When having a party outdoors, whether on the beach, a campsite, or even in your own backyard, it’s essential to have great music. The solution: A portable Bluetooth speaker. While no one really intends to get their speaker wet, accidents do happen, and so it’s best to get one that’s waterproof. One of the best makers of waterproof Bluetooth speakers (actually, we consider the company the best) is Ultimate Ears. Not only can you dunk UE speakers in the water, but they also sound phenomenal and look ridiculously cool to boot. Right now, you can purchase Ultimate Ears’ Wonderboom, Blast, and Megaboom 3 on Amazon at amazing discounted prices. Get them for up to $143 off.
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
– $52, was $100
The Wonderboom sits somewhere in the middle of Ultimate Ears’ line of rugged Bluetooth speakers, between the company’s cheaper, more portable models, and its bigger, louder, more expensive ones. It is cylindrical like all its brethren, but is shorter and stouter. Capping its top and bottom are slip-proof rubberized plastic, while a hard mesh grille of waterproof fabric surrounds its circumference. The power button and an all-in-one “UE” button are located on the top, while the instantly recognizable giant volume buttons are on the side. Inside the 15-ounce Wonderboom are two 40mm drivers supported by two passive radiators, which allow the speaker to project its so-called 360-degree sound output. The Micro USB port is protected by a small tab on the bottom of the speaker, although Ultimate Ears assures that water won’t enter and wreak havoc on this speaker’s internal electronics even if this little door is left ajar. Finally, you’ll find a tiny bungee loop on the top that lets you hook it up to your backpack.
This speaker boasts buoyancy and an IPX7 waterproof rating. This means it can float and stay in water for up to 30 minutes and remain unscathed, making it the perfect poolside companion. Furthermore, it can easily survive up to a five-foot drop so taking this with you on camping trips is a no-brainer.
Despite its diminutive size, the Wonderboom can get incredibly loud, thanks to its 40mm drivers. Furthermore, its 360-degree sound design guarantees you’ll be able to hear music from any angle. What’s even more amazing is the Wonderboom’s ability to remain audible when used while driving, effectively drowning out a car engine’s rumbling. This speaker will have no difficulty competing with a neighbor’s lawnmower or a mechanical pool pump. However, we did hear some slight distortion when we pushed the volume to its maximum level, but not enough to ruin our listening experience. Battery life lasted an excellent ten hours at 75% volume, and as for connectivity, the Wonderboom can maintain a connection up to 100 feet.
The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom may be tiny, but it’s extremely durable and sounds terrific. Get it for a huge $48 off its original price on Amazon. Instead of $100, get one for just $52.
Ultimate Ears Blast (Renewed)
– $57, was $200
Since Amazon’s voice assistant has become so popular, Ultimate Ears has decided to preload her into some of its Bluetooth speakers. Enter Blast, which looks nearly identical to the rest of its siblings but is equipped with Wi-Fi, microphones, and everything that Alexa needs. It’s cylindrical, resembles a tall beer can, and has a thick rubber coating that makes it water-resistant in meter-deep water for not more than 30 minutes. But unlike the Wonderboom and Megaboom 3, this speaker doesn’t float. It’ll sink like a stone when you throw it in the pool, and no one can really listen to music underwater. Better place it by the pool and not in it.
As usual, you can find two giant volume buttons on the side — Ultimate Ears’ signature look — and the power and Bluetooth buttons on the top. On the bottom, you’ll find a rubber flap that conceals the charging port, which is secured by a “D-Ring” screw. Remove the screw so you can mount the Blast on a tripod. Unfortunately, since the charger plugs into the bottom, you’ll have to flip the Blast upside down in order to charge it. You might want to spend an extra $40 for the wireless charging dock. Thankfully, this issue has been fixed with the Megaboom 3.
We’ve already kind of expected it, but it’s still worth mentioning that the Blast offers a dynamite audio performance. Despite its modest size, the Blast gets very loud – so loud, in fact, that you will not want it at max volume in the shower (trust us). Even at higher volumes, though, we rarely noticed any distortion, as the speaker reproduced a variety of music with impressive clarity.
So how well does it work as an Amazon Echo speaker alternative? Terribly, to be quite honest. Initially, we were pretty stoked to give it a try since most of our favorite speakers right now support Alexa. That excitement vanished quickly though. When using the voice assistant, there’s a two-second delay before she answers, and we can’t tell if she’s actually listening without looking at the top of the Blast. The supposedly far-field microphone isn’t the most accurate either. You’d have to enunciate very clearly for Alexa to understand what you’re saying. Battery life is good, though, at 11 to 12 hours at moderate volume.
Still, we can’t deny the fact that Ultimate Ear’s Blast is stupendous as a Bluetooth speaker. Right now, you can get a renewed unit on Amazon for the incredibly low price of $57 instead of $200 – that’s a staggering $143 off!
Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
– $120, was $150
The cylindrical Megaboom 3 comes in many stunning colors, including Lagoon (blue), Night (black), Ultraviolet (purple), and Sunset (red). This deal’s speaker comes in Urban Magenta. Once again, there are two massive volume buttons on the side and the Megaboom 3’s exterior is protected by a high-density fabric that’s designed to withstand the elements. With an IP67 water-resistance rating, this portable speaker can hold out against virtually any type of abuse. You can take it with you while swimming (this speaker floats) or tag it along on muddy campgrounds. Just make sure the water is no more than three feet deep and it doesn’t stay submerged for more than 30 minutes. Its multifunctional top button — Ultimate Ears calls it the “Magic button” — can be used to play and pause a song, skip tracks, and even pull up an assigned playlist. You don’t even need to pick up your smartphone to listen to your favorite tracks.
One of the issues of the older Booms, Megabooms, and even the Blast is that you had to turn them upside down in order to charge them. Thankfully, Ultimate Ears has repositioned the Micro USB charging port of the Megaboom 3 on the side, so you can now charge it upright. This speaker also pairs with smartphones via Bluetooth quickly, and its signal strength is strong enough to continue playing even with several walls in the way. You can also set it up to play music simultaneously with other Ultimate Ears speakers.
When it comes to sonic performance, the Megaboom 3 is powerful, punchy, and perfect. It can go incredibly loud without any noticeable distortion, and the way it disperses sound is impressive. It projects a bold and vibrant sound in all directions, can easily fill a room, and won’t sound tinny outdoors. Finally, the Megaboom 3 promises to make parties last longer, thanks to its 20-hour battery life.
Ultimate Ear’s Megaboom 3 usually comes with a $150 price tag, but right now you can get it on Amazon for an awesome $30 off. Let it fuel your parties with headbanging tunes for $120.
Ultimate Ear’s Wonderboom, Blast, and Megaboom 3 can all be cranked up to an incredibly loud volume without ruining the music, guaranteeing a rollicking good time at parties. Despite being the tiniest and cheapest, the Wonderboom’s performance can easily compete with its more expensive brothers. You also can’t go wrong with the Blast even though it has a disappointing Alexa integration, and it’s our pick for the best waterproof Bluetooth speaker of 2019. Finally, the Megaboom 3 offers longer battery life, more smart features, and a better placed charging port. We deemed it the overall best Bluetooth speaker for 2019.
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