- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Review Updates
- Best Speaker
- Best Mid-Range
- Best Budget
- Comparison
- Lineup
- 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 are 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 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 portable Bluetooth speaker offers a sleek design as well as a versatile performance that makes it suitable for listening to everything from music to podcasts to audiobooks. Like most premium speakers on the market, it features a room correction feature that automatically optimizes its audio reproduction based on the unique acoustic characteristics of your room. Called Adaptive EQ, it's just one of the many sound customization features available with this speaker—with its graphic EQ, you can customize its sound profile to add more boom in the bass or brightness in the treble, for example, and its EQ presets let you choose between settings like Bass Boost and Podcast.
Compared to other portable Bluetooth speakers on the market, this speaker has a fairly hefty size, so it can bring plenty of rumble in the bass, and it gets loud. Still, you can bring it from room to room thanks to its built-in carrying strap. It's even rated IPX4 for water resistance, meaning it can withstand light exposure to the elements. No matter where you go, its over-23-hour battery life ensures you can keep the party going well into the night. Overall, it's a great choice that can please many different types of listeners.
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Best Mid-Range Ultimate Ears Speaker
Music7.0Videos/Movies6.2Podcasts7.6Voice Assistant3.2Outdoors7.9Battery PoweredYesSpeakerphoneNoVoice AssistantNoBluetoothYesWi-FiNoIf you're looking for a more affordable Ultimate Ears speaker, consider the Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3. Despite its more budget-friendly price, it's still a versatile speaker, and its smaller and more compact size makes it even more suitable for bringing your favorite tunes with you on the go. Available in several different colors, this cylindrical Bluetooth speaker has a solid and sturdy build, with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance to protect it from the elements. It's small and lightweight, so you can easily carry it in one hand or use its built-in hook to attach it to your bag.
Compared to the Ultimate Ears HYPERBOOM, this speaker lacks a room correction feature, so it may sound a little different depending on the room you're in. With its graphic EQ, you can adjust its sound profile on your own or use one of its multiple preset modes to get the best possible sound. It brings a little extra boom in the high-bass, and it's loud enough to fill larger and more open spaces with sound. Its battery life lasts for over seventeen hours, too, which isn't quite as impressive as the HYPERBOOM but will still be more than enough to enjoy listening sessions late into the night.
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Best Budget Ultimate Ears Speaker
Music6.8Videos/Movies6.2Podcasts7.9Voice Assistant3.2Outdoors7.9Battery PoweredYesSpeakerphoneNoVoice AssistantNoBluetoothYesWi-FiNoThe Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 3 is the best Ultimate Ears speaker in the budget category we've tested. This portable Bluetooth speaker is designed to take the party with you wherever you go, with a small and lightweight design that's easy to transport. Use the built-in hook to strap it onto your bag, or simply carry it in one hand on your next trip outdoors. It's rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, and the manufacturer even says it can float in water, making it an excellent choice for your next pool party. It's available in many colors, so you won't have trouble finding a style that suits your needs.
Whether you're listening to music, podcasts, or audiobooks, this speaker is a solid choice. It's smaller than our top picks, so it doesn't bring quite as much rumble in the bass as the Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3, but if you don't listen to music with a lot of bass mixed in, it's not a big deal. Voices and lead instruments remain clear in the mix, and there's even an Outdoor preset to make audio more crisp when you're in a more open space. You won't find a graphic EQ like with the more premium options on our list. However, if you want a simple plug-and-play speaker that won't break the bank, it's a great pick.
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 UE advertises them 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.
Ultimate Ears vs JBL
JBL and Ultimate Ears are manufacturers that offer speakers at a wide range of price points. Compared to other brands on the market, generally, their speakers are geared towards outdoor use, with sturdy builds and water-resistant designs to bring your tunes with you on-the-go. Ultimate Ears tends to offer more customization features, especially with its budget models, whereas JBL's lineup of party speakers are a great option for those who host big events.
Ultimate Ears vs Bose
Ultimate Ears is a speaker manufacturer whose products are generally geared toward outdoor use. With rugged designs and sturdy builds, they aren't quite as stylish as Bose's home-oriented products, but they're a great choice for listening on the go. They tend to come with more customization tools than Bose speakers. That said, Bose offers better voice assistant capabilities, with built-in support for smart speakers that are excellent for home use.
Ultimate Ears vs Sonos
Like Bose, Sonos generally manufactures smart speakers designed for home use, though they offer a few models that you can bring outside. With stylish designs and built-in voice assistant support, Sonos speakers are also really easy to integrate into your existing Sonos ecosystem. However, Ultimate Ears offers more budget-friendly models, and their products are more geared towards outdoor use, which is great if you're an avid hiker or camper.
Ultimate Ears vs Sony
Sony and Ultimate Ears both offer a wide range of speakers available at lots of different price points to meet your needs. That said, Ultimate Ears products are generally more geared towards outdoor use, so you're more likely to find models that can float in water, even at lower prices. However, if you're looking for party speakers, Sony offers an extensive lineup that will likely be more suited to your needs.
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.
Lineup
Ultimate Ears produces outdoor-oriented speakers at both premium and budget-friendly price points. They don't offer "lineups" like other manufacturers on the market, per se, but some of their models are available in first, second, or third generations with slight improvements along the way. Depending on your usage habits, the improvements may not be worth the added cost.
Recent Updates
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Feb 01, 2023: We've verified that the picks remain relevant, and made some minor updates to the text for clarity.
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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.
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.