I was looking for a JL price match source for a set of Q Acoustic BT3 and found the cheapest to be at Home AV Direct, as they are having a sale at the moment, finishing tomorrow.
Bose Soundlink Mini II is at £134, but there are plenty of other deals to choose from.
Okay, for anyone that's interested.
This very afternoon I borrowed my friends Anker speaker, the A3413, which my friend informed me cost him somewhere in the region of £40. I took this over to another friends, whom owns several Soundlink Mini's. Both mk1 and 2's. I compared the Anker to the mk2. I used my iPod Touch via bluetooth, all files were WAV.
To cut what i could make into a very long story short, the Soundlink is better. Build quality is obviously much better. Audio quality, the Bose IS simply better. The Anker is leaner in the mids, which may suit some people. The Mini is, and was always known as warm in it's mid's presentation. The bottom end, you cant really compare the two in my opinion. Because the Bose has more extension, when you up the volume, the sound is that much fuller and rounder sounding. In a medium sized room, at volume, the Anker sounds "cheap".
Whether the premium of an additional £100 is to be regarded as value is purely subjective in my opinion. This is simply for all those "experts" above claiming overpriced tat. The Bose is the better built, and performing product - end of!
You pay your money, and you take your choice (and i own neither)
spannerzone
3 Jan 173#15
Maybe he does, but I tend to believe my own ears rather than blindly buy purely based on reviews which are very often tainted by the very advertising companies that support the magazines or review sites.
My hearing allows me listen and then buy a product that I find better than another product - it's a pretty easy test without relying on experts although I'll always read reviews so I can whittle down the choice of items to listen to.
I'm also wary of some supposed experts as it's so easy to become a self appointed expert on the internet. I've seen experts recommend all sorts of crappy products over the years. :smile:
In my 30 years of dealing with audio, video and telecommunications equipment it is conceivable that I may have more technical expertise than some of the experts that do reviews. Possibly, who knows?
spannerzone to learoy1
3 Jan 173#12
I don't have Apple products and I don't buy on brand names alone - I spent a lot of time testing out small bluetooth speakers and this one (well the mark 1 version) sounded the best for the small size. So I based my buying decision on sound quality and build quality alone. Perhaps you've also spent considerable time and effort to test out a number of small speakers and also speak from your own experiences? I'm sure you wouldn't be just making baseless statements without any due diligence carried out to support your thoughts.
ram sonos and ram Bose. high price mediocre quality. you're just paying for the brand. most apple fans also have Bose/sonos
nipstyler to learoy1
3 Jan 171#5
I have had one of these since they came out and had the older non USB version before that. I agree all crapple/bose/sonos stuff is over priced **** however after auditioning this speaker in the store I realised there is nothing that comes close to the bose soundlink mini 2 for size and sound quality. If you are looking for a truly small portable speaker with much larger speaker sound it's the one to get. If you are however looking for something to use at home as a main stereo then you can't beat high end separates and floor standing speakers.
spannerzone to learoy1
3 Jan 173#12
I don't have Apple products and I don't buy on brand names alone - I spent a lot of time testing out small bluetooth speakers and this one (well the mark 1 version) sounded the best for the small size. So I based my buying decision on sound quality and build quality alone. Perhaps you've also spent considerable time and effort to test out a number of small speakers and also speak from your own experiences? I'm sure you wouldn't be just making baseless statements without any due diligence carried out to support your thoughts.
PC_Dave to learoy1
4 Jan 17#22
Oh dear...
muckspreader1 to learoy1
4 Jan 17#24
Couldn't agree more.Went to try the monitor audio airstream S150 and wow.Wpuld blow this thing into the water and only £119.99 from Peter tyson.Bose for me are the speaker equivalent of beats headphones.For people who think they here great sound but actually don't plus monitor audio a great British company.Enough said go try the S150 :wink:
acj7745 to learoy1
4 Jan 17#38
Every brand wants that. They want to be the default brand people think of when they don't have time to look in to something properly but have money to spend. You don't have to be the best, but you certainly can't be bad. You aren't really 'just paying for the brand', but you also probably don't realise you can get equivalent for cheaper.
crocobaur
3 Jan 172#3
This is just a matter of taste. I personally preferred the Acoustics, but some might prefer Bose or Sonos, and as long as they are cheaper than other places, it is still a deal.
steveex
3 Jan 171#4
Derp!
mattrixdesign2
3 Jan 17#6
I don't use Apple, do have Sonos, and it's not for the SQ (though it adequate for me, I have the amp with speakers and a One), it's more for the ease of use, it's stable, reliable and compact.
I can't comment of the Bose as not used it, but I think Sonos is great quality and worth the £££s.
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Opening post
Bose Soundlink Mini II is at £134, but there are plenty of other deals to choose from.
I might as well buy the speakers from them, as they have raving reviews on TrustPilot: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.homeavdirect.co.uk:smile:
Top comments
This very afternoon I borrowed my friends Anker speaker, the A3413, which my friend informed me cost him somewhere in the region of £40. I took this over to another friends, whom owns several Soundlink Mini's. Both mk1 and 2's. I compared the Anker to the mk2. I used my iPod Touch via bluetooth, all files were WAV.
To cut what i could make into a very long story short, the Soundlink is better. Build quality is obviously much better. Audio quality, the Bose IS simply better. The Anker is leaner in the mids, which may suit some people. The Mini is, and was always known as warm in it's mid's presentation. The bottom end, you cant really compare the two in my opinion. Because the Bose has more extension, when you up the volume, the sound is that much fuller and rounder sounding. In a medium sized room, at volume, the Anker sounds "cheap".
Whether the premium of an additional £100 is to be regarded as value is purely subjective in my opinion. This is simply for all those "experts" above claiming overpriced tat. The Bose is the better built, and performing product - end of!
You pay your money, and you take your choice (and i own neither)
My hearing allows me listen and then buy a product that I find better than another product - it's a pretty easy test without relying on experts although I'll always read reviews so I can whittle down the choice of items to listen to.
I'm also wary of some supposed experts as it's so easy to become a self appointed expert on the internet. I've seen experts recommend all sorts of crappy products over the years. :smile:
In my 30 years of dealing with audio, video and telecommunications equipment it is conceivable that I may have more technical expertise than some of the experts that do reviews. Possibly, who knows?
All comments (59)
I can't comment of the Bose as not used it, but I think Sonos is great quality and worth the £££s.