Soundlink Flex 2nd gen: Stereo use, boings, de-dums and voice prompts.
SoundLink Flex and Android 14 Bluetooth Not Connecting (2 phones tested)
My verdict on the BOSE soundlink flex GEN 2 : Bluetooth_Speakers
Marshall Emberton II versus Bose SoundLink Flex : Bluetooth_Speakers
What technologies are used in the SoundLink Flex speaker?
Does the SoundLink Flex speaker feature a speakerphone?
How do I best clean the SoundLink Flex speaker?
Videos
Stereo Mode
There's no proper manual in the box which wasted hours of my time, as I simply wanted a quick start testing stereo mode. Bose has changed the button sequence to enable stereo (or party) mode on Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs. the original version.
Google search for "soundlink flex enable stereo mode" will show instructions involving simultaneous presses of the Bluetooth and Volume Up Down buttons. These don't work on 2nd gen.
Google search for "soundlink flex 2nd gen manual" (without quotes - only download from bose.com in search results) yields a decent .pdf manual "SOUNDLINK FLEX PORTABLE SPEAKER (2ND GEN)". Follow page 31 "LINK TWO BOSE BLUETOOTH SPEAKERS" for how to pair two Soundlink Flex 2nd gen in stereo mode using the new Shortcut button.
Anyway, I first used the "Bose" app (Android) to perform a firmware update and rename each speaker. I named one "Bose left" and the other "Bose right". The "Bose Connect" app (10M installs on Android) did not find the speakers at all for me.
I then told my phone to forget Bluetooth pairing with the right speaker and pressed and held the right speaker bluetooth button for 15 seconds to clear its device list.
The fastest way I've found to get up and running in stereo mode from a cold start is as follows...
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turn on the left speaker
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turn on the right speaker
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press the left speaker Shortcut button
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press the right speaker Shortcut button
Within about 10 seconds they'll announce that they're in stereo mode and you should see the flashing white LED go solid white. The phone is bluetooth paired with the left speaker and it plays out in stereo, as expected. I think the sound quality is great - very Bose, but that's not my focus here.
Boings, de-dums and voice prompts.
How is it possible that such an expensive, premium product doesn't allow the user to completely disable these truly obnoxious sound effects and voice prompts? Falling back to good old multi-colour LEDs and flashing codes for the user that has invested a tiny amount of effort to learn what they mean. I don't know how the bluetooth speaker marketplace has normalised this force-fed audio UX that as far as I'm concerned is fine for training wheels only.
The Bose app lets you disable either or both of "Connections & Calls" and "Battery Level on Startup" voice prompts, but that leaves so much still enabled.
"dum-de" when left speaker is connected to phone.
"dum-dum-dum-dum" from each speaker after pressing the shortcut button.
"Stereo Mode" "Left" "Right" after entering stereo mode.
"Bose speakers unlinked" when turning off the speakers.
"dum" if bluetooth on phone is turned off.
...probably more
The sound effects are so loud and bassy that there's absolutely no way I'd consider using these speakers for low level listening in a bedroom at night when other people are in the house sleeping. I experience a cringe-spike at the moment they play out, knowing that someone else might hear that I'm playing around with my Bose speakers again. Can't imagine using them socially, just so embarassing.
Please tell me I'm wrong and I missed a setting. Otherwise Bose, if you read this and care, just add a couple more settings sliders to that app and be done with it. I really like them otherwise.
Has anyone heard of any problems with the SoundLink Flex and Android 14? I have tested a Pixel 5 and Pixel 8 pro - neither will connect to my speaker. I'm really at a loss. I've tried so many things (restarts, fumbling with settings, etc.). I would love to use my speaker again.
Edit: A little update to this. After trying everything I could find online and reaching out to support a few times, they have offered me a free replacement (shipping not included so I had to pay to send mine back...). We'll see if the new one works. I will update this post if it does.
Edit2: I have now replaced the SoundLink with a replacement from Bose and the problem persists. On top of that, I had to have my new phone replaced (for an unrelated reason) and the new phone ALSO doesn't connect to the SoundLink
Edit3: After updating to the newest Android update, it connects to the speaker! But DON'T use the Bose Connect app, just use the Bluetooth settings within system settings. Forget the device if it's already there. I could have sworn this didn't work before the update, but maybe I didn't forget the device before trying.
Edit4: See u/Upper_Economy_8617 comment for possible solution to connecting with the Bose app.
I have found the answer! If you have any other products that use LE bluetooth, their apps are the problem. I have a Bose SoundLink color 2 and a pair of Beats Studio Buds+. Whenever the Beats app was installed, the speaker would crash and turn off and the app wouldn't connect to the speaker. The Beats app was thinking that it was in charge of the LE bluetooth devices and was taking over the bluetooth on the phone. Uninstall any partner apps for all your bluetooth devices except the Bose Connect app. I hope this helps for anyone because it helped for me!