Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 for features, though its tuning is contradictory, though neither ranks well in its class. It claims rich, warm bass without muddying the mix plus crisp highs, and adds IP67, floating, a rugged fabric shell and PartyUp for up to 150 speakers, yet it is not stereo with barely any bass and recessed treble. The Bose SoundLink Color II is comfortable and tough with its soft-touch rubber coating, though its bass is boosted. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 164 medium speakers, and the Earfun Uboom L, ranked #2 at $49.79, is a better place to start if sound quality matters.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the Bose SoundLink Color II is discontinued, so it is only available used.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is rated for 15 hours, the Bose SoundLink Color II only 8 hours.
There is a real gap in water resistance: the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 at IP67 (brief submersion) against the Bose SoundLink Color II, which has IPX4 (splashing).
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose SoundLink Color II | Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $139.00 Discontinued | $134.99 |
| Ranked | #121 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #111 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (600 g) | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 5.2” x 5” x 2.2” (132 x 127 x 56 mm) | 7.2” x 2.9” (184 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm full-range drivers | 2x 2” active drivers + 2x 2” x 4” passive radiators |
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
| EQ | No | Yes (via app) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Power Input | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 91Hz |
| Maximum SPL | - | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Strap | - | Yes (built-in loop) |
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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
Bose SoundLink Color II: $139.00 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Pros: Soft-touch rubber coating is comfortable to hold and tough enough for bumps and scrapes. IPX4 splashproof. Supports multipoint pairing to two devices at once.
Cons: Boosted bass on Color II. Not as deep of bass as other models. Lacking midrange detail. Rolled off treble. Discontinued.
Full Bose SoundLink Color II review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 5.2” x 5” x 2.2” (132 x 127 x 56 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm full-range drivers |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (600 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Marshall Emberton III
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Marshall Emberton II
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Yamaha True X Speaker 1A
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Cabasse Swell
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Sony SRS-XB20
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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.
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