Ultimate Ears’ Petite, Powerful Wonderboom
An inexpensive, waterproof Bluetooth speaker that holds up in all conditions
Some of us are approaching picnic and pool party weather, and for the fourth year in a row, we at CH will turn to Ultimate Ears for portable outdoor sound. The Bluetooth speaker maker just announced their latest, the Wonderboom, but we’ve had substantial time with the product already—testing out both sound quality and durability. Fans of the UE Boom and UE Roll will find a lot to love here. The squat speaker delivers 360 degree sound. It’s entirely waterproof (and can float) and can be dropped (frequently, from up to five feet). There’s a guaranteed 10 hours of battery life here and it can be up to 100 feet away from whatever it’s paired with. These are all beneficial facts when choosing a wireless speaker, but it’s really just the start.
The Wonderboom is Ultimate Ears’ entry-level product. Remarkably, it delivers the same sound quality as the original UE Boom (which this author used almost every day for two years) but at half the price. It’s also easy to pair up with other Wonderbooms. Regarding size, it’s a bit bigger than palm-sized though it can easily be toted around in one’s palm or by the affixed strap (and it only weighs 15 ounces). As with other Ultimate Ears items, it’s super-simple to use: power on, pair, play. The UE button on top also lets users pause and skip tracks. With wireless, portable speakers, it does come back to sound, of course, and after repeat use we can attest to crispness, even at high volumes, and balanced bass in all directions.
The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, in six colorways, will be available in North America, Australia and select European countries starting in April, expanding to Asia one month later. It will retail for $100 online and at shops that stock UE products.
Lead image by Cool Hunting, all other images courtesy of Ultimate Ears
