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Ultimate Ears has updated their new Boom 3 and Megaboom 3 speakers with a new look.

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Design & Build

For the first time, Ultimate Ears has gone from that thicker fabric mesh grill design that they have been using for a long time to a much more thinner and slightly more reflective material. Its a design that I really like, it’s more subtle and with a more modern feel.

The Boom 3 retains its IP67 certification which means its dustproof and water-resistant. It’s capable of being submerged for up 30 minutes in up to 3 feet of water. Ultimate Ears speakers have had these capabilities for a long time and now all the other mainstream competitors have finally caught up and now offer similar specification.

When it comes to durability and reliability UE speakers are a class above. Boom speakers are built like tanks so they won’t break or fail, these speakers are drop-proof from up to 5-feet and any surface.

Playback Controls

At the front is where you will find the volume up and down buttons. Pressing both of those buttons at the same time will give you your battery life.

Up top, you’ll find your power and pairing buttons but right in the middle between those two buttons is where you will find UE’s Magic button. This so-called Magic button gives you the ability to play your playlist with the convenience of not needing to use your phone. Even if the speaker is turned off, you can simply press the Magic button and your playlist will start to play.

Located under the protective flap at the back of the speaker you will find the micro USB port for charging. For me this was a bit of a let-down, I would have preferred the newer USB-C port, but this won’t be an issue for the average consumer.

Battery Life

Unlike most of its competitors, the Boom speakers have a wireless charging dock. This little device will come in handy and make charging a much simpler task. The charging dock is not included, so you will have to buy separately.

Battery life is rated at 15-hours. In real-world use, it will achieve 12-hours on average. The claimed 15-hours might seem small but in reality, at 50% volume the JBL Charge 4 claimed up to 20-hours but in real world use you get just over 9 hours and it’s a similar scenario with Sony XB speakers. So, don’t be fool by these big numbers, UE speakers are actually some of the best when it comes to battery life.

UE App

The app gives you the ability to pair 100 or more of these speakers together and have them all play together at the same time similar to the JBL Connect Plus. There’s also a built-in equalizer that you can use to alter the audio performance to your liking.

UE has also included a feature that allows you to use these speakers as a wake-up alarm.

Connectivity

UE claims up to 150-feet in wireless range which is a pretty insane claim. But in real-world use, you will get up to 140-feet which is still very impressive especially when compared to its rivals. You’re also able to pair to 2 different devices at the same time.

Sound Quality

First off, this speaker does get very very loud. Its almost as loud as the bigger UE Megaboom 3, the only difference is that the bigger Megaboom 3 offers more bass which is to be expected from the bigger speaker. The Boom 3 Focuses more on the mid and high frequencies.

You get light punchy bass but Boom speakers place a lot of the emphasis on the mids. This allows the speakers to proform great outdoors because the audio cuts through the air to greater distances.

At personal listening levels the audio is really enjoyable but at high to max volume, it will sound a bit raspy and jumbled and not as enjoyable.

Final Verdict

Simply put. The Ultimate Ears Boom 3 and Megaboom 3 speakers aren’t meant to be Audiophile Bluetooth speakers, so if its audio quality you crave there are better options on the market. View Our Best Speaker Collection

These speakers are for those who want the most rugged, bulletproof speakers that you can throw and toss anywhere and not worry. You can get dirt, sand, and water all over it and still be able to get good music for general entertaining. Read Now: Ultimate Ears Boom 3 Review