Short answer: the Bose SoundLink Color II ranks much higher and costs less, but its discontinued status makes the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 the simpler choice when you need a new, waterproof speaker, though neither ranks well in its class. Bose ranks #125 of 175 medium speakers at $139; the Megaboom 4 ranks #170 at $200, costing $61 more. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 175 medium speakers, so if sound quality matters, consider the EarFun Uboom L instead, ranked #2 at $49.79.
The Bose’s ranking advantage does not erase its age. It offers stereo playback, multipoint pairing, a built-in microphone, Bose Party mode, and a compact rubber-coated enclosure. Its sound still has boosted, shallow bass with limited midrange detail and rolled-off treble, and its IPX4 rating, eight-hour battery life, Micro USB charging, and discontinued availability are all significant drawbacks.
The Megaboom 4 prioritizes rugged use and multi-speaker playback. It floats, is IP67 rated, charges over USB-C, runs for a rated 20 hours, and can link up to 50 compatible speakers through PartyUp. Local review notes are blunt about the tradeoff: it distorts at higher volume, rolls off the treble, and does not play especially loud, which explains its low ranking.
Buy the Bose SoundLink Color II if you can find it in good condition and prioritize the much better ranking, lower price, stereo layout, and multipoint support.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 if IP67 protection, floating, USB-C charging, longer battery life, and PartyUp matter more than sound quality.
If battery life is a priority, the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 is rated for 20 hours versus 8 hours for the Bose SoundLink Color II.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose SoundLink Color II | Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $139.00 Discontinued | $200 |
| Ranked | #125 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #170 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (600 g) | 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 5.2” x 5” x 2.2” (132 x 127 x 56 mm) | 3.4” x 3.4” x 8.9” (87 x 87 x 225 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm full-range drivers | 2x 50x50mm full-range + 2x 55x86mm passive radiators |
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes (via app) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Power Input | Micro USB | USB-C |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Maximum SPL | - | 91dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Strap | - | Yes (built-in loop) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Bose SoundLink Color II compares with other leading options:
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Soundcore Motion+ vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- JBL Charge 6 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- JBL Flip 6 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
Prices on this page were last checked October 12, 2026 at 4:13 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
Bose SoundLink Color II: $139.00 Discontinued Amazon $139.00 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 →
| Released | May 2017 (9 years ago) |
|---|---|
| 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 Sony SRS-XB20
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Cabasse Swell
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Tribit Stormbox
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Sony SRS-XE300
- See all 74 comparisons
Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4: $200 Amazon $200 eBay
Older model: the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 (ranked higher, rated 3/5). See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Same family: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 (smaller model, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5) and the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 (smaller model, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5).
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and finally uses USB-C charging. 20 hour battery life. ‘PartyUp’ feature syncs multiple UE speakers together.
Cons: A lot of distortion at higher volumes. Rolled off treble. Not very loud. They really screwed this up
Full Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.4” x 3.4” x 8.9” (87 x 87 x 225 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50x50mm full-range + 2x 55x86mm passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 91dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Ultimate Ears MegaBoom 4 vs Sony ULT Field 1 😧 $200 vs $128 Cylinder Bluetooth Speaker Matchup More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Ultimate Ears MegaBoom 4 vs W-King D320 🔋Does Paying More Get You Less? 😧
- Smart Home Sounds: UE Everboom Review PLUS All-New Wonderboom 4, Boom 4 & Megaboom 4 More from Smart Home Sounds →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 vs DOSS Soundbox
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 vs Oontz Angle 3
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 vs DOSS Soundbox Pro
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 vs Zealot S61
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 vs Skullcandy Terrain XT
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 vs Skullcandy Terrain
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 vs Altec Lansing Lifejacket 2
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 vs Skullcandy Terrain XL
- See all 110 comparisons