Short answer: the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen. It ranks #35 of 150 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $159; the Huawei Sound Joy 2 ranks #60, rated 3.5/5, at $154.73. Close enough in price that the sound-quality gap is the deciding factor.
What the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen does well: A very portable 586g, IP67-rated speaker with a clear, well-balanced midrange that keeps voices and instruments intelligible. Watch for: One Flex remains mono and cannot deliver genuine low-bass rumble; RTINGS also found the elevated treble can turn hi-hats and other high-frequency detail piercing.
Why pick the Huawei Sound Joy 2: A 20W 50mm x 75mm racetrack full range driver and a 10W 19mm tweeter with two passive radiators. The catch: In side by side sound tests against the Harman Kardon Luna, Tribit XSound Plus 2 and Xiaomi Sound Outdoor, most listeners preferred the other speakers, finding the Sound Joy 2 treble heavy and strained, with audible distortion as the volume rises.
Buy the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $4.27 saving on the Huawei Sound Joy 2 is not enough to make up the difference.
Battery life favors the Huawei Sound Joy 2: rated for 26 hours against 12 hours for the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen | Huawei Sound Joy 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $159.00 | $154.73 |
| Ranked | #35 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #60 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Huawei AI Life |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 26 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | - |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | - |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (586 g) | 1.5 lbs (700 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 7.9” x 3.5” x 2” (201 x 90 x 52 mm) | 8”H x 2.9”W (202 x 73 mm) |
| Aux Input | No | - |
| Drivers | 60mm full-range driver with passive radiators | 50mm x 75mm racetrack full range, 19mm tweeter, 2x passive radiators |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive | SBC, AAC |
| Digital Aux Input | No | - |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | - |
| Amplifier Power | - | 30W (20W full range, 10W tweeter) |
| Lights | - | Yes |
| NFC | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen compares with other leading options:
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Earfun Uboom L
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Soundcore Motion 300
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Soundcore Motion+
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Minirig 4
Prices on this page were last checked September 29, 2026 at 3:43 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 Soundlink Flex 2nd gen: $159.00 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Bose Soundlink Flex (ranked lower, rated 3.8/5).
Pros: A very portable 586g, IP67-rated speaker with a clear, well-balanced midrange that keeps voices and instruments intelligible. The second generation adds a Bose app with 3-band EQ, better-placed controls and stereo pairing with another Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen. It supports AAC and aptX Adaptive in addition to SBC, making it a stronger wireless option than most small rivals.
Cons: One Flex remains mono and cannot deliver genuine low-bass rumble; RTINGS also found the elevated treble can turn hi-hats and other high-frequency detail piercing. The claimed battery life is only 12 hours, and some owners report accelerated standby drain after firmware updates. It is expensive for its size, so the added app and codec support, not a transformational sound upgrade over the original, are the main reasons to choose it.
Full Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| 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 |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| 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?? More from CEONTHEMAKING →
- Alan Ross - The Anti Shill!: Small speaker, mighty sound, The Flex gen 2 shatters physics!
- 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 Huawei Sound Joy
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Cleer Audio Scene
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- See all 123 comparisons
Huawei Sound Joy 2: $154.73 AliExpress eBay
Older model: the Huawei Sound Joy (ranked higher, rated 3.8/5).
Pros: A 20W 50mm x 75mm racetrack full range driver and a 10W 19mm tweeter with two passive radiators. In side by side sound tests listeners found its vocals clearer than the Xiaomi Sound Party’s, though with less bass. The 8800mAh battery is rated for 26 hours and fast charges over USB-C. IP67 dust and water protection, Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC, NFC tap to pair, stereo pairing with a second unit, an LED light ring, and three microphones for calls.
Cons: In side by side sound tests against the Harman Kardon Luna, Tribit XSound Plus 2 and Xiaomi Sound Outdoor, most listeners preferred the other speakers, finding the Sound Joy 2 treble heavy and strained, with audible distortion as the volume rises. The reviewer behind those comparisons also found it less smooth than the first Sound Joy. Nothing so far shows how neutral its tuning is: the evidence is listening comparisons, not measurements. A single unit plays mono, and it isn’t sold on Amazon in the US, so buying one means importing.
Full Huawei Sound Joy 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 30W (20W full range, 10W tweeter) |
|---|---|
| App | Huawei AI Life |
| Battery Life | 26 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Dimensions | 8”H x 2.9”W (202 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 50mm x 75mm racetrack full range, 19mm tweeter, 2x passive radiators |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Lights | Yes |
| NFC | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (700 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Storytripper HD: Huawei Sound Joy 2 vs JBL Flip 6 vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor More from storytripperhd →
- Storytripper HD: Huawei Sound Joy 2 vs Tribit XSound Plus 2 vs Harman Kardon Luna
- Storytripper HD: Huawei Sound Joy 2 vs Xiaomi Sound Party
- Storytripper HD: Huawei Soundjoy 2 vs Edifier ES60 vs Sony ULT Field 1
- Head-to-Head Comparisons