X

Bose SoundLink Max Bluetooth Speaker May Hit Stores Soon

Yet to be announced, the Max appears to be a jumbo version of Bose's excellent SoundLink Flex speaker. Images of it appeared on a Canadian retail site, along with specs.

David Carnoy Executive Editor / Reviews
Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET's Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. He's also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Nook e-books and audiobooks.
Expertise Mobile accessories and portable audio, including headphones, earbuds and speakers Credentials
  • Maggie Award for Best Regularly Featured Web Column/Consumer
See full bio
David Carnoy
2 min read
bose-soundlink-max-yellow-background2.png

The Bose SoundLink Max in blue.

 Tanguay/Screenshot by CNET

Bose's $149 SoundLink Flex is one of the best and most popular portable mini Bluetooth speakers around, and it may soon have a big brother, the SoundLink Max. Earlier this month, a tipster alerted CNET that the new speaker appeared in a filing with the Federal Communications Commission and now it's shown up on Canadian retail site Tanguay. The site lists a possible ship date as April 23, but we haven't heard anything about this speaker from Bose, so I'm not convinced it'll ship that soon. 

On the other hand, the site posted a fairly comprehensive list of specs for the SoundLink Max. Available in blue or black, the SoundLink Max is 10.4 inches wide by 6.4 inches high by 4.1 inches deep. It has Bluetooth 5.3, is rated for up to 20 hours of battery life at moderate volume levels and is IP67 waterproof and dust-resistant.

By comparison, the SoundLink Flex is 7.93 inches wide by 3.56 inches high and 2.06 inches deep. No word yet on weight for the SoundLink Max, but I suspect it will weigh in at around 2.5 pounds, since the Flex weighs 1.3 pounds. As you can see from the photos, the speaker has an integrated handle. 

bose-soundlink-max-in-hand.png

The speaker appears to be about twice the size of the SoundLink Flex in terms of overall volume.

 Tanguay/Screenshot by CNET

Additional specs listed include a 3.5mm auxiliary input and a USB-C port both to charge the speaker and charge external devices like your smartphone. On top of those, the SoundLink Max has EQ settings via the Bose Music app and is compatible with Bose SimpleSync so you can create a multiroom audio experience.

"To stream sound throughout your home, open the Bose app and connect the SoundLink Max speaker to your existing Bose smart speakers and soundbars," the site says. 

Tanguay lists the speaker for CA$550 -- about $400 -- which seems quite steep. While the SoundLink Flex lists for $149, it's frequently discounted to $130 and sometimes less, making it a very good value, because it sounds so impressive for its compact size. (That's why we gave it CNET Editors' Choice award back in 2021.) The SoundLink Max appears to be about twice the size of the Flex and could very well cost twice the price ($299), though I can't confirm that. 

In response to an inquiry about the SoundLink Max, a Bose rep told CNET she currently has nothing to share about the new speaker. I'll update this post as we get more info and look forward to reviewing this bigger bother to the Flex when it's officially released. Hopefully, it sounds twice as good. 

Read more: Best Bluetooth Speakers of 2024 

Watch this: Bose's SoundLink Flex packs some serious punch