Short answer: the Tribit Stormbox Lava. It ranks #3 of 77 large speakers by sound quality at $100; the Bose SoundLink Max ranks #17 and costs $309.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the Bose SoundLink Max: it’s IP67 rated, rated for up to 20 hours of battery (with real-world testing finding 43+ hours), delivers deep, rich bass with neutral tuning and an app EQ, and its USB-C port doubles as a device charger with a sturdy carry handle. The catch: there’s a big peak in the upper bass, a dipped midrange with peaks and dips above it, and it distorts above 80% volume.
What the Tribit Stormbox Lava gets right: fantastic bass extension that goes deeper than the Soundcore Boom 2, and firmware 2.0.0 brought a big improvement in neutrality. Set against that: it’s quite heavy for its size, has some bass boost way down low, and some peaks in the treble and upper mids.
Buy the Tribit Stormbox Lava. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Bose SoundLink Max and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose SoundLink Max | Tribit Stormbox Lava | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $309.99 | $100 |
| Ranked | #17 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #3 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 33ms | 20ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 48Hz | 44Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | No | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 116ms | 128ms AAC, 144ms SBC |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Partially (1 tweeter) | Yes |
| Weight | 4.9 lbs / 2.2 kg | 5.2 lbs / 2.37 kg |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | AAC, SBC |
| EQ | No | Yes (10 band) |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.4 |
| Dimensions | 10.4" x 4.7" x 4.1" (264.7 x 120.1 x 104.9 mm) | 12.2" x 5.8" x 6" (310 x 147 x 152 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2.5" (63.5mm) midrange drivers + 1x 0.79" (20mm) tweeter | 2x 70mm woofers, 2x 30mm tweeters |
| Output Power | Specs not published by manufacturer | 80W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Max Volume | - | 108dB |
| Frequency Response | - | 43Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
The Two Speakers In Full
Bose SoundLink Max: $309.99 Amazon
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.
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 |
| Output Power | Specs not published by manufacturer |
| 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 |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose SoundLink Max & SoundCore Boom 2 - indoor soundtest
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose SoundLink Max & SoundCore Boom 2 - outdoor soundtest
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bose Max, the worlds most overpriced speaker? its a shocker!
- 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 😧
- 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.
- Reddit Search for Bose SoundLink Max Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose SoundLink Max vs Bose SoundLink Plus
- Bose SoundLink Max vs onn Portable FM Boombox
- Bose SoundLink Max vs Soundcore Boom 2
- Bose SoundLink Max vs Dockin D Fine+ 2
- Bose SoundLink Max vs Mee audio PartySPKR
- Bose SoundLink Max vs JBL Xtreme 5
- Bose SoundLink Max vs Sony ULT Field 5
- Bose SoundLink Max vs Ultimate Ears Epicboom
- See all 10 comparisons
Tribit Stormbox Lava: $100 Amazon Aliexpress
Pros: Fantastic bass extension. Goes deeper than the Boom 2 as seen in the linked video of sound samples. Firmware 2.0.0 is a big improvement in neutrality.
Cons: Quite heavy for the size. Some bass boost way down low. Treble and upper mids have some peaks.
Setup: Try out the Alan Ross EQ’s at this timestamp in his video There’s also a max bass EQ from Oluv and you can turn down the lowest slider for it to be more neutral
Full Tribit Stormbox Lava review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 20ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 128ms AAC, 144ms SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.2" x 5.8" x 6" (310 x 147 x 152 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 70mm woofers, 2x 30mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (10 band) |
| Frequency Response | 43Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 108dB |
| Output Power | 80W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 5.2 lbs / 2.37 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- JOY‘s 3D Audio Show: Tribit StormBox Lava vs SoundCore Boom 2 - sound quality demo
- Oluv Patreon: An evening with the “best portable speakers”?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Lava Latest Firmware Update Result! v2.0.3
- Alan Ross Reviews: From harsh to smooth with these EQ settings - Tribit StormBox Lava
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit StormBox Lava Just Got a MASSIVE Update… WOW! 🔥
- Alan Ross Reviews: Some people love the Tribit Stormbox Lava, highly professional review 😁
- Mateusz Cholewa: Tribit Stormbox Blast 🎶 🆚Deep BASS - Tribit Stormbox LAVA
- Mateusz Cholewa: TRIBIT StormBox LAVA vs EarFun UBOOM X
- Mateusz Cholewa: TRIBIT StormBox LAVA vs Soundcore BOOM 2
- Mateusz Cholewa: TRIBIT StormBox LAVA - Unboxing.📦 Short Test vs Xtreme 4
- Mateusz Cholewa: TRIBIT StormBox LAVA Deep BASS 🆚 JBL XTREME 4
- Oluv Patreon: Tribit Stormbox Lava - quick look
- Mateusz Cholewa: 👌TRIBIT StormBox LAVA Deep Bass 🆚 Bogasing S8 Pro MAX - HiFi?
- Reddit Search for Tribit Stormbox Lava Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs JBL Xtreme 5
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Brane X
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Minirig 4 with subwoofer
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Vifa Helsinki
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Soundcore Boom 2
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Marshall Stockwell 2
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Soundcore Rave Neo 2
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs onn Portable FM Boombox
- See all 16 comparisons