Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 on price and features, though neither ranks well in its class. At $134.99 against the Beosound Explore’s $294.99, it is IP67 rated and floats, has a rugged fabric shell, runs 15 hours and can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp, though it is not stereo with recessed treble. The Explore is IP67 rated with a rugged ‘seatbelt’ strap but has a huge lack of bass extension and overly hot ringing treble. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 164 medium speakers; for better sound, the Earfun Uboom L ranks #2 at $49.79.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It is rated higher for sound quality than the B&O Beosound Explore and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the B&O Beosound Explore is rated for 27 hours, the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 only 15 hours.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| B&O Beosound Explore | Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $294.99 | $134.99 |
| Ranked | #132 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #111 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~70Hz | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 27 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs (631 g) | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 4.2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Dimensions | 3.2” x 4.9” x 3.2” (81 x 124 x 81 mm) | 7.2” x 2.9” (184 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.8” (46mm) full-range drivers | 2x 2” active drivers + 2x 2” x 4” passive radiators |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Amplifier Power | 60W | - |
| Maximum SPL | 91dB (Manufacturer specified) | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| App | Yes (Bang & Olufsen app) | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) | Yes (via app) |
| Strap | Yes (carabiner) | Yes (built-in loop) |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Ultimate Ears Boom 3 compares with other leading options:
- Earfun Uboom L vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Soundcore Motion+ vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Minirig 4 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
B&O Beosound Explore: $294.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated with a rugged ‘seatbelt’ strap and carabiner hook. Real-world battery life around 20-24 hours. Distinctive anodized-aluminum design. Measured bass extension of ~70Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Huge lack of bass extension compared to competitors, overly hot ringing treble. Colored midrange. Just not great sounding overall.
Full B&O Beosound Explore review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 60W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Bang & Olufsen app) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~70Hz |
| Battery Life | 27 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 3.2” x 4.9” x 3.2” (81 x 124 x 81 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.8” (46mm) full-range drivers |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 91dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (carabiner) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs (631 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $134.99 Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5.
Pros: Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp. Measured bass extension of 91Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. You can tell from the micro USB that they are just feeding you the same crap hardware over and over, this is inexcusable for a product released in 2021. Lots of mentions of failing batteries on amazon. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 3 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 2.9” (184 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2” active drivers + 2x 2” x 4” passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
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