, and its own guidance is to avoid using it in the bathroom or around wet environments.
It also skips the Bose app and Bose SimpleSync, and it only pairs in stereo with a second SoundLink Home.
For a counter that gets steam and splashes, the Flex 2nd Gen at IP67 is the safer $119.
Kern’s take after owning three SoundLinks
Kern bought the basic SoundLink, the SoundLink Revolve, and the SoundLink Revolve+ during a roughly $3,000 run at every well reviewed portable speaker he could find in 2021.
His verdict on the plain SoundLink: it never had a full enough sound, even though it came in a lot of attractive colors.
The Revolve and Revolve+ earned their keep. The Revolve lives in his master bathroom and the Revolve+ in the beach house bathroom, both for showering and getting ready.
Around the house, Bose sounds really good to him. His wife prefers the tighter, crisper bass of the Bose and Sonos speakers over the bass heavy JBL Boombox 2 he loves.
If a Bose speaker you already own is acting up, start with why a Bose Bluetooth speaker keeps turning itself off.
Near water or on the boat, it is a JBL about 95 percent of the time. Bose earns its money indoors.
SoundLink Flex or SoundLink Max
Most people are choosing between these two. Here is the head to head.
| Feature | SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen | SoundLink Max |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $119 | $329 |
| Battery | 12 hours | 20 hours |
| Water and dust | IP67 | IP67 |
| Weight | About 1.3 lbs | About 4.9 lbs |
| Sound | Mono | Stereo |
| Calls | Built in microphone | No microphone |
| Carrying | Slips in a bag | Removable rope handle |
| Best for | One speaker for everything | Filling a room or a backyard |
The Flex is the one to buy first. It costs $119, survives being dropped in a pool, takes calls, and fits in a beach bag.
The Max is worth $329 when the speaker mostly lives in one room and you want it to fill that room.
Shopping the loud end across brands? Our guide to which JBL Boombox to buy covers the tailgate size class.
Where the SoundLink Plus fits
The SoundLink Plus at $199 is the long haul pick. It runs 20 hours on a charge and carries the same IP67 rating.
It has no microphone, so it will not take your calls.
Buy it when battery life is the thing you care about most and $199 sits inside your budget.
Who should buy the SoundLink Micro
The Micro at $99 is tiny, IP67 rated, and it straps to a bike or a backpack.
It has no microphone either, and $20 more buys the Flex.
Buy the Micro when the strap and the pocket size are the whole point. Anything else, spend the extra $20.
What Bose gives you if it goes wrong
Bose runs a 90 day return window on speakers bought directly from Bose, including Certified Refurbished.
Every powered Bose speaker carries a one year limited warranty covering mechanical breakdown and battery failure.
Buying anywhere else means returning it under that retailer’s policy instead.
Common questions about buying a Bose SoundLink
Is the Bose SoundLink Revolve discontinued?
Bose has not published the word discontinued. What Bose does show is that no Revolve model appears among its new Bluetooth speakers, the original SoundLink Revolve support page says sold from 2017 to 2021, and the Revolve II and Revolve+ II are available as Certified Refurbished.
Which Bose speaker still has 360 degree sound?
The Bose Portable Smart Speaker at $349 is the only current model Bose describes as 360 degree. It runs about 12 hours and carries an IPX4 splash rating, so it handles spray but not submersion.
Can I use a Bose SoundLink in the shower or by the pool?
The Micro, Flex, Plus, and Max are all IP67, which covers dust and full submersion in shallow water. The SoundLink Home has no water rating, and Bose says to keep it out of the bathroom.
Do two Bose SoundLink speakers pair together?
Stereo Mode works only between two identical speakers, so a Flex pairs with a Flex and a Max pairs with a Max. Party Mode links the Micro, Flex, Plus, and Max to play the same audio. The SoundLink Home stays out of both, pairing only with another SoundLink Home.
Is a Bose SoundLink better than a JBL for the beach?
Both carry IP67 on the current models, so both survive sand and water. Kern still grabs a JBL when he is heading for the water, and saves the Bose for indoors.