Upgraded, Anker Soundcore Boost Bluetooth Speaker with Well-Balanced Sound, BassUp, 12H Playtime, USB-C, IPX7 Waterproof, Wireless Speaker with Customizable EQ via App, Wireless Stereo Pairing
| | | |
|---|---|---|
20W SoundEnjoy louder, well-balanced sound with intensified bass thanks to our exclusive BassUp technology. | Extended Playtime12 hours of playtime keeps the music playing for longer in between charges. | PowerIQ Charge OutPhone running low on battery? Soundcore Boost Bluetooth speaker is equipped with Anker’s PowerIQ technology to charge your device at optimized speeds. |
| | | |
|---|---|---|
Fully-WaterproofSoundcore Boost Bluetooth speaker is protected by an IPX7-rated casing for full protection against liquids. | Soundcore AppTailor Soundcore Boost’s EQ to bring out the best in any genre. | Wireless Stereo PairingConnect 2 SoundCore Boost speakers via a single device for huge stereo sound. |
| | | |
|---|---|---|
USB-C ConnectivityUse the included USB-C cable for fast recharging of the Bluetooth speaker. | Built-In MicrophoneThe built-in microphone transforms Soundcore Boost into a hands-free speakerphone when you receive a call. | Fast, Reliable PairingBluetooth 5 offers a stable connection, while you can connect Android devices in an instant via NFC. |
 |  |  |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sound | Powerful Stereo Sound, Deeper Bass, Pure Titanium Diaphragm Clear | Huge Stereo Sound, Stronger Bass. Pure Titanium Diaphragms | Hi-Res Audio Certification, Enhanced Sound Dispersion, Ultra-Wide Frequency Range, Qualcomm aptX, Customizable EQ | Stronger Stereo Sound, Deeper Bass | Loud Stereo Sound, Balanced Sound Profile | 360° Size-Defying Sound, Deeper Bass |
| Playtime | 24 Hours | 24 Hours | 12 Hours | 12 Hours | 24 Hours | 15 Hours |
| Water Resistance | IPX7 | IPX7 | IPX7 | IPX7 | IPX5 | IPX7 |
| Wireless Stereo Pairing | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | — |
| Soundcore App | EQ Settings,Software Upgrades | EQ Settings, Software Upgrades | Four EQ Settings, Customizable EQ,Software Upgrades | Four EQ Settings, Software Upgrades | — | Setting, Software Upgrades |
| Recommended For | Bedroom Shower Beach | Hiking Boat Beach Camping Picnic | Indoor Bedroom Living Room | Indoor Bedroom Kitchen | Indoor Bedroom Kitchen Travel | Travel Camping Kayak Hike Beach |
Model Number: A3145
Key Features
Huge Sound: Titanium drivers deliver louder sound with a frequency range that extends up to 40kHz for brighter treble with incredible detail.
BassUp Technology: Our proprietary technology intensifies bass in real-time to ensure the thumping beats pack an extra punch.
IPX7 Protection: Soundcore Boost Bluetooth speaker is fully waterproof to withstand even complete submersion in water.
Extended Playtime: 12 hours of playtime gives you more time to spend listening to all your favorite tunes.
Charge Other Devices: Use Soundcore Boost Bluetooth speaker to charge other devices while you listen.
Soundcore App: Customize the EQ and tailor the sound to your favorite music.
Wireless Stereo Pairing: Enjoy big stereo sound when 2 Soundcore Boost speakers are paired wirelessly.
Convenient Pairing: Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC connection for Android phones.
Built-In Microphone: Answer calls via Soundcore Boost Bluetooth speaker.
Fast Charging: Via the USB-C connection.
Note: This upgraded Soundcore Boost speaker does not have an AUX port.
Specifications
Bluetooth Version: 5.0
Audio Output: 10W × 2
Battery Capacity: 5200mAh
Charge Time: 4 Hours
Bluetooth Frequency Range: 20m
Sound Frequency Range: 60Hz ~ 40kHZ
THD+N: <1%
Model Number: A3145
What’s In The Box
Soundcore Boost
Quick Start Guide
USB-A to USB-C Cable
| Dimensions: | 22.86 x 7.62 x 12.7 cm; 585 Grams |
| Model: | A3145013 |
| Batteries Included: | 1 Lithium Polymer batteries required. (included) |
| Manufacture: | Anker |
| Origin: | China |
we have had anker chargers which are brilliant and this speaker system is so handy and has performed well. For the price, the sound quality is more than expected (I am hard of hearing so these may be even better than I have stated; my partner loves them) and of course the battery life is also what you would expect from Anker kit. They have performed consistently well since I bought them as a gif
Great sound quality for the price. There appear to be 2 versions of this speaker – I was hoping mine would be the one with the 3.5mm aux input, but I got the one that can be paired with another speaker of the same type. That aside I’m very pleased with the sound, and with the delivery. We were on holiday in our touring caravan, and had the speaker delivered to a collection point near the site. Connected to the laptop for watching films – much better than the laptop speakers.
I’ve now had this for 2 years and it is still going strong. It is such a good bit of kit. I use it everyday, sound is good quality (perhaps not as good as more expensive speakers of the same type, but I’d rather use the full speaker system if I’m looking for perfect sound). Bass up is a good option, although after 2 years of use it does vibrate a little too much when bass is on (I have to have it upside down to stop the “broken” noise). Battery life could be improved, it certainly isn’t as long lasting as most other portable speakers I have used which is a shame (It will struggle to last half the day, and it’s considerably less if the bass up is on). Battery life is the reason for 4 starts rather than 5.
Within the house we also have the cheaper version of this and it just is not anywhere near as good (despite the added battery life and the slightly cheaper price tag)
When the loose part inside it causes too much vibration I will be buying the same agai
YES YES YES what more can I say, don’t know much about speakers and technology stuff, but I bought this for blasting some funk out on site and over the moon I did, runs all day on a charge,(10 hours and it’s not run out yet) seems very good sound quality to me. Out performs some of the other lads wad boxes that are about 3 foot square, this is smaller than house brick and portable, seems to hold up from a few light showers of rain aswell
5 stars would highly recommend in fact I bought 2 one for home use
This is the first portable speaker I’ve ever used and so far I’m impressed with the quality of the build and the sound.
Like all other Anker products, it feels solid and pleasant to handle. Good quality materials make seem like a premium device.
The sound is rich and there are no audible distortions even at high volume. The volume is more than adequate for its size, easily filling a living room.
I’m not a big fan of the bass boost feature, as it’s not adjustable and I think it drowns the mids. This can be fixed by using a software EQ or by turning it off.
The rubberized surface and covered ports inspire confidence in its resistance to drops and water, however, I haven’t tested how well it handles a dive.
With the included cable, you can both charge the speaker as well as use it as a power bank for another device. This is a good addition as it makes it more practical to use outdoors.
Whilst you can get decent volume, you wouldn’t use this in a party unless you really had nothing else.
Bluetooth is a bit fiddly if you need to connect to different devices often.
When you switch the speaker on or off, it makes a naff 80s TV Gameshow sound. Not a problem as all but its a bit naff.
I have a Bose soundlink mini which has incredible sound for it’s size and we often take it camping, but given it’s price I wanted an alternative that was a bit less precious.
After going through the myriad of options I picked this one that also had a 15% off voucher and is probably a mid price point.
I’m impressed it’s compact. The battery last for ages. Bluetooth all good plus I’ve been using NFC which connects instantly and gives a more stable connection.
The bass boast works really well, adds some punch to the music without overwhelming it. However what I have noticed is the mid range is a touch muffled, just not quite that clarity of tones. Don’t get me wrong it’s does have really good sound performance but you should be aware of this. Comparisons to Bose would be unfair as it cost 3 times as much, but it does show you get what you pay for.
All in all very happy with this purchase and it’ll be going in the campervan to give us some sounds round the bbq.
I have had this about a month now, and so far I’m very pleased with it, it packs a big punch for a small unit, and fills a small room adequately.
Bluetooth connection is easily archived, not really tried the NFC connection, as Bluetooth works fine for me.
The Bass boost is also good, and gives the bottom end a boost when required.
I would recommended buying a case to keep it when traveling, as it will keep it from damage.
This is the one I purchased. Hard case travel bag for Anker SoundCore Boost 20W Bluetooth Speaker by co2CREA
Bought for wife as a present, at first she was not impressed that I bought her a techy gift, but, she uses it all the time and loves it. Still working perfectly 18 months on.
UPDATE: original broken, stopped charging and sound went all scratchy like the speakers were blown. Tried a few other brands, some expensive names thinking they must be better but, ended up sending them all back. They just couldn’t compete in terms of sound quality, volume and price so, I bought another one of these and so far it’s just as good as the original.
This was one of those purchases that I mused over for quite a while, taking in all the feedback from people who were clearly more technically aware than me on this type of a product. After several times of looking at it in my basket and hovering over the purchase button I finally decided to take the plunge and buy one, I am so delighted I did so. The sound clarity is very, very good including a bass boost feature which enhances the sound even more.
My wife and I used the speaker outdoors for almost 2 hours with downloded songs from the internet and It still had three lights indicating a three quarter charge. No drop out from the bluetooth signal from my phone, it was solid with no blips.
I also purchased a zip up protective case at the same time, It fits in perfectly with a small pocket for the charging lead, Hopefully many good years of use ahead.
PRO’S:
Great sound quality:
Stylish and quality manufacturing:
Bass boost button:
Great battery life:
CONS:
In all honesty I cant find one to mention:
I’ll start off by saying that I usually over research before I buy any electronics and in this case, I’m really glad that I went with the Anker Soundcore Boost!
When I was looking at which speaker to buy, I knew that Anker was going to be one that I would definitely consider as I’ve got a few of their other products (wireless headphones & power bank) and I’ve always been happy with the product (even after a few years of using them) & the support provided by Anker. I was comparing this Soundcore Boost against the original Soundcore 2, JBL & Sony speakers, what swayed me to go for this was the fact that for the price I knew I’d be getting a top-quality speaker.
I use the speaker in an average double-sized bedroom & a garage, it definitely has no problem in filling the room and this is when I only have the volume at 50% – the 20W definitely making a difference. I occasionally use the Bass Boost button which definitely makes a difference but I’ve noticed that it only sounds good when using it on certain songs, if the song is already slightly base heavy already it’ll case the base to drown out the vocals, therefore, I only put it on for the occasional song which doesn’t have too much bass.
One thing I would recommend is wearing in the speakers when you get it, as you should do with any sort of speakers, just make sure you don’t blast it from day 1 and potentially pop one of the speakers. The battery life is also incredible, I’m sure I’ve used this speaker more than the advertised 12-hour playtime. I do have to admit that the charging time is slightly longer than I expected but for the playtime that I’ve had so far, I can’t complain!
One thing I do believe it is lacking, especially compared to other speakers including the Soundcore 2, is that there is no way to link this speaker up (via Bluetooth) with a similar model. This is a handy feature especially if you have a large space you want to cover such as a party, however, in my case I wouldn’t need more than one speaker.
In conclusion, I’m 100% glad I went for this speaker, it’s well designed, looks & feels like a solid & professional speaker. For the price I paid (42), you’d be lucky finding another speaker in the similar price bracket, I think you would need to spend much more to get something on par with this speaker. I don’t expect there to be any problems but I do know that if there is that the support provided by Anker will sort it.
5 out of 5 speaker!!
Let’s make it simple and succinct – the sound of Bose Soundlink mini II is obviously better and clearer. AnkerSoundcore Boost has ample bass volume, but this bass may become too boomy depending what type of music you play and this also masks mid-range frequency; this means that it sounds a bit murky to some ears. However, it cost almost 1/3 cheaper than Bose (I was lucky because it cost 41.99 quid during the sale period) and considering to its price , it’s a good value for money.
I’d recommend this to people who love party and play music outdoor.
There are definitely higher quality speakers out there, but they come at a much, much higher cost. For the money, this thing fills a room with strong, rich bass exceptionally well. Compared with some of Anker’s other Sound core speaker models, this one has a shorter battery life, though at 12 hours it is still very good, and this shorter battery life is largely a result of the greater power and output of this speaker. The music I enjoy listening to is a joy to play through this speaker, and it’s certainly a nice alternative for someone who wants to fill a room but perhaps doesn’t want to pay huge amounts for a multi-speaker sound system or a comparitevely-expensive soundbar. In that sense, it’s an affordable, sensible option which is also portable!
I would recommend checking this out, definitely, though if you feel you want a longer battery life and perhaps an even better value option and don’t necessarily require all the power that this Soundcore Boost offers with it’s enhanced ‘Bass Up’ button, then I would recommend looking into the the original Anker Soundcore speaker, which I have also reviewed, and which remains my favourite Bluetooth speaker overall.
It’s just a case of personal requirements and preference 🙂
Great sound from this little speaker, but unfortunately my one keeps dropping Bluetooth signal.
I have tried it on a couple of different devices but the problem persists. I have never had problems with Anker products before so maybe this is a rogue item and I plan on returning it for a replacement.
UPDATE:
I contacted Anker support about the Bluetooth problem and within 20 minutes they had responded with a troubleshooting check list. I went through all of the steps but the problem persisted so I got back to them and they said they would send out a replacement speaker. I received the replacement within 4 days and it works perfect. I have changed my review to 5* to reflect the quality of the product and the outstanding support from Anker.
My second unit from Anker as I originally had the Soundcore 2 but left it in a hotel, gutted! I bought this upgraded model and love it just as much as the first unit I had! The amount of sound at good quality that you get out of this tiny box is phenominal. Place it on the corner of a room to get even lower bass notes. I can’t say enough good about this unit or the Soundcore 2. I like them both! The Soundcore 2 did just about fit in my jeans back pocket wnen going for a walk. This new unit wont so may order a Soundcore 2 again just for out of the house situations. Both are well worth the money and the 5 stars.
I have a very nice MP3 player, and I wished that sometimes I could listen to my music through a speaker. It would be good in the garden in the nicer weather, and sitting in my armchair, to avoid crossing the room to our stereo system all the time. I bought one of those cheap little speakers with a cylindrical shape. My music sounded awful and very tinny. I concluded that you get what you pay for in life. I should have known better!
Then quite out of the blue I discovered Anker speakers and decided I might try one. I guessed that the Boost might be the best for me. I contacted Anker and emailed with a lovely lady called Willa. She was extremely helpful and confirmed that I had made the right choice for my musical tastes. I ordered one straight away. I can only say that the standard and friendliness of customer care from Anker is the best I have ever encountered.
When I unpacked the speaker, I was very impressed. It was weighty for its size and oozed class. The design is minimalist. The few controls on the top were very clear and their purpose was obvious. I plugged in the lead from my MP3 player — I always use AUX leads and have never used Bluetooth. Then I switched it on and heard the Welcome sound. Then I gradually turned up the volume a little at a time. And out came my music, sounding as good as I’ve ever heard it. I then spent the next two or three hours listening to all types of stuff from heavy rock through solo acoustic guitar and everything through to classical. By the time I had finished, I was very impressed indeed. I had just enjoyed one of the best musical experiences of my life with no exaggeration.
It’s probably obvious that I really like this speaker — it’s one of the best things I have ever bought.
I would certainly recommend it without reservation. It’s well worth a try in my opinion, even if you’re not sure.
I’m very impressed by this!
– Build quality. Feels solid, well made, doesn’t feel like buttons are loose, gaps in join or any other signs of cheapness. Even the flap you open for the connections is strong and well made
– Presentation. Just opening the box is a good experience, well presented like other Anker stuff I have bought
– Sound. Sound is loud, clear and bass is very good. It’s no dedicated soundbar or proper sound system but for it’s size it packs a punch
– Connectivity. Easy to pair, takes seconds
– Battery. Not let it deplete yet but seems a high capacity due to the time it takes to fully charge, which is a good thing
– Looks. It looks very smart and I wanted something inconspicuous but still looking good. I didn’t like the older models with the brand written across the fabric, this looks smart though. Buttons are bright and even the battery indicator is a nice solid LED for each dot, not just an LED under a bit of clear plastic
Very good product without a single doubt, the sound from this tiny box is so close to the Bose speakers, pretty amazing for such a low cost item.
The only things that needs much improvement is that “flimsy flap” for the cables to connect with the speaker itself, it would have been far better with an hinge door rather than an overly tight door closure strap.
Better still, I would have put the cable connector outlet at the back of the unit, not the side, because it looks very unsightly.
All in all, a brilliant sound which I’m very pleased with for watching films and listening to music..
The Bluetooth connection also works very well.
I have a fair few Anker products, ranging from nice quality USB cables to several USB battery banks which have worked well for a long time. This speaker follows Anker’s generally high level of quality and simplicity of use.
Pairing with various devices (laptops, tablets, phone and smartwatches) has been extremely straightforward – particularly NFC enabled systems that only need to be ‘tapped’ briefly on top of the speaker to connect. Once paired the connection is strong and stable, with a more than adequate range based on the devices that I’ve tested and the overall volume of the speakers.
The sound quality is also very good. A small set of (portable) speakers like these are never going to provide the same level of sound quality as a larger more expensive multi-speaker set up, but for what they are, this speaker is very good – basses are deep and rich and higher tones are clear. I would also regard the volume levels as being way more than adequate and impressively there is relatively little distortion at the higher levels.
Battery life is also acceptable – I haven’t bothered measuring the number of hours I get out of a charge, but the speakers are used most days, for a few hours at a time, and only need charging about once a week. Certainly, keeping the speaker charged is not a chore.
Design-wise, the speaker follows Anker’s normal design language – it’s a small black box with a few (necessary) buttons and set of discrete LEDs to give information on pairing status and battery levels – quite elegant and minimalist in my opinion.
Generally, I can recommend these speakers.
How did I manage to live without this speaker? Of course you can’t miss what you haven’t experienced. I get so much more satisfaction on listening to music. It was literally a feeling of bliss that came over me. I also use it to listen to YouTube videos and my enjoyment of that also increased. It was very easy to connect to bluetooth devices but I noticed I can only connect one device at a time. If I have my iPad connected I can’t seem to also connect it to my iPhone. The battery life is not as long as I expected but I have no problem with charging it. I also notice my iPhone battery goes down quicker when I have it hooked up to this lovely speaker but I don’t mind that as I’m at home and it’s not an issue for me. The bassUP is fantastic. In fact, I find with music the bassUP can be a bit much and on some songs I remove the extra bass as it’s not needed. The pleasure I get from using this Speaker wasn’t expected and like I can’t go back to iPhone and iPad speakers anymore 🙂 Anker SoundCore Boost 20W – I luv it. I’d like to mention that originally I had a different Soundcore speaker delivered and when I realised the speaker sound wasn’t as expected, I found out that for a few more quid I could possibly get a better sound. I packed that one up straight away and returned it for this 20W with the BassUp and I’m so glad I did.
Well built. Feels expensive to look at and hold. Sound quality is good with good base levels at low volume with bass up activated. Sound level at max volume is good but do not expect it to blow your ear drums. It does not come with a charging plug for plugging into the mains. I have used the charger from a Huawei Psmart Phone. Bass levels do not distort at max volume unless you have adjusted the bass with a graphic equaliser app. Overall I would definitely recommend.
All around, this is an excellent piece of kit.
It looks great. It’s quite heavy; that’s good because it lets the bass carry and gives the unit real depth of sound. Given the size of the speakers, it has really good range of sound and will easily fill a hotel room, tent or caravan.
Connectivity is good; reliable BT connection to whichever device I pair it with. To re-pair, you hold the power button down until it starts flashing, then pair with another device. That’s slightly awkward – the button is the light, and the audio feedback doesn’t happen until after you release the button, so you have to guess how long to hold it for – but it does work.
The ‘bonus’ feature for me was the power bank. This is effectively a huge USB power bank and yes, you can charge your device during playback if that’s helpful.
The controls on the top give good tactile feedback and do what they say on the tin. The ‘Bass UP’ thing is a bit of a waste – IMV it just makes the sound awful and muddy so I turned it off straight away.
Would strongly recommend this. Brilliant bit of kit.
I haven’t written a review for ages, as often things don’t really exceed my expectations. This little box of magic has though. I used to a have a TaoTronics speaker for my office, now discontinued. Sadly it stopped working a couple of days ago, so I need a replacement.
I bought a Betron unit at 20 as I didn’t think I’d need to spend the extra 20. I was wrong! This unit at 40 is well worth the extra money. It actually brings the music alive with a deeper and richer base. I’ve only had it for an hour or so, but the difference in sound quality made me want to write a review in the heat of the moment. I’m listening at a fairly low volume, so not sure what it’s like louder, I suspect it’ll be pretty good.
For a decent portable sound, you’re unlikely to do better than this.
he device it self 100% worth your money, has no problems connecting to the bluetooth and is quick and easy! when the battery is low it gives you a warning but the main reason for the review is the customer service! Absolutely amazing i had an issue with mine they were very quick with their replies and solution which was even better! they ever sent a brand new one through which arrived within 4 days! Fantastic customer service with in less than a week, they had given me rapid replies was very considerate and helpful, as well as sending me my replacement within that time, the best part would have been they even messaged after to make sure everything was working and that i was satisfied with my replacement!
This is my first bluetooth speaker. It’s ergonomically designed and packs a lunch for its size. I have tried it on mobiles, lads and pc’s and works fine. Sound quality is remarkable crisp with hardly and distortion. It’s quite small and would easily fit in a handbag. One feature it has that I didn’t discover until mobile rang is built in microphone. Handy to leave on side in kitchen and chat whilst cooking. I don’t think it’s mentioned on advertising but correct me if I am wrong. The reason for knocking one star of is I though it would have a higher maximum volume but maybe I am expecting to much for such a compact device. Never the less it lacks a lunch for its size and enough to make my ears ring in same room. Also handy as power bank when mobile.
I’ve used Anker for many things over the years from screen protectors to battery packs, they’re always the best at what they do. So I wasn’t too surprised when my mates 12w Anker speaker was way clearer and louder than my 20w of a make I trusted when it came to speakers. I decided to upgrade to Anker and thought I’d splash out on the 20w and wow what a shout that was! You could throw a small party with it.
I have many Anker products going way back to a speaker system for iPods, I bought this as a gift but have tried it at home as I have the 12w version for travelling, but would prefer more oomph, this does the trick. The sound quality is way beyond the price tag, and its compact slightly smaller than the 12 w version and splash proof into the bargain. So if you have the luxury of lounging on a beach or by a pool this is ideal. Full volume there is a little distortion but just turn it down a touch and get ready to party ! As a bonus 2 of these can be linked together to give real stereo sound, usually found on far more expensive units. Now bear in mind the cost to better it you would be spending in the hundreds of . One negative, the charging port, I have bought older models and thix ix now the 3rd of this model , plus 3/4 power banks, all suffered the same problem. Weak charging ports, 4 of the 8 items broke inside rendering them useless. Anker finally changed the port on the latesf model. hundreds of complaints on the internet, for a problem they were aware of , breaking down just outside the warranty period. Should have compensated previous owners
Bought one of these last minute before going away for two weeks on holiday, was a great purchase.
I was surprised at how good the sound was for the price, although when played towards the louder end it does start to struggle with some types of music which is understandable. The bass boost button was mainly used at lower volume and it makes a noticeable difference to the output.
Battery life is heavily dependent on how loud it is played, but we didn’t have any issues and it seemed to charge quickly.
It has a great sound for such a small and inexpensive speaker. Paired with my android phone provides stereo sound with a second unit. It can be used as power bank which is great addition.and if you want to use it with simple mp3 player you don’t need a Bluetooth, just a jack cable. I use it for audiobooks and podcasts (without bass boost) and for music (with one touch bass boost). It’s not as waterproof as I imagined but when it dried out it sounds good again. I would say it’s splash proof, but it’s better to not drop it in the pool. It sounds much better than more expensive UE seekers.
I originally purchased this item in 2018, and since then the product has performed amazingly well. In terms of ‘bang for buck’, I doubt you’ll find a better speaker. However, as of a couple of weeks back (August 2019), my speaker developed a rattle. As a musician and avid podcast listener, this was very frustrating! However, I realised that Anker products have an 18 month warranty that comes with them as standard, so I approached Anker about my issue. Before I continue, customer service is important to me as an individual, as I believe that the customer service should match the quality of the product. Being a relatively cheap speaker I wasn’t expecting miracles…
A short while after I approached their customer service team by email, I was contacted by an Anker representative called Cherry. She was very efficient, thorough, understanding and compassionate, and was also quick to offer some basic troubleshooting steps – which didn’t resolve my issue. She then said that Anker would send me a new speaker, and less than 5 days later I received a brand new speaker to replace my old product. That level of service and care is almost unheard of in the retail sector of today, often being limited to the ‘luxury’ brands.
Let me tell you, I’m the proud owner of a number of Anker products. If Anker continues to innovate whilst offering well made, cost effective and enjoyable products, along with customer service that could put premium brands to shame, I’ll be a repeat customer, and you should, too.
For the price, my thoughts on this speaker are as follows,
The good:
1. Very good build quality; feels well put together
2. Excellent sound with rich bass at sensible volumes
3. Seamlessly bluetooth connectivity with my phone (Android)
4. Battery life of at least 10 hours of continuous use at moderate volumes after a full charge.
5. The LED battery life indicator is quite useful
6. Option to turn extra bass on/off
The Not so good:
1. Doesn’t come with a protective carry case (you’ll have to cough out between 10 – 20 for a good one, which is a good idea if you carry it around for frequent outdoor use)
2. Time time to full charge from 0% (around 5 hours)
3. Bass is not so good at high volumes; sound becomes a bit muffled (hence, option to turn off extra bass is quite useful in this context)
4. No Micro SD card option
I’ll definitely recommend this speaker if you’re not looking for anything extraordinary at that price (around 50)
Got this one and thought it is incredible for the price… got UE MEGABOOM for double the price and guess what, ANKER SoundCore Boost has better bass!!!! Really unbelievable how much bass can be generated from such a compact enclosure! I saw some people say that the sound is muffed, nothing like that, for me, it is crystal clear with strong bass, I guess it depends strongly on the source! I listened to all kind of music on it and all sounded great! I made many of my friends buy that model and bought one more for my mum – all I heard was praise, everybody has fallen in love with it instantly!
Quality of sound exceeded what I expected from a speaker of this price. Very crisp and with deep bass.
Water resistance effectively protects the speaker in wet zones such as beside a pool or from spillages at parties etc.
Battery life of speaker is impressive and the system also acts as a powerbank allowing for charging of the playing device via usb. -A nice feature.
The ability to turn off ‘bass up’ seemed pointless as first. However, it is very useful indoors and in other shared environment to reduce the disturbance to people in adjacent rooms.
All round solid speaker.
Update.
After the lovely people at Anker got in touch with me and replaced my original speaker I am now a very happy customer.
Before there were issues with the bluetooth, static hiss when being used whilst charging and also an inability to control the volume through an external device like a computer or phone.
Anker sent me a new device with their sincere apologies. The replacement arrived very quickly and I took a few days to test it out.
Now, there are no issues.
The Bluetooth can reach all the way down my street, there is no more hiss and I can control the volume through my keyboard. Which is super useful when switching between media formats and recording levels.
I guess it was a manufacturing fault which is unavoidable when you make so many products.
Anker has such amazing customer service. I would definitely recommend their products on that alone.
Yet Anker also product top quality products at very competitive prices. They have really great battery and power control technologies.
Im looking forward to what they do in the future.
Bought a refurb of this item originally, which only lasted 6 months before suddenly not working. Anker were happy to refund at a reduced price then originally bought, which I felt a little unhappy with as it was sold to me with the idea it would be treated as if a new item with all the same gaurantee. Manage to sort this out in the end and as I was happy with the product, thought I’d buy the same item but brand new this time. Anker are a great company with great customer service and products so I really wanted to try them again. The new item seems to be a slightly newer version then the original refurb and so far it appears to be working fine. Hopefully this will be the case in 6 months time, the period the other failed. Will let you know but I still recommend Ankers for products as I have quite a few of them and this is the first time I’ve had a faulty item.
Overall this is a nice device for the price. Sound wise it seems to have got better with time.
Either I am getting used to it or it benefits from a breaking in period (i left it playing for 24hrs) but it seems a little clearer now than on first play. As a small speaker for the garden this works ok. I have tweaked the equaliser on my tablet a little to bring the mid range up a bit so i now have a more balanced relaxed sound. I have also noticed the quality of the source can make a difference. Attaching different quality music players to the aux input produces a noticeable difference. So a combination of DACs quality and recording quality is noticeable. A cheap MP3 player and a 128bit track sounds noticeably different to a Good quality player with the same song as a FLAC track both with equalisers flat.
I have a slight problem jumping to the next track using bluetooth when it starts and stops for a second, but this might be down to my tablets bluetooth and processing power as much as the speakers. Left alone to play next track everything starts ok.
Using the aux input it is not possible to daisy chain power. With the speaker being charged and the speaker power bank being used at the same time to charge the device playing into the aux sicket there is nasty feed back loop, but this is an unlikely scenario so not really a problem.
Bought this as a gift for my Son in law so I’m only going on what I’ve seen/been told really, but from what I gather it’s a fantastic product! He absolutely loves it. The sound quality is wonderful, though you need to leave the speaker not too far from the mobile phone, if using it this way, so as to avoid breaking up of the sound, but then the phone was in the house and the speaker in the garden approximately 50ft away yet still there was no break up. The look of the item I personally liked, small and unobtrusive, simple to move/pop into a bag etc. yet sleek and stylish, it is easy to operate with clear instructions given. Definitely a winner, as was I with my gift.
I’m a long(!) time Anker user (batteries, chargers, cables and powerbanks but my review will be honest!
Well, after a couple of musics, i think that in the max volume sometimes there’s a little(!) distortion on with high bass musics. Example: On the “Money for nothing” from Dire Straits, when the drums kick in, the Anker didn’t handle very well; it wasn’t bad but not very good also.
Besides that the sound seemed to be a bit muffled but not a big problem (if you place the speaker on the same level your ears are, it sounds better).
Notice that the sound perception is not the same to everyone. Also, with this price we can’t ask much more.
If we want truly sound quality, we have to open the wallet.
Regarding the Bluetooth range, i can’t help because i live in an apartment so there’s too many walls which affect this kind of tests.
Another thing i think Anker could have done, was to use USB-C. This is not a criticism but a desire. At this time it should already be a mainstream.
The pairing to the phone was made by NFC and it worked flawlessly.
The sound of the voice calls is muffled.
I didn’t tested yet the battery longevity but it wouldn’t prove nothing because there are many variables (volume, type of music, bass up function on or off).
I can’t compare to the other speakers from Anker because this is the first one i own, and can’t compare with JBL (example: Flip 4) because it wouldn’t be fair to Anker; JBL have better sound but with an higher price. Also, JBL is company from music speakers and Anker not, which praises even more what a batteries/chargers company has been doing.
Overall I’m quite satisfied and I think everyone will be, as long as they keep in mind that for this price we can not ask for much. In fact, i think that we can’t get anything better with this price tag.
Absolutely love this speaker. The sound quality is awesome. It is hard to believe the sound quality from something so small. I will not get all techy in this review as all that is in the description, but just to say that my hubby is so impressed with the sound it produces and he is somewhat of a hifi snob. Due to lack of space and my micro system adding to clutter in the dining room , I wanted something neat. It easily links to Alexa and phone and tablet. I can carry it around if I wish or take outside. The range is brilliant. My music taste is extremely varied from lets say Metal band Pantera to The Capenters for example and it all sounds so good on this brilliant speaker. I would not hesitate to recommend & am sure you would not be disappointed. It is robust feeling , well made and looks good too. Impressive. Get one. !
This Anker SoundCore Boost 20W Bluetooth Speaker is amazing. Small but perfectly formed as they say. I’m no audiophile but the music I have played through this little speaker is fantastic. Connected it via NFC on my Samsung Note 9 in seconds. Cannot fault the build of this unit, came fully charged, nice weight to it. Feels, looks and sounds like a PREMIUM piece of kit. If you are in the market for a Bluetooth speaker I can HIGHLY RECOMMEND this product. Well done Anker on its great!!! Will take it on holiday with me shortly.
I purchased this speaker not too long ago because I needed an upgrade to my Soundcore Mini. I can’t believe how much better the sound is! It packs a nice punch, especially with the Bass-Up feature (if you’re really into electronic music, it makes things much better), and the speaker can get extremely loud, especially if you max it out. I see a lot of people criticising the fact that the mids and highs aren’t really that impressive but I think they are perfectly fine for a speaker of that size.
I use the speaker both at work and at home. For work use, it is loud enough for me to hear it, even if it is hectic. For home use, the sound is clear and high-quality, especially when you use an AUX chord.
The design is great! It’s minimalistic and sleek, smooth when holding but it is also very sturdy. The speaker is also a little bit water-resistant, which is great for the job I currently work in. The only problem I have is that whenever you turn the sound to max, it interrupts the music so that you hear a small bing. Not major, but it feels unnecessary, considering the Mini didn’t need such a thing.
The reason why I am writing this review, however, is mainly because of Anker’s brilliant customer service! I pointed out that I heard some stuttering in the original model I bought, and they immediately resolved the issue. Anker is one of the only companies which seems to care about their customer base, at least based on my own experience and that of the other Amazon reviews.
I bought this to use in my car as my in-car stereo does not have a aux or bluetooth connectivity. I simply turn on the sound core boost, switch on my bluetooth on my phone, it then makes a connection type sound. I then start up Amazon music from my phone and it then plays the songs I have downloaded and choose. It’s great. It’s very load and even have a base button if I wanted it. The only fault I can think of is trying to sit it somewhere in the car where you would get the best sound coming from it, I end up just sitting it in the glove compartment, but really it needs to sit on the dashboard, so maybe something needs to be ‘invented’ for it to sit safely on the dash? But anyways great kit and much better than the mini boost which I purchased before.
This is a fantastic powerful speaker the best I’ve ever brought. The build quality is superior the sound is stunning the base is brilliant. For such a portable speaker it produces powerful crystal clear sound more than enough to fill a large room or be outside for a BBQ etc. I’m blown away by the all round quality for the money paid. So happy and have ordered another one that’s how good they are perfect for a gift too and a great price point. Highly recommend this product you won’t be sorry it blows away competition at the same sort of price.
……….24/04/2020, well, I’m mildly annoyed. It hasn’t broken down completely but it is playing up. I suspect it’s all to do with the battery. If it’s on a bit louder (I don’t actually like loud, so this is rare) and if I turn on the base boost…it just switches off, it won’t turn on again unless charged and although it won’t turn on the lights will indicate it’s fully charged within 1/2 hour or so. I’ve taken to using it with a battery pack (also ANKER as it happens) which keeps it working fine. I’ve never used the speaker to charge another device, but I do use the speaker a lot so I suspect there have been quite a few discharge – recharge cycles. Still sounds great.
Like pretty much everyone of a certain age I’ve been through my fair share of subpar speakers. Murky trebles, castrated basses, one set even had a constant tinnitusian whine that made every track a trial.
But for pound I can’t think of a better speaker than the Soundcore Boost.
Great range, both audio and Bluetooth, and the option to add more bass at the touch of a button really puts you in control of how hype you want each track to be.
But the real difference comes when things go wrong.
My first Boost blew a speaker a couple of months after I received it. Suddenly I was transported back to a world where murky music was a given, and tbh I didn’t really like being there.
I contacted Anker’s support team, explained the problem and did some troubleshooting, and within the week I was back in the game on a brand new Boost, with the promise of another replacement should this one go wrong. Honestly, I’ve never experienced customer service like this.
11/10 would pet again.
Edit
Anker contacted me in response to my original review & sent me a replacement. Although it connected slightly better I was still having problems to the extent that I ended up having to purchase a new Bluetooth transmitter. I am now using the avantree priva III transmitter which works seamlessly. The boost function still makes no difference a few meters from the Bluetooth source hence marking down a star. The sound quality however is excellent. The charge lasts about a day if used continuously. Takes a few hours to charge back to full but will charge whilst in use. The ability to use it to charge your phone is great as I sometimes forget to charge my power-bank The power on and off sound is unobtrusive and it’s very straightforward to connect to Bluetooth just hold down the on button to set in to pairing mode The plastic flap covering the charging ports is a snug fit so takes a bit of effort to pull out but it keeps them dust free I suppose which is probably a good feature
One thing I have noticed is that shortly after I purchased this for 39.99 the price increased to 49.99. A couple of weeks after this Anker then put this on ‘sale’ for 39.99 which I felt was a bit misleading.
The soundcore base is amazing Quality sound with a very good range of volume. This is our second purchase and unfortunately the connection for the charger became unstable just before 12 months was up. I contacted the support email and they said it had an 18 month warranty. We did some trouble shooting via emails and they decided it was a faulty connection so they would send another out as a replacement. I received it within 7 days of reporting the fault. Amazing customer service who have gone over and above what most larger companies offer so would definitely deal with them again. 10/10 all round.
The speaker produces a very cut bass and is incredibly pleasant. In comparison to the Soundcore 2 this is so much better, the sound is much louder and the bass is much more present.
The range is definitely better with this than the Soundcore 2 through solid objects and in open air and it keeps its quality much better over long ranges.
Back to how it sounds, the bass is incredibly loud. You will be able to hear the bass in your kitchen whilst it’s in the room above. The sound is very clear and well balanced and sounds incredible and is surely impressive considering the size of this device.
Onto battery life, this device lasts me around 10-11 hours at almost full volume with very bassy music so also very impressive, it’s also convenient that it acts as a power bank with its built in full size USB connector which I havent had chance to use yet.
The speaker is very well constructed and built however I would be scared to take this anywhere near the beach in fear of ruining the fabric covering the speakers, in this regard I’d consider a soundcore 2 to be better suited as it feels more rugged with its rubbery body than this speaker, this feels like more of a device for the kitchen, by the pool side and away from fine dirt and sand.
Overall this is definitely an amazing speaker and worth the money. You arent going to find something this compact with this sort of sound quality from any other speaker at this price!
This speaker is absolutely amazing, great value for money! 60 for great sound quality and a BassUp feature which is very good and you can definitely notice the difference when toggling it on and off! 60 for this amazing speaker which in my opinion is better than that of the almost 200 beats pill! Would definitely recommend this as Anker never fail and always make the highest quality products for a reasonable price! Battery life is also amazing, if says 12 hour play time and it definitely does do 12 hours and maybe even a bit more than 12 hours it’s insane! And it also doubles up as a powerbank so if your phone gets low on battery while playing your music out and about you can just plug it in then and there! Cannot recommend this product enough
I bought a SoundCore Boost speaker six months ago. The sound quality for such a small speaker is excellent.
However, recently the speaker started to crackle and I contacted Amazon. After a few tests over the phone I was referred to Anker and given the details needed plus contact number.
Over the phone Faith, the contact in the USA at Anker, could not have been more helpful. She arranged a replacement speaker to be shipped by Amazon to me. The new speaker arrived within a week. Excellent after-sales service!
I ordered this for occasional use at BBQs in the garden or when we are away on holiday. Most reviews said the sound quality was great so thought I’d risk it to see what it sounded like on holiday this week and I’m not disappointed!!!!!
Sound quality is brilliant for such a small speaker and with the base up function turned on the sound is really good and bassy for an item this size.
It feels well built and is surprisingly heavy which just gives a more quality feel to it.
Battery seems fine having used it with the base up function on it has had around four or five hours use and the battery indicator is still on 2/4 lights.
The only thing missing for me that would have made this the perfect package would have been for some sort of carrycase to be included rather than nothing and having to buy one separately afterwards.
Update June 2019: Unfortunately I’ve had two faulty units since purchase (bass becoming distorted and crackly), but to Anker’s credit they’ve sent me two new replacements in a timely fashion, which is much appreciated! Hopefully the third time is the charm. Battery life is 5-6 hours of back to back playtime for me.
——
I’ve recently moved international and had to leave my Sonos Play 1 at my old home. Safe to sound I am super impressed with the sound quality on this Anker, the bass is better than my Play 1. And with some tuning on the equaliser it’s perfect for taking around the house or parties (the ‘Up’ bass setting is fantastic, but can sound a tiny bit muffled on bass heavy tunes before you apply some EQ tuning on your phone/app). Would recommend, especially considering it’s half the price of a Sonos PLAY 1 on Amazon In the UK.
This speaker looks great (understated, not like something from star trek etc) and sounds great too. For the price, it really is worth the money. The bass is the key feature here (audiophiles might fault the treble sound, but I’m not THAT into speakers so it works well for me!). The bass is amazing!! I don’t feel like I’m losing out because of no sub, and in the bathroom I don’t need to bass boost at all. One issue: my speaker started a weird vibrating rattling sound whenever low/powerful bass notes played. I wrote to Anker and they were AMAZING – responsive, and replaced it in 3 days. Will be buying more stuff from them for sure.
I bought this to listen to audio books and music around my home and I’m REALLY happy with it – the bass is impressive for such a relatively small unit.
It feels like a premium package – all the packaging is similarly classy.
It has a nice weight to it.
It has a high quality silicone or rubber on top and below with a sound-transparent material front and back.
The buttons have a nice micro-switch feel to them.
The ‘bass up’ function has a noticeable effect on the sound produced.
The start-up and shut-down noises are the nicest I’ve come across on Bluetooth audio devices which often have some super loud annoying spoken “Bluetooth connected” or similar. This just has a subtle little noise that shouldn’t offend anyone.
Audiobook & other speech
Music
I can’t comment on the range since so far I’ve used it in the same room my phone has been but can say that connection has been straight forward.
Highly recommended! You’ll love this!
I have been using this speaker for around 3 months and I am truly impressed. With a total power output of 20W, the SoundCore Boost definitely fills the room with a clean and crisp sound, along with satisfyingly deep bass. It has a rugged yet professional design, perfect for taking on holiday as a portable speaker or using it as a stand-alone speaker in your office. The IPX5 water resistance rating is an upgrade from the Anker Soundcore 1 and 2 which both have an IPX3 rating. Visually, this is just the addition of a flap on the left-hand side of the speaker covering the micro USB charging port, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a USB port to charge items such as mobile phones and small tablets as the speaker can be doubled up as a portable charger. I have had no issues with pairing with new devices, it is extremely straight forward. I did expect the ‘BassUp Technology’ to be more effective, however, it isn’t as much of an improvement to the bass, even though the speaker already has great bass for its size. Lastly, the battery life of the speaker is outstanding, coming in at around 15-17hrs of playback time.
I also own a Bose SoundLink mini and I do believe the Anker SoundCore boost is an all-around strong competitor, taking into consideration the sound quality, price, design, materials, weight, power output etc.
I would definitely recommend this product. 5 stars.
1) The sound quality is superb. It has a nice fullness and depth for the size, volume can go impressively high and the distortion is minimal.
2) The build quality is excellent. It has a rubbery but solid feel to it. Very pleasing to the touch.
3) The Bluetooth range is impressive. I can leave my iPhone on charge in the bedroom and listen to music/the radio in the shower.
4) Battery life is good. I’ve probably charged it 6 to 10 times in a year and I use it for roughly 15 minutes a day on average.
5) It’s supposedly water resistant so listening in the bathroom is a stress-free experience. I regularly adjust the volume with wet “showery” hands and just dry the thing off afterwards. No issues whatsoever.
6) It can be used as a portable charger. I’ve done it once or twice when I’ve needed to give the phone a boost. Very handy.
Cons:
1) The bass boost doesn’t really make a discernible difference unless you listen to the content at a low volume. The more you turn up the volume, the less the bass boost is present. Despite this, the normal sound is very impressive anyway so it’s not really a major issue.
Overall, this thing warrants a number of superlatives and is more than worth the money.
This has been a great speaker for me. I’ve been using it for 18 months ish, most week days for hours while I work. I work in a noisy environment so it has been used at a loud level. The speaker still looks fine, still sounds as good as it did when I got it. The battery is now not as good as when I first got it but if you use it at a normal level the battery lasts hours. Long enough for a BBQ or party. The sound it produces is basey and sounds rich. Some music is too much for the base and it becomes distorted but that’s only for the low tone like what imagin dragons use in there songs. I would buy an Anker speaker again as the quality is great. For the price it’s a steal. Only down side is it only seems to play one side of some of the older stereo songs streamed through my phone from Amazon music. This is not a big problem as I just outputted all audio in mono through my accesabuiloty settings in the phone and it works fine. This may be a specific problem with my speaker though, but doesn’t bother me so never looked into it. All in all this is the best speaker around for the price. I think I payed 50 and have deffinatly got my monies worth.
It’s a Bluetooth speaker in a relatively small enclosure, not really sure what some people think they should be expecting!
Meanwhile though I love this speaker, as does my wife as that’s who I brought it for. Sound quality is just fine with good bass. It’s not a powerful amplifier with huge speakers, so you can’t even start to do that sort of comparison, but it does a very good job for it’s size. The Bluetooth range is very good as well and very easy to link to your phone, even easier with NFC.
Highly recommended.
I bought the Soundcore Boost after looking at various products and their reviews. It has great base and good battery life. All products get some bad reviews otherwise I suspect false reviews but Anker seemed to get less than most. Having now used the unit regularly I have also found a possible cause of many of the poor reviews. This is not down to Anker but in discussions with them they may now add my findings to their operating instructions. The unit is great an no problems so enough praise.
I had been using the unit for about 2 months when it stopped charging. Anker were very good and immmediately offered a replacement but I suggested I try some tests first as I then realised that the problem occurred when I moved it to upstairs!! The only change was a different usb plug and lead. I conducted tests and found out that whilst proprietary usb plugs give the required 5volt output, some bargain buy plugs only provide 3volts or alarmingly some 7 or 8 volts which overloads the unit and caused overheating.
I checked cables and found a proprietary usb plug with the Anker cable charged at a rate of 1.8 amps, other cables, including one by a wel known mobile phone manufacturer, with the same plug, did not achieve more than 0.2 amps, not enough to charge. So I would fully recommend the Anker Sound Core Boost but with a caution to use proprietary usb plugs and either the Anker lead or other quality lead.
I too had an intermittant Bluetooth problem but found on the Anker site there is a firmware update (download to a laptop) which fixes this. New stock I presume is ok but if old stock is around it is worth checking. (Unfortunately Anker do not give firmware update advice with the instructions, you have to search the web but hopefully, they will now include this information in their boxes with the units as well as a caution about plugs and cables.
With this information, the few negatives can be reduced still further.
Again, this is a good unit with good sound.
Trusted in the another review that this is a step up from the original Anker speaker which i haven’t recommended to many others who have bought for & been impressed, this one is no different. The sound quality is clearly much better in this speaker, though this does come at a price of battery usage, still great for a night at a work, the bass up is very impressive though that apparently is what drains the battery, though for what you’re getting is very good, would be very interested in what the next step up would be, for this price point, you won’t get better quality sound or value for money.
And with it being Anker the battery life is unreal, ive had it playing for dats before it runs out of power, and the USB slot allows you to charge other things, the speaker becomes a portable charger which was actually pretty handy when on holiday!
Only issue is that some tracks tend to crackle a bit in the background, its not that bad and only does it with some songs, it’s definitely the speaker though as it doesn’t crackle in headphones.
Maybe It’s just my one that does this, I had a little JBL speaker that also tended to crackle or struggle with certain track, this one mops the floor with it in compariso
I now “own” several bluetooth speakers as my children keep “borrowng” them. The best to date has been the AUKEY Bluetooth Speaker 16W Dual Drivers with Enhanced Bass. I must admit that I can’t hear much difference between the two speakers and have to say that I was a little disappointed not to be able to. The AUKEY is slightly smaller and being a more metal finish, lacks the waterproofing that The ANKER has. I am currently using the speaker in my outhouse which I am renovating and the sound is loud enough to be heard from across the 55 foot room. The bass response is good but maybe I was expecting a little more from the description. As to whether it delivers a full 20 W it is difficult to say. I have used it with my OnePlus 5T to deliver music and there is very little, if any difference in the volume between this and the other 16 W dual drivers with enhanced bass.
I’ve only had this a day but I was immediately impressed. It has a comforting weight that feels like a quality build. the sound is really very good and fills a decent size lounge easily. I’m not sure I’d recommend it for a large party space but then I don’t think it’s meant for that really. I carried the unit downstairs and forgot to take the iPhone to which it was on Bluetooth and didn’t lose signal, excellent coverage. I like that it can recharge the phone too and that I can take calls on it. There’s also a 3.5mm jack if you’re worried about losing Bluetooth for some reason. I love it. Now i’m waiting for the case. I’ve ordered one that has a bit of extra room so it can house the lead.
I am quite fussy with speakers, I prefer t find good kit as opposed to just following popular brands. One of the best speakers I have had was only 20 pounds, one of the worst was 130 pounds Ultimate Ears speakers..
After shopping around for a couple of months I gave this a chance because I am impressed with Ankers powerbanks and expected they would of produced this speaker with the same quality… wasn`t disappointed! This speaker is awesome, great sound, decent battery life, Bass Up function is perfect for switching between late night Netflix viewing and playing loud music.
Just everything I wanted and more, great job Anker!
I’ve never felt compelled to leave a review before, but this is so good – especially for the price! – that I felt compelled to.
I was looking for a sleek, portable speaker with a great sound – and especially, one with decent bass, as I listen to a lot of electronic music ad can’t be doing with that tinny, hi-hat-heavy rubbish. This speaker delivers in spades. The sound is incredible – crisp, clear high end; rich, full bass. I have quite eclectic music tastes and this sounds fantastic whether you’re listening to thumping techno, ambient electronica, jangly indie guitars, screamy punk, classical piano – anything, really. Also, it’s LOUD, and very portable – about the size of a pencil case (are pencil cases still a thing?!) – though you need to buy a travel case separately.
Unbelievable quality for the price. 100% recommend.
So far, having ordered it yesterday & it arriving today (well packaged), I’m truly impressed by the sound quality now, from my Samsung Note 4 eg watching films, listening to music etc. I need to buy the auxiliary cable for my gadgets without Bluetooth, so that I might also, hopefully use my earphones, via this Anker Core Sound Boost. I’ll update this review, if it works
I’ve connected the Boost to the HD TV, via the earphone plug & it works a treat. It’s so good, I bought my sister one & we both can watch TV with out two speakers, connect by a split wired connection. We are extremely pleased with the product!
Surprisingly good base from a unit this small and I do mean bass. My first unit was so bassy it was vibrating the speakers against the frame of the speaker and Anker quickly replaced it. The new one arrived very quickly and worked perfectly.
Worth noting; the bass doesn’t quite increase with volume, although the speaker will go quite loud at the expense of good rounded sound. This isn’t to say it’s distorting at louder volumes, the speaker actively avoids distortion quite cleverly but at the expense of quality. If you want something that sounds excellent at high volume you’re looking at the wrong category of speakers. Go for something much, much larger at a price point you’re not expecting or go with something powered by mains.
At medium to low volume, and medium volume is quite adequate for a medium sized living room, the speaker performs at it’s best.
The only negative is that the sound is a bit flat on the high end but it’s swings and roundabouts with this sort of product, you can either have great highs with zero base or okay highs with good bass. The Anker settles for the latter and does a very good job. As a reluctant Hi-Fi enthusiast, this was my first bluetooth speaker and I was very impressed.
The Bass Up adds depth and also volume, and whilst some reviews on Youtube have suggested this option sounds good for electronic and hip hop and less so for rock/metal and guitar based music, I have to disagree. I have a wide range of music and I think it has a very transparent and natural enough sound that everything I play through it sounds as it should, and it all sounds great with and without the Bass function. Certainly compared to the Echo speaker, which has a bit of a soft mid-range, meaning guitars and vocals can get a bit lost. Everything sounds great though the Sound Core Boost.
Battery life seems impressive so far. I used it for about 5 hours straight out of the box without a charge or power, and it still had 2 of the 4 lights lit up. I imagine using the AUX input would reduce power usage, so it’s great to have that option. It’s great that it can also charge a phone or other device from the USB out.
This has more than enough headroom to fill almost any room you would need it to, and still sounds big when taken outside. From the reviews, I expected it to be pretty good, but certainly not this good. My PC’s speakers are bigger and made by a more reputable audio brand (they were more expensive too, bought a good few years ago), yet I think this device sounds bigger and better. I don’t understand how something so compact can project such volume! Recommended!
The immersive sound has an excellent balance between lows, mids, and highs. Bass in particular (especially with the ‘BassUp’ bass boost feature on) is impressive- providing thumping booming responses without distortion.
Best of all, you get all this for just under 50. Safe to say my Jawbone speakers are going into storage.
Absolutely amazing speaker….really was surprised. By comparison it has more bass than the Mark 1 Amazon Echo (the big one) but clearly can’t go as loud given its relative sound.
We’ve been using it for a couple of hours each day for a week since buying it and having its initial charge.
We initially bought a Zoeetree s2 speaker which is less than half the price and had to be sent back because of connectivity issues. I’m so glad I spent the extra money to upgrade to this model, the speaker is 10 times better.
As an added bonus it also acts like a power bank so good for charging the phone when its low on battery. Speaker also had a bass boost button which can be used to turn down the bass when listening to acoustic music / audio books. Also it’s been used in a steamy shower with no problem, just have to make sure the cover over the charging ports is closed tightly.
So far I’ve successfully paired this device (without a single issue) to a Samsung Galaxy S5, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, iPad 2017 version, Lenovo Yoga 900.
The Sound Core Boost definitely does put more effort into the bass than it does the upper ranges, which can make it sound a bit muffled – adding a few dB of EQ at the top can correct this though (maybe cutting a bit at around 200Hz too). With these tweaks it’s surprising just how full a sound such a small box can make – sometimes when listening in bed at night I forget that I am not playing the music through my floor standers. Obviously at higher volumes it can’t really compete with a pair of full size speakers, but then again I wouldn’t try putting those in my suitcase when I went on holiday (certainly wouldn’t be taking much else if I did!).
I’ve listened to quite a variety of music on the Boost now, and it works well for most of it. There’s enough bass to give rock and dance music some energy, whilst offering enough detail and dynamic range for ambient and acoustic tracks to breathe. It’s never uncomfortable to listen to or sounds unnatural, which can’t be said for any other portable speaker(s) I’ve owned. 20W produces enough volume that you could conceivably use it to fill a room at a party, though at maximum volume it does sound a bit harsh (the bass boost feature comes in handy at these levels though).
It definitely can’t replace a proper hifi with well positioned stereo speakers for serious listening, but it would be a strange world if it could – for portability at a well below hifi price though, it ain’t half bad.
I’ll make a start with the speaker side of things, for the size and price you’ll struggle to get anything that sounds better than this. It really is something you need to experience. I have a much larger Harman Kardon Onyx speaker and this isn’t too far away in terms of sound. The Anker beats it at lower volumes due to the bass boost function…you get a lot more bass for quiet music. I’m no expert when it comes to speakers but I can tell a bad one and you won’t be disappointed with the sound this little speaker kicks out.
Build quality and feel is great, it has the feel of a premium higher priced speaker…..just without the price tag. The portability is great as well. It’s actually smaller than I expected…..very similar in size to a Bose Soundlink Mini…..maybe slightly larger.
I know a few other people have mentioned the battery life isn’t what it should be but it’s not really an issue for me, I own a couple of different powerbanks so if I’m out and about I’ll always have a backup. But I’ll mainly be using it around the house so popping it on charge from time to time isn’t an issue. 12hrs is ample.
Now…on to the bad point….the built in microphone isn’t very good. If you’re buying it for this reason I would suggest looking at other speakers. I’ve tested this out on a few calls now and whilst the sound of the person on the other end of the line is great they just cannot hear me properly. Even when I was only 1 – 2 feet away from the speaker, switching back to my built in iPhone mic sorted the issue….they could hear me again fine. There’s no indication on the unit of where the mic is located but I would think it’s behind the mesh somewhere…..there doesn’t seem to be a pinhole anywhere for it.
I’m not sure if I just got a bad unit with a faulty mic but I won’t really use it much for that function so it’s not really worth the hassle of returning it.
For the mic issue it looses a star but for everything else it functions perfectly and sounds amazing.
Much the same treble but much more powerful bass. Bob Marley sounds amazing on this. Powerful despite size. At max volume and with bass boost it sounds as good as speakers 4x it’s size from only 10yr ago. .
Original Anker has at least 2x battery life. Also has metal speaker grill and no flap over USB port like the boost does.
Original is also smaller and has dedicated Bluetooth pair button. Original is ideal for picking up in one hand and carrying from room to room.
While the boost is a bit too big to comfortably carry. Annoying USB flap. Also has fabric speaker grille. And shorter battery life. Boost does feature battery level indicator though…4 white lights. No battery indicator on original.
I’d say the original is ideal for kitchen, bathroom and for taking outside where it will last much longer. It’s much more wipe cleanable than the boost.
Boost is better for living room and bedroom or even a small party. The bass really is that powerful. Suits somewhere you can usually plug it in and where there is not much mess or splatter.
Boost also features NFC but I’ve not even worked out what use this has yet. I do wish you could make two connect to the same phone /source though. So then you’d have stereo sound. Anyone know if it’s possible?
Overall very happy.
Very good quality item
I wanted to say i hardly review things. i was sceptical at first yeah I’ve had anker batterys but I thought for the low price surely it won’t compete with my bose soundlink mini 2. I was wrong, This soundcore boost beats the bose mini soundlink 1 and 2 in many ways especially for the price. The bass is better for one (not muddy like the bose) and the lows seem better here too. The mids could be improved and the clarity at times depending what sort of stuff your playing but Overall I prefer this soundcore because of the price.
I’m no expert but I would say I’m very picky especially with sound. I’m very happy especially for the price! And being splash proof etc is great (sounds fab in the bathroom haha)
The only thing I found bad and kind of strange was it won’t connect to my 2017 Samsung smart tvs. My Samsung s8 plus works a dream with it though and my 2017 ipad pro too so it should definitely work with most current and older devices. Maybe it’s the 2017 smart tvs by Samsung that have a bug in the Bluetooth software strange though as they work with every other Bluetooth device i have old and new.
I’ve only had the speaker 4 days so maybe I can update in a few months
overall I would say buy it guys it’s so worth it for the money and you get a 18 month guarantee.
This speaker is amazing!
I am not a techy person at all but my old mini Bluetooth speaker broke so I was going to buy a new bigger version from a well known catalogue shop. I had a budget of 50 max so ordered one to collect. Luckily before I did my brother who is a huge techy highly recommended this speaker and I am soooooo glad he did!
It is louder than any other speakers in the house including the hifi speakers!
The sound is bass, crisp and does not crackle or warp when the speaker and my phone are on max volume.
Fully charged and without bass boost on (I find it bass you enough for most songs without be extra boost on) I have used it for a couple of hours everyday since having it and only needed to recharge it once so far.
It’s fab!
A little more than I wanted to pay but definitely worth the extra. Plus it has the charger ports for phones/tablets etc.
Anyone in doubt I would recommend trying it. I for one was mega impressed.
If I had to say one small negative though it would be when a call comes through and you are connected to it.. if I answer through the speaker I can hear them but they can’t hear me. And also you can’t disconnecte or switch the speaker off while it’s ringing.
Every time this happens I have to cut off the call. Turn the speaker or Bluetooth off and call the person back.
THIS can get very annoying.
Good solid design, feels weighty.
The quality of sound is very good for such a compact design, sounds blooming good in the bathroom due to acoustics and fills a medium sized room just fine.
Bass boost definitely works but for me it muddles the sound too much so I rarely use that function.
Bluetooth connection is quick and easy and the range seems really good, ie phone downstairs and speaker upstairs with no connection issues.
A couple of things I would of liked to have had on this is the capability to play from a usb stick and a previous track button but apart from that I am more than happy with this very neat and smart speaker.
Very very impressed… using it as a sound bar for the TV
We have a bose solo sound box which is brilliant I need hearing aids so this helps with clarity ..
Considering the ankers size there is little difference for hearing and clarity of speaking parts between the bise and anker …if anything for this purpose I would give the anker the edge ..
Tried it for star trek film ..music …spoken word ..just amazing ..
I think for depth of sound the Bose sound is better for music but…there really isn’t a lot in it ..
I most definitely wouldn’t say that the Bose solo is 6 times better …because the Bose was 6 times more expensive ..
I purchased this to go on holiday gives us music and a more than acceptable sound bar for a TV ..
Anker have done it again.
If you looking for a serious Bluetooth speaker for an amazing price too? It’s here..
I own the Soundcore (30) and was blown away with that little baby and then I bought this little number! and I’m so glad I did because this speak is a very serious bit of kit.
Anker products (now I’ve found and inspected) since buying my 1st Anker Bluetooth speaker over a year ago are producing serious high quality products (mainly speaker for me) in which believe me I’ve bought and tried many Bluetooth Speaks (over 30 units) but this speaker is certainly is the best unit I’ve ever purchased.
I’m not going to go-on with all the usual claptrap of how it sounds/build etc because everyone has different views and earoles haha! So I’m just going to say you will NOT be disappointed far from it and for the price.. It’s s steal and as I love the Anker products so much I’m going to by the lesser Soundcore 2 which will complete my set of Anker Bluetooth Speakers.
Oh by the way I must say Anker! this is the Best looking speaker I’ve ever seen.. Simply Awesome!
Note (added 7/11/2017)
Just updating the review.. I have now got 6 Anker speaks all superbly built and still one of the best Bluetooth speaks I’ve ever bought and listened too.
I must say that there customer service is the best service I’ve ever had as they always reply (within 24Hrs) well they got back to in just a few hours and that is what I call Customer Service! Perfection.
Anyway if your lookin for a Bluetooth speak! then look no further as this little baby gets the full marks (below) and you won’t want or need another speak that’s why I have 6 of Anker’s Bluetooth speaks but I’m still keeping my ears open for Anker’s next little gem (well could be a bigger unit) and that would be Awesome. How about it Anker! 4 or 5inch driver’s with Bass reflex and of coarse Bass Up… Now that would be something.
Sorry another update!
After contacting Anker as I had a minor fault on this speaker (SoundCore Boost) they replied back under an hour But the best thing is they replaced the speaker free of charge and they didn’t even want the old one (only a month old) back.
Now that is what I call a 100% perfect service and they really do look after there customers Thank you again Anker (Team)
Bass – 10/10
Mids – 10/10
Treb – 10/10 …See!
Thank you Anker and Amazon for a Brilliant service/transaction and here’s for many more products I shall be keeping my eyes (and ears) on in the future.
Joner (sound engineer / bass reflex patent designer / general HiFi nut — er! and loving it.
Incredibly prompt, professional caring.
Beyond all our expectations.
The item is good quality, good weight, good sound.
We have been trying all kinds of portable speakers, this one packs a very good punch.
The bass is strong and clear, hardly any distortion even at highest levels.
Highly recommended, with good support to follow, although you’ll hardly need it.
I took a while to decide on the Soundcore boost but the lightning deal dropping it from 55 to 46 was the clincher and I’m glad it was.
The unit has exceeded my expectations and punches well above its weight. I have read some reviews complaining about a limited high end which may be correct but what is a ‘perfect’ sound anyway ? Sound is purely subjective like the perfect car, wine, etc.
To get back on topic I run a graphic eq app in the background of my Android tablet and set this to boost from 4Khz to 9Khz by 3db….problem solved ! I now have a sound which ‘I’ like. More bass than seems physically possible to come from a device this small and a clear high end.
Anker quality is there in abundance and great customer service is the icing on the cake.
You will not be disappointed with the Soundcore boost.
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.
Box contains USB cable which is short. No plug, but that was clear from the packaging. Nice quality to feel to the speaker, smooth Matt finish, (and the box which also feels great – if you like your packaging!). Nice little leaflet inside thanking you for your custom and describing what to do if you have issues.
Don’t really need the instructions, sets itself up. Makes cool little noisies as it boots up and again when it turns off.
Love the fact you can use it as a power bank for your phone. The USB sockets have a nice feeling rubber gromit over them, convincing seal against the elements while camping.
I toyed with several speakers before buying this, and I was almost set on a Bose Soundlink II having spoken to a work colleague. I watched some online comparison reviews and realised just how many different brands there were!
This Anker was a little less obvious than their best seller on Amazon, but listening online pointed me towards this one, and at a third of the price of the Bose, I’m glad I did the research, it really is quality. Listening to the radio and music on my phone, the sound quality across the volume range is crystal clear.
I’m happy to pay for quality, but equally I won’t buy a product just for the name. In this case absolutely the right decision. Anker, great little product, small, quality and mighty!
I am very impressed with this little box, Its very compact, has a good build quality and most importantly sounds amazing! I am a musician and DJ I’m very used to listening to high quality sound and this little beauty didn’t disappoint, it has a frequency range of 70khz to 20000khz for a box this size the bass representation is excellent and if you want an even fuller sound you can push the bass up button. Over the last few days I have listened to a wide spectrum of musical styles including Classical, Pop, Dub, Trance, Techno, Glitch Hop, Ambient Healing and more and as long as you don’t go over 3/4 volume it sounds good. Battery life…. On its own 10-12 hours but I also have an 13000ma Anker power bank put the 2 together and this at least triples it maybe more, I’m sure you can get better if you want to spend some serious money but for under 60 this is top buy.
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.
All welcome!
For several weeks now I use Anker SoundCore Boost 20W and decided to write about some measured parameters.
After several charges and discharging, the battery showed very good results! It seems that there are two 18650 Li-ion Batteries with good characteristics.
In addition, I made test measurements of the frequency response (see, for example). These diagrams show that the Anker SoundCore Boost 20W playback frequency without Adjustable Bass is approximately from 60 to 17000 Hz, which is not bad for acoustics of such dimensions. If you turn on the Adjustable Bass function, the band starts from 55 Hz and the good rise at 60-70 Hz is about 5 dB, while maintaining the frequency response within the limits of the norm.
So in general, this product has good characteristics.
Only just bought this but already very impressed with the audio quality. Sounds much bigger than the size would suggest. Positive reviews here are certainly well deserved. Some info for anyone planning to use this with an echo dot:
The power socket is on the side of the unit under a rubber cover, so if you want a speaker you can leave plugged in an on all the time, you should be aware that it will look a little unsightly with the cover and cable poking out of the side. That being said, I found that after powering the speaker on, it immediately repaired with the dot so there’s really no need to have it on all the time.
I had this speaker a little over 12 months and the electronics started failing. I was getting approx 1hr from a full charge and sometimes it turned itself off with a loud pop even when showing fully charged. A rep from Anker got in touch with me after my review on Amazon and with a check of the serial number very generously replaced my speaker with a brand new one. Thanks Anker!!
I’ve found the sound quality and volume to be brilliant for a speaker of this size, portability and weight. The battery life is very good too. I use it all around the house and it’s ideal for taking on holiday too. Great speaker!
Update: Contacted by Anker direct and after a few emails they replaced the speaker without fuss. New speaker is much better and holds a full charge to go with the great sound so much happier with the purchase. Well worth a go as at least you know that you will have full customer support should something go wrong. Can happily recommend this product now.
It arrived via Prime Delivery, and i was very impressed with the initial impression it gave and the quality of the packaging.
The packaging was certainly premium, but this does not always ring true of the products inside! However, once i slid the tight boxes apart and retrieved the speaker from the foam inserts i was very impressed. The feel of the device was impressive, weighty, smooth finish and very smart looking. The Speaker covers are well finished, and the name badge is a nice size and not intrusive.
The control buttons on the top surface are flush to the surrounding surface, with some slight raised symbols for the Volume and Play buttons. They have a nice feel, although the Power / Pair button needs a bit more force than i would expect.
The Battery indicater lights are smart and give plenty of indication of charge without being in your face.
Around the side is a Port area beneath a small hinged door. This is fine and access is easy to the USB charging socket, and pass through USB socket / AUX socket.
Overall impression of the Soundcore Boost exterior is that this is a fine looking device, excellent build quality, great size and weight for a portable USB speaker. The ruberised paint finish is the only thing i would raise a concern about, as it does seem vunerable to marks, and wear.
Turning on the device, and putting to pair mode by holding the Power button down for a few seconds, was straight forward.
The device had the BassUp mode already enabled, and this helped produce a lovely full sound when played from Iphone 7.
The volume has a wide range and good sensitivity, and the other controls are also very precise. The Speaker came charged to 75% so was good to go, so i got a good chance to test the range, and sound quality from the off.
The speaker produces a great sound, compared to other speakers i felt this had a very clear and powerful sound, ideal for smaller spaces. It would struggle with a large room, but that does not seem to be its purpose.
Outside it presented a very open sound, and the Bass was powerful and clear without distorting the rest of the music.
It had good dynamic range, and you could easily hear separate instruments on a track which showed how capable this speaker is.
For me this is a perfect companion speaker, ideal for travel, desks, small rooms. Good battery life, great sound quality.. you cannot go wrong!
It’s smaller than I expected, but as everyone has reported it has superb sound for its size. I have been using it in Bluetooth mode, to start with, but also purchased a couple of Google Chromecast Audios (because on a technical note its only the Chromecast AUDIO’s that have the ability to stream as a group of multi-room speakers – so a warning to folk who have a normal Chromecast for video who are considering buying Chromecasts that you cannot do multi-room speaker grouping with a Chromecast Audio and a normal Chromecast (video), just to let you know, much to many peoples annoyance with Google as they usually discover this only after purchasing their Chromecasts!).
Anyway, I’ve also been streaming via WiFi from the paid Yatse app on my phone, pulling music from my KODI media centre, and streaming to 2 x Chromecast Audios setup in a group with the Anker speaker (line input) as one speaker and my kitchen hi-fi (a JVC micro hifi using AUX RCA input) as another set of speakers. The two together produce an awesome sound that really fills the room, with the Anker as good in terms of volume and bass as the JVC!! Plus the Chromecasts are perfectly in sync (no delay/echo problems), I’ve had no need to adjust the Chromecast delay parameter (can be done using the Google Home app if necessary). So I can have the kitchen audio playing, and have the Anker outside on the patio for parties.
Just one oddity with the Chromecast Audio plugged into the LINE input of the Anker Soundcore Boost which I have discovered and is a slight disappointment. I thought it would be neat to make the Anker & Chromecast totally mobile out in the garden by using the 5v USB output of the Anker speaker to power the Chromecast Audio (the idea is that you can use the Anker as a battery pack to recharge your phone or similar purpose). Normally the Chromecast Audio uses USB power from the mains adapter it comes with. However for some reason providing power to the Chromecast in this way results in electronic computer noise (blips/bits) from the Chromecast being audible in the Anker. Very odd. I wonder if Anker are aware of this and whether anything can be done? I doubt it is a problem with the Anker itself. Unplugging the Chromecast’s USB power lead from the Anker USB power out and plug it back into the wall mains adapter (or a USB battery pack) eliminates the computer noise. Anyway thought I would just mention this as an aside.
Overall I am VERY pleased and impressed with the Anker Soundcore Boost, its battery life, its cool unobtrusive power up/down sounds, its looks and its versatility.
I’ve been looking for a reasonably priced bluetooth speaker for a while now (under 100) mostly to live in the kitchen or to be temporarily moved into the bathroom while having a soak, but also for camping trips etc. I listened to quite a few different models in Currys (JBL flip3, flip charge, UE Boom etc) but wasn’t overly impressed, most seemed either too bassy, too shrill or too ‘nasely’ so started begrudgingly looking at more expensive speakers. Along the way I came across a review of the Soundcore Boost on the clavinetjunkie youtube channel and thought it was worth a punt. Waited until Prime Day as I suspected it would be available on a deal, and it was.
It’s fairly small but feels sturdy and well built. Fully charged out of the box. Paired with my Moto g3 immediately and TBH I was gobsmacked by the quality of the sound. I’m a sound designer and music producer by trade so I like to think I’m well qualified to comment on this. Obviously we’re not talking hifi here, but as a low priced speaker for portable listening around the house and while out and about, this is fantastic. Crisp, well defined bass and nicely controlled highs (at all but highest volumes, but this is common to all cheaper speakers). Bass boost is on by default, but it’s easily switched off if it doesn’t suit the music. We listen to a broad mix of music genres and most of them sound great with the bass boost on, while classical sounds excellent with it off.
Only just got this so cannot comment on reliability, but certainly in terms of sound ‘quality’ it’s great. Not interested in blasting it out at high volumes so haven’t tested that, but if you are looking for a good sounding low cost speaker for all types of music this is well worth considering.
Possible Improvements: Would love to be able to pair two together for a proper stereo experience. Also full waterproofing would be nice, but only if it didn’t impact the sound quality.
They are paying attention to every single review, to give the best experience of their customers.
Well establish and popular brands are NOT doing this which made me turn my look towards Anker.
When I bought my speaker, were not many reviews about it, here or YouTube, but decided to give a chance of Anker.
I saw plenty of amazing reviews on their “SoundCore” and this was enough for me. Believe me, I am more than happy with my purchase!
This speaker is unbelievably good! The sound from it it`s outstanding, it`s amazing. I was blown away how such a small device can give you this deep and rich sound! I was looking to buy speaker from Sony and JBL (on acceptable price). The Sony (SRS-XB2) had this “Bass Up” function which was working in very strange way when I test it. It just boost a bit the whole volume not only the bass. But the SounCore Boost it does what it suppose to do, to boost the Bass (only). The Sony (SRS-XB2) was had very unpleasant distortion at max volume the SoundCore Boost had NO distortion at all!!!
I`m sorry Sony, you still have room to improve especially when you are longer on the market and you cost more.
The other competitor which cost Double the price is JBL Flip 3.
The sound of Flip 3 is very good but only after 50% (at least for me). Bellow 50% volume the bass is very thin and you don`t have “Bass Up” function. At max volume has tiny distortion but it has one. It`s a bit louder then SoundCore Boost but that`s all and it cost double!!!
The test was done with same song in same room!
My SoundCore Boost has all I need! Very thick and deep bass at low volume with very rich sound! I LOVE listening music at at 30% – 50%
If I hit the max volume I had NO distortion at all (at least with the music I like)
Anker made something very smart to avoid distortion, when you hit 70% – 75% volume the bass is not increasing any more until 100%
But the bass is more then enough to enjoy the music, but with NO distortion!
The build quality is also outstanding and I love the size of it.
And I would like to express my absolute admirations to Lena from Customer Support!
Thank you Lena for all your advises, information and professional support you gave to me! You are valuable team member of Anker Support and they need to know it.
Whoever reads this review, buy SoundCore Boost and you will not regret even for a second!
Keep up the good work Anker and thank you again for everything!
Kind Regards,
Valentin Kamenov
I don’t normally review items but in this case I’ve made an exception, I like when things are well thought out, well made and exceed my expectations, my first impressions when opening the box was well packaged and nicely presented, the instruction booklet was simply but effective, now the unwrap the sound core boost looks and feels well-made, not light and not too heavy with nice clean edges, perfect size, I like the way you can’t see the speakers, with just a small name plate on the top edge, , the charging port, AUX and USB out for phone charging are nicely concealed behind a flap at the side which does take a strong pull to open but feels like it’s not going to suddenly brake, power indicator and controls are on top they clear and nice to the touch and responsive (two light up) . Pairing with my iPhone was easy and the tone for start-up/close down and pairing is a nice addition.
The performance, my musical taste ranges from Motorhead to Mozart so I was keen to throw quite a range at it and did it perform?? It not only performed it surprised and impressed me with how wonderful this speaker sounds, being able to turn the base boost off is great and yes it will go quite loud, Battery life has been fantastic haven’t recharged it yet, where I think this speaker really exceeds is at lower volume levels whilst listening to PW Wild Wood outside on the patio with a volume that was for me and not for the rest of my neighbours it was superb just the right balance between base and rich sound, someone has gone to a lot of trouble to make the Soundcore Boost sound amazing, thank you!”
“Best things come in small packages ”
I also brought a Khanka case for it that fits great
Iain Cresswell
Before purchasing the Soundcore boost I had visited an electrical shop and listened to the items on offer. Some were better than other but I couldn’t justify the cost at 100 to 150
Based on other reviews I decided on this model and I feel that my decision was the correct one.
The sound is great and loud enough for most situations. Having not purchased anything from Anker before I hope that the reliability matches the performance.
After hearing the speaker my son has now requested the Anker sport XL as a birthday present.
Overall first impressions are of a quality product.
Update to review
Great sound but!
Found that the battery would only last 3 to 4 hours after full charge and now speaker will no longer charge, tried several other cables. Returned for refund.
Update x 2
A couple of weeks after returning the faulty speaker I was contacted by Anker customer services. At first I thought that it may have been to leave a review for the Anker sports xl speaker that I had bought as a gift but this was not the case.
To my surprise Anker were offering me another Boost speaker to try at no cost to myself. This is something I have not experienced from any other company and I feel is excellent customer service. The new speaker sounds great and there have been no charging or battery problems ( so far ).
I feel that the speaker is a quality product and Anker customer services are well in front on their competitors. Well done Anker.
At first I started with the bose and tried one out in a local shop. Sound quality was obviously stellar but it did lack a lot of the bass and presence I was looking.
The jbl had plenty of bass and was closer to the sound image I had in mind but I held out.
I was familiar with anker because I’ve bought their products before and have been very impressed with the build quality. I bit the bullet and decided to go with them as it was cheaper than the other options.
I was more than happy when I received the speaker today.
The packaging was sleek and the product itself is extremely well built. It’s got a nice weight to it and houses an impressive array of speakers; two tweeters at the front and two subwoofers at the back.
Connection to my iPhone was simple and faultless with my iPhone 6s Plus Via Bluetooth 4.2. The unit also supports aux connections and also works with android. I was also nicely surprised when a battery icon appeared in the top corner to show the speakers remaining battery life.
I used the speaker for upto 6 hours out of the box without charging at 75% volume and it still had plenty of battery life at 67% remaining.
I couldn’t recommend this speaker enough for any sort of music. I tried with jazz, raggae, drum and bass and hardcore punk, all genres sat well after eqing on Spotify.