Short answer: the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen. It ranks #33 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $159; the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 ranks #120 and costs $200, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
What the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen offers: Pretty much identical sounding to the 1st gen Watch for: Not stereo. Warm sounding with overly boosted bass which drowns out midrange detail. Self drains the battery about 10% a week.
What the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 offers: Doubles as a conferencing speakerphone with a 4-mic array and noise/echo cancellation. Flat, compact design packs easily. USB charge-out for topping off a phone. Watch for: Bass is weak, vocal and instrument separation is underwhelming and sounds tinny at high volume
Buy the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Harman Kardon Esquire 2. It ranks near the bottom of the 136 medium speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
There is a real gap in water resistance: the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen at IP67 (brief submersion) against the Harman Kardon Esquire 2, which has IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen | Harman Kardon Esquire 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $159.00 | $200 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #33 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #120 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | - |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX4 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 586 g | 0.8 lbs / 0.35 kg |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.1 |
| Dimensions | 7.9" x 3.5" x 2" (201 x 90 x 52 mm) | 7.5" x 5.1" x 1.3" (190 x 130 x 34 mm) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Drivers | 60mm full-range driver with passive radiators | 4x 1.25" (32mm) full-range drivers |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Power Bank | - | Yes (USB-A) |
| Output Power | - | 16W |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- Harman Kardon Luna vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- Bose Soundlink Flex vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II
- Harman Kardon Luna vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs JBL Charge 6
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen: $159.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Pretty much identical sounding to the 1st gen
Cons: Not stereo. Warm sounding with overly boosted bass which drowns out midrange detail. Self drains the battery about 10% a week.
Full Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.9" x 3.5" x 2" (201 x 90 x 52 mm) |
| Drivers | 60mm full-range driver with passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 586 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Flex More from Oluv’Sone →
- Oluv Patreon: Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen - sound demo
- Tô Thái Trí Hùng: Unbox & Sound Test - Bose Soundlink Flex 2
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen & Soundcore Motion 300 sound test
- Alan Ross: Hall of Fame classic vs latest Bose tech! More from alanrossreviews →
- CEONTHEMAKING: Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd Gen VS Marshall Emberton III - What’s NEW??
- Alan Ross - The Anti Shill!: Small speaker, mighty sound, The Flex gen 2 shatters physics!
- Reddit Search for Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs JBL Charge Essential 2
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Teufel Rockster XS
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Soundcore Motion 100
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs JBL Charge 5
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Tribit Stormbox Pro
- See all 82 comparisons
Harman Kardon Esquire 2: $200 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Doubles as a conferencing speakerphone with a 4-mic array and noise/echo cancellation. Flat, compact design packs easily. USB charge-out for topping off a phone.
Cons: Bass is weak, vocal and instrument separation is underwhelming and sounds tinny at high volume. Discontinued.
Full Harman Kardon Esquire 2 review and specifications →
| Aux Input | Yes |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.5" x 5.1" x 1.3" (190 x 130 x 34 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 4x 1.25" (32mm) full-range drivers |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 16W |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs / 0.35 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs LG Xboom XG5
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Ultimate Ears Roll 2
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs LG Xboom Go PL5
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Sony SRS-XE200
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini+
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs W-King D8 Mini
- See all 71 comparisons