Short answer: the Minirig 4 with subwoofer. It ranks #5 of 78 large speakers by sound quality at $290; the Bose SoundLink Max ranks #17 and costs $399, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Bose SoundLink Max offers: 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. Watch for: 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.
What the Minirig 4 with subwoofer offers: Very balanced sound. Finally USB-C charging. Deeper, more impactful bass than the old Sub 3. Subwoofer pairs wirelessly and can be placed anywhere in the room for extra bass. Fine-grained tuning via the app - 5-band EQ plus separate bass/treble and subwoofer controls. Sounded more accurate than the JBL Xtreme 5 in a side-by-side comparison, and the whole 2.1 setup is smaller and lighter than it. Watch for: Not stereo, app is buggy. Not easy to carry on the go, no handle and there’s 2 pieces. Calls itself splash resistant but has no official water rating. A bit expensive. Has reliability issues more often than any other speaker. Default out-of-the-box tuning sounds off and needs a custom EQ to sound its best.
Buy the Minirig 4 with subwoofer. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Bose SoundLink Max and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
If battery life is a priority, the Minirig 4 with subwoofer is rated for 30 hours versus 20 hours for the Bose SoundLink Max.
There is a real gap in water resistance: the Bose SoundLink Max at IP67 (brief submersion) against the Minirig 4 with subwoofer, which has Splash resistant (splashing).
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose SoundLink Max | Minirig 4 with subwoofer | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399.00 | $290 |
| Ranked | #17 of 78 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #5 of 78 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 33ms | 0ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 48Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 | Splash resistant |
| Bluetooth Latency | 116ms | 60ms |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Partially (1 tweeter) | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Pointing up |
| Weight | 4.9 lbs (2.2 kg) | 3.2 lbs (1.44 kg) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| EQ | No | Yes |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes (Bluetooth or cable) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 10.4" x 4.7" x 4.1" (264.7 x 120.1 x 104.9 mm) | 4" x 2.9" (101.6 x 73 mm) (diameter x height) |
| Drivers | 2x 2.5" (63.5mm) midrange drivers + 1x 0.79" (20mm) tweeter | 70mm custom driver |
| Amplifier Power | Specs not published by manufacturer | 50W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 60Hz - 18kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Minirig 4 with subwoofer:
- Minirig 4 with subwoofer vs Vifa Helsinki
- JBL Xtreme 5 vs Minirig 4 with subwoofer
- Minirig 4 with subwoofer vs Tribit Stormbox Lava
- Brane X vs Minirig 4 with subwoofer
- Minirig 3 with subwoofer vs Minirig 4 with subwoofer
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
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. 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 →
| Amplifier Power | Specs not published by manufacturer |
|---|---|
| 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) |
| 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 →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- Bose SoundLink Max vs JBL Xtreme 3
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- Bose SoundLink Max vs Soundcore Select Pro
- Bose SoundLink Max vs Soundcore Rave Neo 2
- Bose SoundLink Max vs Soundcore Motion Boom
- Bose SoundLink Max vs Harman Kardon Citation 200
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Minirig 4 with subwoofer: $290 Minirigs eBay
Pros: Very balanced sound. Finally USB-C charging. Deeper, more impactful bass than the old Sub 3. Subwoofer pairs wirelessly and can be placed anywhere in the room for extra bass. Fine-grained tuning via the app - 5-band EQ plus separate bass/treble and subwoofer controls. Sounded more accurate than the JBL Xtreme 5 in a side-by-side comparison, and the whole 2.1 setup is smaller and lighter than it.
Cons: Not stereo, app is buggy. Not easy to carry on the go, no handle and there’s 2 pieces. Calls itself splash resistant but has no official water rating. A bit expensive. Has reliability issues more often than any other speaker. Default out-of-the-box tuning sounds off and needs a custom EQ to sound its best.
Full Minirig 4 with subwoofer review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 50W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 0ms |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 60ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4" x 2.9" (101.6 x 73 mm) (diameter x height) |
| Drivers | 70mm custom driver |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 18kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | Splash resistant |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes (Bluetooth or cable) |
| Weight | 3.2 lbs (1.44 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Minirigs 4 with Sub 4 vs JBL Xtreme 5 - 1st impressions More from Oluv’Sone →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Minirig 2.1 or the Brane X or the Harman Kardon Go Play 3? More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Game changer! Minirig wireless portable subwoofer mk4 goes boom!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Minirig 4 vs Minirig 3, stuff they tell you, stuff they don’t! 😂
- Beautiful Zar DJ: MINIRIG 4 Vs MINIRIG 3 (50-100%Volume Audio Test)
- Alan Ross Reviews: A true story: Minirigs 4 with Sub 4 vs JBL Xtreme 5 - 1st impressions
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Minirig 4 with subwoofer vs Brane X
- Minirig 4 with subwoofer vs Minirig 3 with subwoofer
- Minirig 4 with subwoofer vs Tribit Stormbox Lava
- Minirig 4 with subwoofer vs Minirig 2 with subwoofer
- Minirig 4 with subwoofer vs JBL Xtreme 5
- Minirig 4 with subwoofer vs Vifa Helsinki
- Minirig 4 with subwoofer vs Soundcore Boom 2
- Minirig 4 with subwoofer vs Marshall Stockwell 2
- See all 36 comparisons