Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4. It ranks #84 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $59.99; 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 gets right: Soft-touch rubber coating is comfortable to hold and tough enough for bumps and scrapes. The tradeoff: Boosted bass on Color II.
What the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 offers: Small size. Set against that: Bass isn’t as deep as the top-ranked speakers and is a little thuddy.
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 4. 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 4 is rated for 14 hours versus 8 hours for the Bose SoundLink Color II.
If water resistance matters to you, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 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 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $139.00 Discontinued | $59.99 |
| Ranked | #98 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #84 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 | USB-C |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | - |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | - |
| Max Volume | - | 87dB |
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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 |
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Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4: $59.99 Amazon
Pros: Small size.
Cons: Bass isn’t as deep as the top-ranked speakers and is a little thuddy. Not much improvement over the previous Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 besides the USB-C charging port.
Full Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | |
| 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 | USB-C |
| 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
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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