amazon Ultimate Ears BOOM 3 reviews
Design
Unlike last year’s version, using long cylindrical casing, this year the US audio company switched to re-use the standard rectangular box, but still retains its simple appearance.
But when opening the outer layer of paper, the opposite happened: we have a very colorful box, surely everyone who looks at it will be impressed! The speakers are neatly placed in the box, there is no extra layer of velvet, but they are also quite tight so it is not necessary.
One point that I think is shortened compared to last year’s version, it’s accessories. Instead of adding charging dock of countries, Boom 3 version only has charging cord only. Perhaps the company wants users to share the charging dock with the phone.
Back to our main product: the Boom 3. Over the versions, Ultimate Ears doesn’t change the design of the Boom lineup too much, and Boom 3 is no exception. The loudspeaker has a long cylindrical design, with an extremely characteristic characterization that is a cloth-covered body and two super-large volume control buttons.
In the new version, the company also removed the rubber in the middle of the speaker body, so we also have a slightly more seamless design. The top edge has 3 buttons instead of 2 buttons as before, including a Bluetooth toggle button, power button and a dedicated button to stop / play music.
Switch to the back, the speaker has a small cloth hook (this part was placed next to it) and a micro USB charging port on the back of the rubber door to keep the IP67 water and dust proof standard. With this version, the company has abandoned the 3.5mm music port so it will become a completely wireless speaker, easy to understand because now mobile devices have gradually abandoned the 3.5mm port to use Bluetooth separately.
The bottom edge has a new feature: a connector to help the speaker be charged via the dock. Users will buy a separate charging dock for $ 40, and can plug it in so the speaker becomes a fixed speaker without ever worrying about running out of battery. Speaking of rechargeable batteries, Boom 3’s battery provides about 15 hours of playing time, generally in good condition, not too long but also enough for a week without charging.
The overall finishing quality of the speakers is still excellent, not unlike the products of last year. I appreciate UE’s speakers more than Sony’s when holding them, we have a strong product feel, there is no empty space inside, so that’s why it feels more solid and superior .
Software
The company offers users a software called Ultimate Ears Boom, from this software we can update the speaker software, toggle the language of instruction, adjust the sound quality with EQ and finally connect many speakers with each other to increase the volume. The interface of the software is also very easy to use, but it is not really necessary, so if users only use 1 speaker, even without downloading it can use the speaker normally.
where can you get a Ultimate Ears BOOM 3 online
Ultimate Ears Boom 3 Portable Bluetooth Wireless Speaker (Waterproof) — Night Black: Buy it now
Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3 Portable Bluetooth Wireless Speaker (Waterproof) — Lagoon Blue: Buy it now
Sound quality
With Boom 3, we have 2 2-speaker diaphragm system and 2 passive vibrating membranes, with 2 vibrating membranes that promote bass so that the sound quality becomes more dynamic but identical to Boom 2 version, Boom 3 Although advertised by the company for bass play, the final sound quality is quite light in this range.
Bass is average, and of course it can’t be compared to Sony’s eXtra Bass. In the song Mojave, the sound of the drum beating was stable, but it was played at a high speed so it didn’t come down to the sub-bass section. Sub-bass seems to have a slightly earlier roll-off phenomenon, which, in my opinion, needs to be pushed down a little more will produce a stronger sound quality. The mid-bass section is good, with just enough punchy to let the drum beat down without being squashed. In general, this bass is more suitable for high-speed Pop songs, which is a ‘shabby’ EDM. Users can also use the EQ feature in the software to further customize, but according to my experience, the EQ can hardly be equal to the refined sound from the factory.
Standing next to the neat bass, the vocalist also has more land, when getting closer to the listener and separating from the background. In Don’t keep your distance of Tongli, the female vocalist’s voice is bright, but thick enough to not be dazzling. The high mid section is high enough, so it is necessary to create the necessary airy for female voices. But it must be said, Sony’s rich and warm mid-style eXtra Bass will be more beneficial for male voices, strong and powerful. But when I look at it in general, I still appreciate UE Boom 3’s performance, not making the vocalist’s voice stick to the bass.
The speaker’s treble range is also not bad at all, with a dense amount and not being rolled off too soon. Windrider’s wind chimes are clean, playable in the middle of the sound, so there is no sticking. The company can still make the treble a bit sharper if desired, but I think this level of stopping will make it easier for users to mix music. Boom 3’s treble range is much better than XB31 and XB41, so for those who want a bright sound quality, choose UE instead of Sony.
Summary
Like the Sony eXtra bass, the Ultimate Ears Boom line is difficult to judge from the design of the final features and sound quality. Like Boom 2, Boom 3 is aimed at users who want a balanced sound, without any bass balance like Sony’s speakers. Version 3 also shows UE’s new direction, when there are no 3.5mm music listening ports, showing that the mobile market is moving to full wireless use, which is easy to understand when smartphones are gradually leaving the music listening port.
Advantages
– Rugged design
– IP67 water and dust proof standard
– Long battery life
– No delay compared to source
– Bright sound, clean
Defect
– Abandoned the 3.5mm port
– Bass is not as prominent as Sony eXtra Bass