Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Plus review: Excellent Bluetooth speaker for the great outdoors (2024)

If there's one way to kick off a summer of barbecues, pool parties, and general get-togethers, it's with the Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Plus. This superbly designed boombox-style Bluetooth speaker has the chops to brave the outdoors while delivering deeply satisfying audio with real "oomph." As it states on the tin, this speaker is everything that's made its recent Boom 2 speaker a hit, but bigger in every way, from its size to its booming beats. That goes for the price tag, too.

It may not have the high-fidelity badge some audiophiles are after, like the Soundcore Motion X600. Still, its impressive audio quality and clarity across several sound stages will get any party started. Moreover, it boasts up to 140 watts of audio power, providing a thumping bass that gets parties hopping. Throw in its IPX7 waterproof rating, portability with a detachable carrying strap, and the fact that it floats, and the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus has a lot to show off.

Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Plus

Staff Pick

9/ 10

The Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Plus is here to kick off the summer vibes, thanks to its powerful 140W sound, deep BassUp 2.0 tech with balanced sound, substantial 20-hour battery life, and durable, IPX7-rated form factor that's made for the outdoors. Its heightened price tag and long charging times are a bit of a downer, but unique perks like its floatable design, detachable strap, and power bank capabilities make it the go-to party starter.

Pros

• Satisfyingly bassy audio
• Durable and portable design
• Efficiently long battery life

Cons

• On the pricier side
• Slow charging speed

$250 at Amazon$250 at Anker

Price and availability

Being the "Plus" version of the Soundcore Boom 2 means a spike in price, but that comes with its benefits. The Soundcore Boom 2 Plus costs $250, quite the jump from its smaller sibling's $130 price tag. That said, there are several upgrades here. These include 140-watt power, dual 4.5-inch woofers and 1-inch tweeters, a detachable strap, and even 30-watt Power Delivery to charge other devices.

Despite its bigger size and weight, its features make it far more travel-friendly. It's far from the priciest speaker around, too, with similar boombox-style speakers like the JBL Authentics 300 pushing over $400. The Soundcore Boom 2 Plus comes in Phantom Black, Adventure Green, and Explore Blue, and is available at most major retailers, including Amazon and Soundcore itself.

What's good about the Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Plus

Sound for days

Combining its two woofers and tweeters, 140 watts of power, and Soundcore's Active Crossover Technology makes for an excellent audio experience. No matter the genre, including heavy rock, EDM, or pop music, expect high, low, and mid-range frequencies to fill a room and sound crystal clear.

The true of the show is the bass, and the Boom 2 Plus' BassUp 2.0 tech will make tunes reverberate. It's a major boost that makes the most out of bass-heavy music. While it will drown out the mid-range when turned on, it's easy to ignore when there are thumping beats to jump around to.

Figuring out what 140 watts of bass power can do is as simple as cranking the volume up to max indoors and feeling my house shake with each booming beat. It's enough to make the neighbors complain, and that's, unfortunately, a sign of a party with a superb sound system. Its range of volume and sound make it one of the best Bluetooth speakers I've heard.

Anker has nailed putting a modern spin on the boombox form factor, and it's a style that works for portability. The built-in handle with a ridged grip on the underside makes it more comfortable to carry around, and hooking on its adjustable strap with ease means you can bring the beats as you wander.

Each side also delivers a mini RGB light show via passive radiators that sync with the music you play, which also vibrate with booming bass. It's a welcome effect for parties; there are eight preset light effects to mix it up. Although, I wouldn't imagine anyone changing the already neat default light sync setting.

You can also expect buttons at the top of the speaker, including power, Bluetooth, volume, lights, TWS (for connecting another speaker), and BassUp. Being able to quickly access each function manually, especially the BassUp feature for those deep house tunes, is incredibly handy.

If the BassUp button isn't enough, there are a few ways to further amplify sound. The handy AUX jack lets you connect other devices, like an extra speaker, while the PartyCast 2.0 feature allows you to connect over 100 Soundcore PartyCast-enabled speakers together. Even better, its TWS button lets you pair another Boom to separate left and right channels for a more fitting stereo experience. However, with the volume a single Boom 2 Plus already delivers, this is more of a bonus.

As a test of its durability, this writer's slightly irritated nephew flung a fork at the Boom 2 Plus during a typical two-year-old tantrum, and there wasn't a nick or scratch in sight (thankfully). The wild outdoors can be far harsher, of course, but this tricked-out boombox would be up for standing against the elements. That includes splashes, rain, and bodies of water, thanks to its waterproof IPX7 rating.

However, it goes one step further. Much like the original Boom 2, what makes it stand out is it's floatable. Despite its weight, it can keep up the jams while afloat. That alone makes it an ideal speaker for pool, river, or beach gatherings. Water will trickle out for a while afterward, and audio (especially mids) will sound more muffled, but a quick wipe-down will leave its matte plastic body spotless.

What's bad about the Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Plus

If you need to charge, get ready to wait

With up to 20 hours of battery, the Boom 2 Plus can get through a whole day of beats. This is less than the Boom 2, which lasts 24 hours, but the Plus model is also cut shorter when BassUp and the lighting effects are turned on. It's still a long-lasting speaker and offers enough juice to charge devices with 30-watt power.

The downside is charging from 0% to 100% takes around three hours. That's an awful long time, especially if you're ready to head out the door and it needs some juice. It's a good idea to charge up in advance.

Another factor is the price, especially considering the Soundcore Boom 2 is just under half the price at $130. It may not have the power (peaking at 80 watts) or portability features, but it's still a standout speaker for most, especially at its $130 midrange price. That said, the Boom 2 Plus is the optimized model that's made to offer better volume with added bass and clarity outdoors compared to its sibling. For my vote, it's well worth the price of admission, and it's important to note that Anker often offers sales of its products.

Should you buy the Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Plus?

For the avid party starters and those needing pumping tunes during an outing, whether it be a workout, barbecue, pool party, or other, the Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Plus will do your soundtrack justice.

With resounding volume, extra bass thanks to its easily accessible BassUp 2.0 tech, detailed sound across various sound stages, and customizable EQ settings in the Soundcore app (at the time of writing, the Boom 2 Plus wasn't available in the app yet, but this will be a feature as with other Soundcore speakers once released), this Bluetooth speaker will do wonders for social gatherings and outdoor adventures alike.

If you keep its battery in mind and have the funds for it, it's certain to be the "wow" factor in nearly every engagement, especially when it's sitting alongside you at a pool, ready to play your next song. Don't expect a complete Hi-Fi audio experience, but if you're the type that loves to blast the top of the charts or old-school hits, the Boom 2 Plus can do no wrong.

Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Plus

The Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Plus is here to kick off the summer vibes, thanks to its powerful 140W sound, deep BassUp 2.0 tech with balanced sound, substantial 20-hour battery life, and durable, IPX7-rated form factor that's made for the outdoors. Its heightened price tag and long charging times are a bit of a downer, but unique perks like its floatable design, detachable strap, and power bank capabilities make it the go-to party starter.

$250 at Amazon$250 at Anker