Logitech's Ultimate Ears division first introduced the UE Boom Bluetooth speaker in 2013, and it recently released its next iteration, the UE Boom 2. The updated UE Boom 2 is rated IPX7 waterproof and claims to offer extended Bluetooth range of up to 100 degrees. ft. The company also claims that UE Boom 2 is 25% louder previous version and has improved sound. In addition, it was added new system button control, allowing users to play/pause and rewind tracks directly from the device itself. The owner of the new gadget can use the existing UE Boom app to pair two UE speakers, change equalizer settings, and monitor the speaker's battery level (just like the original UE Boom, Ultimate Ears says the device can run on up to 15 hours), etc. The UE Boom 2 is available in six different colors. The speaker comes with a micro-USB cable and a charging adapter.
If you're familiar with the original UE Boom, the first time you look at UE Boom 2 you'll be wondering what's changed. The speaker is almost identical in appearance to its previous version. It is approximately 7 inches tall and 2.5 inches in diameter, weighing about 1.2 pounds. This is a colored cylinder that produces sound 360 degrees around. However, you can notice a few small changes. Since the UE Boom 2 is waterproof, the base of the speaker, which houses the audio output and micro-USB port, is now completely sealed, unlike the rubber flap that was previously installed. UE Boom 2 also lost the Bluetooth symbol that was previously located next to the corresponding button, and the power button design was slightly modified. In general, no matter what you think about the original appearance UE Boom, it remains the same.
The sound of UE Boom 2 is almost the same as advertised for the gadget. This is an improved version of the UE Boom, featuring larger (1 3/4 inch) active cones and (1 3/4 x 3 inch) passive radiators. Good sound for this price, in some places even very good. The bass is punchy, but not overly powerful. The sound is clearer, and Ultimate Ears wasn't kidding about the volume: the UE Boom 2 version turns an already loud speaker into something extremely loud for its size. When the speaker is nearby, there is a desire to turn down the volume. As before, to get the most out of the UE Boom 2, you'll want to listen to music with the speaker mounted vertically (the design of the device makes it impossible to charge in this position). The speakerphone test results were unsatisfactory, which is surprising compared to the previous model.
UE's claims of 100-foot Bluetooth range didn't pan out in our testing. While range can be affected by many factors, we were unable to get past the 60-70 foot barrier without losing connection. UE's app works and does allow the UE Boom 2 to update itself and communicate with other UE speakers, although we found the process a bit painful. The new push-button playback controls are another minor disappointment - you'll have to pick up the speaker and give it a good tap, as a light touch just won't work. UE could probably put standard playback controls on the UE Boom 2 without sacrificing aesthetics to improve the user experience.
Despite a few minor shortcomings, the updated UE Boom 2 has a lot going for it. UE has improved the sound of the speaker and made it waterproof. It has an attractive design and remains as portable as ever. And while some might argue that these improvements are to be expected after a few years, the UE Boom 2 is still worthy of consideration among other devices in the $200 price range and should rightfully be at the top of your list if you Portability, the ability to listen to music throughout the day and high volume are important. The speaker deserves our strong recommendation.
Update: Although it came out earlier this year, we only recently received Megaboom ($300) from UE. And no matter what to do full review, it seems a little late, we still want to give short description larger UE speakers. Megaboom is a larger version of UE Boom 2 and, thanks to its larger size, has more loud sound and a more durable battery (the operating time is stated to be up to 20 hours). Like the UE Boom 2, the IPX7 waterproof Megaboom can pair with another UE speaker to double the sound or use the devices as left and right stereo speakers.
It’s unpleasant when progress and all sorts of trends pass by. For example, there is a noticeable boom in secure wireless speakers. Perhaps, if it had not been for the company that was acquired 10 years ago, we would not have known that we needed things like UE BOOM 2. On vacation, at the seaside, at parties with skateboards, graffiti, BMX, horses and midgets. In general, in places of cultural pastime, where there is a chance of dropping, drowning and trampling your speaker to death.
Ultimate Ears BOOM 2 video review
Market positioning
With the positioning of BOOM 2 everything is... interesting, let's say so. Its recommended price is 3999 hryvnia, or $142. And it has serious competitors. Harman Kardon Onyx Mini - lacks protection and is less portable, but sounds like a choir of angels. JBL Flip 4 is more affordable, but less durable and without an NFC chip. Finally, the light and music Sony SRS-XB20, noticeably cheaper, but almost unprotected. The choice, as we see, is great and wide. BOOM 2, by the way, is the most premium option.
Equipment
The presentation of the column pleasantly reminds me of . There charisma flowed from every cap, here it starts from the packaging. The paper wrapper with funny people and descriptions of characteristics is removed, giving access to a thick box with paintings in the style of “Mr. Hipster and Miss Abstract”. Stylish, fashionable, youthful, as Sun Tzu said in his famous book “Table Etiquette in 18th Century Germany.”
Inside the box we see the speaker itself, fixed in place with thick suede.
The other side of the coin... that is, the box, is occupied by auxiliary equipment, or more precisely, a microUSB cable and a three-component charger. Yes, you heard right, and I made a mistake. Not only are all the parts of the charger made in a rich yellow color, but the system also fits almost all sockets in the world. Or rather, under two - European and British flat. Yes, even flatter than my jokes...
To assemble this charging puzzle, you need to fix the plug on the dedicated contact of the charger module itself until it clicks. Changing the plug is also relatively easy; the module is removed in the same way.
Appearance
Ultimate Ears BOOM 2 looks adorable. The rubberized surface harmoniously intertwines in color with the fabric braid, and this applies to any color, of which four are available. Their names are also sonorous - Yeti White, Brainfreeze Blue, Cherrybomb Red and Phantom Black.
On top of the case there is a power button, slightly pressed inward. Next to it, like a mosquito bite, protrudes a microphone hole with a dedicated button. Along the body there is a wide rubberized line with the UE logo and giant plus/minus, highlighted by dark slits. These are buttons for controlling volume and switching songs.
At the bottom of the case, in addition to information about the manufacturer, there is a removable black ring for attaching to a carabiner. The name of the fastener on the official website is tripod mounting set, if anyone is interested. Nearby there are two connectors - for a mini-jack and microUSB charging. They are tightly sealed with rubber plugs, and it is advisable to leave them like that for a maximum of time if you want to maintain the column’s moisture protection.
Protection
By the way, about the birds. Ultimate Ears BOOM 2, like the entire BOOM line, is positioned as a kind of manifestation of Koshchei the Immortal in singing form. IPX7 moisture protection is good and even excellent; the speaker can be dropped into a pool or aquarium, sharing a hot bit with the fish. The speaker can also withstand impacts on the floor, asphalt, sand and other hard surfaces.
In fact, at the presentation, surviving specimens were shown, over which a car drove, and they were dropped from a bridge, and a child was allowed to play against the wall. The durability of the UE speakers is enhanced by the assembly - its quality is impeccable, as if you are taking an army accessory, and not a means of consuming audio content. However, do not expect that during extreme use it will retain its presentation - especially in white. But hey, you only live once. As, indeed, the column.
Characteristics
The dimensions of the Ultimate Ears BOOM 2 in our physical world are 180 x 67 x 67 mm, the weight is 0.548 g. This half-kilo in speaker equivalent covers frequencies well, from 90 to 20,000 Hz, the signal-to-noise ratio is 90 dB. Power - 18 Watts, impedance - 4 Ohms, AUX impedance - 9 KOhms. There are two speakers, 45 mm in diameter, and they, of course, produce the most honest stereo sound. In addition to them there is a pair of passive low-frequency radiators measuring 45x80 mm. Li-ion battery 3200 mAh capacity is enough to listen to music for up to 15 hours. It charges in two and a half hours.
The speaker is connected via Bluetooth 4.1 or an AUX cable - which, by the way, is not included in the package, which I consider to be a disadvantage of the package. Supported Bluetooth Hands-Free Profile for calls, that's why you need a microphone. The speaker can work with Android and iOS, but only connects to a PC via AUX.
But it works great with smartphones, remembers up to eight paired devices, can be connected to two simultaneously, and one smartphone can output a signal to two BOOM 2s at once, to get even more honest stereo sound. Ultimate Ears BOOM 2 has NFC support for quick pairing, the module is located near the volume buttons.
Working moments
It's easy to turn on the speaker - click on the small button on top. BOOM 2 will say “Chew-boo-boo-boom” and turn on. When pressed again, it will say “Pew-boo-boom” and turn off. To start the pairing process with your smartphone, you need to hold down the button above the power button. The speaker will say “Knock-knock-knock” twice and enter the search mode for a musical partner. Once found, she will say “Knock-knock” and will be ready to work.
For Ultimate Ears BOOM 2, as for some other speakers in this series, there is a proprietary application that allows you to control the volume, configure a five-band, four-preset equalizer with manual control, set an alarm (!) and update the speaker firmware. There is also a Party Up feature, thanks to which you can connect up to 150 BOOM series speakers together, including MEGABOOM and the original BOOM. And the Block Party function allows you to have three sources connected at once and receive music from any of them in turn.
Sound
How does the speaker sound? Lovely! Bass is powerful, medium is good, high frequencies crystal clear. Distortion on maximum volume barely audible, but this is an 18-watt speaker, so you will only turn up the maximum volume in a very large group. Even at a medium volume level it’s enough to enjoy the music with barbecue outdoors or by the pool.
Flaws
But I have some complaints about the management. Before the firmware update, Ultimate Ears BOOM 2 did not allow you to pause a song or switch to the next/previous song! Just change the volume. The power button, which ideally should have been responsible for pausing, was reassigned to turn off with a single press. And when you hold down the volume buttons, nothing happens at all.
I’m glad that after one of the updates, tapping on the column at the top pauses the track, and triple tapping switches the track. But I still don’t understand why these functions can’t be assigned to a single press on the power button and long presses on the volume buttons.
Ultimate Ears BOOM 2 Summary
Suddenly, like a shower of smoked herring, UE BOOM 2 burst into the world of portable acoustics, and straight into the premium sector. And this column has every chance of firmly gaining a foothold there. Still, volume, endurance, sound quality and software doing their job. The only disappointing things about this product are the high price, the lack of an AUX cable included, and some kind of alternative intelligent control system. Unfortunately for these shortcomings, they are... not enough to not hand us our recommendation.
Fifteen hours of work offline mode, interesting case design, program for iOS/Android allows you to select an equalizer and set an alarm. Well, and finally, UE Boom even has a tripod socket (!) - if you find it useful, be sure to write in the comments.
Design, construction
The speaker looks great, the cylinder is lined with some kind of thick fabric, the official website says that the body is protected from water - apparently from drops. Or maybe not, the kit includes a cover for USB connectors and AUX, you can close all holes if desired. By the way, the connectors are located on the bottom; don’t be surprised by the ring; underneath it is a thread for a tripod (!). This is definitely the first time I’ve seen this. Under the minus button there is an NFC area; you can connect the speaker to a device that supports this technology. The speaker is available in several colors; both the color of the matte plastic and the fabric itself are different.
I got the white and blue UE Boom, there is also black with red accents, green with blue, pink, red and white with yellow. The volume buttons at the end have colored inserts, it is very reminiscent of a cross, and I’m not the only one. Nowhere without a nameplate with the company logo; this is already becoming the rule for manufacturers of a wide variety of equipment.
Control
Two large volume buttons, a Bluetooth button, a power button - that's all. The indicator lights are made neatly, when you turn on the UE Boom, an interesting sound is heard, something like drums (probably bongos). The same sound when turned off and during any other actions with the speaker. There were no problems with pairing. If you press the volume buttons at the same time, the speaker will tell you the remaining operating time.
Program
Eat free program for iOS/Android, I downloaded the iOS version. There is a visual guide to the main functions, let's talk about some of them separately:
- Two UE Boom speakers can work as a stereo pair or play the same track each on its own
- There is a microphone here, so you can use the speaker as a speakerphone (I tried it, everything is fine, but the interlocutors say that the voice volume is low)
- Alarm clock, set in the application, you can select a track from the library, Internet radio or a built-in melody as the alarm
- The speaker's firmware can be updated; to do this, you need to download the firmware file, there is software for both OS X and Windows, connect the device using a microUSB cable, run the utility and wait until it finishes. Some functions cannot be used without a software update.
- Equalizer presets, four settings in total: loud (universal option), bass boost, privacy (strange name), voice, optimal for podcasts, movies - if you decide to watch on an iPad or iPhone
- General settings speakers, you can change the name, view the battery charge, select the desired notification language, equalizer settings, view the software version
- Supports Bluetooth connection to two devices simultaneously. Let me remind you that in addition to Bluetooth, you can use a cable
Do I need to install the program? Yes, you need it, you get additional opportunities.
Nutrition
The speaker can work for about 15 hours, the operating time is sincerely surprising: it seems small device, but you won’t need an outlet soon. That is why I would recommend UE Boom to everyone who often goes outdoors, rides bicycles, or goes on picnics. I can't wait for warmer weather when I can do all this. Please note that the kit includes a cheerful yellow cable and a microUSB connector on the bottom of the device.
When connected to an iPhone, the speaker's charge indicator appears on the display.
Sound
For me, the standard for speakers of this form factor is JBL Pulse. This is where they got creative and did an incredible thing both in terms of design and sound.
UE Boom doesn’t have any lights, but the sound quality is good, especially if you play with the equalizer (I liked the privacy setting) and don’t try to play tracks of poor quality; you can hear it very well if there’s some noise going on. At maximum volume, the bass does not become hoarse, there is a noticeable effect of the sound around, it is a pleasure to listen to electronics, and also to non-electronics. The best option for trips and picnics.
Still, compared to the Pulse, the low frequencies are slightly lacking. Otherwise everything is great. If you're interested, I also listened to this recording.
conclusions
In the USA, a speaker costs about two hundred dollars, in our country they ask 10,000 rubles for it - in my opinion, this is expensive, few people know about Ultimate Ears, and even more so about UE Boom. However, if the price doesn’t bother you, you can safely buy it. Can withstand being on the beach, an excellent application for iOS/Android, the ability to independently update software, select presets, connect any equipment via Bluetooth or cable, good quality sound, cool design. If you need special effects, the JBL Pulse is worth buying. If not, pay attention to UE Boom, I liked the column.
And yet, 15 hours of battery life is serious.
Sergey Kuzmin ()
A portable speaker is always relevant for people who do not sit still and are constantly getting out of the house somewhere. In most cases, these are country trips into nature, hiking in the forest, etc. At such moments, your favorite music is always handy. And the speaker must withstand all the hardships of such travel. And UE Boom is quite suitable for all this.
Content:
Options and packaging
The device comes in a large, elongated package. The outer layer is made of cardboard with beautiful printing and all kinds of necessary technical information. The cardboard is removed and reveals a plastic tube in which the speaker itself is hidden, as well as Micro USB cable and power supply. By the way, they are universal and suitable for charging any of your gadgets. 
Despite the original box, nothing else interesting was found in the set. It would be great to include a carrying strap for such a device. This is logical, because there is a special ring for this purpose right on the speaker body. It’s unclear where to get such an accessory from the manufacturer. 
Perhaps it would be nice to put some kind of carrying case in the box with the device. It may be hard, it may not be very hard, but something like this will certainly come in handy on the farm. In my practice, it also happened that portable speaker I transported it in the car. There was only a place for it in the trunk, and I have a lot of things there and some of them could damage the body of the device. Of course, this has not happened yet, but you never know.
Design
Of course, I don’t know for sure, but I think that the manufacturer, when creating the design of his speaker, was guided by the following principles: bright, stylish, minimalistic. However, when developing such a device, which should attract the views of consumers, mainly the youth audience, it is very easy to go astray and ultimately create something motley, tacky and generally tasteless. Nowadays, this is mainly the case with Chinese noname companies, which are trying to copy what JBL or Ultimate Ears came up with and “raise” the design bar even higher. The end result is something similar to... well, I don’t know what.
The issue of sound quality of such devices should not be taken into account at all. There is a pandemonium there. Of course, all these gadgets find their consumers and attract them mainly due to the price. However, sound quality, style - all this is not about them. But all this is in UE Boom, but first things first. 
I can’t say that I really liked the device’s appearance. It’s cool, minimalistic, it has all sorts of cool things (the connectors are covered with rubber plugs, there’s a metal loop for the strap), but somehow it doesn’t catch the eye. 
The design, although youthful, is somehow calm and seasoned. For those who are five-minute office clerks who want to wear patent leather boots and ironed shirts. Certainly not sneakers and Hawaiian shorts, as it looks the target audience from company brochures. 
In any case, the all-blue colorway is somehow underwhelming. I want something more catchy. The main part of the body is covered with thick fabric material. The remaining places are covered with a rubber coating. This combination actively prevents moisture from entering vital elements of the device’s interior. The acoustics can be slightly wetted, even wiped with a damp cloth, but they cannot be dipped into water. This is the advantage of the second generation UE Boom 2. The first thing that catches your eye is the large plus and minus symbols on the front side, if, of course, there is one at all. By the way, these are real volume buttons. They look great, but they press strangely. You should press somewhere in the middle of the huge icons. The keys do not have any tangible response, so whether the volume has been increased or not can only be determined by ear. 
There are many colors found in nature. There is a main color line with five colors. See the picture below. 
However, you can find (if you look hard enough) more exotic colors. Perhaps that's not all.
| Length (mm) | Thickness (mm) | Weight (grams) | |
| UE Boom | |||
| JBL Flip 3 | |||
| JBL Charge 2 | 185,2 |
The dimensions of the speaker are average among those that exist on the market in a similar form factor. The same one is smaller, but a little larger.
Technical characteristics of UE Boom (first generation)
- simultaneous connection to two sound sources
- storage of up to 8 connected devices
- Pair with another UE Boom speaker for expanded sound
- signal-to-noise ratio 88 dB
- operating frequency range 90 - 20,000 Hz
- two 1.5-inch drivers
- two passive radiators (hidden in the case)
- Bluetooth (version not specified)
- NFC for quick device pairing
- Possibility of use as a headset (Hands-Free)
- The battery capacity is not disclosed (more details in the section on autonomy)
- Native app support (iOS and Android)
- dimensions 180 x 65 mm
- weight 538 g
As you understand from the specifications, Ultimate Ears does not want to disclose the technical details of their products (battery capacity, “blue tooth” version), apparently based on the fact that the consumer should not bother with all sorts of such nonsense. This step is incomprehensible to me, since it is impossible to understand 100% what we are dealing with.
Functionality
Perhaps one of the most common functions for these devices is the ability to use the gadget as a Hands-Free device. The speakerphone works very simply. When a call comes in, the call is transferred to the speaker, through which you can chat with the subscriber. You don’t need to pick up a smartphone for this.
If the stars are so aligned that there is another UE Boom nearby, then it can be connected to the source as a second speaker, thereby increasing the sound power. From a marketing perspective, this all looks cool, but I have a hard time imagining that there are a couple of UE Boom owners who know each other who can use this feature. In my opinion, this is an extremely rare use case. Almost the same thing can be done vice versa. Up to two Bluetooth devices are connected to the acoustics. Playback is broadcast in order. Some functions, such as battery status, are announced by voice. It's great that there is domestic localization. A cheerful female voice sounds from the built-in speakers, which makes you feel positive vibrations. The only sad thing is that the application did not receive a translation into Russian. Everything here is in English.
Sound quality
We settled on a proprietary utility, so we will continue from the same place. You need to adjust the volume in two places: both on the smartphone and directly on the speaker. It would be better if there was synchronization with the sound source. You can customize the sound to suit yourself using your own equalizer. It's right in the native app. There are several presets and a small information field describing what specific environment each setting is suitable for.
Sound travels almost all 360 degrees. If you cover one side with your palm, the direction of playback will, of course, be slightly limited. For the best effect, the column should be placed vertically.
Overall, I was pleased with the sound quality. Solid, good, portable sound.
I wouldn't say that there is any noticeable drop in frequencies. Mids and highs are always present at any volume. Bass begins to be felt starting at 30 percent volume. The acoustics boom, again, not bad. Perhaps even a little too much. R`n`B and similar styles are perfect for playing through the device. 
I was pleased that the column was able to cover heavy (in every sense) genres, such as Metalcore, Heavy Metal, and so on. The instruments do not merge into mush; each of them can be heard separately. However, all this is true at a volume not exceeding 75%. This is the limit of high-quality sound, and then the instruments begin to get lost against each other. There are no problems with volume here. The maximum power is enough to cover a small hangar room with sound, and 3/4 is enough for a home party.
Battery life
This is where things got weird. The manufacturer claims 15 hours battery life. There is a neat note that energy consumption depends on the broadcast content and the set volume. And this is one hundred percent true. 
I want to say right away that I was a little shocked. Twice.
Firstly, at maximum volume when transmitting an audio stream over bluetooth speaker I only worked for 2.5 hours!
This is an extremely weak indicator. All sorts of bad thoughts about the honesty of the manufacturer began to creep into my head, until I conducted the second test. Here the column surprised me again.
She was able to last on one charge with the volume set to average for as much as 30 hours and 20 minutes!
All my hopes for a quick test of autonomy, which, according to my estimates, would take 5-6 hours maximum, were dashed. I love listening to music, but 30 hours is a bit too much. It’s scary to imagine how much the device will play at 30% volume. By the way, it will be enough for you for any night gathering around the fire. No need to bring a guitar. 
Thus, the declared battery life of UE Boom is achieved if the sound is set at approximately 75% volume. This, as I said earlier, is the maximum limit for high-quality reproduction. Then the mess begins and it is no longer possible to listen to it. Full charging time does not exceed the standard two hours. Of course, this means power supply through the complete Charger(5.1 V and 2A).
UE Boom 2
Just recently the second generation of our acoustics came out and this is what has changed.
| UE Boom 2 | UE Boom | |
| Maximum volume level | 90 dB | 88 dB |
| Playback frequency | 90 - 20,000 Hz | 90 - 20,000 Hz |
| Speakers | 2 pcs 45 mm | 2 pcs 38 mm |
| Passive radiators | 2 pcs 42 x 80 mm | 2 pcs |
| Battery playback time | until 15 o'clock | until 15 o'clock |
| Charging time | 2.5 hours | 3.4 hours |
| Wireless connection | Bluetooth, NFC | Bluetooth, NFC |
| Simultaneous connection | 2 audio sources | 2 audio sources |
| Connectors | Micro USB, 3.5 mm | Micro USB, 3.5 mm |
| Dimensions | 180 x 67 mm | 180 x 65 mm |
| Weight | 548 g | |
| Water protection | IPx7 | IPx4 |
They changed something with the sound, increased the diameter of the drivers, but the main thing is that the protection against moisture has been increased. Now the acoustics can be rinsed in a mountain stream if they previously fell into a dirty puddle.
Bottom line
UE Boom is not a home speaker that can be dragged from room to room. If the user wants to buy it for home, then the acoustics will be sad, since they will not be able to realize themselves 100%. After all, it was created with an eye on leisure its owner. You can take it with you almost anywhere, throw it in the trunk, hang it on your bike, put it in the pocket of your backpack, and still not be separated from your favorite music. 
I liked the sound quality. From this point of view, the speaker is one of the best portables that have come into my hands. In its weight and size segment, of course. The main thing is not to turn the volume up to maximum and everything will be fine. The second big plus is autonomy. 15 hours of continuous playback at 75% volume and more than a day at medium volume. All this is an application for the title of the most autonomous acoustics on the market. The speaker has only one, very serious drawback - the price. Now they are asking 9,990 rubles for it, but usually it costs even more. Competitors are cheaper, but also offer less. If a little better sound and serious autonomy are critical, then it’s worth overpaying and buying UE Boom.
Price: 9,990 UE Boom wheels Price: $199 for UE Boom 2