Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It ranks #92 of 142 medium speakers by sound quality at $149.99; the B&O Beosound Explore ranks #112 and costs $299, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
On the B&O Beosound Explore side: IP67 rated with a rugged ‘seatbelt’ strap and carabiner hook. Watch for: Huge lack of bass extension compared to competitors, overly hot ringing treble.
What the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 gets right: 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. The tradeoff: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It ranks higher for sound quality than the B&O Beosound Explore and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
The B&O Beosound Explore is not a sound-quality pick. It sits near the bottom of the 142 medium speakers; there are better options higher up.
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.
Specifications Side By Side
| B&O Beosound Explore | Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299.00 | $149.99 |
| Ranked | #112 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #92 of 142 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 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 | - |
| Output Power | 60W | - |
| Max Volume | 91dB | 87dB |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| EQ | - | Yes (via app) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Ultimate Ears Boom 3 compares with other leading options:
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Soundcore Motion+ vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- JBL Charge 6 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- JBL Flip 6 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
Prices on this page were last checked September 11, 2026 at 8:40 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: $299.00 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.
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 →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~70Hz |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 27 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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 |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 91dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 60W |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs / 631 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- B&O Beosound Explore vs Tribit Stormbox Mini+
- B&O Beosound Explore vs Sony SRS-XE200
- B&O Beosound Explore vs Soundcore Flare 2
- B&O Beosound Explore vs Doss E-Go II
- B&O Beosound Explore vs Sony SRS-XB30
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- See all 18 comparisons
Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $149.99 Amazon eBay
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
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 →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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 |
| Max Volume | 87dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 608 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Tribit Stormbox
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XB20
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