Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 2. It ranks #10 of 77 large speakers by sound quality at $99.99; the Bose SoundLink Plus ranks #22 and costs $199, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the Soundcore Boom 2: Pretty deep bass for the size. Cool lights in the side passive radiators. Set against that: Only a single midrange driver, so you only get stereo for the tweeters.
On the Bose SoundLink Plus side: IP67 rated, IP67 water/dustproof. Close to 20 hour battery life. Vibrant sound with booming bass, clean mids. 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.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 2. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Bose SoundLink Plus and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boom 2 | Bose SoundLink Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 | $199.00 |
| Ranked | #10 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #22 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 47Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | No | No |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms | - |
| Max Volume | 105dB | - |
| MicroSD Playback | No | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast 2.0 up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs / 1.68 kg | 3.3 lbs / 1.5 kg |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.4 |
| Dimensions | 11.7" x 7.3" x 4" (297 x 185 x 102 mm) | 9.1" x 3.9" x 3.4" (231 x 99 x 86 mm) |
| Drivers | 120mm x 90mm woofer, 2x 20mm tweeters | 1x 2.5" (63.5mm) woofer + 1x ~0.78" (20mm) tweeter + 4x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 80W | Specs not published by manufacturer |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Soundcore Boom 2: $99.99 Amazon Bhphotovideo
Pros: Pretty deep bass for the size. Cool lights in the side passive radiators. For the best sound quality use Oluv’s EQ or Alan Ross’s EQ. With the stock tuning, this speaker would rank around #24, due to the boosted bass and rising treble.
Cons: Only a single midrange driver, so you only get stereo for the tweeters. Sound processing issues with inconsistent bass notes that disappear at low levels like the Soundcore Boom and Soundcore Boost, not great for listening at low levels. Quite bass heavy with BassUp turned on, I’d recommend turning it off. A little bit of a bright tuning in the treble, about +5db.
Full Soundcore Boom 2 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 47Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.7" x 7.3" x 4" (297 x 185 x 102 mm) |
| Drivers | 120mm x 90mm woofer, 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 105dB |
| MicroSD Playback | No |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 80W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast 2.0 up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs / 1.68 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
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- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose SoundLink Max & SoundCore Boom 2 - indoor soundtest
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose SoundLink Max & SoundCore Boom 2 - outdoor soundtest
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Best portable speakers 2025 - get the best bang for your buck $$$
- Oluv Patreon: SoundCore Boom 3i - first impressions & EQs
- Alan Ross Reviews: Ultimate Soundcore Boom 2 Review - Is It Worth The Hype?
- Oluv Patreon: Anker Soundcore Boom 2 - first impressions
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Soundcore Boom 2 💣vs Mifa Wildbox 🪇 Basement Battle of the Bluetooth Boombox Welterweights ⚖️
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: New Release! Soundcore Boom 2 😯 Bluetooth Boombox Speaker 🔊 Unboxing, First Look & Sound Demo
- CEONTHEMAKING: Soundcore Boom 2 - HANDS DOWN The Best Speaker Under $150!
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- Joy & Oluv’Sone: JBL, Bose, B&O, Sonos, Earfun, SoundCore… which portable speaker sounds best?
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Sony ULT Field 5 vs Anker SoundCore Boom 2 - listening test
- Reddit Search for Soundcore Boom 2 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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Bose SoundLink Plus: $199.00 Amazon
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 |
| Output Power | Specs not published by manufacturer |
| 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 |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Soundcore Motion X500
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