I always prefer to have music playing whenever possible, whether that’s while I’m doing homework, commuting or hanging out with friends. I am also a loud and proud shower singer, and while blasting music from my phone at the max volume and placing it near the shower sufficed for a while, I eventually decided I needed something more substantial to upgrade my shower karaoke sessions (and beyond).
During my junior year of high school, my parents gifted me a Bose Bluetooth speaker that I still use today. Thanks to my speaker, my shower singalongs are loud enough to the point where I would be completely unaware if an emergency was happening in another part of the house. This speaker has been with me through many memorable moments, and it’s become an integral part of my everyday life over the last five years.
Bose SoundLink Revolve II Bluetooth Speaker
I didn’t personally get the opportunity to debate my speaker options since this was a gift from my parents, but I did have a couple specific requests when they got it for me: I wanted a quality speaker that was easy to use and transportable. This speaker hits on all three of those things and beyond. I also knew my dad had had good experiences with Bose’s other products, so that factored into his decision to choose this speaker over similar options.
The sound quality of this speaker is both fantastic and consistent, in my experience. Wherever you are in the room, the quality doesn’t falter. I’ve used this speaker around a campfire with close friends as well as at a house party with a revolving door of guests, and the music was always crystal clear. This speaker proves that you don’t need a fully evolved sound system to enjoy a good listening experience. The weight of the speaker is a bit heavy for my liking, especially when I’ve brought it on trips and have had to put it in my backpack, but the quality and convenience make up for it.
This speaker has been through the wildest of environments without taking any damage. It’s gotten soaked by saltwater and coated by sand at the beach. It’s fallen off multiple counters. It’s been through numerous security scanners at the airport. Yet the quality over the years has not faltered.
One issue I’ve had with the Bose speaker is that only two devices can connect to it at a time. Also, there have been times when my brother has overtaken my shower concerts since the speaker doesn’t know which device to prioritize when both connected devices are playing sound. Another caveat is that, aside from the volume of the music, you can’t control much from the speaker itself. But as the resident girl on the aux with her phone always nearby, this issue doesn’t bother me too much.
Even if only two devices can connect at a time, it’s extremely easy to connect to the speaker on any device, whether it be a phone or laptop. I’ve had several friends borrow the speaker, and they’ve never had a problem connecting to it. The battery life is around 13 hours, in my experience, meaning it can handle a full day of hanging out with friends. You can also get a charging cradle for an additional $29.
Since my speaker is five years old, Bose has come out with a newer version of it: the SoundLink Revolve+ II Bluetooth speaker. It has a longer battery life at 17 hours, the brand says, along with all the perks of the older version. This version comes with a fabric handle to make it even more transportable, too. After seeing how well my speaker has held up over the years, my friend got the Revolve+ II over the summer, and she loves it.
Other Bluetooth speakers to consider
If you’re hunting for speakers with similar features to the Soundlink Revolve II, here are some other options that I’ve also had good experiences with.
Ultimate Ears Boom 3
This speaker is a popular one among my friends. While it is a little larger compared to the Soundlink Revolve II, it’s still an easily transportable size at 1.3 pounds. It’s also waterproof with an IP67 rating (as proven by my friends dropping it into my pool without hesitation). I see this speaker often being used during sports practices when the music has to play over a wide range at a level where everyone can hear, and it works well.
JBL Charge 4
When we couldn’t figure out how to connect to our usual sound system at dance practice, one of the dancers whipped out her JBL Charge 4. Not only did she save the day, but it worked perfectly. It’s hard to find a speaker that can compete with our loud tap shoes, but this one did justice. This speaker was quick and seamless to connect to and it’s extremely light at 2 pounds, making it easy to maneuver around the room when necessary.
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