Bose SoundLink Flex

The Bose SoundLink Flex is the portable speaker to buy when sound quality matters more than maximum volume. At $249, down from a $349 recommended retail price (RRP), it is dearer than a JBL Charge 5, and what you are paying for is the best sound-per-size in this class. For its dimensions, it is remarkable.

It is genuinely pocketable at under 600 grams, carries an IPX7 rating so it survives a dunking, and has a built-in microphone for hands-free calls, which the JBL lacks. Bose's PositionIQ tuning detects whether it is lying flat, standing up or hanging from its loop and adjusts the sound to suit. Battery life is the trade-off at around 12 hours, less than its rivals.

What the RefDat test lab found

The Bose tuning is the story. Where most portables shove the bass forward and call it a day, the Flex stays balanced and warm, with clear mids and a controlled top end that makes voices and acoustic tracks sound natural rather than boomy. It still has surprising low-end punch for the size. At a backyard gathering it filled the space cleanly to around 85 decibels. We splashed and dunked it with no issues, and the microphone handled calls clearly.

What owners actually report

Owners on Whirlpool and ProductReview consistently single out the sound quality as the reason to buy it, often saying it embarrasses larger speakers. The recurring watch-out is battery life: 12 hours is fine for a day out but noticeably short of the JBL and Sony, so heavy users end up recharging more often. The other honest note is value, since you are paying a premium over speakers that go louder. For sound-first buyers, most feel it is worth it.

Who should skip it? If you want the longest battery or the most volume for a party, the JBL Charge 5 makes more sense. If you want the best-sounding speaker you can throw in a bag, the Flex is the pick.

You will find it at JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman and Officeworks. OzBargain catches discounts during tech sales.

Australian Consumer Law (ACL): a portable speaker at $249 should reasonably last 4 to 6 years, with the consumer guarantees realistically covering 2 to 3, beyond the usual 1-year warranty. If the battery fails, Bluetooth drops out or a driver stops working in that window, you have a claim. With its IPX7 rating, water ingress is a genuine fault, not misuse. Take it to your retailer.

Bottom line: the best-sounding speaker in its size class, with a handy microphone, let down only by shorter battery life. Highly recommended for sound-first buyers. Choose the JBL if battery and volume matter more. RefDat score 4.6 out of 5.