Back to Blog
Bose soundmate bass7/8/2023 ![]() ‘Punch’ is an admirable trait in a portable Bluetooth speaker, ‘monotonal’ is not. Those passive radiators obviously help a lot in this regard, but they also dictate a low-end sound that’s as short of fine detail as it is full-bodied. The Bose serves it up with ample low-frequency presence - bass is fuller-figured and more substantial than might be expected from a speaker of this size. If it’s scale you’re after, you could do worse than give DJ Shadow’s Midnight in a Perfect World a listen. ![]() But be in no doubt, given its dimensions and asking price, this Bose speaker is an upfront, confident and, yes, loud little speaker. Impressive dynamics and rhythmic expressionīose suggests the SoundLink Flex is capable of delivering ‘room-filling sound’ - but unless it’s an uncomfortably small room we’d suggest that’s not quite the case. (Image credit: TechRadar) Audio performance In the established Bose manner this app is stable and clean, but in this implementation it goes without EQ adjustment - which is an oversight - but does at least offer the opportunity to create a stereo pair using the Flex and quite a range of other Bose speakers. Voice control is available via Siri or Google Assistant, and there’s some (but not quite enough) operability available in the Bose Connect app. ![]() There are a few physical controls along the top edge of the chassis (when the Bose is in the ‘landscape’ position) which cover ‘power on/off’, ‘volume up/down’ ‘Bluetooth pairing’, ‘play/pause’ and ‘skip forwards/backwards’. And it will pair with two devices at a time, which is useful.Īs far as controlling the SoundLink Flex goes, well, you’ve plenty of options. Wireless connectivity courtesy of Bluetooth 4.2 can’t be helping things here, either - although the Flex does at least pair rapidly and with seemingly unshakeable solidity. The Flex is happy to allow a 24bit/192kHz file on board, but it will be downscaled before you get to hear it. We’re not sure how much power is moving that driver, but we’re pretty sure it’s of the Class D variety.Įqually, the native resolution of the on-board DAC is a mystery, but what our testing has revealed is that it’s hi-res enough to deal with some TIDAL Masters files - but not the biggest and most hi-res of them. So sound is delivered by one full-range dynamic driver and bolstered by a couple of passive radiators. Bose isn’t exactly making with the details of amplification, or DAC, or driver configuration - but there are some things we know and others we’re prepared to speculate about. The SoundLink Flex is just as thoughtfully specified elsewhere. Battery life of twelve hours or so (as long as you’re not listening at top volume, of course) adds to its ‘go-anywhere’ credentials, and should the worst happen the Flex can be brimming with power again after a couple of hours on the mains via its USB-C socket. Thanks to accelerometers (or ‘PositionIQ’, as Bose would rather self-importantly have it), the Flex knows its orientation and will adjust its EQs accordingly.Īn IP67 rating suggests the Bose will resist exposure to water and dust for far longer than any conscientious owner will allow, and by way of a little party piece the Flex is buoyant enough to float in water. There are little moulded feet to allow the Flex to lie on its back or stand upright in ‘landscape’ mode, while a durable fabric loop at one end means it can hang off a hook or carabiner. The chassis (available in black and ‘smoke’ white as well as the ‘stone’ blue of our review sample) is mostly of soft-touch silicone with quite a lot of ‘give’ in it, while the front grille is of powder-coated steel. So the Flex is small enough (just 9 x 20 x 5cm), light enough (600g) and, crucially, robust enough to fit the bill. Some brands seem to think being battery-powered and light enough to pick up makes a speaker ‘portable’, but Bose understands what’s required.
0 Comments
Read More
Leave a Reply. |