Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3. It ranks #85 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $79.99; the Soundcore Flare 2 ranks #105 and costs $80, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the Soundcore Flare 2: Try Alan Ross’s EQ for it. The catch: Rolled off treble.
On the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 side: IP67 rated, floats, and is rated to survive a 5 ft drop onto hard surfaces. Watch for: Not stereo, barely any bass.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Soundcore Flare 2 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Soundcore Flare 2. It ranks near the bottom of the 136 medium speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Flare 2 | Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $80 | $79.99 |
| Ranked | #105 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #85 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | 76Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Latency | 80ms | 166ms |
| Max Volume | 99dB | 87dB |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 600 g | 0.9 lbs / 420 g |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Drivers | 2x full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators (46.1 x 65.2mm) |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Output Power | 20W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Dimensions | - | 4.1" x 3.8" (104 x 95.3 mm) |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Aux Input | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- JBL Charge 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Teufel Rockster Go vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- JBL Charge 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
The Two Speakers In Full
Soundcore Flare 2: $80 Amazon
Pros: Try Alan Ross’s EQ for it
Cons: Rolled off treble. Thuddy bass. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Soundcore Flare 2 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 80ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Drivers | 2x full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 99dB |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Output Power | 20W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| 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
- Soundcore Flare 2 vs Sony SRS-XB30
- Soundcore Flare 2 vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Soundcore Flare 2 vs B&O Beosound Explore
- Soundcore Flare 2 vs Marshall Emberton II
- Soundcore Flare 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini+
- Soundcore Flare 2 vs Sony SRS-XE200
- Soundcore Flare 2 vs Marshall Emberton III
- Soundcore Flare 2 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- See all 17 comparisons
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
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs LG Xboom Grab
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Soundcore 2
- See all 27 comparisons