Top critical review
1.0 out of 5 starsProblems with Bose App and when using two Bose speakers at once
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2021
We purchased this speaker, along with a Bose Home Speaker 500, with the intent of using both speakers individually at times and together at times, sometimes at home and sometimes at other locations. We wanted the 500 for bigger sound (still quite portable, just without battery capability) and the portable for easier portability (and battery capability), especially for the times we'd be taking only one speaker from home to another location. Unfortunately, the other negative reviews are accurate. Our problems included:
1. Couldn't use the Bose app with Spotify because the speaker couldn't tell if it was supposed to use the volume setting from the app or the volume setting from Spotify, so the volume jumped up and down constantly on its own. Bose Support diagnosed the problem but confirmed there is no solution in the Bose app. There was a workaround, which was good, but only if one owns an iPhone, is connected to WiFi, and the workaround was still glitchy (see #3 below).
2. Could connect directly to the speaker with Bluetooth and use it with Spotify, without the Bose app, but only if using 1 speaker at a time and sometimes Bluetooth didn't work / couldn't connect the iPhone to the speaker. Bose Support was friendly on the phone but couldn't fully solve this problem. It's just glitchy.
3. We were able to use both speakers at the same time through the same device, using Spotify and without the volume problem described in #1 above, but only if using AirPlay (sorry non-iPhone users). However, this workaround requires WiFi (cannot be used with Bluetooth). So, if you're taking your two speakers to the beach, park, hike, picnic, outdoor birthday party, private events space that has secured WiFi or WiFi settings not compatible with Bose, your back yard, or any place that doesn't have WiFi, you can't use your Bose speakers at the same time from one device. This is also true if owning two portable speakers and no Home Speaker 500. This leads one to ask, "What's the point of buying small, portable speakers if they can't be used outside of the house?" We've read that with older versions of Bose portable speakers, one could play music through multiple speakers at the same time from the same device using Bluetooth, but the new speakers won't work without WiFi and without an iPhone-specific workaround for the faulty Bose app.
4. Even if there is good, accessible, properly-configured WiFi that is compatible with Bose speakers at the location of one's event, it requires reconnecting the speakers to the device before use. That entire process is glitchy (with or without the glitchy Bose app), time-consuming, and frustrating, with it sometimes working and sometimes not, with no discernable reason for the glitches. Again, Bose Customer Support was friendly and helpful on the phone, but could not solve this problem.
We are not sure what the developers were thinking with the downgrades listed above from previous versions of Bose portable speakers, but these are flaws that make these speakers nearly useless for us. We don't care about Alexa, only about getting music through both speakers, no matter where we are, with simple set-up. We are returning them for a refund and purchasing two Sonos speakers, which have solid reviews and great word-of-mouth from friends. We will write a review for those once we receive and use them.
