Anker soundcore Boost Portable Bluetooth Speaker with Balanced Sound

Update June 2023: Anker got in touch after previous review and replaced with an upgraded speaker, soundcore pro at no extra cost. This speaker is still going strong and sounds great after a lot of use and tough use on many trips. Great customer care. Have bought two of these speakers in the last six months. The first one in February after reading the positive reviews and to replace a much loved Cambridge Audio Go that got left out overnight in the rain. Whilst the Cambridge had a lovely rich sound it was never quite loud enough to get a party going when taken to full volume. The Anker was certainly a big step up in this respect with the bass-up feature giving great punchy sound and plenty of volume even if the mid-range is a little hollow and lacking in the subtlety that made the Cambridge easy to listen to all day. That said, at less than half the price and size of the Cambridge it is great value for money as well as being highly portable. This first speaker is still working perfectly and delivering the remarkable deep bass sound that many people have described in their reviews. Great battery life too. So far so good. Having been so pleased with this product we bought another one as a present for our son in April and he was delighted with it and particularly its capabilities around bass and volume. Unfortunately after 4 months the micro USB charging port has failed on this second speaker meaning that it is no longer possible to achieve a proper connection to charge it. Amazon customer support were very good and the speaker has now been returned in exchange for a full refund. All in all a mixed bag experience with one great little speaker still knocking out the kind of bass and sound that surprises every time and the other one in a van heading back to Amazon courtesy of Royal Mail. May have been unlucky with the second speaker as the build quality seems pretty high in general but now mulling over whether to roll the dice again and order another one or perhaps pay a bit more for one of the big brands. Four/five stars for first speaker and one star for the second one.

I love this Anker Upgraded Soundcore Boost Bluetooth speaker. Let me tell you why. It has a good battery life when charged up. It has good bluetooth connectivity to the devices it was connected to. The sound quality is a lot better than you would expect from something so small. There is 20W of sound pumped out with a punchy base level. It is easy to use and easy to set up. Being portable is a plus as is its durablity as it is well made and seems solid. It's also waterproof and can be used to charge your phone! You will not be disappointed with this purchase.

Honestly, I didn’t expect much when I bought this speaker — I thought it would be just another small, budget Bluetooth speaker. I was wrong. For its size, the sound is surprisingly powerful and full-bodied. The bass is deep and punchy without being muddy or overwhelming, and the mids are clean and clear, making vocals easy to hear. High frequencies are smooth and not harsh. It sounds much bigger than it looks. Build quality is also very impressive. The speaker feels solid and well-made, with quality materials and responsive buttons. It definitely doesn’t feel cheap. I mainly use it with my TV, and the difference compared to the built-in TV speakers is huge. Dialogue is much clearer, the sound feels more immersive, and once you get used to it, it’s hard to go back to TV speakers. Overall, this is an excellent value for money. Great sound, solid build, and very versatile — perfect for music, movies, and everyday use at home. Highly recommended if you want big sound from a compact speaker without paying premium brand prices.

Amazing speaker! They say heavy speakers are a good sign and this speaker is quite heavy considering it's size! Good sign for things to come. Taking it out from the premium but minimal packaging I Immediately notice the rubber effect plastic on the top and bottom and I'm a bit worried about cleaning dust off that. When the dust settles it'll be hard to clean off fully. I wish they had an official carry case for this speaker :-( Start it up and after the weird power up sound an a tap of my android phone on the top and we're up and running - quick and easy! Nice clear sound at low volume. turn it up from the phone's volume setting and boy does the volume go up, with further scope to increase the volume from the speaker's volume control. The volume on this goes way higher than I would need it to for my use. I'm impressed how loud and room filling such a small can be! I've not taken it to full volume, but at reasonably high volume there was no distortion or loss of sound quality which is again simply amazing given the size and price. We use this is a mid size bedroom and this easily fills the room with sound. In terms of bass i'm *really* impressed how deep a sound such a small speaker can produce. Bass is good without Bass up switched on, and that much better when it's switch on. My preference is to have it off, but then there are the odd tracks where you feel it's nice to have on. Where does this product lose a star? The sound out of the box is tuned slightly towards mid-lows. You can't avoid this whether you have Bass Up on on not, It's just the way the speaker is tuned. For tracks which have higher tones or people that prefer a clear mid-highs, this doesn't quite sound right, HOWEVER if you're using an audio app with an Equalizer adjustment this flaw can be fixed! For me however, we play a lot of music off YouTube and so for a lot of my use cases I personally can't tweak the sound. However, you do have to be listening attentively to notice this. A lot of the time we use this for background music and turned up mid way and we barely notice the issue. All in all a very impressive speaker for the price. No major flaws, would definitely recommend buying! I wouldn't mind comparing a much more expensive portable speaker side by side with this, but I doubt the more expensive speaker would compete well! Similarly I'd be interested to hear the older Anker Premium Bluetooth a3143 which I had my eyes on previously and see how the sound compares.

First off, this looks and feels like a quality little device. Nice rubbery texture on the top and bottom (though I hope it doesn't go all sticky and nasty after a few years...) and fabric across the front and back. Nice sold rubber cover over the power connectors too. Bluetooth 5 connectivity seems to work fine, pairing was easy. Sound quality is pretty good considering the size. If you're playing stuff with lots of low frequency rhythmic components, e.g. drum & bass, you'll find the speaker gives up for the lower stuff, but for most pop and definitely voice and classical music I've put through it this device does an amazing job. I like the size and shape, it's easier to fit into places (including bags if you're moving around) than a rounded design. I was also interested (thought have yet to try) the hands free speakerphone capability of this device. Likewise, being able to use it as a power bank is good idea - there's no point in it having good battery life if the phone you're playing the music from dies! I've used the Soundcore app to adjust the audio equaliser and that works pretty well. It will let you boost the bass to a point where the audio starts to distort, but that's fair enough and that point will be different depending on the type of music and volume level. Overall, nice little unit.

The short version: If you want to spend as little as possible for a great sounding speaker just get it. You will not regret it. Note: It's not for big parties. Review: I gave it five stars not because it's Hi-Fi quality sound, obviously it's not, but value for money. For £33 you're just not going to get a better sounding speaker - And it sounds good. It's also a solid feeling speaker. I do like a good sounding speaker and this delivers. I'm currently listening to a big bassy song with saxophone and it sounds smooth, comfortable to listen to, does not grate on your ears like cheap speakers do. Yes there is some clarity missing but the nice bass makes up for that. I also had the Soundcore Motion Plus with its very nice clarity but the Boost has superior bass and hence overall it's a better listen. However, when the volume is turned up above 75% or to maximum, the speaker will lose its deepish bass; The mids will come through quite significantly losing it's warm listening signature. I didn't buy it for loud listening as I have a big Tribit bluetooth speaker for that. So for my listening which is at about 50% it's perfect. If you want a speaker for loud listening then you need to move up to bigger speakers, not these "coat pocketable" ones.

Love this, actually fully enjoy listening to music on it. Bought to replace an original Soundcore speaker that had been with us for a few years but the charging socket collapsed there. This is bigger, rounder, less rubbery. This connects super quickly to any device. The sound quality is in a different league than the Mk1. Bass is fantastic for such a little device. It responds way way more to changes in equalizer settings on the phone right across the range. The UP button increases the bass output even more. This is clearly geared towards a clear bass and has an incredibly warm sound for a small BT speaker. If you like a cold harder sound then go for the standard Soundcore speakers they also have better battery life than this one. I've used it outside and the sound carries much better than the standard one. This got wet and just like the old one, it didn't matter, just kept on going. The grill is softer , less robust in the hand and is little annoying when mud got onto it BUT it did flake off once dried out with no issues at all. This is very directional, the music clearly comes out of the front. We have hammered the much loved Anker Soundcore and it has been great but is on its last charge due to the collapsed charge socket. Listening to these two side by side is amazing because this Soundcore Boost Mk2 is on a different level in every way, except battery life. This is looking like 10hrs or so, still epic. Total bargain.

Really nice packaging, build quality, materials and weight, the latter boding well for decent speaker drivers and battery stamina. I was a bit worried that the cloth finish might be delicate, but it doesn't seem to be, instead rather cosmetically stuck on to a hard and robust undersurface. The all-black finish is smart enough but a bit stark; some grey detailing or cloth would improve the looks still further, and perhaps help make the buttons a little clearer in poor light. The user guide is minimal in the extreme, and lacking in one or two important points, but it's still enough to get started, and the speaker arrived with enough battery charge to get going immediately. A few weeks ago I tried the Akai Dynamx A58048SG, a Bluetooth speaker with a comparable full retail price (though frequently discounted), and it went back as unfit for purpose. In reviewing Anker's SoundCore Boost, comparisons with that are somewhat inevitable. Bluetooth pairing via tapping with NFC was painless (subsequent attempts have been variable in success, but probably the phone playing up), and the sound quality was immediately gratifying, with and without the bass-boost function. Unlike the Akai, which mixed its Bluetooth input down to mono for some reason, the sound was demonstrably stereo and (unlike the Akai in aux-in mode) left and right were the correct way round. Hard to prove if the output is really 20W, but it's certainly loud, and it's perfectly full-sounding at lower levels too. When connected via the aux-in (you'll need your own cable!) overall levels seemed a bit lower, and as I intend to use this as an ad-hoc instrument amp as well as a Bluetooth speaker I'm glad I went for one of the more powerful of the economically available options. There are slightly excessive power-up/down sound effects but they are nowhere near as obtrusively loud as on the Akai. Volume control is by push button with no visible feedback (the battery gauge could be re-purposed while adjusting), and could be slightly more responsive. I would prefer a rotary/slide control, but those are unusual on Bluetooth speakers for some reason. Having fully electronic volume control it would be possible to memorise the level per input, but the speaker does not do so. Although there's a skip track function (press "Play" twice quickly) there's no backwards counterpart unlike on the Akai and other speakers, but in fairness most will control that from their phone anyway. Doubling up as a power bank, charging the speaker is unusually informative, with a clear four-LED battery gauge (the Akai had a single and barely visible LED), though it gets a bit uncertain towards the 100% end. This gauge also lights up briefly at other times in operation, and additionally when the speaker is being used as a power bank. The BatON Android app usefully reports battery level on the phone. The power bank functionality seems a bit of an afterthought feature, and is not well documented in the user guide, perhaps surprisingly for a company that's most famous for its power solutions. Simply plugging in a phone or other USB device is not enough to set it charging; you have to press the power button on the speaker too, which immediately sets it into Bluetooth pairing mode (together with start-up sound effect and flashing power light) for a few minutes until it realises there's nothing there - well so long as Bluetooth is turned off on the device you're trying to charge, anyway! That must waste a bit of battery that would be better saved for charging. Note that if you want to charge another device, you have to press the power button again after swapping over - no big deal but worth remembering if charging a device with no immediate visual or audible feedback. Power-bank charging is only at a maximum of 1A, so may not be quite as fast as mains on some devices. Splash resistance is presumably a good thing, but it does mean the sockets for charging and aux-in are behind a fiddly rubber seal. When it's open, it's not easy to get plugs into the sockets because the seal still gets in the way, and additionally the sockets are very close together making it rather difficult to e.g. charge and use the aux-in at the same time. The seal should open more freely (or be able to be removed altogether with ease), and a couple more millimetres between each socket really wouldn't have made much difference to anything else. So overall, not perfect, but really any deficiencies are mitigated by the reasonable cost for a unit of this general quality. I expect Anker will produce an updated version of this soon as they have with other models in their range, and I have identified a few things that could certainly be improved. Nothing is a deal breaker for me though, so nice one so far Anker. Pros: - beautiful build quality and materials - ready to go, out of the box - good full stereo sound at all volumes, with no hiss or crackle - up to date date Bluetooth implementation unlike many speakers - power bank functionality is welcome, with a nice big battery to help - battery life is as good as advertised, still going strong after 12+ hours at modest volume - useful (if sometimes slightly inaccurate) battery gauge Cons: - volume control could be physical and/or more informative - some colour detailing could help with button legibility - volumes should be memorised per input - no track skip backwards function - power bank should be able to be used without fully turning on - socket array needs a bit more space Good news: I see they are now, finally, shipping an updated version. Bad news: they resolved the socket array issue by dumping the aux input altogether. Good thing I bought when I did since that would have been a deal-breaker.

Volle Punktzahl - 5 Sterne! Dass die Lieferung von und durch Amazon wie immer absolut Top war, brauche ich sicher nicht zu erwähnen. Das weiß eigentlich jeder Amazonkunde längst :-) 👍 Die Box: Die Soundbox wie erwartet neu und sauber verpackt an. Die Verbindung mit dem Smartphone (bei mir ein Iphone 16Pro) funktionierte ohne großes Gefummel auf Anhieb. Eine extra App brauchte ich nicht. Wurde perfekt erkannt und verbunden. Der Sound ist für diese kleine Box absolut genial. Mit dem UP-Button kann man die Bässe bei Bedarf und Lust nochmals verstärken. Dann hat es wirklich Wums. Reicht aber für den Alltag auch ohne 😊. Die Verarbeitung und das haptische Gefühl macht einen hochwertigen Eindruck. Durch die 4 kleinen Gumminoppen am Boden steht die Box vernünftig und sicher. Die Tasten sind leicht verständlich und zu bedienen. Der Anschluß zum Aufladen ist mit einer Gummikappe geschützt. Macht Sinn. Nach mehreren Tagen und reichlich Musikhören beim Kochen, Duschen, Putzen, ... der Akku hält. Noch 3 von 4 angezeigten Punkten. Zur Wasserdichtigkeit kann und möchte ich nichts sagen, die Box bleibt bei mir ausserhalb der Dusche/Wanne 🤣. Kurz um - mit dieser Box macht man eigentlich nichts falsch und ich würde sie ohne Zögern nochmals kaufen oder Freunden empfehlen.

Massive sound... Extremely deep base, long lasting battery What a product. Never regret buying

Edit 10/15) Anker responded to BOTH my email and my review within 24 hours. The replacement arrived yesterday, all I had to prove was my purchase and history. That’s right, they sent me a brand new expensive speaker without even forcing me to send the defective one in and waiting the extra weeks it might take. I’ve said it before and say it again, these guys nail it on the head 90% of the time, and the customer service more than makes up for any shortcomings. If Ankerdirect brand has an accessory or electronic I want, I will NEVER use another brand for that item. It really doesn’t make any sense financially to use any brand other than Anker. Edit 10/9)Everything before this edit is true — I love this speaker to death and will buy a new one if I have to, but yesterday, the speaker suddenly became scratchy and horrible on the bass. It’s been absolutely perfect for 10 months straight, only to suddenly become weirdly metal and unnerving sounding when bass is playing, like you’re vibrating a very metal heavy sheet pan or something. The included video shows the problem VERY clearly. It’s not as easy to hear with lyrics so I chose an opening with heavy bass. I now can’t not notice it in every song I play, especially since the speaker is so bassy overall, which was my favorite aspect of it. I use it absolutely every day, no doubt. It’s well within the 18 month warranty so I hope Anker will rectify this... This speaker completely blows me away. I believe I paid 80$ originally, and I don’t regret a penny of it. This thing is insane. It is absolutely perfect for pretty much any application indoors short of a huge party or a rave, it’s 20 watts, it is not going to shake the floor. The QUALITY of the sound, especially the bass, is worth the money on its own. Not only does it get more than loud enough in closed spaces (kitchen, shower) to feel like you have a stereo system installed, it’s just phenomenal. Even if you’re alone in bed, sit this thing on your chest on near your head, and at medium volume, it will sound better than ANY pair of headphones I’ve ever tried, regardless of brand or price. The ONLY way you’ll be disappointed in any way whatsoever is if you try to use it in unintended ways. No, it is not louder and more bassy in a car than the car’s speakers turned up to full. No, it will not be sufficient to power a party with 100 people. And if you work in a loud environment ( i tried it at work as a dishwasher at school) it is not going to be very loud and clear over the roar of dishwashing, spraying, ect. You’d need something louder. Battery is exactly as described, charges fully in just a few hours, used as intended there is simply no question. I buy ONLY anker electronic products after years of trying all brands big and small. Anker is the one. And if there’s ANYTHING wrong, you can probably tell by all the comments that anker will bend over backwards trying to correct it. Final words, no competition under 100$ I personally guarantee.

Self-proclaimed "audiophiles" ...READ NO FURTHER ! True "hi fi" from any speaker this size ? You must be joking. Same goes for those "ambience", "surround" and "stereo" claims for anything that actually fits in a backpack, shoulder bag or purse. As I write this, I've had my Soundcore Boost in daily use for almost exactly four months. It's playing Apple's "Classical Chill" playlist right now, maybe even "write" now. Definitely RIGHT ...now. Five star sound. How do I know ? I've spent nearly five decades on the road as an audio director/sound supervisor. I now donate location audio as a volunteer ...and THIS bargain priced box does more work than the rest of my comprehensive inventory of HK Audio line-array systems. Pull it and a MacBook Pro or iPhone from my shoulder bag and literally seconds later, we're trawling through an unlimited selection of tracks ...until we find the track that miraculously makes "the lights come on" and a foot start tapping. Minutes later, a supposedly non-verbal nonagenarian is regaling us with tales of how Elvis singing "Blue Suede Shoes" became "our song" for their partnership back in the day. Next room along, a Vietnam veteran suddenly comes alive to the bass and rhythm of "These Boots Are Made For Walking" by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood. But all you guys are a bit deaf, I hear you say. Thanks for speaking up young whipper-snapper. It's true. Now here's the surprise: straight out of its box in its default "bass up" setting, this little beast exhibits a screaming top end that cuts through perfectly. So much so that the first thing I did was download Anker's free "Soundcore" app to make the "custom" preset EQ that's now playing. This allows me to reproduce Anker's comprehensive midrange cut while taming the super sizzling top end that's so loved by the techno and rap crowd ...yet still conveying the full authority of a Steinway concert grand responding to Glenn Gould's left hand. So one default preset for the hearing impaired and another that covers "normal" listening, for a quarter the price I paid for my newly obsolete Bose Soundlink Mini. Oh ...and the Mini had far fewer facilities. Build quality ? Seemingly indestructible and highly weather resistant. Battery life ? Speakers seem to be a "side hustle" alongside Anker's main gig ...which is (drum roll, please) batteries and power supplies. So at its maximum (hearing impaired) volume, nine hours from a one hour charge. For me, that's a charge every five to seven days. Nothing short of amazing. All for considerably less than paying to fill up a car's tank.

Exactly what I expected. Very good sound. Delivery was super fast! Just over a day. (From Amazon.se)