With so many Bluetooth speakers out there, and more arriving almost daily, it can be easy to underestimate one that dwells in the middle ground. Sandwiched between the packable Soundlink Flex and the beefy Soundlink Max (9/10, WIRED Recommends), Bose’s new midsize Soundlink Plus (no, these aren’t streaming services) carves out its own niche thanks largely to winning sound with equal parts nuance and bravado.

Like its siblings, the Plus looks and feels like a premium speaker with an accordingly premium price; it’s dressed to the nines, especially fetching in the Citrus Yellow color I reviewed, but bears commensurate dust- and waterproofing for good defense against the elements. Medium build notwithstanding, this is still a hefty package, but if you’re after a good compromise between boombox might and breezy portability, the Soundlink Plus abides.

Premium Protection

There’s style in the Sound Plus’s minimalism, with a sleek yet strong powder-coated steel grille, supple touch keys along its rubberized topside, and a hearty checkered nylon handle at the side that makes it easier to haul (or hang).

At the back are vents for its four bass radiators and an open USB-C port. A point of note there: the Plus is fine to dunk given its IP67 rating, and it even floats, but you’ll need to wait for the port to dry before charging. That’s further notable given that, like the Max, the Plus takes a sluggish five hours to charge its 20-hour battery from zero. That said, it didn’t take long for the orange-and-white flashing LED to return to solid white following a bath in my laundry sink, signaling a clear and ready port.

Measuring 9.1 x 3.94 x 3.4 inches (WxHxD) and weighing over 3 pounds, this is not the most packable speaker, b...