Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Miniroll. It ranks #12 of 47 small speakers by sound quality at $49.99; the Bose Soundlink Micro ranks #19 and costs $90, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Ultimate Ears Miniroll gets right: Good clarity and detail in the mids/highs with a warmer tonal balance than most ultra-portables its size. The catch: Bass not quite as deep as the best rated speakers.
What the Bose Soundlink Micro offers: Rugged rubberized coating, IP67 rated (1m submersion for 30 minutes). Watch for: Lack of clarity.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Miniroll. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Bose Soundlink Micro and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the Ultimate Ears Miniroll is rated for 12 hours versus 6 hours for the Bose Soundlink Micro.
Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears Miniroll | Bose Soundlink Micro | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $49.99 | $90.00 |
| Ranked | #12 of 47 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #19 of 47 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 6 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | No | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp/Auracast, Miniroll-only) | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs / 279 g | 0.6 lbs / 289 g |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | 4.8" x 4.1" x 1.9" (122.7 x 105 x 48.1 mm) | 3.9" x 3.9" x 1.4" (98 x 98 x 35 mm) |
| Charging Time | 2.3 hours | 3 hours |
| Drivers | 45.6mm active with passive radiator | 40mm with dual passive radiators |
| Output Power | 3W RMS | 5W |
| Max Volume | 83dB | 90dB |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 66Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 50ms |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 4.2 |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Soundcore Mini 3 vs Bose Soundlink Micro 2
- Marshall Willen II vs Tribit Stormbox Micro 3
- JBL Go 4 vs Bose Soundlink Micro 2
- Marshall Willen II vs Ultimate Ears Miniroll
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs Tribit Stormbox Micro 3
The Two Speakers In Full
Ultimate Ears Miniroll: $49.99 Amazon
Pros: Good clarity and detail in the mids/highs with a warmer tonal balance than most ultra-portables its size.
Cons: Bass not quite as deep as the best rated speakers
Full Ultimate Ears Miniroll review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Charging Time | 2.3 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.8" x 4.1" x 1.9" (122.7 x 105 x 48.1 mm) |
| Drivers | 45.6mm active with passive radiator |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 83dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 3W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp/Auracast, Miniroll-only) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs / 279 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Miniroll vs Anker Soundcore Mini
- Ultimate Ears Miniroll vs Marshall Willen II
- Ultimate Ears Miniroll vs Marshall Willen
- Ultimate Ears Miniroll vs Soundcore Mini 3
- Ultimate Ears Miniroll vs Klipsch Austin
- Ultimate Ears Miniroll vs Soundcore Mini 3 Pro
- Ultimate Ears Miniroll vs B&O Beoplay P2
- Ultimate Ears Miniroll vs Tribit Stormbox Micro 3
- See all 19 comparisons
Bose Soundlink Micro: $90.00 Amazon
Pros: Rugged rubberized coating, IP67 rated (1m submersion for 30 minutes). Very compact and pocketable at 0.68 lb.
Cons: Lack of clarity. Overly boosted bass
Full Bose Soundlink Micro review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 66Hz |
| Battery Life | 6 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 50ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Charging Time | 3 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.9" x 3.9" x 1.4" (98 x 98 x 35 mm) |
| Drivers | 40mm with dual passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 90dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 5W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs / 289 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs Bose Soundlink Micro 2
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs JBL Clip 5
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs JBL Clip 4
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs B&O Beoplay P2
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs Klipsch Austin
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs Soundcore Select 4 Go
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs Marshall Willen
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs JBL Go 5
- See all 22 comparisons


