Bose SoundLink Revolve+ Review

We purchased the Bose SoundLink Revolve+ so our expert reviewer could thoroughly test and assess it. Keep reading for our full product review.

Not all portable Bluetooth speakers are created equal, and entry-level ones often suffer from poor audio quality and connection problems. The Bose SoundLink Revolve+ may be more expensive, but it sounds great and works seamlessly right out of the box.

As of the time of this writing, the SoundLink Revolve+ is one of our favorite Bose speakers on the market because of its portability and excellent sound. We found ourselves using it daily, carrying it from room to room when listening to music and podcasts. 

Design: Portable done right

The Bose SoundLink Revolve+ measures 7.25 x 4.13 x 4.13 inches and weighs two pounds. The handle is made of comfortable fabric and the lantern-shaped body is aluminum. The non-slip rubber on the bottom also makes it feel nice and stable on smooth surfaces.

A threaded universal mount on the underside of the speaker means the SoundLink Revolve+ can be used with almost any tripod. Plus, the water-resistant design means you can use it outdoors, by the pool, or even in the kitchen without worrying about a little accidental splash. 

The buttons are located on the top of the case, under textured rubber that feels nice but does collect fingerprints and dust easily. All the buttons are analog so you can feel and hear them when you push them down. 

When you press the power button to turn on the device, a battery indicator briefly illuminates and a voice tells you the battery charge percentage. There is also a small LED indicator showing Bluetooth connection.

Setup Process: Quick and painless 

We love when we can take something out of the box and intuitively start using it right away. We had the speaker linked to a mobile phone and were listening to a podcast within minutes. 

The instructions are also well-written and detail how to use features like Siri and Google voice commands, voice prompts, and speakerphone. There really isn’t much to learn with this little portable stereo.

Connectivity: Stereo and Party Mode

The Bluetooth connection was stable across all our devices except a really old Acer C720 Chromebook, which seemed to timeout and disconnect after a while. Otherwise the connection was great with Windows, iOS and Android. We weren’t able to find a definitive answer on how well this system works with newer Chromebooks, but ChromeOS does have a reputation for Bluetooth connectivity issues.

The SoundLink Revolve+ can be paired with other speakers through the Bose Connect app, available for both iOS and Google devices. The app isn’t necessary to use the Revolve+, but it lets you manage your speaker’s Bluetooth connections, connect two wireless speakers simultaneously in Party Mode, or set them up in Stereo Mode for left and right channel playback. Unlike some of Bose’s other apps, the Bose Connect app is well designed, intuitive, and easy to use.

Party Mode is great if you want to have two speakers set up in different rooms playing the same thing, or have one speaker inside and the other outside. Stereo Mode is a cool feature that we hadn’t seen before on a portable Bluetooth speaker, giving you full control over a more dynamic sound experience. Being able to place your left and right channel at any distance from each other can create some cool stereo listening fields.

Sound Quality: Great 360-degree audio 

Bose’s SoundLink Revolve+ impressed us when it came to sound quality, especially in such a little package. The 360-degree audio has that signature Bose tone and quality that repeat customers have come to expect. It has a little more power and definition in the bass when placed on some surfaces, while the treble and midrange is still crisp and clear. When mounted on a tripod the bass is still clean, well-defined, and mixes well with the rest of the audio frequencies.

This speaker gets nice and loud with very little distortion, which is helpful when playing music outdoors, but we found the sound quality is best when set below 75%. Higher volumes do introduce a little bit of distortion and we found the bass to become a little overwhelming with some kinds of music, but this is at such high volumes that we don’t imagine most people will need to music playing this loud in their everyday life. 

Overall we’re very happy with the audio quality and you can expect it to sound great across many different genres of music. As a bonus, it also makes a great speaker for meetings and conference calls. 

Battery Life: Lasts all day

Bose claims 16 hours of battery life with the SoundLink Revolve+, which we found to be accurate. The speaker easily lasts through an entire workday and will likely still have enough charge to keep going for an after-hours party as well.

There is no visible battery indicator, but the voice telling you the battery percentage when you power it on is a great touch. Unfortunately, that does mean you have to power it off and then on again to check the battery life. 

We found ourselves using the SoundLink Revolve+ almost every day to listen to podcasts or music while cooking. Listening to it in shorter intervals, we could go several days without needing a charge. We've seen portable Bluetooth speakers with longer battery life but 16 hours is more than enough for most people.

Price: The price of higher quality

At $299.99 (MSRP), Bose’s SoundLink Revolve+ Bluetooth speaker is a little on the costly side, especially if you want to buy two to pair together in Party or Stereo mode. If you’ve used other Bose products in the past, you know that with the higher price you get higher-quality sound and great design. As soon as you pick it up, the whole device feels and looks great—it’s easy to tell that it’s built to last.

Bose offers a less-expensive version of the same speaker simply called the Revolve. This model has 12 hours of battery life and no handle. As simple as it is, the handle was one of our favorite things about this little speaker and made it so much easier to grab and carry around. We’d definitely go for the Revolve+ over the stripped-down version.

Competition: Bose SoundLink Revolve+ vs. JBL Xtreme 2

One of the closest competitors to the Bose SoundLink Revolve+ is the JBL Xtreme 2 portable Bluetooth speaker. It matches Bose in price and comes in at just an hour shy on battery life. 

With a waterproof design, four drivers, stereo sound, and the ability to wirelessly connect with other JBL Connect+ enabled speakers, the JBL Xtreme 2 has a lot to offer. 

The JBL Xtreme 2 is meant to be a rugged grab-and-go speaker for camping and traveling. It comes with a carrying strap and even has a bottle opener so you can enjoy a beer after you set up your tent. Like the SoundLink Revolve+, it also has voice assistant integration, speakerphone, and an aux input. The Xtreme 2 also throws in a regular USB port to charge your other portable devices.

JBL is known for great sound quality, but their speakers tend to have a distinctively different tonal quality than Bose, favoring heavier bass and more highs. The JBL Xtreme 2 has two JBL Bass Radiators to provide that heavy bass signature sound. And while the Bose speaker has 360-degree sound, the JBL speaker is stereo and directional.

Although both these speakers are portable, they are geared towards different uses. When it comes to hanging with your friends and family, we imagine using the JBL Xtreme 2 on a rafting and camping trip, while we’d use the Bose SoundLink Revolve+ for BBQs and parties or just chilling at home.

Similar Products We've Reviewed:

• Yamaha MCR-B020BL Micro Component System
• Bose Home Speaker 500
• JBL Charge 4