Short answer: the Bose Soundlink Mini 2 for better sound quality, the Ultimate Ears Roll 2 for the lower price. The Bose Soundlink Mini 2 ranks #55 of 136 medium speakers at $184. The Ultimate Ears Roll 2 ranks #125 at $100, $84 cheaper.
What the Bose Soundlink Mini 2 offers: Compact aluminum build feels sturdy and dense. ~10 hour battery life; can pair to two devices at once and remembers up to 8. Watch for: Boosted upper bass like most Bose speakers. Upper treble rolled off. Bass is 2db less boosted than the Mini. Bass doesn’t go as deep as others. Failures of the mainboard are common.
What the Ultimate Ears Roll 2 offers: Thin, flat profile fits easily in a bag or purse; light at 0.73 lb. Built-in bungee cord for hanging from a hook, nail, or door handle. Life-resistant waterproof/dustproof shell. Watch for: Not stereo. Barely any bass, rolled off treble off axis
Buy the Bose Soundlink Mini 2 if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Ultimate Ears Roll 2 if the price is the priority over sound quality.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Ultimate Ears Roll 2. It ranks near the bottom of the 136 medium speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Water resistance is not close: the Ultimate Ears Roll 2 is rated at IPX7 (brief submersion), well ahead of the Bose Soundlink Mini 2 at no water resistance.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Soundlink Mini 2 | Ultimate Ears Roll 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $184.00 Discontinued | $100 |
| Ranked | #55 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #125 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 9 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None | IPX7 |
| Stereo | Yes | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs / 680 g | 0.7 lbs / 330 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 4.0 |
| Drivers | 2x 33mm fullrange | 1x 2" full-range + 2x 0.75" tweeters |
| Dimensions | 7.1" x 2" x 2.3" (180 x 51 x 58 mm) | 5.9" x 5.3" x 1.6" (149.5 x 135 x 40 mm) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Power Input | Proprietary connector | Micro USB |
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) | Yes (UE Roll app) |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| TWS | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Bose Soundlink Mini
- Bose Soundlink Mini vs Marshall Emberton II
- Bose Soundlink Mini vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- Bose Soundlink Mini 2 vs Sony XB23
- Bose Soundlink Mini 2 vs JBL Grip
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.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Bose Soundlink Mini 2: $184.00 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Pros: Compact aluminum build feels sturdy and dense. ~10 hour battery life; can pair to two devices at once and remembers up to 8.
Cons: Boosted upper bass like most Bose speakers. Upper treble rolled off. Bass is 2db less boosted than the Mini. Bass doesn’t go as deep as others. Failures of the mainboard are common. Discontinued.
Full Bose Soundlink Mini 2 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.1" x 2" x 2.3" (180 x 51 x 58 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 33mm fullrange |
| IP Rating | None |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | Proprietary connector |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs / 680 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross: Hall of Fame classic vs latest Bose tech! More from alanrossreviews →
- Patricio Benadon: Bose SoundLink Flex vs. Mini 2 SE. Music audio quality sound test. Listen 4 different genres!
- techkiste.net: Bose Soundlink Mini 2 vs the world ;) (Denon Envaya DSB250, Vifa Reykjavik, iRoar Go)
- Reddit Search for Bose Soundlink Mini 2 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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Ultimate Ears Roll 2: $100 eBay
Pros: Thin, flat profile fits easily in a bag or purse; light at 0.73 lb. Built-in bungee cord for hanging from a hook, nail, or door handle. Life-resistant waterproof/dustproof shell.
Cons: Not stereo. Barely any bass, rolled off treble off axis
Full Ultimate Ears Roll 2 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (UE Roll app) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 9 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.0 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 5.9" x 5.3" x 1.6" (149.5 x 135 x 40 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 2" full-range + 2x 0.75" tweeters |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs / 330 g |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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