- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Review Updates
- Best Speaker
- Best Mid-Range
- Best Budget
- Comparison
- Page Updates
- Conclusion
- Discussions
We've currently tested six Ultimate Ears speakers. Ultimate Ears is an American brand that manufactures audio products like speakers, headphones, and earbuds. Their speakers tend to be very well-built and portable, making them well-suited for outdoor use. Also, many are compatible with the Ultimate Ears app, which has some sound customization features like a graphic EQ. Ultimate Ears speakers often don't have voice assistant support or Wi-Fi compatibility. Below, you’ll find our recommendations for the best UE Bluetooth speakers we’ve tested.
Updates
- 09/22/2022 Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 3 reviewed
- 03/16/2021 Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3 reviewed
- 03/08/2021 Ultimate Ears MEGABLAST reviewed
- 02/24/2021 Ultimate Ears BOOM 3 reviewed
- 02/05/2021 Ultimate Ears HYPERBOOM reviewed
Best Ultimate Ears Speakers
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Best Ultimate Ears Speaker
Music7.6Videos/Movies6.9Podcasts8.0Voice Assistant3.1Outdoors8.1Battery PoweredYesSpeakerphoneNoVoice AssistantNoBluetoothYesWi-FiNoThe best UE speaker we've tested is the Ultimate Ears HYPERBOOM. This stereo speaker comes with a room correction feature that Ultimate Ears calls 'Adaptive EQ' that adjusts its sound according to the acoustics of the space it's placed in. With Adaptive EQ turned on, its sound profile is neutral and well-balanced, making it suitable for listening to different types of audio content. It lacks some low-bass, so you can't feel the deep rumble typically present in bass-heavy music like hip-hop or EDM. Fortunately, it has a graphic EQ and presets to tweak its sound to your liking.
It gets loud with little compression present at max volume, so you can blast your favorite tunes without degrading the quality of your audio. Though this portable speaker is a bit tall and heavy, it comes with a carrying strap to help transport it. It's also well-built with an IPX4 rating for water resistance that certifies it to withstand small splashes of water, and its long-lasting battery life of almost 24 hours is great for lengthy listening sessions spent outdoors.
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Best Mid-Range Ultimate Ears Speaker
Music7.0Videos/Movies6.2Podcasts7.6Voice Assistant3.2Outdoors7.9Battery PoweredYesSpeakerphoneNoVoice AssistantNoBluetoothYesWi-FiNoLooking for the best Ultimate Ears speaker but want something more affordable? The Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3 is smaller and lighter than the Ultimate Ears HYPERBOOM. You can easily carry it in one hand, and there's a small built-in hook on top that lets you attach it to your bag. That said, while it gets pretty loud, it doesn't get quite as loud as the larger HYPERBOOM and has more compression artifacts present at max volume that affect the quality of your audio at louder volumes. Out-of-the-box, it has a boomy sound profile, with a balanced mid-range that ensures vocals and lead instruments sound clear and present in the mix. However, since it's smaller than the HYPERBOOM, it doesn't produce as deep a bass. Still, it's also compatible with the Ultimate Ears app, which gives you access to UE's graphic EQ and presets, meaning you can tweak its sound to your liking.
Thanks to its 360-degree design, its soundstage is perceived as wide and spacious from all angles. Its battery also lasts almost 18 hours, so you don't need to worry about charging it much when you're on the go. It's also better built than the HYPERBOOM, with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, certifying it to be dust-tight and immersible in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. It's even advertised to float in water, making it an interesting option for a poolside lounge.
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Best Budget Ultimate Ears Speaker
Music6.8Videos/Movies6.2Podcasts7.9Voice Assistant3.2Outdoors7.9Battery PoweredYesSpeakerphoneNoVoice AssistantNoBluetoothYesWi-FiNoOn a budget? The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 3 is the best UE speaker we've tested in this category. It has a balanced sound profile with a balanced mid-range that ensures vocals and lead instruments sound clear and present in the mix. There's an 'Outdoor' EQ preset you can use to make audio sound crisper and a bit louder for when you're outdoors. However, it, unfortunately, isn't compatible with the Ultimate Ears app like the Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3, so you don't have access to a graphic EQ to fully customize its sound to your liking. Thanks to its 360-degree design, you'll perceive its soundstage as wide and spacious from most angles, like from behind the speaker. While it doesn't get quite as loud as the MEGABOOM 3, it has less compression at max volume, so your audio sounds cleaner and clearer when you blast the volume.
This colorful Bluetooth model has a small and lightweight design and comes with a carrying strap, making it remarkably portable and easy to carry with you in one hand. Like the MEGABOOM 3, it's an incredibly well-built option with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, meaning it's certified to be dust-tight and immersible in a meter of water for up to 30 minutes. It's even advertised to float in water, making it a great poolside companion. Thanks to its over 22-hour battery life, you can take this stereo speaker with you on the go without charging it too often.
Compared to other brands
- Bluetooth-compatible. The Ultimate Ears speakers we've tested are Bluetooth-compatible, and many have low Bluetooth latency, which helps with watching videos. Some apps compensate for latency differently, meaning real-world experience may vary.
- Long battery life. Ultimate Ears speakers tend to have batteries that last a long time, making them well-suited for outdoor use. The Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3 lasts for close to eighteen hours, while it's small and easily portable.
- Sound customization options. Many of the Ultimate Ears speakers we've tested are compatible with the Ultimate Ears app, which has a graphic EQ and presets that let you customize the speaker's sound profile. Some, like the Ultimate Ears HYPERBOOM, even come with a room correction feature Ultimate Ears calls 'Adaptive EQ' feature, which automatically adjusts the speaker's sound profile based on the acoustics of the room it's in.
- Wide soundstage. Most of the Ultimate Ears speakers we've tested have open and spacious soundstages, making you feel immersed in your audio. It's often thanks to their 360-degree design, which makes audio sound clear from all angles.
- Good build quality. The Ultimate Ears speakers we've tested tend to be very well-built. Many also come with IP ratings for dust and water resistance, and they're also advertised to float in water. The manufacturer even advertises some to be drop-proof from a height of three feet. That said, you need to rinse the speakers with fresh water after exposure to beach or pool water.
- Often no voice assistant support. The Ultimate Ears speakers we've tested tend not to support voice assistants. However, the Ultimate Ears MEGABLAST has built-in support for Alexa over a Wi-Fi connection, which you can activate with your voice.
- Lacks low-bass. The Ultimate Ears speakers we've tested tend to lack low-bass, although many of these speakers come with a graphic EQ in the Ultimate Ears app, which lets you adjust the sound profile to your liking. Some, like the Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3, have a boomy high-bass that may please some fans of bass-heavy music.
- Not compatible with Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay, or Google Chromecast. The Ultimate Ears speakers we've tested often don't support these streaming options. However, the Ultimate Ears MEGABLAST has Wi-Fi support. Also, you can connect your device over Bluetooth, which usually has low enough latency for watching videos, though this can vary based on the app or device.
Overall, Ultimate Ears makes speakers that are generally designed for outdoor use. Many of them have IP ratings for water and dust resistance, and they're generally well-built. Many of their speakers are compatible with the Ultimate Ears app, which has sound customization features like a graphic EQ and presets. However, the Ultimate Ears speakers we've tested generally don't support voice assistants, and many aren't compatible with Apple AirPlay or Google Chromecast.
Recent Updates
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Oct 04, 2022: Replaced the Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 with the next generation Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 3. Also made the Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3 the 'Best Mid-Range Ultimate Ears Speaker'. Text was updated for consistency.
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Jul 15, 2022: Restructured article to better reflect user expectations and updated the text for consistency. No changes were made to product picks.
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Mar 18, 2022: Verified picks for availability. Minor changes were made to the text for accuracy; no changes to picks.
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Nov 18, 2021: Replaced the Ultimate Ears MEGABLAST with the Ultimate Ears HYPERBOOM, since the MEGABLAST is currently difficult to find in stock.
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Jul 21, 2021: Verified picks for accuracy, and updated text for clarity.
Conclusion
Ultimate Ears offers quite a few speakers for a variety of uses. Generally, they're very well-built and designed for outdoor use, but they don't have voice assistant support. These Bluetooth speakers often have a wide and spacious soundstage. However, they lack some low-bass. Thankfully, quite a few let you customize their sound profiles using the graphic EQ in the Ultimate Ears app.
