I don’t know about you, but for me, there’s something infinitely appealing about compact gadgets. I loved the iPhone Mini (RIP) and love (present-tense) the very much still-existent Samsung Galaxy Z Flip (not RIP). And don’t even get me started on tiny gaming handhelds like Panic’s Playdate. Seriously, take one look at that thing and tell me it’s not the cutest goddamn handheld you’ve ever seen. If I could, I’d pinch its Simpons-yellow cheeks.
But as much as I love compact gadgets, there’s something that loses me once portable Bluetooth speakers come into play. Maybe I’m just too much of an audio snob to fully enjoy a portability-focused speaker, but sometimes bigger is better in the audio space, and with speakers, that’s partly just a matter of physics. Bigger speakers move more air, which in turn equates to more bass, higher volume, and often, less distortion. Nevertheless, you’re not going to catch me walking around with a car-sized boombox any time soon, which means some level of compromise in the audio department is always inevitable.
But how much s appropriate at $129? Bose’s latest tiny Bluetooth speaker may have just answered my question.
Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd gen) Bose's tiny Bluetooth speaker has great sound and a much-improved battery life. 4.5 Pros Great sound for a portable speaker
Much-improved battery life
Upgraded strap
IP67 water and dust resistance Cons Not easy to stand up
Strap can feel a bit useless
Sound is good but limited at times
SoundLink Micr-oh, damn, this thing sounds pretty good
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