These sit in different size classes, so this is not a straight ranking comparison. The Bose SoundLink Max ranks #17 of 83 large speakers by sound quality at $399; the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker ranks #12 of 19 powered desktop speakers by sound quality at $299.
What the Bose SoundLink Max does well: IP67 rated - dustproof and waterproof to 1m. The catch: Big peak in the upper bass, dipped midrange and lots of peaks and dips above the midrange.
What the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker does well: Three drivers (a 3in woofer and 1in tweeter facing forward, plus a 1.5in driver firing upward) give it a noticeably taller sound than most compact home speakers. The catch: RTINGS lists sub-par directivity as its main weakness, and reviewers agree a single unit sounds narrow from side to side, so it works best as a stereo pair.
Buy the Bose SoundLink Max at $399 for a large speaker, or the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker at $299 for a powered desktop speaker instead.
If water resistance matters to you, the Bose SoundLink Max at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker at no water resistance.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings and Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose SoundLink Max | Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399.00 | $299.00 each |
| Ranked | #17 of 83 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #12 of 19 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Bose) |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 33ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 48Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | No Battery |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | None |
| Bluetooth Latency | 116ms | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | AC power cord |
| Stereo | Partially (1 tweeter) | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | - |
| Weight | 4.9 lbs (2.2 kg) | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| EQ | No | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + up-firing driver level) |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) |
| TWS | Yes | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | - |
| Dimensions | 10.4” x 4.7” x 4.1” (264.7 x 120.1 x 104.9 mm) | 7.2” x 4.8” x 6.6” (184 x 121 x 167 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 2x 2.5” (63.5mm) midrange drivers + 1x 0.79” (20mm) tweeter | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver |
| Digital Aux Input | No | - |
| Strap | No | - |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
| Inputs | - | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| XLR Input | - | No |
| RCA Input | - | No |
| TRS Input | - | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Optical Input | - | No |
| Coaxial Input | - | No |
| USB Input | - | No |
| HDMI Input | - | No |
| AES Input | - | No |
| Bluetooth | - | Yes, 5.3 |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Streaming Services | - | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 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 Max: $399.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated - dustproof and waterproof to 1m. Up to 20 hour battery; real-world testing found 43+ hours. Deep, rich bass with neutral tuning, app EQ. USB-C doubles as device charger. Sturdy carry handle. The aux input has lower latency (about 33ms) than most Bluetooth connections. Measured bass extension of 48Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Big peak in the upper bass, dipped midrange and lots of peaks and dips above the midrange. Bass not as deep as a Boom 2. Gets distorted above 80%. Self drains the battery about 20% a week.
Full Bose SoundLink Max review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 33ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 48Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 116ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 10.4” x 4.7” x 4.1” (264.7 x 120.1 x 104.9 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2.5” (63.5mm) midrange drivers + 1x 0.79” (20mm) tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Partially (1 tweeter) |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 4.9 lbs (2.2 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose SoundLink Max & SoundCore Boom 2 - indoor soundtest More from Oluv’Sone →
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose SoundLink Max & SoundCore Boom 2 - outdoor soundtest
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bose Max, the worlds most overpriced speaker? its a shocker! More from alanrossreviews →
- Oluv Patreon: Marshall Middleton II - first impressions
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Bose SoundLink Max vs. Ultimate Ears EpicBoom 🤑Big Bucks No Whammies? 💣 Let’s Find Out 😧 More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Bose SoundLink Max vs Tribit XSound Mega 😲 Can the Budget Priced Speaker Hang With the Big $ One?
- Scott’s Reviews: Bose SoundLink Max First Impressions, Unboxing, and Sound Test. More from ScottsReviews →
- Mateusz Cholewa: BOGASING S8 Pro Max 100W vs BOSE Soundlink MAX More from Mateusz Cholewa →
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Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker: $299.00 each Amazon eBay
Pros: Three drivers (a 3in woofer and 1in tweeter facing forward, plus a 1.5in driver firing upward) give it a noticeably taller sound than most compact home speakers. Stuff gave it the edge over the Sonos Era 100, and TechRadar called its tonal balance fairly neutral, with tight bass control and high detail. Alexa, including Alexa+, is built in, and RTINGS found its microphones picked up commands easily from across a noisy room. It streams over AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect and Bluetooth 5.3, keeps a 3.5mm aux input that the Era 100 lacks, and two units can be stereo paired or used as rear surrounds with the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar.
Cons: RTINGS lists sub-par directivity as its main weakness, and reviewers agree a single unit sounds narrow from side to side, so it works best as a stereo pair. Deep bass is limited: Engadget found the low end restrained and preferred the Denon Home 200’s sound, Stuff noted it can’t separate sub-bass from the bassline and that DSP pulls bass back at maximum volume, and TechRadar heard a slight toothiness in the treble that needed EQ to calm. The EQ is only bass, mid and treble with no automatic room calibration. Bose warns the aux and Bluetooth inputs add lip sync delay for TV use, it has no battery or IP rating, and both SoundGuys and Engadget needed several restarts to get stereo pairing working.
Full Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Bose) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 4.8” x 6.6” (184 x 121 x 167 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + up-firing driver level) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC power cord |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect |
| TRS Input | Yes (3.5mm) |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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