Bose’s SoundLink Max is its largest portable Bluetooth speaker with 20 hours of battery life

Bose may be best known for its noise-canceling headphones, but the company also makes solid portable Bluetooth speakers. In fact, the company’s SoundLink Flex made our list of the best Bluetooth speakers as a great option among contenders in its price range. Today, the company adds to the SoundLink lineup with its largest portable Bluetooth speaker yet: the SoundLink Max ($399). While the overall design is similar to previous Bose units, this model packs louder sound and longer battery life into this expanded frame.

Inside the SoundLink Max, three transducers and two passive radiators deliver a “spacious stereo experience” that includes bass performance that sounds like an even bigger speaker, according to Bose. The company says this portable device uses technology commonly used in its soundbars and combines them with digital signal processing to reduce distortion for “full, natural sound” across genres. Bose promises that you’ll be able to hear every aspect of the song clearly, regardless of the musical style and regardless of where the speaker is located. You’ll also be able to adjust the lows, mids, and treble through the Bose app if the stock setup isn’t to your liking.

Bose chose a powder-coated, silicone-wrapped steel enclosure for the SoundLink Max, which the company says offers a more refined look. The speaker is also IP67 rated, so dust, water, rust and drops shouldn’t be a problem. All this makes the Max very suitable for outdoor use, and when you take it on the go, you won’t have to worry about frequent charging. Bose says the SoundLink Max will last up to 20 hours, plus it can charge your phone via a USB-C cable if needed. A removable rope handle will help with transport, but Bose also makes a carrying belt if you prefer to carry it over your shoulder.

SoundLink Max is equipped with Snapdragon Sound, which offers more consistent connectivity with the latest Android devices, and aptX Adaptive, which provides improved sound quality over Bluetooth. The speaker also supports Google Fast Pair and Bluetooth 5.3.

Pre-orders for the SoundLink Max begin today by Bose, and the speaker is scheduled to ship on May 16. In addition to being the company’s largest portable Bluetooth unit, it also ties the Bose Portable Smart Speaker as the most expensive at $399. If you’re looking for something smaller, the SoundLink Micro ($99), SoundLink Flex ($119), and SoundLink Mini II ($149) are also available from Bose.