Wednesday 25 May 2016

Ultimate Ears Boom 2

Ultimate Ears Boom 2

A Bluetooth speaker for your summer holiday

This tough wireless travel speaker (available in several colours) would be great on holiday. Knock it into a swimming pool and the IPX7 waterproof rating means it should survive up to a metre deep for half an hour, although you won’t be able to hear it so well.


On dry land, the Boom 2 sounds loud and clear. You wouldn’t choose it for classical music, but there’s plenty of bass and presence. It works with any Bluetooth A2DP device, including most phones, tablets and laptops, at a range of up to 33 metres. There’s also a 3.5mm input jack. If you have an Apple or Android phone or tablet, you get extra features, like using two Boom 2s as a stereo pair and cueing up music from more than one device. You can also answer phone calls through the speaker.

Slightly smaller than a Pringles can, the Boom 2 will fit into most holders designed for bottles of water, which is handy when cycling or backpacking. There’s also a loop you can use to dangle from a carabiner, which also conceals a tripod stand. A flat side panel provides giant plus and minus buttons to control the volume. You can also tap the top to pause or skip, but we found it easier to control the music from our phone.

Ultimate Ears reckons the rechargeable battery will last up to 15 hours. We got about 12, enough for most days out. Considering that its audio quality isn’t exceptional, you could get an indoor wireless speaker for less money, but if you want something flexible and ready for the outdoors, rain or shine, the Boom 2 offers the best combination of design, features and value in waterproof Bluetooth speakers.

VERDICT
Long battery life, decent sound, high maximum volume and proper waterproofing make this a good holiday choice.

SPECIFICATIONS
2x 45mm drivers • Bluetooth (requires computer, phone or tablet supporting Bluetooth A2DP) • 3.5mm analogue stereo input • 180x67x67mm (HxWxD) • 0.55kg • Two-year warranty