Short answer: the Sonos Play if sound quality matters most, the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 if price matters most. The Sonos Play ranks #50 of 142 medium speakers at $299. The Ultimate Ears Boom 3 ranks #92 at $149.99, $149.01 cheaper.
What the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 offers: 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. 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.
What the Sonos Play offers: Genuinely wide, clean stereo dispersion off-axis thanks to the two angled tweeters, holding up from the side far better than most portables. Loudness processing keeps it sounding full-bodied at low volume. 24-hour user-replaceable battery with an included wireless charging base, IP67 waterproof and dustproof, and full Sonos WiFi multi-room with AirPlay 2 on top of Bluetooth 5.3. Watch for: Bass distorts noticeably on bass-heavy tracks at default settings, and the distortion persists even after enabling Trueplay tuning and manually pulling bass back in the app. Sounds boxy and short on clarity next to cheaper competitors.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 when the price outweighs sound quality for you, and the Sonos Play when sound quality outweighs the price instead.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Sonos Play is rated for 24 hours, the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 only 15 hours.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | Sonos Play | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $149.99 | $299.00 |
| Ranked | #92 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #50 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | No |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (608 g) | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 7.2" x 2.9" (184 x 73 mm) | 7.6" x 4.4" x 3" (192.3 x 112.5 x 76.7 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2" active drivers + 2x 2" x 4" passive radiators | mid-woofer, 2x angled tweeters |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (via app) | No |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| App | - | Yes |
| Amplifier Power | - | Specs not published by manufacturer |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Sonos Play compares with other leading options:
- Earfun Uboom L vs Sonos Play
- Sonos Play vs Soundcore Motion 300
- Minirig 4 vs Sonos Play
- B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen vs Sonos Play
- Sonos Play vs JBL Charge 6
Prices on this page were last checked September 16, 2026 at 12:41 AM 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
Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $149.99 Amazon eBay
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 →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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 |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
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Sonos Play: $299.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Genuinely wide, clean stereo dispersion off-axis thanks to the two angled tweeters, holding up from the side far better than most portables. Loudness processing keeps it sounding full-bodied at low volume. 24-hour user-replaceable battery with an included wireless charging base, IP67 waterproof and dustproof, and full Sonos WiFi multi-room with AirPlay 2 on top of Bluetooth 5.3.
Cons: Bass distorts noticeably on bass-heavy tracks at default settings, and the distortion persists even after enabling Trueplay tuning and manually pulling bass back in the app. Sounds boxy and short on clarity next to cheaper competitors.
Full Sonos Play review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | Specs not published by manufacturer |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.6" x 4.4" x 3" (192.3 x 112.5 x 76.7 mm) |
| Drivers | mid-woofer, 2x angled tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons