When Anker’s SoundCore 2 went on sale, I immediately made the purchase so that I could compare an Anker Bluetooth speaker with those from other manufacturers. Anker is a well-known brand producing quality products. My expectations were high.PackagingThe SoundCore 2 came in a white and light blue box with black and light blue text on the outside. Inside the box, wrapped in velvety plastic, was the speaker secured by cardboard on all but the top parts. With the speaker were the user guide, “Happy/Not Happy” card and an Anker-branded charging cable inside its own smaller box. Packaging was professional.Pairing and ControlsPairing the SoundCore 2 with an iPhone 7 Plus was a breeze. Shortly after turning the speaker on, “SoundCore 2” appeared on my phone. A couple of seconds after I tapped the name, paring was successful, confirmed by tone.The controls are located at the top of the speaker. They include the power, - (minus), play, + (plus) and Bluetooth buttons. The + and – buttons are used for adjusting volume. The play button is a multi-function button that can be used to pause/resume playback, accept/reject/end calls as well as putting the current call on hold while accepting another call. Additionally, the play button can also be used to switch a call between speaker and mobile device.On one of the sides are the auxiliary and micro USB charging ports.PerformanceWhen it comes to speakers, the most important factor for me is sound quality reproduction. Anker’s SoundCore 2 didn’t disappoint. Vocals by a basso vocalist were smooth. Middle frequencies produced by a flute and a clarinet were clear and pleasant. High frequencies from an acoustic guitar were crisp and very satisfying.The sound of a bass drum was somewhere in between a “punch” and a “boom.” Applying an equalizer app got the bass drum closer to a boom but not quite there. This is an area where the speaker could use an improvement when it comes to sound quality reproduction.The SoundCore 2 is loud. At maximum volume, it easily filled my 20-feet x 20-feet garage with sound. Bluetooth range was amazing. Without any obstruction in between the speaker and my phone, sound didn’t cutoff until both were about 100 feet apart, producing the best Bluetooth range of all speakers I’ve tested to date.Phone calls were clear. The speaker has the ability to put an existing call on hold while answering another incoming call. I have yet to see this feature on other Bluetooth speakers. There is one feature that is common with most speakers I’ve tested but not present with the SoundCore 2 and that is the ability to call the last number dialed on the phone the speaker is paired with. This would normally be a double press of the play button but this action is assigned to skip to the next track. I found this to be surprising coming from an Anker product.In addition to call the last number dialed, I was also surprised by the inability to go to the previous track. Unless I missed this in the user guide, this functionality is not present.As already mentioned, the speaker has the ability to enable voice control software such as Siri on iOS devices. This is the second speaker I have tested to include this nice feature.Pros• Durable and rugged construction• Good sound reproduction• Loud• Comprehensive user guide in 9 languages• Amazing Bluetooth range• Advanced phone call answering features• Ability to enable voice activated software (Siri with iOS)• Anker-branded charging cableCons• Can’t go to previous track• Can’t call the last number dialed• No auxiliary cableConclusionDespite the minor quirks mentioned in my review, the pros far outweigh the cons making the SoundCore 2 an excellent choice for a Bluetooth speaker in the $46 (price at the time of review) range. Similar speakers I’ve tested are the Meidong 2110 and the Meidong QQChocolate Medium. While these two speakers are more accurate in terms of sound quality reproduction, they are not as loud as the SoundCore 2. If volume is more important, you can’t go wrong with the SoundCore 2. However, if sound quality reproduction is more important, take a look at the Meidong speakers. I had to switch between all three speakers while writing this review to make sure that my conclusions are as accurate as possible.