Different classes, so treat this as a step-up-or-not question rather than a head-to-head. The Bose SoundLink Plus ranks #25 of 83 large speakers by sound quality at $269; the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker ranks #12 of 19 powered desktop speakers by sound quality at $299.
What the Bose SoundLink Plus does well: IP67 rated, IP67 water/dustproof. Watch for: Boosted thuddy bass, but not as deep as the SoundLink Flex and you should probably just buy one of those instead if you want a Bose.
The case for the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker: 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 Plus at $269 if you want a large speaker. Buy the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker at $299 if you want a powered desktop speaker instead.
If water resistance matters to you, the Bose SoundLink Plus 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 Plus | Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $269.00 | $299.00 each |
| Ranked | #25 of 83 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #12 of 19 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Bose) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | No Battery |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | AC power cord |
| TWS | Yes | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| EQ | No | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + up-firing driver level) |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | - |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.9” x 3.4” (231 x 99 x 86 mm) | 7.2” x 4.8” x 6.6” (184 x 121 x 167 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 1x 2.5” (63.5mm) woofer + 1x ~0.78” (20mm) tweeter + 4x passive radiators | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver |
| Digital Aux Input | No | - |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | - |
| 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 Plus: $269.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated, IP67 water/dustproof. Close to 20 hour battery life. Vibrant sound with booming bass, clean mids. Bluetooth 5.4 with good range. Premium tactile grille, smooth silicone. Quality build at $269.
Cons: Boosted thuddy bass, but not as deep as the SoundLink Flex and you should probably just buy one of those instead if you want a Bose.
Full Bose SoundLink Plus review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.9” x 3.4” (231 x 99 x 86 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 2.5” (63.5mm) woofer + 1x ~0.78” (20mm) tweeter + 4x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) |
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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 |
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