The B&O Beosound Explore is the more weather-ready travel speaker, while the Bose SoundLink Color II is a cheaper, discontinued casual-use option. B&O supplies IP67 protection, a strap, and a carabiner, but it gives up bass extension and its treble can turn hot. Bose’s comfortable rubber shell remains practical, though boosted bass is its own tonal tradeoff. Worth knowing: the Bose SoundLink Color II is discontinued, though it still ranks #101 of 142 medium speakers by sound quality, so a used unit beats most of what is still sold new.
What the B&O Beosound Explore gets right: IP67 rated with a rugged ‘seatbelt’ strap and carabiner hook. The tradeoff: Huge lack of bass extension compared to competitors, overly hot ringing treble.
What the Bose SoundLink Color II offers: Soft-touch rubber coating is comfortable to hold and tough enough for bumps and scrapes. Set against that: Boosted bass on Color II.
Worth knowing: the Bose SoundLink Color II is discontinued, though it still ranks #101 of 142 medium speakers by sound quality, so a used unit beats most of what is still sold new.
Buy the B&O Beosound Explore if rugged IP67 portability and a clip-on design are your priorities.
Buy the Bose SoundLink Color II if you find one at the right price and prefer its simple, compact form.
The B&O Beosound Explore is not a sound-quality pick. It sits near the bottom of the 142 medium speakers; there are better options higher up.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the B&O Beosound Explore is rated for 27 hours, the Bose SoundLink Color II only 8 hours.
There is a real gap in water resistance: the B&O Beosound Explore at IP67 (brief submersion) against the Bose SoundLink Color II, which has IPX4 (splashing).
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| B&O Beosound Explore | Bose SoundLink Color II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299.00 | $109.00 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #112 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #101 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~70Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 27 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX4 |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs (631 g) | 1.3 lbs (600 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 4.2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Dimensions | 3.2" x 4.9" x 3.2" (81 x 124 x 81 mm) | 5.2" x 5" x 2.2" (132 x 127 x 56 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.8" (46mm) full-range drivers | 2x 40mm full-range drivers |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 60W | - |
| Maximum SPL | 91dB (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| App | - | Yes (Bose Connect) |
| EQ | - | No |
| Aux Input | - | No |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Bose SoundLink Color II compares with other leading options:
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Soundcore Motion+ vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- JBL Charge 6 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- JBL Flip 6 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
Prices on this page were last checked September 16, 2026 at 12:41 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
B&O Beosound Explore: $299.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated with a rugged ‘seatbelt’ strap and carabiner hook. Real-world battery life around 20-24 hours. Distinctive anodized-aluminum design. Measured bass extension of ~70Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Huge lack of bass extension compared to competitors, overly hot ringing treble. Colored midrange. Just not great sounding overall.
Full B&O Beosound Explore review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 60W |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~70Hz |
| Battery Life | 27 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 3.2" x 4.9" x 3.2" (81 x 124 x 81 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.8" (46mm) full-range drivers |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 91dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs (631 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- B&O Beosound Explore vs Tribit Stormbox Mini+
- B&O Beosound Explore vs Sony SRS-XE200
- B&O Beosound Explore vs Soundcore Flare 2
- B&O Beosound Explore vs Doss E-Go II
- B&O Beosound Explore vs Sony SRS-XB30
- B&O Beosound Explore vs LG Xboom Go PL5
- B&O Beosound Explore vs Teufel Rockster Go
- B&O Beosound Explore vs LG Xboom XG5
- See all 18 comparisons
Bose SoundLink Color II: $109.00 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Pros: Soft-touch rubber coating is comfortable to hold and tough enough for bumps and scrapes. IPX4 splashproof. Supports multipoint pairing to two devices at once.
Cons: Boosted bass on Color II. Not as deep of bass as other models. Lacking midrange detail. Rolled off treble. Discontinued.
Full Bose SoundLink Color II review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 5.2" x 5" x 2.2" (132 x 127 x 56 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm full-range drivers |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (600 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Marshall Emberton III
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Marshall Emberton II
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Yamaha True X Speaker 1A
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Cabasse Swell
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Tribit Stormbox
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Sony SRS-XE300
- See all 74 comparisons