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Bose Portable Home Speaker review: HYPE connected speakers!

Bose portable speaker takes on the Sonos Move, Editor's review!

Bose Portable Home Speaker Review
Bose Portable Home Speaker Review

Bose Portable Home Speaker review: La nouvelle Bose Portable Home Speakers is not quite a speaker of the nomadic Bluetooth range neither one smart speaker from the sedentary Wi-Fi range, it is both one and the other.

Imposing model but completely transportable and autonomous, it combines Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chips for almost total versatility, while offering a powerful 360 ° sound. The perfect model?

In this article we will find out Editorial review and Bose Portable Home Speaker review, the trendy smart speakers of the season.

Bose Portable Home Speaker review: HYPE connected speakers!

Bose Portable Home Speaker Review
Bose Portable Home Speaker Review

Bose has long been an important player in the world of bluetooth speakers, and its latest model, the Bose Portable Home Speaker, is on the way to further consolidating that reputation.

If 2019 was the year of the smart speaker, then 2020 should be the year of the portable smart speaker and with Bose's portable home speaker, as well as competing models like the Sonos Move offering the smarts of Google Assistant and Alexa in addition to Bluetooth connectivity, the market is already growing.

So, can Bose beat off the competition from Sonos? We put its latest portable speaker to the test.

Specifications

  • Type: connected smart portable speaker
  • Wi-Fi and bluetooth
  • Connections: USB-C socket (charging), connector for charging base
  • Compatibility: Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2, Spotify
  • Voice assistants: Google Assistant, Alexa
  • Controls: physical buttons
  • Topology: single speaker with 3 passive radiators
  • Autonomy announced: 12 h
  • Dimensions (height x diameter): 19,15 x 11,9 cm
  • Weight: 1,06kg
  • Finishes: white, black
  • Link

Our opinion: 4,5 / 5

Construction: 4,5 / 5

Ergonomics: 4/5

Equipment: 3/5

Performance: 4/5

Writing Reviews

Serious design, honed ergonomics, almost fully developed configuration

Serious design, honed ergonomics, almost fully developed configuration
Serious design, honed ergonomics, almost fully developed configuration

Very much in line with recent Bose speakers, Home Speaker 300 in the lead, Portable Home Speaker features a tubular design all in solid plastic, complemented by an aluminum grille covering the speakers and occupying approximately 2/5 of the height of the enclosure.

  • Without being a pinnacle of elegance and finish, the Portable Home Speaker fits well in the decoration of a living room, just as it can adapt to a portable setup.
  • Its carrying handle also recalls its semi-nomadic vocation, accentuated by the resistance to splashing water promised by Bose despite the lack of IP certification.
  • The weight does not exceed one kilo, the speaker is indeed very easy to transport.
  • We can however note that its very fine base remains more suitable for very flat supports than for slightly bumpy or sloping grounds.
  • The ergonomics of the speaker are both very simple and modeled on that of other Bose products.
  • All the controls are placed on top in the form of easily accessible buttons. In addition to the start button, we find the volume control, as well as the play / pause button also allowing navigation in the pieces of music (via two or three clicks).
  • The brand could still have placed real separate controls for track changes.
  • To complete the experience, the speaker has a call button to the voice assistant, another for muting the microphones and a last for the Bluetooth configuration.

No wired connection is present except the USB-C charging socket. This recharge can also go through a dedicated base, unfortunately optional (at a price of 30 euros), which borders on stinginess given the already high price of the Portable Home Speaker.

Read also : Amazon Echo Studio Connected and Smart Speakers

The speaker connects via Wi-Fi to the Bose Music app, the same as for the Bose Headphones 700. Once a little manipulation is done (not indicated in the manual), the speaker connects quite easily to this app. , allowing it to be recognized as a network object.

The configuration procedure is extremely clear but not flawless, for example we had to restart the application to configure the voice assistant.

Serious but perfectible application, sufficient autonomy

The Bose Music acts as a hub. It allows you to play audio streams by grouping streaming applications, but also to easily switch between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

If this last option (which will be used in nomadic mode) can do without the application via a simple recognition in the Bluetooth options, the application makes it possible to manage its parameters more simply. Let us note already a small lack of compatibility in Wi-Fi.

Apart from the support for AirPlay 2 protocols, Spotify Connect, as well as TuneIn Radio, remain docked most of the DLNA-type functions, or the integration of certain streaming services such as Qobuz.

For the latter, it will be necessary to go directly through their respective applications. The autonomy in nomadic configuration is correct, the Bose Portable Home Speaker reaching approximately 11 hours (in Bluetooth, at 50% of its power). The only downside is that autonomy is poorly managed on standby. It reaches 3 to 4 days, but not much more.

Very good performance of the on-board microphones, the voice recognition of the various assistants (tested with Google Assistant and Alexa) did not pose any problem, except in really extreme cases.

smart speakers Bose Portable Home Speaker
smart speakers Bose Portable Home Speaker

Bose Portable Home Speaker: It's not the size that rings

Bose Portable Home Speaker: It's not the size that rings

Bose's experience in speaker miniaturization is well established. It's simple, the manufacturer achieves a small miracle despite the presence of a simple speaker (accompanied by three passive radiators) oriented downwards, towards a reflector.

Our opinion: 4,5 / 5

Construction: 4,5 / 5

Ergonomics: 4/5

Equipment: 3/5

Performance: 4/5

Writing Reviews

If the sound in Bluetooth mode seemed to us to be a little lower in quality than in Wi-Fi, this does not significantly change the behavior or the general rendering. The sound signature is surprisingly balanced, not overly privileging one frequency range over others.

The bottom of the spectrum is very slightly forward, nothing more. The bass is very tight and rather punchy, deep, almost reaching the performance of a real living room model. The same goes for the highs, perfectly clear and detailed, quite sparkling if needed. It probably lacks a hint of extension in this area, but the quality is already there.

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The 360 ​​° sound is consistent although there is no real surround or Atmos dimension. The sound can almost become slightly enveloping, but its qualities are more audiophile than spectacular.

A small speaker autocalibration system is undoubtedly missing so that it adapts to its environment or even to its support. Indeed, the sound depends slightly on what the Bose is placed on. A wooden table, for example, will give a warmer tone and fuller bass than a glass top.

Hardly comparable to other products sold at the same price, the Bose Portable Home Speaker is probably the most powerful and technical stand-alone speaker in this format. Its balance and very good reproduction of details make it a great all-rounder choice.

Read also : B&O test Beosound Balance, the amazing connected speakers!

Finally, note the presence of a sound equalizer in the Bose Music application, very basic because only dedicated to bass and treble, but fairly gentle on the settings and quite effective in practice.

Produced at a fairly high price and not yet complete in its possibilities, the Bose Portable Home Speaker is a connected and intelligent speaker very pleasant to use, versatile, but above all very impressive from a sound point of view.

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Written by marion v.

A French expatriate, loves traveling and enjoys visiting beautiful places in each country. Marion has been writing for over 15 years; writing articles, whitepapers, product write-ups and more for multiple online media sites, blogs, company websites and individuals.

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