Short answer: the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. It ranks #78 of 164 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.4/5, at $399. The KEF Muo gen2 ranks #94, rated 3.1/5, at $249.99, $149.01 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
What the Bose Portable Smart Speaker does well: Both Alexa and Google Assistant are built in, and RTINGS rates its microphones as excellent at hearing commands from far away or in a noisy room. Watch for: RTINGS found the out of the box tuning boomy and says it doesn’t get very loud; the app’s bass and treble sliders help, and SoundGuys recommended cutting bass by 10 to 20 steps to balance it.
The KEF Muo gen2 is the longer-running, lighter choice. KEF seemed to have fixed the rolled off treble and overall balance. It is rated for 24 hours of battery against 12 for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. At 1.6 lbs (740 g) it weighs noticeably less than the Bose Portable Smart Speaker at 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg). It is rated IP67 against IPX4 for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. The tradeoff: Lacking deeper bass.
Buy the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $149.01 you would save on the KEF Muo gen2 does not close the gap.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Portable Smart Speaker | KEF Muo gen2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399.00 | $249.99 |
| Ranked | #78 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #94 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IP67 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | No |
| Weight | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) | 1.6 lbs (740 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.4 |
| Dimensions | 7.6” x 4.7” x 4.1” (192 x 119 x 104 mm) (H x W x D) | 8.5” x 3.2” x 2.3” (216 x 82 x 59 mm) |
| App | Yes (Bose Music) | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field mic array, mic mute button) | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, aptX Adaptive up to 48 kHz 24 bit |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) | Yes |
| Drivers | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators | 1x 58x117mm racetrack woofer, 1x 20mm tweeter |
| Digital Aux Input | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | - |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Music multi-room, SimpleSync, AirPlay 2) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Strap | No | - |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn | - |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Frequency Response | - | 43Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | - | 40W |
| Maximum SPL | - | 90dB (Manufacturer specified) |
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Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 PM 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
Bose Portable Smart Speaker: $399.00 Bose eBay
Pros: Both Alexa and Google Assistant are built in, and RTINGS rates its microphones as excellent at hearing commands from far away or in a noisy room. It works as a Wi-Fi speaker at home (AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect) and as a Bluetooth speaker away from Wi-Fi, weighs about 1 kg with a carry handle, and is IPX4 splash resistant. SoundGuys measured 13 hours 6 minutes of playback at 75 dB, beating Bose’s 12 hour claim, and found the bass impressive for its size, especially near a wall or corner. Its 360 degree design spreads sound evenly around a room.
Cons: RTINGS found the out of the box tuning boomy and says it doesn’t get very loud; the app’s bass and treble sliders help, and SoundGuys recommended cutting bass by 10 to 20 steps to balance it. Pushed to full volume, Tom’s Guide heard unbalanced sound and Pocket-lint found the bass struggling and turning incoherent. RTINGS measured only about 5 hours of battery in its own test. It is mono, has no aux input (the USB-C port only charges), uses Bluetooth 4.2, and the Bose Music app supports a limited list of streaming services. IPX4 covers splashes only, not submersion or dust.
Full Bose Portable Smart Speaker review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Bose Music) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field mic array, mic mute button) |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.6” x 4.7” x 4.1” (192 x 119 x 104 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Music multi-room, SimpleSync, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant |
| Weight | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
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KEF Muo gen2: $249.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: KEF seemed to have fixed the rolled off treble and overall balance
Cons: Lacking deeper bass. Very thuddy bass. Appears to be the exact same hardware but with updated tuning. Bass distorts as volume increases, and the claimed 43Hz extension is really only audible at low listening volumes, with a few seconds of lag after volume changes. Loses most of its bass off-axis. Customer reviews are mixed, ranging from praise for detail at low volume to complaints of a boxy, hollow sound.
Full KEF Muo gen2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX Adaptive up to 48 kHz 24 bit |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 8.5” x 3.2” x 2.3” (216 x 82 x 59 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 58x117mm racetrack woofer, 1x 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 43Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 90dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.6 lbs (740 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons