Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsAs someone who had the first version since 2017, this is a noticeable improvement
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2023
TLDR: Great sound quality, great portability and size, and holds a good charge (5-6 hours at 50% - 70% volume.) The charging cradle is a must own if you buy this. It’s durable and holds up well, but it can dent and ding with relative ease; but it doesn’t effect the sound quality. I got more than 5+ years out of my first one, and it still works. The Bose app is great and easy to link multiple devices. Where this speaker absolutely shines is in Party Mode/Stereo Mode. It actually gives my Bose Smart Soundbar 900 a run (Only possible with two of these revolve+ in Stereo Mode; however, you can link any other Bose Soundlink speakers to it as well.) Silver hides dirt better than the black, but the black handle hides dirt better than the silver handle. The black also hides dents and dings a little better. One downside is the charging cradle only comes in black. If you can wait patiently, and would like to save some money; you can find this around $100 off retail during black Friday sales, Amazon Day sales, and during random flash sales.
The first one I owned was a Silver Soundlink Revolve+ that I used daily, for roughly 5 years. Then after getting a PC, and finding out my monitor didn’t have speakers, I decided I wanted one more to connect with my PC (since I was always moving my silver series 1 back and forth.)
But after seeing how effortlessly it connects to bluetooth, and being able to tell a difference in the quality of sound (from heavy everyday use for 5+ years) I felt like it would bother me. Before I hadn’t noticed it, but after comparing them directly, and using party mode/stereo mode (linking them ) I could tell my silver OG soundlink revolve+ was just a touch not as clear. If both were new, I’m pretty sure the only difference between the two would be the ease of bluetooth connection on the series 2 (this one.) The battery is pretty much about the same in my experience, but honestly I leave it on the cradle 95% of the time. If I had to guess, I’d say the Series 2 might be slightly better overall, but I’m inclined to think it has more with the software than a battery upgrade.
However, it’s nice to grab and walk through the house from chore to chore while listening to an audiobook, podcast, or other media content. As far as portable speakers go, I think this is right in the pocket. It’s compact enough that it’s easily packed in a backpack, or drawstring bag; but it’s also loud enough that it’s worth carrying with you. Honestly, some smaller lower quality speakers just aren’t really worth the trouble. For example, my first Jambox, or my first JBL portable speaker. Those were both pretty mid to be honest, neither lasted more than 1.5 years.
The sound quality is supurb, and has a nice overall balance between the high’s and bass. It’s very clear, even when it’s loud. My only recommendation would be to buy the charging cradle as it makes everything so much easier. I do feel like for the price it should include the charging cradle, but whatever.
Ultimately, I was happy enough with the series 1 Soundlink Revolve+ that I decided to add another one. Then after hearing the sound degradation after 5 years, I decided to buy another. Honestly, without comparing them side by side, you’d never notice. But unfortunately I did, and then it always bothered me. I decided to retire my OG Silver Soundlink Revolve+ and gave it to a friend. He couldn’t believe I would give it away like that, but I assured him that I got every penny out of those 5+ years. He’s been using the OG revolve+ for more than a year now. And I’ve been using my two Series 2 revolve+ for more than a year as well. Both have held up great even with daily use. For reference, I usually listen at around 50% - 70% volume. Where this speaker really shines is in Party Mode/Stereo Mode with two of these Revolve + speakers. It honestly gives my Bose Smart Soundbar a good and close run. It’s a pretty pricy investment, but it can be easier to justify knowing you’ll easily get 5+ years out of it. Just don’t have it turned up to 100 all the time for hours at a time, and it should last you a very long time.
PS: In all honesty, I think the Silver hides dirty and grime better than the black does. It sounds like the opposite would be true, but the black show’s every spec of dust, and finger prints standout a lot more. The only downside was the charging cradle only comes in black. The only benefit to the black color in my experience is that the black handle does hide dirt better. So it’s kind of a trade off. I got the black speakers this time around just as a refresher, I kinda wanted it to feel new and unfamiliar. In all honesty, after spending a year with the black, I’d say personally I prefer the silver. But the black does match the cradle, and it the handle hides dirt a little better. The black also hides dents and dings a little better too, but not by much. After 5+ years with OG revolve+ it had a number of smaller dents from being knocked around, thrown, falling off the table/desk, etc.. it’s made well, and you no doubt get what you pay for.
