You don’t need to use the Bose Connect app to play music on SoundLink Flex, we recommend downloading it for a better experience. Although you don’t need to get the app on your phone or tablet to start using Flex, I recommend it.
When you first boot up your Flex, you will be prompted to download the Bose Connect app.
The Flex / s 12 hours is compatible with some of our favorite Bluetooth speakers, including the Flip 5, and you’re getting a lot more battery life than the relatively high-end Sonos ROM.
Although you can get 20 hours from the JBL Charge 5, the honkin ‘speaker is built for extra battery life because it doubles as a portable battery pack.
Good battery lifeĪt full charge, Bose claims that you get up to 12 hours of playback, and that number is out of check. It doesn’t shine like a premium Sonos ROM over Wi-Fi, but it is as good as the Charge 5, despite being half the size.
In short, Bose Flex has injected the company’s general propensity for high-quality sound and it goes a long way toward justifying its price. Low or very high volumes that imbalance or distortion tend to grow. I listened to a variety of music through Spotify, and I was impressed by the Flex’s bass presence, the clarity of the snare hits, and the upper-hand symbol rolls it performs across the frequency spectrum.
This means it’s basically dust and waterproof, but within reason – you can sink the Flex for a moment in shallow water, but don’t leave it at the bottom of the pool or anything.ĭespite its small size, the Flex offers plenty of loud and balanced sound, enough to be heard in the sand and surf.įlex isn’t just loud, of course. Otherwise, the chassis is well sealed and largely seamless, which is a big part of how Flex achieves its IP67 Access Protection rating. On the back or top of the Flex (depending on its orientation), you’ll find a line of buttons to control power, volume, Bluetooth alignment and multifunction buttons (play, pause, skip, take calls). That’s the implied flexibility of its name, I guess. Bose has used soft but robust plastic and designed the Flex to sit in multiple configurations: you can flatten it, stop it, or hang it from its belt and expect the same sound quality regardless. Instead of a rounded chassis, the Flex is flat, though not completely rectangular. The Flex is durable and roughly poundcake shaped and can be fitted in a few different ways I’m a big fan of JBL’s favored rounded speaker housing like the commonly mentioned JBL Flip 5 and JBL Charge 5, but what Bose has done with the SoundLink Flex is interesting. When it comes to Bluetooth speakers, the designs are usually not too worn. On loan from Bose, we received our White Smoke version of the Speaker. In the box, you get the SoundLink Flex speaker, the USB-A charging cable, the Quickstart guide, and the safety sheet.
Width x height x depth: 7.9 x 3.6 x 2.1 inches.Here are the key specifications of the Bose SoundLink Flex:
The Flex has a lot to do with its price, and it strikes a good middle ground between the mid-range and high-end. Rome and the same price rivals as the Flip 5.īasically, the Flex is a Bluetooth speaker to buy if you want a little more premium experience than the Flip 5, but Sonos doesn’t want to shell out for Rome. Unlike the pricey ROM, the Flex does not offer Wi-Fi functionality or any kind of EQ, but you get the advantage of USB-C charging, good battery life and the built-in speakerphone, a feature that is significantly missing.