Ultimate Ears - HYPERBOOM Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker - Black

I've owned previous UE speakers, and all of them have performed well, especially the smaller Boom speaker. This easily blows the previous smaller speakers out of the water. First thing you'll notice, upon opening the box, is the power cord and AC/DC power brick, and a quick reference manual. The speaker comes packaged very well, and includes a nice sticker on the top to show you the basic controls; making setup super easy. You'll also notice some really good rubber feet on the bottom, which do a great job of keeping the device in place with no audible shaking. Once paired, my iPhone on iOS 13, immediately prompted to install the Ultimate Ears (UE) app from the app store. After install, I quickly noticed the extra features; such as the EQ settings and ability to connect with your favorite playlist on Apple Music or Amazon Music. There is also an option to add a "Deezer" music service for any users that utilize it. Just keep in mind, that once you select a playlist and hit the "play button" on the device it will just start playing songs listed in the playlist. You won't be able to navigate the playlist in the app, and will need to select a specific song using the service you selected. In my case, hitting play on my Apple Playlist, it would start auto playing, and I'd use the Apple Music app to select a specific song. One of the best app features, is the ability to toggle on and off the speaker in app. When you hit the power button in the app, your device automatically connects over bluetooth to the speaker, and turns it on in about 1 or 2 seconds. It's pretty quick. You'll notice a volume toggle, and the ability to change the source between optical or bluetooth devices. The app even tells you what options are toggled. EQ settings are fairly easy to toggle between "modes," with "Adaptive EQ" enabled by default. In my testing, Adaptive EQ seemed to offer the best balanced audio, and the app claims that is automagically optimizes based on the environment it's in. This seems to work almost seamlessly, and depending on the type of music played, you probably won't notice the audio settings change. For those who want to set their own EQ, independent of the Adaptive EQ setting, just move the sliders between Bass and Treble to your desired choices. The default EQ modes: Bass Boost, Game/Cinema, and Podcast, offer their own advantages in clarity for some basic uses. Bass boost works well in Low to Med-High (75%) volume, and when at max, you'll feel the pressure of the sound if you're nearby. Game/Cinema does a pretty good job when you you're playing games or movies over Bluetooth and when using the Optical connection. It does a good job of balancing bass and treble, meaning the gratifying sound of action based games, but still able to hear the dialog spoken in game/movie. The podcast setting cuts the bass down significantly, making voice dialog clear and with no audio clipping or distortion. You can also set and save your own EQ settings in the app, making switching between modes easy. The first thing you're probably wondering, is if this plays audio over 360 degrees. You'll notice quickly that the stereo audio really only comes from the front, but you'll hear it fairly well regardless of where it's placed. The built in handle is made of soft rubber, which makes it easy to slide up or down to create or hide the handle. The carry handle doesn't feel like it's going to fall off, and with the rubber material it means it won't distort or cause vibration when it's in either position. The back rubber cover for the connections is also not super difficult to open or close. Now, let's talk buttons on the top. You'll notice a power button, a source toggle button with a play/pause button, the volume buttons which are incorporated into the design and are touch sensitive. When you toggle the volume buttons, you'll notice your device volume adjust. If you're not using the app, you can simply use the buttons or the devices volume settings to turn it up or down. There was no distortion in the lower or higher volume settings in my testing, but found that volume in the 75% range offered the best audio quality for my use. If you're using this speaker at a party, and need to keep your phone on you, you'll probably notice this doesn't lost connection. Walking around my 2000 sq foot house, I didn't notice any signal drop or skipping. This speaker also has a built in battery, making it easy to charge using the power brick included. It also has a USB power out, which makes charging your device easy. I was able to connect my iPhone 11 without issue using the iPhone's lightning cable. When I received the speaker, it was only charged to about 20%, but I was able to listen for almost an hour before that 20% went down to 19% at 50% volume. In my testing, after full charge, this thing seemed to never run out of power, even after using it for about 12 hours straight. According to the site, and included materials, this thing will last 24 hours, and I believe it. At 12 hours of use, it still had about 60% power remaining, and that was with my iPhone connected with the USB port. Also, a neat feature, if you don't have your device and need to check the power left, just hit the up and down volume buttons at the same time and it will tell you how much is left. Since this allows two bluetooth devices to be paired, it makes toggling source 1 or 2 easy. This means you won't need to worry about pairing/unpairing you and your signficant others phones (or roommate) when either of you wants to use it. Just toggle the bluetooth source, and the device is ready to go immediately. I also want to add, that this device supports the setting of alarms. That's right, want this to be a loud wonderful alarm clock, just set the time. You can select to play the last played song as your alarm sound, or select a specific song in your devices library. It works really well, it turns itself on, using the app, and just starts playing the selected music. Given the smaller form factor of the speaker this makes sense for a bedroom or dorm, and it's very effective. You can select any song in your music apps playlists or on the device, and you can even preview what it sounds like. The only thing I wish they'd add, is the ability to schedule the alarm for specific days, the only option offered is a "daily" toggle for everyday, but not specific days. Overall, I'm really really impressed with the audio clarity on this speaker, and it easily bests some larger boom boxes I own. Carrying the device is easy using the built in handle, it can charge your phone during use, and it's rated as splash proof; which means it can sit by the pool; just don't submerge it. The UE app is surprisingly great, and in my use I have yet to have the app crash or mishandle the connection. The app also allows you to chain another UE speaker, making this system expandable for even more audio at a party. I strongly recommend this speaker, and I don't give a strong recommendation often. The Ultimate Ears sound engineering team did a pretty great job with this speaker.

I like to think I start parties. THIS starts the party! No really, this speaker not only looks nice but can get loud as well. Design With big buttons atop the speaker and mesh type material surrounding the physical speakers, you can tell thought went into the design. The tactile volume buttons are a nice touch! Drinks can be placed on it and you wouldn't have to worry about the speaker getting wet or the drinks tipping over. Of the design changes made, I loved how it includes a rubber strap on the side that makes it easier to transport around since it is larger than the UE Megaboom or your typical smaller type portable speakers. Another design touch I noticed was the rubber at the bottom of the speaker. Its a nice touch to keep it from scratching or hearing a loud thud when placing it on the floor or a countertop. Audio Out of the box, I like the current audio configuration; not overly boomy from the bass in songs and it can hit highs without fatiguing your ears. When playing songs at the highest volume, I did not get any distortion. This speaker can definitely fill up large room and even a house! Is it a replacement for your DJ equipment for music at dance halls? Definitely not, but it's not meant to be. Although larger than most portable speakers and the UE Megaboom, the speaker drivers sure compensate for it with the ability to play music for over 20 hours and play it multidirectional. With it being square, you can place it on the floor and expect to hear music from behind and the sides of the speaker. Features The Boom and MegaBoom by UE app is great; a user can turn the speaker off/on, change the volume, and change the EQ settings of the speaker right from their phone. If you prefer more bass, you can change it from the app too. It also comes with an adaptive EQ setting that I found to play music to my liking also. A cool feature added was the ability to connect multiple devices to it and play music from each device (one at a time). No more passing the phone or device around to switch songs! Another thing I particularly liked of the Hyperboom was that it had multiple inputs (digital, aux) and even a USB out for the ability to charge devices as well. Overall This speaker does well at checking the right boxes - portable but powerfully sounding speaker, water resistant, and super long battery life. This will last for years to come and that is the reason why I recommend it over others.

This speaker is amazing! I love the fact that you can pair them together with a variety of speakers from Ultimate Ears. I have an 71 mustang and this allows me to have an explosive audio system without cutting into my door panels and back seat. It is great that you can remove them and use in the backyard ! I highly recommend.

I have always been into electronics and gadgets. I was the kid with the 8 battery boom box in the 70’s. I got into home audio in the 80’s and 90’s, and home theater in the 2000’s. I love high end sound in my home, and in my car. About 10 years ago I started playing around with Bluetooth tech. I’ve even converted old speakers, headphones and guitar amps into Bluetooth with portable BT receivers. The first decade of major retail BT was mostly with speakers about the same size used in headphones. The portability, user friendly extras and sound quality has come a far way in that time. Then we got a lot of companies trying to go bigger with their sound, and extra goodies. My favorite portable BT’s are my JBL (Flip4 & Charge 3). My fav portable stereo pair are my Soundcore Flare+. And, my fav outdoor rocker is my Marshall Killburn 2. I like to browse for the new BT’s coming out. You know how you start searching YouTube on one thing, and then it leads you all over. Well, a few weeks ago I found the UE Hyperboom. I was so excited by the reviews for the Hyperboom that I spontaneously stopped at Best Buy to get one. My local BB didn’t have it yet, but the one a few towns away had just one in inventory (this was just a couple days after they were released for sale to the public). I wish you could see the smile on my face the first time i fired it up... WOW! The sound quality and power reminded me of my Polk Audio studio monitors. I love the speaker placement and the Auto EQ (the stereo separation is wide and clear). I love the app where you can power on the speaker and save your own customized EQ settings. Bass is perfect with a healthy punch, the mids are full and clear, and the highs are crystal clear. You hear everything, perfectly... and then some! Pink Floyd, Mac Miller, Fleetwood Mac, Snoop Dogg, Andre Bocelli, Metallica, Post Malone... all are full sounding and pitch perfect at all volume levels. With the adjustable EQ on flat it’s all good indoors, and outdoors. It is amazing how portable and easy it is to use too. I am glad it doesn’t have speaker phone as I hate using my phone over the speaker. It’s not like I’m driving with this speaker. Lol. All your hard earned money goes to mind blowing sound, battery life, and quality (UE designed and tested all internals and durability in house). I’m okay with IPX4 rating because I believe higher ratings can dampen sound quality (IPX4 can take up to your average rain and major spills). If I’m going to the pool or beach, I take my JBL. This is my current goto for inside/outside the house and for parties and gatherings. I am looking forward to it going sale so I can get another to pair in stereo for the ULTIMATE back yard sound. ENJOY Ya’ll!!!

If you're like me, what you expect to see when you look at an Ultimate Ears speaker is a cylindrical brightly colored unit, almost garish in its color choices. They sound great but are usually on the small-to-medium size side of things. Enter the UE Hyperboom. This device looks unlike anything else in the UE catalog. It is not cylindrical, it is not brightly colored, and it's massive. The unit is over a foot tall and is rather hefty. They do market this as a portable device, and fortunately they were thinking about it when they said that. There's a beefy rubber strap attached to the side that collapses flat to the unit when not in use. Something else that this has going for it over UE's other offerings is the connectivity. Of course it is bluetooth, and it even has an aux jack for standard audio cables, however this takes it a step further with an optical jack. You might ask why this is on a unit like this, can it really support the quality that an optical jack provides? I can say unequivocally, yes. What's interesting about that as a connectivity option is TVs. Most of us are familiar with sound bars for TVs, but some of us, and I've been in this situation, just dont have a place to put the sound bar for whatever reason. The form factor of this, being vertical standing (btw, this is ONLY vertical standing, the feet are on the bottom of the end of the unit, there are no feet on the sides) could potentially lend itself to a situationally better position than many sound bars because of their form factor. And it falls within the price range of equivalent sounding sound bars as well (this probably gets louder). Which brings me to the point of the sound. First and foremost, this thing gets LOUD. It is marketed as a party speaker, and you can literally have a party with it all by itself. On medium settings within 10 feet of the unit the volume can approach painful levels, so jacking it up to the max would be nigh on earth-shattering. I can really appreciate this because so many speakers say they can or should be used outdoors, but once you get them outside they fall flat without walls to bounce the sound off of. There's no chance of that with this unit. On top of that, if you're really crazy, it is compatible with pairing with other UE devices to create a truly multidimensional and immersive experience. I dont have any other UE devices, but it definitely sounds like it would be fun to do. The sound quality is fantastic. Due to the size of the unit they really did not have to skimp on the size of the speakers. One of the most important things about speakers, particularly as it relates to bass and midrange speakers is the size. Some units claim to have "booming bass" but those same units are no larger than your hand. This device has a true subwoofers in it, and they deliver. The mids and highs are impressive too, as again, a device of this size does not have to skimp. An important note on the size of those speakers is that it also means at high levels they are less likely to distort. I can attest that when I jacked the volume way up, the device was still exceptionally clear. On top of it all, the device is splash proof. I wouldn't drop it in the pool or anything, but it should still be safe to use outdoors and you'll be alright if it gets a bit moist. Really in all of this I only have one negative comment. The sound is definitely directional. Most of the UE devices taut 360' sound. The sound from the Hyperboom definitely comes out of the front two sides (the side opposite the hand strap). The cutaway view on the UE website shows the internals and direction of those speakers, so positioning will be important. Honestly, with as loud as this thing gets, it's really being nit-picky, because you wont have any trouble hearing it from behind. This thing is fantastic. Just understand that it is not small, so portable means take it with you, put it on a table and get out of the way. You won't want to carry it around with you. I've uploaded an image of it next to a first generation Amazon Echo just so you understand what you are getting. By the way. These are not competing products. The UE Hyperboom is not a smart speaker (which I actually appreciate, I think too many devices have 'smart' functionality built in where they don't need it) and the Amazon Echo is not portable.

I had read many good reviews for months about UE products, so finally for Christmas I got my first, the Megaboom 3. It did not disappoint. Then a couple months later, UE releases the Hyperboom, so I started reading reviews from customers and tech reviews, concerned mostly that it was a little pricey. Let's face it, $400 is alot to drop for a bluetooth speaker! After a month of it being on the shelves, I decided I had to have it. And the Hyperboom as well did not disappoint! To let you know up front, it is a large speaker and bulky, not just something you're gonna throw into your backpack. If you want that, stick with the Megaboom 3. But it's not so large that you cant bring along to the next tailgate or pool party, in fact...its the perfect speaker for those because it's the speaker that you can actually HEAR with a large group of people or in a large area. Anything smaller minimizes the music in the room to barely background noise, where the Hyperboom brings the music back where you want it to be, front and center...commanding attention, hyping the mood, supporting the exact reason to even take a speaker along in the first place. And it also pairs easily with my megaboom 3, so if I put them on opposite sides of the house and pair them I have music through the whole house, easily. If you love your music, then your music needs the Hyperboom. And if you don't have ANY of the Ultimate Ears speakers yet, please do yourself a huge favor and go buy yourself one of them...it doesn't have to be as high priced as the Hyperboom to understand that Ultimate Ears makes quality speakers in many sizes for many different occasions, and once you hear your favorite song on one of their speakers, never again will you want to hear it on another speaker, it just can't compare...I'm hooked, I'm glad I invested the $400 on my happiness, and I will never use another brand of speaker again. I've given away or sold my Bose sound link 2, my sound core flare, my jbl charge 3 and 4 and also my jbl flip 4.

The Ultimate Ears Hyperboom is so close to being awesome it kills me. It's well built, simple to use, sounds great, gets loud and clear, can go a whole day on a single charge, can charge your USB devices, is easy to carry, looks great, and is splash proof so I can bring it to the pool party with confidence. So why am I down on it? Simple. It won't hook up to my phone. Yes, I have an older phone (LG V20) which could be the issue, but I've never had an issue with the bluetooth connecting to a device. From cars, to headsets, to speakers, to headphones, to printers, to computers, to tablets, to my smartwatch, the bluetooth on my phone has never given me an issue, yet with the Hyperboom it does. They'll pair up just fine, but as soon as I play any audio the bluetooth on my phone crashes and is forced to restart only to keep reconnecting and crashing as soon as another sound is played. I've tried clearing my bluetooth data and cache, and reinstalling the UE Boom app, but nothing fixes it. Which is a shame, because I've connected the Hyperboom to other devices and it sounds great and would be awesome to use, if only it would work with my main device. It's a new release, so I'm hoping a firmware update will be out soon to clear this up. Could easily be the star of a few parties after the covid19 outbreak clears and I envision a lot of fun days at the beach with this speaker, but only if I can connect to it wirelessly. However, if you're in the majority that don't own an LG V20, you're in luck! Aside from the V20 bluetooth failure, I'm happy to say the bluetooth connects perfectly with the iPhone XR, Lenovo Tab2 Android tablet, and Alienware R9 Windows 10 PC. The latency seems low as I don't notice any delay in the audio when playing corresponding video. This means that it'll also make a good multimedia speaker, and I'm already excited about pairing it up with my Mars projector and a laptop for outdoor movie and game nights. With a battery that's rated for 24 hours on a single charge, and realistically probably 6 hours blasting it outside, the Hyperboom can go about a whole day on a single charge and only takes about 2.5 hours for a full recharge. What's nifty is that UE includes a USB port to charge your devices to ensure the party keeps going. The port is for charging devices only, so no playing mp3s off a flash drive, but it's hard to complain about inputs when there's 4 included. The Hyperboom has 1 optical, 1 auxiliary 3.5mm, and 2 bluetooth inputs. It's a bit odd to find an optical audio input on a portable bluetooth speaker, yet with the size, volume, and sound quality of this speaker, I think it reinforces the notion that Ultimate Ears envisioned this as a multimedia speaker. Optical makes an easy hook up to a Playstation, Xbox, laptop, or cable box for clean digital audio. And while I couldn't wirelessly connect my phone to the Hyperboom, it sounded great connected through the headphone jack, especially since I get to take advantage of the V20's 32bit Quad DAC hooked up this way. Visually, the Hyperboom is an attractive 14" tall black square with rounded edges. If you're an audiophile, it looks a lot like the Definitive Technology BP tower speakers, but obviously shorter and with matte surfaces. It's a high quality finish that's attractive without being flashy and should fit in with any decor. I especially love the hidden handle at the back corner. It's thick, sturdy, hides well and should hold up for a long time. Feeling along the speaker fabric, you'll notice all the speakers are protected by a sturdy cage so you can have peace of mind carrying it around without accidentally damaging a speaker cone. Great job UE engineers! If you're connecting the Hyperboom to an Android or iOS device, definitely download the UE Boom app. It could use some work, but it unlocks a 5 band EQ and an adaptive EQ feature. While this isn't needed to play audio through the speaker, the customizable frequency settings definitely help cater the audio to your liking. So, how's it sound? Fantastic! I think the bass extension is going to depend on the setting you're in, but a single speaker is plenty loud enough to power a casual patio party or cookout. The bass response is a lot more full and balanced indoors, but it'll play loud and clear just about anywhere and it def gets loud. Feed it good quality audio and it'll surprise you with its range and balance. However for a speaker in this price range and quality, I'm disappointed it doesn't use the high quality aptX bluetooth codec. Overall, I want to love this speaker, because it's likely a firmware update away from being great, but for now, it is what it is. 3.5 stars with a potential for 5. Make sure it connects with your device before buying it, and if it does, you have a great sounding, versatile, wireless, portable speaker.

I was looking for a portable speaker that had more "oomph" over my Boss Portable Smart Speaker - while a great speaker on the go, it leaves much to be desired at home during jam cleaning sessions or parties. My goal was to find something similar to the sound stage and deep but not muffled bass of an Apple HomePod - but wireless. Other than this speaker, I was also looking at a few options that JBL has, as I love my JBL Flip. In the end, after countless YouTube reviews, I ended up with the UE Hyperboom based on what many have said - great sound stage, deep but not too overpowering bass and overall just a clear natural but deep sound - and this is exactly how I feel after listening for a solid 24 hours now. At first, I have to admit I was a bit underwhelmed, probably because of all the rave reviews I read. But as soon as I listened to them side by side with the speakers that I have... that's when I truly heard what was going on. Then you place the speaker near a wall where the bass can really shine and wow. I had turn down the bass in the EQ app and leave it flat. The speaker also looks great in person and is built very well. As far as traveling, I'll likely still stick to my smaller speakers unless of course if we're camping or staying at an airbnb - then this guy is definitely coming with. Aside from sound quality, some other things I love about the speaker: 1. You can turn on and off the speaker via the UE app. The fact I can wake up in bed, turn it on and get my morning playlist going is great for a device that doesn't need to be plugged in 24/7 2. This charges very quickly! And you can see the charge via the app or press the + - buttons to hear how much more juice you've got. 3. I love the handle. While a bit unconventional, I like it because it blends in the design and looks great in my home or out in out backyard. 4. The audio port is a great addition, hoping to use this speaker for when we invest in a projector for outdoor movie nights. 5. Connecting two bluetooth devices so your friends can take over the playlist. A few things I do wish it had or were different: 1. Mic input, this would be great for those times your friends and fam wanna get down with some karaoke. 2. I know it's not a smart speaker but I do wish it connected to wifi but I have found that the Bluetooth doesn't seem to disconnect and the range seems great. 3. The USB port should have been USB-C All that said and done, these are one of the best portable speakers I've heard. It's giving me that extra oomph I was looking for which I think will be great for parties and entertaining. I'm hoping the battery stays healthy and holds a good charge for years to come.