Blast off with the Boom 3 and Megaboom 3 from Ultimate Ears
Logitech has shipped us two new Bluetooth speakers from its Ultimate Ears brand. They’re up for any adventure, but are the Megaboom 3 and Boom 3 really worth the steep price? Let’s find out in our full review!
Good
- Good sound quality
- Long battery life
- Resistant to falls
- Water and dust resistant
- Optional charging base
- Party mode / multi-room audio
Bad
- No digital assistant
- High price
Quality pays off
Both the Boom 3 and Megaboom 3 are available for purchase on the official Ultimate Ears website in four different colors: Black, Blue, Purple and Red. The prices vary between 149.99 and 199.99 dollars for the two models. You can also pair either model with a power dock, which is called the Ultimate Ears Power Up, for another 40 bucks.
Great design and durability
The design of these two Bluetooth speakers hasn’t changed much compared to the previous Blast and Megablast models we tested. Both speakers have a cylindrical shape with rubberized plastic finishes at the top and bottom and they’re both wrapped in an elegant fabric all around.
- Marshall Kilburn II: This thing rocks all day long
The brand’s distinctive volume buttons on the side are clearly visible. At the top, you’ll find a power button, a button for Bluetooth pairing and a button that can be programmed by the app known as the Magic Button (more details on that later). On the opposite side, there are the volume buttons and the Ultimate Ears logo is mounted by a ring that allows you to use a hook to take the speaker on the go with you. Further down is a small rubber flap that hides the MicroUSB port for recharging.
You will never have to use this USB port if you have a Power Up base, which has connectors that are already integrated into the bottom of both speakers.
Both the Boom 3 and Megaboom 3 are tested for withstanding falls, rolling, continuous pressure and are IP67 certified against water and dust (the speakers float so as not to be lost at the bottom of the pool). The excellent construction feels sturdy at first glance, and the speakers are really massive with respective weights of 608g and 925g. If you plan to buy a speaker to take anywhere with you, I’d highly recommend avoiding the Megaboom 3 since it’s really heavy for its compact size.
Party, party, party!
The Logitech Bluetooth speaker management app is called BOOM and is available both on the Google Play Store and on the Apple App Store .
From the main screen you can turn the speakers on and off remotely (which I found really convenient), set the equalizer and change the volume. In addition, the amount of battery left is displayed at the top.
From the app you can also start the Party Up mode, which allows you to synchronize more than 150 speakers for your party. Want to give a friend control over the speakers? Just activate the Block Party mode and you’re done!
Engaging sound
The Megaboom 3 and Boom 3 use two active and two passive speakers to play music. This allows the two speakers to emit an immersive 360-degree sound that can safely fill a medium-sized room without having to necessarily turn the volume up to the max.
If you’re looking for powerful bass, the Megaboom 3 is the speaker for you because the volume of low frequencies emitted by the speaker exceeds 50% of those from the Boom 3. In the app you can save 4 equalizer presets that you can use to get a sound more suited to various kinds of music.
Speaker features: Boom 3 and Megaboom 3
| Boom 3 | Megaboom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Active drivers | 2 x 50.8 mm | 2 x 50 mm |
| Passive drivers | 2 x 50,8 x 101.6 mm (ellipsoid) | 2 x 55 x 86mm (ellipsoid) |
| Maximum sound level | 90 dB | 90dB |
| Frequency | 90Hz - 20kHz | 60Hz - 20KHz |
Perfect for longer parties
Ultimate Ears promises a battery life of 15 hours for the Boom 3 and 20 hours for the Megaboom 3, although the actual battery data isn’t specified on the website. I find the numbers realistic for both speakers, and experienced good battery life in my tests, as was the case with previous models.
As I already mentioned, the device is charged through the Micro-USB port on the back or through the Power Up dock that is sold separately. In the Megaboom 3 package, you’ll also find an 18W USB charger that doesn’t come with the Boom 3. Both come with a USB Type-A / MicroUSB cable.
Google Assistant? Alexa? Siri? Anyone home?
Let’s be clear, the UE Boom 3 and Megaboom 3 are both great speakers suitable for loud and clear outdoor sound. The battery life is excellent and the Power Up charging base means your speakers will always be charged when you need them. The Bluetooth connectivity is stable, and although the sound quality is more aimed at bass-lovers, I’m sure the sound will be satisfactory for most users.
Unfortunately, since we’re in 2018, there’s something I’d like to note about Logitech and Ultimate Ears: it would have been really nice to find some Wi-Fi features for multi-room audio and an integrated digital assistant would be helpful for music playback, but I might be splitting hairs here. The party features work great, and if your friends are also friends of the brand, you’ll be able to throw some great parties outdoors with lots of music and lots of fun!
I really miss those four foot long boom boxes with colorfully dressed break dancers shaking up the urban environment.