The Bose SoundLink Max has a reputation for great sound quality. Our research highlights its rich, clear sound and strong bass, making it a solid choice for a portable speaker.

But there are a few things to keep in mind when stacking it up against other Bose speakers like the SoundLink Flex or SoundLink Revolve+ II.

One key limitation is that the SoundLink Max doesn't support stereo pairing with other Bose speakers, so you can't link two of them for true stereo sound or integrate it into a bigger Bose setup. This is something other models offer, and it's a feature some people miss.

On the plus side, it does have multipoint Bluetooth, so you can connect two devices at once and easily switch between them.

All in all, while the SoundLink Max performs well, the lack of stereo pairing is a drawback that some folks find disappointing.

Unfortunately, you can't pair two Bose SoundLink Max speakers together for stereo sound right now. This has been a bit of a letdown for some, especially given the 'SoundLink' branding, which kind of sets that expectation.

It's too bad because the SoundLink Max has some great features like its IP67 waterproof rating and a 20-hour battery life. But yeah, if you're hoping to connect two for that stereo experience, it's a no-go at the moment.

From what we've seen, quite a few folks have mentioned this in their reviews, expressing frustration that such a high-end speaker doesn't have this capability.

Even professional reviews from places like PCMag and CNET point out that while the SoundLink Max sounds great and is built well, it definitely misses the mark by not letting you connect multiple speakers.

There is some speculation that a future firmware update might add this feature, but there's no official word from Bose about that happening.

So, if being able to pair speakers for stereo sound is super important to you, you might want to check out other options that already offer it.

For now, the Bose SoundLink Max is an excellent standalone speaker but just doesn't have that stereo pairing option.

The Bose SoundLink Max isn't actually waterproof.

According to the manufacturer's product description, it has an IPX4 rating. This means it can handle splashes, like if it gets wet from light rain or near the pool, but you shouldn't submerge it or expose it to heavy downpours.

So, it's pretty resistant to casual water exposure but for anything more intense, you might need to look for a different speaker with a higher waterproof rating.