Short answer: the KEF Muo gen2. It ranks #97 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.1/5, at $249.99. The Ultimate Ears Boom 3 ranks #114, rated 2.9/5, at $134.99, $115 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
The KEF Muo gen2 is the longer-running pick. KEF seemed to have fixed the rolled off treble and overall balance. It is rated for 24 hours of battery against 15 for the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It supports aptX Adaptive Bluetooth, which the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 lacks. It charges over USB-C rather than Micro USB. Watch for: Lacking deeper bass.
What the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 does well: 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. Watch for: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble.
Buy the KEF Muo gen2. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $115 saving on the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is not enough to make up the difference.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| KEF Muo gen2 | Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $249.99 | $134.99 |
| Ranked | #97 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #114 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX Adaptive up to 48 kHz 24 bit | SBC |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 1.6 lbs (740 g) | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 4.2 |
| Drivers | 1x 58x117mm racetrack woofer, 1x 20mm tweeter | 2x 2” active drivers + 2x 2” x 4” passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 8.5” x 3.2” x 2.3” (216 x 82 x 59 mm) | 7.2” x 2.9” (184 x 73 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 43Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | - |
| Maximum SPL | 90dB (Manufacturer specified) | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (via app) |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 91Hz |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
| Strap | - | Yes (built-in loop) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs KEF Muo gen2
- Denon Envaya DSB-250BT vs KEF Muo gen2
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.
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The Two Speakers In Full
KEF Muo gen2: $249.99 Amazon $249.99 eBay
Pros: KEF seemed to have fixed the rolled off treble and overall balance
Cons: Lacking deeper bass. Very thuddy bass. Appears to be the exact same hardware but with updated tuning. Bass distorts as volume increases, and the claimed 43Hz extension is really only audible at low listening volumes, with a few seconds of lag after volume changes. Loses most of its bass off-axis. Customer reviews are mixed, ranging from praise for detail at low volume to complaints of a boxy, hollow sound.
Full KEF Muo gen2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX Adaptive up to 48 kHz 24 bit |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 8.5” x 3.2” x 2.3” (216 x 82 x 59 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 58x117mm racetrack woofer, 1x 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 43Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 90dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.6 lbs (740 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $134.99 Amazon $134.99 eBay
Newer model: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5, released Jun 2024. See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
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 →
| Released | Sep 2018 (8 years ago) |
|---|---|
| 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
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
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- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
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- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
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