Out of all the Bluetooth speakers I've used, this one is my favourite
Andree Gorman,
Sep. 28, 2016, 10:01 AM
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Ultimate Ears/Instagram
My experience with wireless speakers has always been, at best, a disappointment.
Blame that on my habit of buying the cheaper options available, but none of the many I've tried out over the past two years were durable enough to keep up with my hectic lifestyle. Until I tried Ultimate Ears' Boom 2 wireless speaker, that is.
After having dropped it from a couple feet, completely submerged it in water, and used it cycling to work on rainy days, I can honestly say the Boom 2 is by far the best wireless speaker I've tried out so far.
In terms of design, the Boom 2 hasn't changed much compared to its little brother, the Boom. Sure, it has new colours named fun things like the "Yeti" (white), "Phantom" (black), and "Tropical" (pink and orange), and the grilled fabric is better attached than the previous version. Other than those two design changes, though, it's pretty much the same sized, pringle-can shaped wireless speaker, and it is still the perfect size to fit it into backpacks, handbags, or even a bike's bottle holder.
The real differences come in terms of ruggedness. While the Boom was only splashproof, it's older brother is completely waterproof. It's rated iPX7, which means the wireless speaker can now be fully emerged underwater up to one metre for thirty minutes and still work like a dream. During my time testing it, I repeatedly dunked it in both warm and cold water, immersed it for thirty minutes, and it still worked perfectly. Given that it's covered in fabric, it also dries surprisingly fast.
That being said, it doesn't float as it's on the heavier side so I wouldn't recommend bringing it on a canoeing trip unless it's secured, to avoid it sinking and throwing £100 down the drain. It's a compromise most of us should be willing to make, however, as it will happily live through most bumps, and can even survive a fall from several feet high (Ultimate Ears claims five, but I've only been up to three).
The sound quality is also much better that the Boom 2's predecessor, although some distortion does creep in above 80% volume. That being said, it's loud enough to fill my house with powerful, crystal clear sound even at lower volumes, so that isn't a deal breaker by any standards.. It also works up to 30 metres away from your phone, so no need to keep it close at all times.
The Boom 2 also boasts tap controls, which make for a nice addition, as the Boom was sorely missing a better way to control it. Tap the speaker once to play or pause music, twice to skip songs, and three times to go back. The only issue I had with tap control is that you sometimes need to tap rather vigorously to make it work. It's not really a problem though, as it's completely controllable through the iOS or Android app.
Speaking of which, one of the best features of the app is the ability to "double up" and connect two UE wireless speakers to each other to create a versatile, home-sound system. Although I haven't been able to try out the feature for myself, it's not hard to imagine it would come in handy for those who have large houses or enjoy throwing parties. In the case of parties, another cool feature is called "Block Party" and lets three people connect to a single Ultimate Ears wireless speaker to share music through one device.
The only issue I've had with the UE Boom 2 is the longevity of its battery. Ultimate Ears optimistically puts the battery life at 15 hours of play time, and that may be true, but that's only the case at lower volumes. The Boom 2 will last between 10-12 hours on high-volume, which is still a stellar performance compared to most of its competitors.
Retailing for £99 on Amazon for the plain black model, it's definitely not the cheapest wireless speaker on the market. If that price is a bit too steep, the Ultimate Ears Roll 2 is slightly more compact and boasts amazing sound, but is only £80.
The UE Boom 2 is available from £99 on Amazon UK as well as John Lewis.
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