Bose is a premium brand in the world of audio peripherals, and they are behind some of the most sought-after headphones and speakers.
Recently, the brand delved into smart speakers to fill a niche that no other brand is competing in. The SoundTouch lineup from Bose wants to be a one speaker setup for homes that fills in the shoes of a smart speaker as well as a soundbar.
Both the SoundTouch 20 and SoundTouch 30 are fantastic products that will blow any other smart speaker out of the water. Comparing both of these products with each other can be quite difficult as even though they are from the same lineup, they seek to fill in different niches.
SoundTouch 20 is designed to be the go-to smart speaker for anyone looking for a compact speaker. The SoundTouch 30, on the other hand, is meant for you if you do not care about size. It packs a massive footprint and delivers great audio.
Let’s take a closer look at both speakers and see which is the right one for you.
| Bose SoundTouch 20 | Bose SoundTouch 30 | |
| Ports | Aux input Ethernet port | Aux input Ethernet port |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi and Bluetooth | Wi-Fi and Bluetooth |
| Dimensions | 18.8 x 31.4 x 10.4 cm | 24.6 x 43.5 x 18 cm |
| Display | OLED Display | OLED Display |
| Companion App | SoundLink | SoundLink |
Design
When it comes to the design, the SoundTouch is a much more compact than the SoundTouch 30. If you need something compact, we recommend sticking to the SoundTouch 20. But if you have enough space in your living room, the SoundTouch 30 is the right pick. Let’s delve deeper into the design of both these fantastic speakers.
Bose SoundTouch 20
Bose is known its minimalistic design and the SoundTouch 20 is no different. It does feature a robust set of controls, which is a welcome change from the barebones SoundLink lineup. There are six preset buttons, along with an aux input and power button.
The SoundTouch 20 also features an OLED display that shows all track data. Overall, the design is quite impressive, and it does not take up too much space. If you are looking for something very compact, this is the right premium home speaker to get.
Bose SoundTouch 30
Unlike any other smart speaker out there, SoundTouch 30 by Bose does not want to go on a diet. You get a full-sized single speaker setup with robust controls. It is as large as a small rectangular cabinet, and it can fill the room with sound very easily.
The curved front is covered in cloth, and a 1.6-inch OLED display snugly sits at the center of the smart speaker. The display lists your tracks, and there is a digital Wi-Fi button that indicates if you are connected or not. There are physical controls available for all your playback control needs. Overall, it is a fantastic product in terms of design.
Sound
Bose SoundTouch 20
When it comes to sound quality, the Bose SoundTouch does quite well for its price. It is a fairly affordable speaker, and it performs as well as you would expect. The neutral sound signature is what impresses us the most, and it performs well at all volumes.
There is enough padding in the speaker to ensure vibration does not get in the way of your experience. Streaming quality is quite good, and we noticed no issues when using either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to stream music to the speaker.
Bose SoundTouch 30
The SoundTouch 30 can be extremely loud, and it is the perfect speaker if you want the benefits of a smart speaker while also being compact enough. The bass in the SoundTouch 30 is quite impressive, and you can feel the music with its built-in subwoofer pushing out some incredible levels of bass.
We noticed no issues when streaming media via Wi-Fi or the aux port. Codec support via Bluetooth is limited, and we recommend sticking to Wi-Fi if you want to get the most out of the SoundTouch 30’s audio capabilities.
Features
Bose SoundTouch 20
The Bose SoundTouch 20 features Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity options making it a versatile choice for audio enthusiasts. It also features iTunes and TuneIn radio support, so you get access to all the latest tracks as long as you are connected to the internet.
There are six presets with physical controls and power buttons. You also have an aux-in slot if you want to stream media from a different device. You can download the SoundTouch companion app and control all of your media from your phone. It also features Amazon Alexa support, making it an all-in-one home device.
Bose SoundTouch 30
Bose SoundTouch 30 boasts of a dedicated remote for all your audio controls, and you can also use the SoundTouch companion app if you want as well. The speaker features an OLED display that lets you see what track is playing and check your Wi-Fi status.
You get access to online streaming services like TuneIn Radio and Apple Music for all your content needs. You can also use the aux port to connect a compatible device and stream media directly.
| SoundLink 20 | SoundLink 30 | |
| Wireless Streaming | Yes | Yes |
| Amazon Alexa Support | Yes | Yes |
| Dedicated Remote | Yes | Yes |
| SoundLink Companion App | Yes | Yes |
| Internet Radio | Yes | Yes |
| Presets | 6 | Custom |
Pros and Cons
| SoundTouch 20 | SoundTouch 30 | |
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Conclusion
With both products being equally impressive, it is challenging for us to choose one of the two. If you are looking for a portable smart speaker that you can set up wherever you want, the SoundTouch 20 would be our pick.
The SoundTouch 30, on the other hand, is a great speaker if you have enough space and want more robust controls. The bigger brother in the SoundTouch family also boasts of more presets and features, so if you want a more fleshed out experience, the SoundTouch 30 is the way to go.
Both the SoundTouch 20 and SoundTouch 30 are fantastic products at their respective price points. But each product has its own niche. Depending on where you see yourself, you can go for a user-friendly SoundTouch 20 or the loud and proud SoundTouch 30.
