Once you’ve reviewed a few portable Bluetooth speakers, it’s a little difficult to get excited about another launch as they all do pretty much the same thing. Most of them sound good, too. However, today’s announcement by Logitech today of the new Ultimate Ears EVERBOOM is genuinely exciting.
This new Bluetooth speaker contains plenty of innovation and it sounds amazing. The rugged Ultimate Ears EVERBOOM is perfect for hiking, camping or simply partying by the pool. It’s waterproof, dustproof and will even float on water should it end up being thrown in the pool if things get a little out of hand. This is durable portable speaker that can deliver an impressive and powerful 360-degree sound.
The new EVERBOOM speaker can play audio from almost any Bluetooth-compatible source, whether that’s a smartphone, laptop or tablet. There isn’t an AUX input for analog sources, but that might not bother too many people. The sound is incredibly clear and loud for such a compact speaker.
With its oval design similar to Ultimate Ear’s award-winning EPICBOOM, this new speaker creates a louder sound despite being more portable. Ultimate Ears has used precision-tuned drivers to serve up punchy sound with clear mids and defined highs, while the bass is impressive for such a compact speaker.
On top the EVERBOOM are controls for turning the speaker on, pairing over Bluetooth, invoking the Outdoor Boost function (more on that in a moment) and there is a special button that not only controls the music, but can add a track that’s playing to a special favourite playlist on a streaming app. So far there’s support for Amazon Music and Apple Music, but I’m hopeful more will be added including Spotify, Tidal, Deezer and Qobuz in time.
The EVERBOOM is rated as IP67 making it waterproof, dustproof and it will even float on water. The supplied carabiner can be used to attach the speaker to a bag, gear, rucksack or even a tentpole or guy rope. The Bluetooth range goes up to 55 meters (180 ft) and the EVERBOOM can play for up to 20 hours on a single charge of the internal battery.
For use outside there is a function called Outdoor Boost. Pressing this button pumps up the sound and delivers an even bigger bass and pronounced treble. The speaker also features one-touch NFC for fast pairing over Bluetooth with smartphones running Android 8.0 or later.
Also announced today are updates to Ultimate Ears speakers, including new colorways for the WONDERBOOM, BOOM and MEGABOOM models. The speakers are also being manufactured with 100% post-consumer recycled fabric and all now feature USB-C charging ports.
The new BOOM 4 and MEGABOOM 4 models also have enhanced bass radiators that can produce a bigger bass. Those two speakers are made with more recycled materials and the WONDERBOOM 4 also has a special podcast mode for listening to talks and audiobooks.
Ultimate Ears also announced the launch today of something called Megaphone. This is a new feature added to the Ultimate Ears BOOM app. It can turn a smartphone and an Ultimate Ears speaker into a megaphone. When a user taps the Megaphone button in the UE app, they can speak into their smartphone and their voice will be projected through the speaker. Sounds ideal for taking on the next protest or demo. Megaphone is available on all speakers compatible with the Ultimate Ears BOOM app.
The plastic used in the latest Ultimate Ears Bluetooth speakers now include certified post-consumer recycled plastics that give a second life to waste from old consumer electronics. On the new EVERBOOM, the minimum recycled plastic is 58%, while the figure for the WONDERBOOM 4 is 31%. The BOOM 4 manages 52% and the MEGABOOM is made with 54% recycled plastic.
All these speakers also use 100% recycled polyester fabric for their speaker grille and the packaging for all the models in the range is made from paper sourced from FSC-certified forests and other controlled sources.
Verdict: The sound of the new EVERBOOM Bluetooth speaker from Ultimate Ears is truly impressive. It’s up there with the best of JBL and includes plenty of innovative features. If you’re looking for a rugged speaker to take traveling, hiking or camping, this is the one to choose. There are even some large volume buttons on the front of the speaker so everyone knows how to pump up the volume or turn things down so as not to attract or worry any wildlife. I’m not too keen on those large volume buttons but that’s just me. If you want a top-notch portable Bluetooth speaker, the Ultimate Ears then the EVERBOOM isn’t the cheapest Bluetooth speaker on the market but I think it’s one of the best. Highly Recommended.
Pricing & Availability: The Ultimate Ears EVERBOOM, WONDERBOOM 4, BOOM 4, and MEGABOOM 4 speakers are available in North America starting June 26, 2024.
- EVERBOOM (MSRP $249.99) is available in Charcoal Black, Azure Blue, Enchanting Lilac, and Raspberry Red.
- WONDERBOOM 4 (MSRP $99.99) is available in Active Black, Hyper Pink, Cobalt Blue, and Joyous Bright.
- BOOM 4 (MSRP $149.99) and MEGABOOM 4 (MSRP $199.99) are available in Active Black, Cobalt Blue, Raspberry Red, and Enchanting Lilac.
There are plans to release the speakers in Australia, New Zealand, and Europe in the following months.
More info: www.ultimateears.com
