The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 is a colorful speaker with a carrying strap so you can take it with you on the go. It's rated IP67 for dust and water resistance and has an 'Outdoor Boost' EQ mode that cuts some bass from the mix and gives the vocals a louder boost for when you're outside. However, it doesn't get very loud and lacks low-bass out-of-the-box. It also has high latency on Android as well as iOS, and it doesn't support voice assistants. Still, this sturdy and lightweight speaker is a suitable choice if you want to listen to audio outdoors.
Our Verdict
The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 is alright for music. While it lacks a lot of low-bass, the rest of its sound profile is fairly well-balanced, so vocals and lead instruments sound present and detailed. It also has an outdoor EQ mode to help boost vocals and the mix while cutting out some bass. Since it's a 360-degree speaker, it has an outstanding soundstage. However, it doesn't get very loud.
- Outstanding soundstage.
- One-hand carry.
- Bluetooth compatible.
- Doesn't get very loud.
- Lacking low bass.
- Not voice activated.
The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 is mediocre for videos and movies. It lacks a lot of low bass, which can be disappointing if you like action-packed films, and it doesn't get very loud. It also has high audio latency on iOS and Android, although some apps and devices compensate for latency differently. On the upside, it has an outstanding soundstage.
- Outstanding soundstage.
- One-hand carry.
- Bluetooth compatible.
- Doesn't get very loud.
- Lacking low bass.
- High Bluetooth latency.
The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 is great for podcasts. Although it doesn't get very loud, it has a fairly neutral mid-range so it can reproduce accurate and clear vocals. It also has a wide and natural soundstage and supports multi-device pairing.
- One-hand carry.
- Bluetooth compatible.
- Doesn't get very loud.
- Not voice activated.
The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 doesn't have voice assistant support.
The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 is good for outdoor use. This portable speaker has great build quality with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. Its battery lasts just under 13 hours continuously, and it has an outdoor EQ mode that cuts some bass in the mix while boosting the volume of vocals so they sound crisper. Unfortunately, the speaker doesn't get very loud overall.
- IP67 rating for dust and water resistance.
- 'Outdoor Boost' EQ preset.
- One-hand carry.
- Bluetooth compatible.
- Doesn't get very loud.
- Lacking low bass.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 15, 2022: Added more information about stereo pairing to the Soundstageand Bluetoothboxes.
- Updated Sep 23, 2022: Retested the speaker and changed 'Track Next/Previous' from 'Yes (Physical)' to 'Forward Only (Physical)' in the controls box, and updated the 'Ease of Use' test result to 'Great' and the 'Feedback' test result to 'Good'. Clarified 'Outdoor Boost' feature in the 'Frequency Response Accuracy' box.
- Updated Sep 22, 2022: Added comparison to Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 3 in 'Battery' and 'Compared To Other Speakers' boxes.
- Updated Jul 27, 2022: Confirmed e-reader audiobook performance due to user interest. No change to the review as its great performance aligns with vocals in 'Podcasts' usage box.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 comes in several color variants: 'Concrete', 'Deep Space', 'Bermuda Blue', 'Radical Red', 'Crushed Ice Grey', 'Just Peach', and 'Unicorn'. You can see the label for the model we tested here. We also expect these color variants to perform similarly to our test unit.
If you come across another variant of the speaker, please let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 is an eye-catching and colorful speaker with a carrying strap so you can take it with you on the go. It has an identical design to the next generation Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 3 and is rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, meaning it's certified to be fully dust-tight and immersible in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. Like the WONDERBOOM 3, it's advertised to float in water and features an outdoor EQ mode. Its battery life of around 13 hours doesn't last nearly as long as the WONDERBOOM 3's 22 hours, though battery life can vary depending on your usage habits and chosen volume levels.
The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 is a better speaker than the JBL Clip 4. The Ultimate Ears has a better build quality, and due to its 360-degree design, it has a wider, more spacious-feeling soundstage, especially as it's in stereo. It also has a better-balanced sound profile, can get much louder, and has a longer-lasting continuous battery life. However, the JBL has lower latency on iOS and Android.
The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 4 is slightly better than the Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2. The WONDERBOOM 4 uses the newer USB-C charging standard and adds a 'Podcast' EQ preset. If you watch videos, this speaker has much lower latency, so you'll notice fewer lipsync mismatches. It also has a greater Bluetooth range if you're milling about with your phone in your pocket. However, if you're fine with charging using micro-USB, they have more in common than differences, such as virtually the same battery life and similar 360-degree directivity.
The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 3 is slightly better than the Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2, but not by much. While they have a comparable battery life performance, the newer version's sound profile also sounds brighter and fuller overall. Otherwise, the two speakers are almost identical. It isn't worth the upgrade if you already own a WONDERBOOM 2. If you want a new, small, portable Ultimate Ears speaker, choose the WONDERBOOM 3 instead.
The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 is a better speaker than the Bose SoundLink Color II overall. Thanks to its 360-degree design, the Ultimate Ears offers a wider-sounding soundstage. It can also get a bit louder with less compression present at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio at louder volume levels. Additionally, it's much better built with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance though we don't currently test for this. That said, the Bose supports voice assistants through your smartphone, though its performance isn't very good.
Test Results
The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 is made from 2-tone knit fabric and comes in several colors, so you can find one that best matches your style. It has very large and visible volume up and down buttons on its front face, which some users may find less than aesthetically pleasing. There's also a matching fabric handle.
Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 is exceptionally portable. It's very lightweight, and it has a handle so that you can carry or suspend it from a hook. Check out the iFox iF012 shower speaker for a small speaker that comes with a removable suction cup and carabiner hook.
The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 has a fantastic build quality. While the knit fabric covering feels a little rough, it's solidly built. It has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, and the manufacturer advertises that it can be submerged in water for up to 30 minutes, although we don't currently test for this.
The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 has alright controls that are easy and straightforward to use. The volume controls are easily accessible on its front side, with a power button atop it to turn the speaker on/off and a Bluetooth pairing button to connect the speaker to your devices. You can press the largest button on top of the speaker to play/pause your audio and double-press it to skip tracks. There's also a button on the bottom to enable its 'Outdoor Boost' EQ mode that makes your audio sound a bit louder and crisper for when you're outside.
This speaker has an acceptable frequency response accuracy. Like the JBL Go 3, it lacks a lot of low bass on its default setting and won't be suited for more thumpy genres like EDM or hip-hop. The rest of the range is fairly balanced, which helps to keep vocals and lead instruments present in your mixes. You can activate its 'Outdoor Boost' EQ preset to give the vocals a boost and cut some bass from the mix when you're listening to music outside. If you want a speaker with a full graphic EQ for sound customization, check out the Ultimate Ears BOOM 3.
As the Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 is a 360-degree stereo speaker system, it has an outstanding soundstage, and its directivity is wide, large, and natural-sounding. If you pair two of these speakers together, you can toggle between mono and stereo mode, too, which is a nice touch.
This speaker has decent dynamics. While it doesn't get as loud as speakers like the Anker Soundcore Motion+, there are minimal compression artifacts present at max volume, which ensures a fairly clean and clear sound. On the downside, it struggles to reproduce low-bass frequencies, even at a higher volume.
The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 has an outstanding battery performance. While its battery life doesn't last as long as the next generation Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 3's 22 hours of playtime, it lasted just under 13 hours of continuous battery life, which is longer than the Bose SoundLink Micro and the OontZ Angle 3, making it well-suited for long listening sessions. The speaker automatically turns itself off after 15 minutes of inactivity to save battery life. However, battery life varies according to your usage habits and chosen volume levels, and your experience may differ.
Unlike the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2 and the Sonos Roam/Roam SL, this speaker doesn't have voice assistant support.
This speaker doesn't have a companion app. If you're looking for a speaker with a companion app that offers a graphic EQ for sound customization, check out the Sony SRS-XB43 or the Anker Soundcore Flare 2.
You can't use the Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 wired as it has no audio input ports. You can only charge it using its included micro-USB cable.
This speaker has decent Bluetooth connectivity. You can pair it with up to two devices at a time, which makes it easy to switch between devices, and it has a good range. Whether you're listening to one WONDERBOOM speaker or if you have two of them paired together, there's fairly high latency measured. It's not suitable for watching videos as a result since the audio you hear is out-of-sync with the video you see. Some apps seem to compensate for this, so your experience may vary.