Bose SoundLink Max brings the boom (box) – whatever the weather
Durable portable speaker has a long-lasting battery
Outdoorsy types will want to find room in their rucksack for Bose’s latest bluetooth speaker. The SoundLink Max is the firm’s biggest portable yet, and is designed to take on the elements – without looking like it belongs on a building site.
It’s sort of a beefed up version of the SoundLink Flex, with similar styling and a silicone-wrapped steel chassis that can survive bumps and bashes. Bose promises no peeling, flaking or UV damage, whether you pick one up in Black or Blue Dusk colours. The whole thing is also IP67 weather resistant, so a bit of rain or dust isn’t going to force an early curfew on your tunes.
A removable rope handle gives you something substantial to grab onto, and Bose also has an optional matching shoulder strap, for a more modern take on the “boombox over the shoulder” look. There’ll be an optional bunch of different coloured handles to swap in, which sound perfect for colour-matching to a throwback 90s shell suit.
Naturally for a Bose speaker, the SoundLink Max doesn’t skimp on its audio chops. There are three transducer speakers inside, along with two passive bass radiators. Tuning and signal processing used in Bose’s soundbars promise a “full, natural sound”, and the smartphone companion app will let you adjust the EQ for more personalised listening.
There’s Snapdragon Sound with aptX Adaptive Bluetooth, along with a 3.5mm auxiliary input for wired playback. Ditched your wired gadgets a while back? No problem, the AUX button can be reassigned to launch Spotify Tap instead. It also has Google Fast Pair support for easy setup on an Android phone.
The built-in battery should be good for up to 20 hours of music playback. If you’d rather siphon some of that off to keep your other gadgets topped up, the USB-C port can turn the speaker into a portable power bank.
The SoundLink Max will go on sale in the US on May 16, directly from the Bose website, for $399. The UK will follow on June 4 for £399, with pre-orders opening on May 14.
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor 
