Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker - The joy of six

The Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker is a compact stereo loudspeaker that can connect wirelessly via Bluetooth technology to your smartphone, iPad, tablet or other Bluetooth device. It has been designed to offer both complete portability and performance.

Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker

The two front-facing 1.25in drivers are specifically designed transducers that, according to the manufacturer, are able to move twice as much air as traditional transducers in order to deliver a more powerful sound. The SoundLink Mini incorporates dual 3in-wide passive bass radiators to enhance bass quality, which face in opposite directions to minimize unwanted vibrations.

The Mini is 180mm from the top left edge to the top right edge, 58mm deep and 50mm high. However, the tapering to the bottom makes it look smaller than these numbers suggest. This very solidly made unit weighs just over 0.65Kg. It has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that delivers up to seven hours of playtime. There’s a single-piece aluminum casing that is attractive and durable, with soft covers also available separately in blue, green or orange.

One great feature is a separate charging cradle that powers the unit as well as the battery when at home. An empty battery will usually fully recharge in about three hours.

The joy of six

The Bluetooth has a range of about 9m and remembers the most recent six devices that have been paired with it. Connecting the unit to your source device is very straightforward and the instructions state that you should enter ‘0000’ if prompted to do so as a passcode. The speaker features power and volume buttons on the top face and all other functions are controlled from your source device.

In addition to the Bluetooth connectivity, the Mini has an auxiliary input to allow connection of other non-Bluetooth devices. It also has a USB port to allow firmware updates. The design of the Mini is clearly focused on creating a quality audio device, rather than turning a mobile phone into a speakerphone. The Mini does not include a microphone, so this speaker is not for making calls – as many are.

A set of printed multilingual instructions are included with the Mini and a full owner’s guide is available for download as a PDF from the Bose website.

The Mini is 180mm from the top left edge to the top right edge, 58mm deep and 50mm high

Time for a listen! As the instructions suggest, I turn up the sound on my smartphone to near maximum and use the controls on the top of the Mini to set the volume. I hit the play button on the phone’s music player and I am completely blown away by the sound. Is all that really coming from such a tiny unit? Indeed it is – I am listening to Torelli’s Concerto for Four Violins played by Musica Antiqua Koln and it comes through as a rich and full performance that is both exciting and involving. The sound stage is expansive and extends well beyond the confines of the Mini – impressive stuff! There is ample volume available from the speaker to comfortably fill a room with sound and, given the small footprint, it is not going to take up too much space on your desktop.

Changing tempo to some jazz shows off the versatility of the Mini. The sound is rhythmically engaging and even entices other members of my household to investigate and see where the sound is coming from!

Of course, a speaker system like this is never going to challenge a dedicated hi-fi system in terms of treble response or midrange detail, but considering its small size, the overall sound quality is impressive at the price.

The Bluetooth has a range of about 9m and remembers the most recent six devices that have been paired with it

The top end is clean, triangles ring out with great clarity and the unit delivers an almost unbelievably clear and extended bass at all volume levels. Mid-range is a little recessed and vocals can sound indistinct, but these are relatively minor shortcomings when you consider that this is a powered speaker costing less than $300, not a separates-based audio system!

Sound as a pound

The SoundLink Mini is a versatile Bluetooth speaker that is portable and will also be very much at home as a more permanent fixture on a desk or shelf. It has the benefit of being able to connect easily to any Bluetooth audio device or a wired connection via the 3.5mm jack socket. Above all, the sound quality is superb for such a small unit and the Bose SoundLink Mini is a real winner at the price. If you’re in the market for a Bluetooth speaker, this one deserves an audition.

Details

·         Price: $273.48

·         Website: www.bose.com

·         Our verdict: 5/5

Specifications