Customer Ratings & Reviews

What’s In the Box *Soundcore Select 2 *usb-c cable *detachable shoestring strap *quickstart guide Anker doesn’t need an introduction. The company is well known in the consumer electronics world for its high quality portable phone chargers and computer peripherals. Among them are their bluetooth speakers. The latest offering from Anker, the Soundcore Select 2, shows that a good quality bluetooth speaker can be had without spending a small fortune. You can tell that Anker didn’t spend much R&D money on aesthetic design. The Soundcore Select 2’s design is mundane, in fact rather downright unattractive. You could easily overlook it on a retail display, next to all the sexy, flashy speakers. For all intents and purposes, it is a black colored 17.8 oz. brick with a speaker grille in front to protect the 16 watt dual drivers and dual passive radiators.. The exterior is wrapped in a thick, high grade rubber material that can stand drops, scrapes, and bumps. It is well sealed to give it an IPX7 waterproof rating. The Soundcore Select 2 is well prepared to go on all your silly selfie adventures, be it the swimming pool party or a hot and humid hike through the rainforest. Up on top of the speaker are all the buttons you’ll need. Power on/off, volume +/-, Bluetooth connection/NFC, and the multi-function button. The buttons themselves are rather large that it’s hard to miss. It has a single usb-c charge port to one side and a place to attach the shoestring strap on the other side. It sits atop a non-slip rubber base. Enough on how it looks. You’re more interested in how it sounds, right? Well, the audio quality has exceptional presentation especially coming from a budget bluetooth speaker by a company without a well established history in audio products. Let’s start with the dual passive bass radiators. Anker’s BassUp Technology is at work here. The bass is tight and punchy; there when you need it without dragging down the audio spectrum. The dual drivers put the mids and vocals front and center, and are able to produce enough high end notes. You’ll need to download the Soundcore App to get to the 9 band equalizer which allows you to create and save different equalizer profile settings for the different types of music you listen to. Or you can simply use one of the Soundcore’s preselected audio profiles. Equipped with 16 watts of power, the Soundcore Select 2 can get loud and easily fills a room. I also compared the audio from the Soundcore Select 2 to some of the higher end wireless bluetooth speakers (which shall remain nameless) that I own just for a comparison of audio quality. The Soundcore Select 2 came close in audio quality to those speakers costing twice as much or more. However, the Soundcore Select 2 did lack some detail and clarity that some of the more expensive bluetooth speakers are able to achieve. When listening to music, there was definitely less separation between the vocals and instruments from the Soundcore Select 2. When there are several instruments playing simultaneously on the audio track, the Soundcore Select 2 is a little muddy. I am not complaining, however. For the price point of the Soundcore Select 2, this thing sounds fantastic! Other things I really like about the Soundcore Select 2 is that it has a usb-c connector for the charger. Type C is pretty much standard today, but you’d be amazed that some companies are still using the micro-usb for its connection. I also like that the speaker has a 20 hr playtime, which easily gets me through the day without having to anchor it to a wall outlet. What I find gimmicky about the speaker is the Party Cast feature which allows you to link more than 100 speakers for synchronized music. I don’t think most folks would buy multiple Soundcore speakers so that they can play music in sync. I think they would rather be able to purchase one additional Soundcore speaker for a wireless stereo pair. The Soundcore Select 2 sadly does NOT have stereo pairing capability. This is where I feel the engineers at Anker missed an opportunity to capitalize, and consequently this is a major disadvantage of purchasing the speaker. It is best to install the Soundcore app to get the most functionality out of the speaker. From the app, you’ll be able to download the latest firmware, adjust the audio with the equalizers, use the app to turn off the speaker, turn off the annoying musical jingle whenever the speaker powers on/of or makes a bluetooth connection, and set an auto timer to power off the speaker automatically when not in use. I also tested the speaker with video content. There is imperceptible audio/video lag. Audio is in sync with the video. The speaker has a built-in microphone enabling it to be used as a speakerphone. Folks on the other end of the call heard my voice clearly. Should you buy this speaker? The Soundcore Select 2 pumps out excellent audio well above its price point. It is safe to say that this is a value speaker, you definitely get more audio quality than what you pay for! Apart from its mediocre design and inability to pair two speakers for stereo sound, the Soundcore Select 2 is one that you should give a try.

The Anker Soundcore Select 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker surprised me with a strong, clear musical sound that is usually only enjoyed from much larger speakers with a lot bigger price tag. At roughly 6.75” wide by 2” tall and 2” deep and weighing 12.6 ozs, this portable speaker is very easy to move around. After carrying it with me for a few days, I have decided that this is absolutely the perfect small portable speaker. Not only does its 5.0 Bluetooth function pair instantly with my iPhone, iPad, and laptop computer, it paired instantly every time it came within close proximity to the Bluetooth of all of these devices. The Soundcore Select 2 has and delivers on several features. Built in are two 1.6” full range speakers and two Passive Radiators. Together these dual drivers and passive radiators produce a very powerful 16 W crystal clear sound. Soundcore’s BassUp Technology is another big plus that adds to producing this incredible sound. The BassUp technology uses an in-house tuned digital signal processor that analyses and intensifies the bass in real-time. However, if one desires, the Base feature can even be toggled off through the Soundcore app. The Soundcore app provides the opportunity to customize and create one’s sound preference by use of a digital Equalizer. Customized sounds can be created, or one of the four preset equalizer choices can be selected (Voice, Soundcore Signature, Treble Boost and Balanced). All sounded great to me. Also, through Soundcore’ s app all features of the speaker can be controlled. This includes the digital equalizer, the choice to have Bass or not, and even the firmware updates as needed. Using the included USB-C type charging cord, on one charge the Soundcore Select 2 has played over 20 hours. This is a pretty good amount of time to receive from one quick charge. When you consider the battery’s longevity and the fact that the speaker is rated IPX7 waterproof, it instantly becomes a great speaker for outdoor entertainment. IPX7 waterproof technology is a waterproof rating given to technological products which can handle being submerged in water at a depth of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes without creating any damage to the product. This particular speaker is also endowed with Soundcore’ s PartyCast technology. The Soundcore PartyCast technology enables up to 100 speakers to be linked together in a synchrony of music and lights. With the IPX7 body, the battery life, the ability to control the speaker by use of the app and the Soundcore PartyCast technology, there is no doubt that this is a great speaker for pool parties and other activities around water. Included in the box is the speaker, a type “C” charging cable, and a detachable strap. I highly recommend the Soundcore 2 Speaker if you are in the market for a small portable, waterproof speaker. Its exceptional characteristics and ability to deliver such a great sound from such a small package, coupled with its very affordable price point makes this one, hands down, a great choice.

Anker Soundcore Select 2 Bluetooth speaker pumps out clear, strong sound from a small, inexpensive package. Best of all, it’s only $50 at Best Buy! It’s not just the sound. There is a companion app chock full of useful features, not the least of which is a power button IN THE APP that powers down the Soundcore Select 2. **WHAT’S IN THE BOX** • Anker Soundcore Select 2 6-5/8” L x 2-1/8”H x 2-3/16” D • Charging cable – USB-C into the device to USB-A for connection to your charging source • Wrist strap • Simplified quick start guide and warranty **THE SETUP** Instructions call for powering on with a press of the raised power button, which puts Soundcore Select 2 into pairing mode. Next, pair with your device, which, for this evaluation is my iPhone. Start playing. Note that this product is Bluetooth only, there is no jack for hardwiring from a device. Pairing mode is always available with a long press on the raised Bluetooth symbol on the top of the speaker. Next, download the Soundcore mobile app. Once finished and launched, I was able to first check for a firmware update. There was, and I did. The app interface is uncluttered. From the app there are choices of available music provided by Lüm, Soundcore’s official music streaming partner. Lots to play with here! I chose music from my music library. My go-to music for evaluating audio products is an Eagles Live album. Anker provides the ability to electronically link more than 100 compatible speakers in a “Partycast” chain sending single-source synchronized sound to the group. There can be a mix of LED and non-LED speakers. For those speakers with light-show LEDs, let the party begin! Soundcore Select 2 is specified with up to 20 hours of playtime, depending upon how hard it is driven. Exclusive BassUp technology is an in-house tuned digital signal processor that analyzes and intensifies bass in real-time, and it is quite effective, activated through the app. Calls routed through the Select 2 can be heard clearly through the speakers. **PUT TO THE TEST** • Power on • Connect to computer or phone using Bluetooth • (Optional) Connect other Soundcore compatible speakers for seamless sound from over 100 connected devices! • Launch the Soundcore app • (Check for firmware update) • PLAY music from a music app or from the Soundcore app choosing music from Lüm • (Optional) Adjust EQ from within the Soundcore app Custom EQ can be created and saved in the app. Note that BassUp is not available when using custom EQ settings. Several pre-set EQ settings are available. Loud & clear, sweet stereo sound comes from dual drivers and passive radiators. IPX7 waterproof technology (which means it can even be submerged up to 1 meter in water for 30 minutes) so it can go wherever you go, even around water. **CONCLUSION** This reviewer is mightily impressed, not easily done. So small, yet so powerful. With plenty of power, crisp, sweet sound can be heard and understood beyond a 30-foot radius. My audience was in pleasant disbelief that the volume of quality sound came from this little speaker. Remember, this speaker is Bluetooth only and cannot be hard-wired from a source. **WARRANTY** Anker Soundcore Select 2 comes with Anker’s 18-month parts and labor warranty

BUILD QUALITY/AESTHETICS: I’m a basic guy which makes me a fan of simple yet practical. Which is exactly the type of look this speaker was going for. It is shaped like a brick, is trying to get some style points with a grill on the front, and tap into its crime fighting alter ego by going Batman style with the matte black finish. It is covered in a matte black rubber which picks up fingerprints like a boss. The front has minimal branding with a small Soundcore logo on the bottom of the grill, on the back you have a chamber to help with bass with a bigger Soundcore logo. On the left-hand side, you have a place to attach a strap, if that’s your jam, and on the right, you have the USB charging port. On the top you have your controls, and I almost forgot about the bottom. Where the legal information that nobody ever reads is, along with four itty bitty rubber pads. It has good weight to it without any flex. In true brick fashion, if someone needed some music in their life, you could just throw this guy through their window, and it would probably make it out unscathed. But please don’t do that. I’d rank build quality a 10/10. Beauty really is in the eye of the beholder on this one, so I’ll leave that rating up to you. CONTROLS: Going left to right you have the power button, volume down, multipurpose button (in the shape of the Soundcore logo), volume up, and Bluetooth with NFC tag. Each button is large, with raised rubber, and takes severe force to press with short travel, and a mild click. The buttons are the same color as the rest of the device, which makes them perfect for blending in when in low light situations, but also have a mild gloss to them to help make them pop when moving the device. I’m not sure how I feel about that. When you press the power button it will jingle, the LED next to the power button will turn white, and the LED to the right of the Bluetooth button will start to blink blue. There will be a second jingle to tell you the Bluetooth is in pairing mode. If you have an Android phone and NFC just put this guy on the right side of the speaker near the NFC tag and you’re paired. If you have an iPhone like myself, you need to go into your Bluetooth settings. It will jingle again when it is paired. This guy really likes its jingles. If you hold down the power button for two seconds it will power off with another jingle. Since we have already paired a device when you power it on you will get the power on jingle, Bluetooth jingle, and then last the connected jingle. This takes about 10 seconds. I would have liked it if they just got rid of the power on jingle and pairing jingle and just gave me one when they connected to shorten the whole process up. Volume down and volume up are self-explanatory. The multifunctional button when tapped plays/pauses. There is a slight delay (about a second) with this. If you double press it will skip forward, if you triple press, it will skip backward. I found double and triple presses to be kind of difficult as actuation force is strong, with small overall travel, and a very weak click. Leaving me very unsatisfied If you hold it down, your voice assistant will come up. Last, is the Bluetooth button. If you tap it, there will be a jingle, and then when paired it will jingle again. When held it will activate the PartyCast system which allows you to pair over 100 speakers together. They say this works on ANY speaker with PartyCast. For this guy at least this means BOTH speakers will be playing the same thing and is NOT a stereo pairing which is a bit of a bummer. I have two Soundcore speakers and they both happen to support PartyCast, so I figured what they hey, why not try it out. Once I figured out how to correctly pair them it was simple and found that it further elevated the sound by a noticeable degree. If you adjust the volume on the master device, it will increase the volume for all speakers. If you turn off the master device, it will turn off all devices. Last, if you tried to adjust the sound on a slave device nothing would happen. The way I did it, was I turned on my Master Device (The Select 2 in this example), paired it to my iPhone, and then held down the Bluetooth button for two seconds which switched the Bluetooth LED from a solid Blue to a flashing White. I then turned on my Slave Device (Flare 2 in this example) and held down the Bluetooth button for several seconds which changed the LED from flash Blue (as it wasn’t connected to a device) to a flashing White. They then automatically paired to each other at which point the Master Device Bluetooth LED was flashing White, but the Slave Bluetooth LED was solid. The first time I tried to do this I wasn’t doing it correctly and it wouldn’t work. But when I follow this formula, it works every time and is quick. SOUND QUALITY: The sound quality is excellent for the price and size and hits way above its weight class. I did go into the Soundcore App and switched it from “Soundcore Signature” to “Balanced” which improved vocal clarity without reducing the other sounds. I also left Bass Boost ON as it added to overall sound and with it off made it feel a bit anemic. When it comes to Bluetooth speakers, I break them down into two ratings. The first is for music and the second is for multimedia. For the first, Music, I found that they sound airy, with good balance, and good detail. Highs, mids, and bass mostly equal where one doesn’t overpower the other. Mids (vocals) can come across as slightly muddy which reduced my enjoyability for multimedia but did just fine for vocals. Sounds were natural with a mild amount of processing. Soundstage was small but with the BassUp DSP it provided nice enjoyable bass while filling up the room with sound. Imaging was limited where you could tell vocals and instruments apart but not where they were located. I didn’t notice any bloat or brightness and only mild congestion, muddiness, harshness, and sibilance. I wouldn’t suggest critical listening with this but it makes a good companion for your shower, while golfing, or next to a pool. PROS: The design while simple works well, with simple intuitive controls, good build quality, and small shape that can fit just about anywhere. Sound quality for the size and price are great which the DSP helps with. It has good battery life with an IPX7 rating, and you can sync it to any device that has PartyCast technology. You can use the Soundcore App to adjust the EQ. Music sounded good, but I found multimedia wasn’t as strong. CONS: Aesthetic design is in the eye of the beholder, buttons are a bit hard to press, especially when hitting multiple times. Sound was better for music than it was for multimedia due to voices coming across as muddy. PartyCast system has a method to the madness and while it elevates overall sound also causes some issues and can be further perfected. CONCLUSION: Ankor Soundcore devices continue to impress me with their excellent sound quality, great build quality, DSP, battery life, and IPX7 rating. However, they could still improve on making their buttons more satisfying to press. This has a simple design that I personally like and easily blends into any environment with its basicness. But some may not like that or overlook it altogether. For me I recommend it for music listening but not so much for multimedia use as I’ve found other speakers in this price range to do it better.

The Soundcore Select 2 by Anker is the latest in the line of Anker Bluetooth Speaker audio products. This sleek speaker features two 1.6” full-range speakers, with matching passive radiators. The speaker features Bluetooth 5.0 & NFC, an IPX7 rating, 20 hours of playback, USB-C charging and what I think is its best part ‘PartyCast’. PartyCast? Well, it is the ability to pair up to 100 speakers to create a multi-speaker environment. You pair your primary speaker via Bluetooth to your audio device source (phone/tablet/projector/computer). Once paired to the primary speaker, the pairing process for secondary speakers is quite simple. On the main primary speaker hold the Bluetooth button for two seconds, wait for it to flash white, then press the Bluetooth button on secondary speakers for 2 seconds, and it instantly pairs. Add additional speakers to the primary speaker in the same process, up to 100 speakers are supported. Even if you do not have the use for the nifty Partycast technology, the fact that it is present and available gives you several options for the future, though the use of it for L-R channels is not possible, but creating a larger sound stage is. That said the Bluetooth pairing process is incredibly simple. From the moment you turn it on, with its jazzy tunes telling it’s now on, to the speaker connected to Bluetooth tune, the process is very intuitive and easy to do. The overall sound quality from this diminutive speaker is amazing. While the sound is directional, the quality is good. The bass output from the passive radiators makes a significant difference to the quality of the sound, providing enough low end to make it not sound tinny. Should you need to enhance the sound further, the Soundcore app will allow you to fine-tune the experience. The soundcore app, available in your phone or tablet’s app store allows you to upgrade the firmware, make adjustments to the equalizer settings, and even see the battery life. I found not too much difference in the various preset equalizer settings, but there is a manual setting should you feel you need to tweak it to your own tastes. The equalizer settings include voice, treble boost, balanced and soundcore signature. For my type of listening, the default soundcore signature optimized version was sounding good to my ears. The speakers do miss a lot of the highs, and moving to the treble boost did not bring the high-hats into focus. That said, for small 1.6” full-range speakers driving the sound, the audio quality is more than adequate. One of the nice things about the Soundcore Select 2 is the IPX7 rating, which means sounds by the pool aren’t going to affect the device life as it is waterproof. Taking it to the beach may pose a problem, as it is not ‘dust’ proof though. That said, I’d rather have waterproof over dust. The build quality of the speaker is very good, it has a solid rubberized anti-slip coated that is a fingerprint magnet. It’s got some weight to it that helps keep the low-end rumble from rattling the cage. The on-device controls are large and easy to identify by touch even when you are not looking. The device comes with a removable wrist strap to help you hang it around the place. I found the dedicated multi-function “soundcore’ button in the centre of the button stack to be a bit of a hassle at times and quite hard to press. The difference between one press, two press or press and hold could be more distinctive. That said, one buys a speaker like this to listen to music, and likely most of the play controls would be done on the source rather than on the speaker. So what are the use cases of such speakers? Well technically it can go anywhere you want. I took a bicycle ride and attached it to my bottle holder. I also have used this as an external speaker to my computer via Bluetooth, negating the use of my headphones. There are several uses for a Bluetooth speaker, as such, your use case may involve camping and hiking. Whatever it may be, the soundcore select 2 will provide you hours of entertainment. Pros: Good full-range sound & a great battery life PartyCast is a feature worth exploring when you have a larger group Solid build quality for a rattle-free sound. Waterproof IPX7 rated Cons: None that I can find…

To me, Anker has been knocking it out of the park with speakers and earbuds that deliver great sound quality. This speaker is no exception. For the size, it really does deliver punchy bass and clear highs. I use this in my bathroom for getting ready in the morning. I only have to charge it about once every 2 weeks. It certainly gets loud. Could get like 10-15% louder to be absolutely perfect. But don't let that deter you. There's definitely some lag with video, but I recommend this speaker more for listening to music than a companion for streaming video from a device. In which case, it does a really great job.

Let me start by saying WOW. This speaker's sound is amazing, I couldn't believe it. The power and the bass from this little thing left me with no words. I put it next to my phone 12 max, they are almost the same size. The quality of the sound and the bass by default are amazing. I downloaded the soundcore app and it was a game charger. The soundcore signature mode sounds even better. I tried the other 3 modes available but soundcore signatures mode was the winner. This speaker is nicely built and seems to be very durable thanks to it’s rubery construction. Paring it was very easy,I just turned it on and it was automatically on pairing mode. If you are looking for something compact that can deliver this power bass, you are safe with this product. It comes with a strap, USB type C charger cable but no brick.

Small, compact and sleek looking form caught my attention but the sound really is the biggest selling point for the Soundcore Select 2! Quite frankly, I was willing to settle for a smaller sound due to the form but was happily surprised I didn’t have to!! It sounds amazing! I ordered a second one just now before writing this review. You can connect up to 100 of these speakers!!! After playing some music from different genres (which all sounded incredible) I downloaded the app. Now everyone has an app...my blender, my tv, my hover board ect....some good and some not so good. Soundcore surprised me again with theirs. Easy, well laid out and thoughtful. They have a “community” with a “conversation”, “Gallery”, “insider testing”. And of course “music”. When I get truly excited by a product I like dive into the product ecosphere and Since I was so impressed with the Soundcore 2, I really started playing around with their app. I love the playlists they put together for the gym and EDM ect. New stuff I have not heard. Pretty cool. Back to the sound quality again... Just amazing. Your can customize the EQ or use some of the preset ones to get the sound just to your liking!! I also am impressed with the battery life...20hours is what they say!!! I have charged mine and been playing music on and off again all week with plenty of power left! That's a day of tunes for sure and then some! The Bluetooth is rock solid as well and it connects effortlessly! Water proof as well which is nice for the pool, beach or a nice jetted bathtub! I really love this speaker!!! A room full of sound from such an easily portable and sleek little speaker. So cool!

I am very impressed by this little speaker. It is very portable, connects easily, and has great sound. I'm impressed by the bass and love that it can get water on it. That makes shower time more fun.

Good sound and volume, battery lasts a long time, small enough to be put anywhere and connects fast to my Mac mini. I like being about to dictate text with the included microphone.

Overall this speaker is very purpose driven. It doesn't provide room filling sound and you won't be dropping this on the back of a pickup bed to start up a party. What it does do, it does well which is to provide a nice personal bubble of sound. Putting it in a backpack side pocket means you can keep the volume down low enough to not overwhelm everyone you meet but still hear your music clearly. It's perfect to attach to a bicycle and have motivational music going as you pedal. I can imagine my brother-in-law will steal it to utilize in his golf cart to listen without anyone on the next hole hearing. The normal caveats apply in that the bass is lackluster, but it's still audible. Fairly common for such a small form factor. Now the update from the prior version adding IPX7 is super welcome. Putting this on the side table next to the pool is a huge use case and now you don't have to worry. Probably makes it perfect to take rafting or kayaking also. Didn't have another Anker to try partycast, but I'm super glad it's included nowadays as that functionality seemed to be hit or miss with older speakers. I can see myself picking up a second one and giving them out as pairs as a present with increased stereo sound. Ultimately I'd say this is probably the best speaker I've encountered sub $80. Build quality is great with a rubberized surface, aforementioned water proofing, and the sound quality is definitely clear. As an added bonus, the mic when connected to bluetooth worked as a great conference tool when my earbuds died. Call quality is pretty good and they were able to hear me clearly on the other end.

I purchased this for my office so I didn't have to sit in mind numbing silence lol. A lot of reviews complaining about the "Start up sound" it's 2 seconds long. It's a big "loud" yes, but no big deal to me. The app is easy to setup and connect, the sound stage, man for this little "brick" you can fill up a couple hundred square feet with this guy and the distortion is minimal. Battery life is great, I usually have it on for 5 or 6 hours a day, and easily get into the 3rd day before I need to plug in. Definitely worth your money!

Great bluetooth speaker for its size! I was pleasantly surprised by how much depth the music has, considering how small the speaker is. We were looking for something very portable and dependable - something that can be taken to and from work and get the job done. Could not be more pleased with this speaker, it's pretty heavy and feels well made, and sounds great too. Would definitely purchase again and recommend this speaker to others!

Works well. Sound is good. It is waterproof. It is a nice size.

Awesome little speaker. Works great. Sounds good. No drop outs or interference. A massive upgrade to my last 2 iPhone speaker system.

Very convenient to carry every where Small nice sound

i love anker products so this one I needed because my older one wasn't charging. I absolutely love this speaker! The sound is clear and I can use this for my phone in my room or outside. Highly recommend!!!

It is a very good BT speaker for the price. Value for money. Apart from music, i use it for my Zoom and Webex calls which works perfectly. Connection is solid,audible and mic is perfect

Much better sound quality than my old speaker. And the price was right!

Small powerful speaker. Very satisfied. Yes, I would recommend this speaker.