Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 for better sound quality, the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove for the lower price. The Ultimate Ears Boom 3 ranks #89 of 136 medium speakers at $109. The Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove ranks #90 at $89, $20 cheaper.
The case for the Ultimate Ears Boom 3: 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. The tradeoff: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble.
On the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove side: Pretty balanced sound. Set against that: Not stereo.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove if the price matters more than sound quality.
If battery life is a priority, the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is rated for 15 hours versus 8 hours for the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove.
If water resistance matters to you, the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove at IPX4 (Groove), none (Heritage Groove) (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $109.00 | $89.00 |
| Ranked | #89 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #90 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes | - |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | No |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 608 g | 1.7 lbs / 770 g |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX4 (Groove), none (Heritage Groove) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 4.0 |
| Dimensions | 7.2" x 2.9" (184 x 73 mm) | 5" x 6" x 2.6" (127 x 152 x 67 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2" active drivers + 2x 2" x 4" passive radiators | 1x 3" full-range driver + 2x side-firing passive radiators |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| EQ | Yes (via app) | No |
| Built in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Max Volume | 87dB | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | - | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC |
| App | - | No |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Output Power | - | 10W RMS |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
The Two Speakers In Full
Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $109.00 Amazon
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
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 →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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 |
| Max Volume | 87dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 608 g |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Tribit Stormbox
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- See all 12 comparisons
Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove: $89.00 Amazon
Pros: Pretty balanced sound. Distinctive mid-century design with real wood veneer and a woven grille, unlike most plastic/rubber portables. ~8 hour battery life.
Cons: Not stereo. Bass doesn’t go as deep as others its size. Gets distorted at higher levels. Wouldn’t generally recommend these old speakers as they can’t compete with modern speakers for bass performance and features.
Full Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 5" x 6" x 2.6" (127 x 152 x 67 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 3" full-range driver + 2x side-firing passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX4 (Groove), none (Heritage Groove) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 10W RMS |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 770 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Tribit Stormbox
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Yamaha True X Speaker 1A