Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3. It ranks #85 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $79.99; the Bose SoundLink Color II ranks #98 and costs $139, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Bose SoundLink Color II offers: Soft-touch rubber coating is comfortable to hold and tough enough for bumps and scrapes. Set against that: Boosted bass on Color II.
The case for the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3: IP67 rated, floats, and is rated to survive a 5 ft drop onto hard surfaces. The catch: Not stereo, barely any bass.
One note: the Bose SoundLink Color II is discontinued, but it still ranks #98 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality, ahead of most of what is still sold new, so it is worth considering used.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Bose SoundLink Color II and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 is rated for 14 hours versus 8 hours for the Bose SoundLink Color II.
If water resistance matters to you, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Bose SoundLink Color II at IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose SoundLink Color II | Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $139.00 Discontinued | $79.99 |
| Ranked | #98 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #85 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 600 g | 0.9 lbs / 420 g |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 5.2" x 5" x 2.2" (132 x 127 x 56 mm) | 4.1" x 3.8" (104 x 95.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm full-range drivers | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators (46.1 x 65.2mm) |
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) | No |
| EQ | No | No |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Power Input | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 76Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 166ms |
| Max Volume | - | 87dB |
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More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Marshall Emberton II
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Soundcore Flare 2
The Two Speakers In Full
Bose SoundLink Color II: $139.00 Discontinued Amazon
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 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) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| 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 |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3: $79.99 Amazon
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and is rated to survive a 5 ft drop onto hard surfaces. 14 hour battery - longer than the Wonderboom 2.
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass. Boosted 93hz upper bass. Cuts bass heavily at high volume. 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 2022. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 76Hz |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 166ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.1" x 3.8" (104 x 95.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators (46.1 x 65.2mm) |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 87dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs / 420 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: The biggest upgrade since time began! 💪 More from alanrossreviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: JBL Flip 6 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 (Indoor Mode)⚔️ Battle of the Handheld Bluetooth Speakers. More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Flow has deeper bass than the Bose Flex but………..
- Danny Pops: Best Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker? Wonderboom 3 VS Sony XB-13 More from DannyPops →
- Reddit Search for Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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