Short answer: the Brane X for better sound quality, the Bose SoundLink Plus for the lower price. The Brane X ranks #4 of 78 large speakers at $500. The Bose SoundLink Plus ranks #22 at $269, $231 cheaper.
What the Bose SoundLink Plus offers: 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. 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.
What the Brane X offers: The Brane X pairs a dedicated RAD subwoofer with two midrange drivers and two tweeters to achieve extraordinary low bass for a 3.5kg portable: its measured -10dB extension is 31Hz. Independent testing finds it loud, with well-balanced mids, a smooth treble balance and useful bass-level controls; Wi-Fi, AirPlay, Alexa, quality Bluetooth codecs and low-latency aux pass-through make it unusually versatile. Watch for: The front-facing design has only moderate dispersion, so sound changes noticeably off to the sides or behind it. Bass response shifts at maximum volume, the default aux mode has very high latency, and some listeners find the upper register edgy or need EQ to achieve their preferred balance. Its claimed 12-hour runtime and premium cost make it more of a compact high-end system than a carefree all-day speaker.
Buy the Bose SoundLink Plus if the price is the priority over sound quality, or the Brane X if sound quality is the priority over the price.
If battery life is a priority, the Bose SoundLink Plus is rated for 20 hours versus 12 hours for the Brane X.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose SoundLink Plus | Brane X | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $269.00 | $500 |
| Ranked | #22 of 78 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #4 of 78 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP57 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | Yes (Brane app, up to 8 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | AC Power brick |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) | 7.7 lbs (3.5 kg) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | aptX HD, aptX, AAC, SBC |
| EQ | No | No |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | - |
| Dimensions | 9.1" x 3.9" x 3.4" (231 x 99 x 86 mm) | 9.3" x 7" x 6.1" (236 x 178 x 155 mm) |
| Amplifier Power | Specs not published by manufacturer | 200W |
| Drivers | 1x 2.5" (63.5mm) woofer + 1x ~0.78" (20mm) tweeter + 4x passive radiators | 2x 2.5" midrange, 2x 0.75" tweeters + 6.5"x9" subwoofer |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Aux Latency | - | 295ms default, 33ms with aux pass-through |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 31Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 100ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 106dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
| Frequency Response | - | 30Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Brane X compares with other leading options:
- Brane X vs Vifa Helsinki
- Brane X vs JBL Xtreme 5
- Brane X vs Tribit Stormbox Lava
- Brane X vs Minirig 4 with subwoofer
- Brane X vs Minirig 3 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 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 →
| Amplifier Power | Specs not published by manufacturer |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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Brane X: $500 Amazon eBay
Pros: The Brane X pairs a dedicated RAD subwoofer with two midrange drivers and two tweeters to achieve extraordinary low bass for a 3.5kg portable: its measured -10dB extension is 31Hz. Independent testing finds it loud, with well-balanced mids, a smooth treble balance and useful bass-level controls; Wi-Fi, AirPlay, Alexa, quality Bluetooth codecs and low-latency aux pass-through make it unusually versatile. Measured bass extension of 31Hz (-10dB).
Cons: The front-facing design has only moderate dispersion, so sound changes noticeably off to the sides or behind it. Bass response shifts at maximum volume, the default aux mode has very high latency, and some listeners find the upper register edgy or need EQ to achieve their preferred balance. Its claimed 12-hour runtime and premium cost make it more of a compact high-end system than a carefree all-day speaker.
Full Brane X review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 200W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 295ms default, 33ms with aux pass-through |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 31Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX HD, aptX, AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 100ms |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.3" x 7" x 6.1" (236 x 178 x 155 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2.5" midrange, 2x 0.75" tweeters + 6.5"x9" subwoofer |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 30Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP57 |
| Maximum SPL | 106dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Brane app, up to 8 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 7.7 lbs (3.5 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: This speaker left me shocked! Brane X, they said it defies the laws of physics! More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Brane X vs JBL Xtreme 5: Maximum Bass, No Mercy
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Boombox 4 HUMILIATES Brane X?! Ultimate Bass Battle!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Minirig 2.1 or the Brane X or the Harman Kardon Go Play 3?
- mark: Brane X Speaker Review 2
- mark: Brane X Speaker Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons