Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 Wireless Speaker, Deep Bass, 360 ° Surround Sound, Waterproof, 2 Speaker Connection for Powerful Sound, 13h Battery, Black

Product Information

The official test duration for this rating is 30 minutes, so your Wonderboom may even be able to last longer than 30 minutes (and it should), but I wouldn't chance it. The UE Wonderboom 3’s sporty look isn’t just for show: its IP67 durability rating means it can withstand dust, dirt and water submersion for up to 30 minutes. That’s standard for many of the best waterproof speakers. I even took the one I’m testing in the shower with no problem, though it’s good to know it should survive some wet weather and other elements while I’m out and about. UE Wonderboom 3 review: Sound quality Plastic parts in WONDERBOOM 3 include a minimum of 31% certified post-consumer recycled plastic* by weight. "Post-consumer" means it's made with plastic sourced from end-of-life electronics. So it's literally the life of the party. With a sensitivity of 86 decibels, the Wonderboom 2 is capable of producing loud and detailed audio even at lower volumes. It features a Bluetooth range of 33 meters, allowing for convenient wireless streaming without the need for a direct connection.

It's not all good news, though. Soundstage was a weak point of the original Wonderboom and it still is with the second generation. However, Ultimate Ears added the ability to play in true stereo if you pair another Wonderboom 2 where as the first gen could only link up to boost volume. What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence. The Wonderboom 2 delivers a sound as cohesive and detailed as we could hope for at the price. The presentation takes a step forward too. There are discrete musical nuances available in the twang of the double bass that weren’t obvious with the original.

If you think you need beefier sound or a longer battery life, the Megaboom 3 might be worth the investment. It also can be paired with additional UE speakers for stereo sound. The Sonos Roam is another strong option with automatic outdoor tuning, plus it supports voice assistants. The JBL Charge 5 is also attractive, since it doubles as a power bank for your phone. Otherwise, the UE Wonderboom 3 is hands-down the best option for the price.

The Wonderboom 2 is not equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity, so it cannot be controlled through a home network. However, it does come with a companion app that allows users to customize the sound output and settings of the speaker. The app also includes a party mode feature that allows multiple users to connect to the speaker and take turns playing music.

All you gotta do is pair up two. Press once to double up. Press again for a full two-channel stereo assault– that's left and right channels blasting from each respective speaker. The second-generation version offers enhanced bass on top of the the same balanced, pleasing tonality. It also offers a longer battery, increased durability, stereo pairing and an outdoor option thrown in to boot. For under a ton, this is a good deal. The design on the top of the speaker has also been tweaked, with a circular button where the branding used to be – press this to ‘double up’ the sound by pairing two Wonderboom 2s. This feature was available in the original version, but has been upgraded so that pressing the central button on two new speakers means they now pair in stereo mode. You can still pair old and new Wonderboom models in mono (the older one doesn’t support stereo).

The UE Wonderboom 3 gets 14 hours of battery life, though that’ll vary depending on listening volume and Outdoor Boost. When nothing is playing, it’ll turn off automatically to save its charge. While Outdoor Boost does increase overall volume, sound quality takes a noticeable dip when listening at lower volumes. With Outdoor Boost enabled at medium volume, cymbals sound splashy and mids are more emphasized - which is a good thing -and there’s slightly more bass than the original Wonderboom, which helps bring some warmth to the sound while not compromising on the highs. Mids are excellent with vocals sounding natural and detailed. Weighing less than 15 ounces, the UE Wonderboom 3 is distinctly portable. Its 4.1 x 3.8 inches fits comfortably in my hand, but a stretchy loop makes it possible to hang the speaker from my bag. We cue up an iPhone and listen to The Waking by Kurt Elling on Spotify Premium. The first thing to note is that the extra bass promised by UE is here, and it pays dividends in the mix. Elling’s voice is as forward as we’d expect, but thanks in part to that extra bass injection, it never dominates.

To charge your WONDERBOOM 2, plug the included USB cable into the micro-USB port located inside the weather door. To get started with your WONDERBOOM 2, press the power button located on the top of your speaker. When powered on, WONDERBOOM 2 automatically reconnects to the last mobile device it was connected to. The durability of the Wonderboom 2 is surprising given how small it is. It can withstand submersion in up to 1 m of water for 30 minutes -- plus it floats. A handy carry strap means it's easy to carry around and, once out and about, you don't need to worry about the battery not lasting - it can run for 13 hours! Meanwhile, a Bluetooth range of 33 m is also far more than you're likely to require. Sound & Features That unmistakable yellow charger has been replaced with an Apple-esque white cable but, overall, the Wonderboom 2 looks and feels more premium than the original.

Basically, so long as you're not taking it into the deep end, you Wonderboom should come out unscathed every time. What's new with the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2? As we mentioned earlier, the Wonderboom 2 has an IP67 rating, meaning it now brings with it dust resistance on top of last year’s IPX7 water resistance. You can also drop the speaker repeatedly from 5ft so it’s a speaker that can take a beating whether you’re hiking or at the pool. The speaker has a sleek design, with a cylindrical shape and a durable exterior that is resistant to dust, water, and drops. Its small size also makes it highly portable and easy to carry around. The other bit of good news is that, thanks to its wraparound grille, the Wonderboom 2 boasts 360 degrees of sound, which means you get the same audio quality wherever you are in relation to the speaker.Hello, when turning on and off this speaker, it makes a pretty loud initialization noise, more like a bubbling sound. Sonically, the UE Wonderboom 2 is fantastic for its size. The speaker plays much louder than you would expect, especially with the Outdoor Boost enabled. There’s a bit of distortion at max volume, but if you keep it below 80%, music sounds great. Micro-USB instead of USB-C charging makes for a slower charge. It’s not a dealbreaker for everyone, but it definitely feels outdated.