Short answer: the Tribit Stormbox Flow. It ranks #49 of 135 medium speakers by sound quality at $60; the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 ranks #88 and costs $84.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the Ultimate Ears Boom 3: Rich, warm bass without muddying the mix, crisp highs, a rugged IP67 fabric shell that floats, roughly 15 hours of battery life, stable Bluetooth, and PartyUp lets you chain up to 150 speakers together. The catch: it’s not stereo, bass is thin with recessed treble, it still ships with an inexcusable micro USB port for a 2021 release, there are numerous reports of failing batteries, and it isn’t a true 360 speaker since sound only fires front and rear.
What the Tribit Stormbox Flow gets right: Up to 30 hours of battery life, roughly double most rivals, an IP67 rating with a carry handle, the ability to pair with a second Flow for stereo, and a USB-C port that can charge your phone. Set against that: it’s not stereo on its own, midrange and bass are recessed about 4dB below 700Hz, it needs XBass mode to avoid sounding like a clock radio, the custom EQ can’t push bass fully neutral, and even after the firmware 1.2.3 fix for distortion, bass still sounds wobbly and uncontrolled.
Buy the Tribit Stormbox Flow. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the Tribit Stormbox Flow is rated for 30 hours versus 15 hours for the Ultimate Ears Boom 3.
Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | Tribit Stormbox Flow | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $84.99 | $60 |
| Ranked | #88 of 135 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #49 of 135 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz | 47Hz |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) | - |
| Power Input | Micro USB | - |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 608 g | 1.4 lbs / 657 g |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 7.2" x 2.9" (184 x 73 mm) | 7.9" x 3.6" x 2.1" (200 x 91 x 53 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2" active drivers + 2x 2" x 4" passive radiators | 60W: 2x 30mm drivers + passive radiators |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| EQ | Yes (via app) | Yes |
| Built in Microphone | No | - |
| Max Volume | 87dB | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| App | - | Yes |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 400ms aac, 200ms sbc |
| Frequency Response | - | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | - | 25W |
The Two Speakers In Full
Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $84.99 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 |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 608 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Tribit Stormbox Flow: $60 Amazon
Pros: Up to 30 hours of battery life - roughly double most rivals (~20-24 hrs with XBass on). IP67 rated with a loose handle for carrying/hanging. Pairs with a second Flow for stereo; USB-C port charges your phone too.
Cons: Not stereo. Midrange and bass are weirdly recessed about 4db below 700hz. You need xbass mode for it to not sound like a clock radio with missing bass. You also can’t turn up the bass enough in the custom EQ modes to get it neutral, so it will sound bass light. Firmware 1.2.3 fixes the distortion issues with xbass mode on, but bass still sounds wobbly and uncontrolled.
Full Tribit Stormbox Flow review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 47Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 400ms aac, 200ms sbc |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.9" x 3.6" x 2.1" (200 x 91 x 53 mm) |
| Drivers | 60W: 2x 30mm drivers + passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Output Power | 25W |
| Stereo | No |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs / 657 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Flow has deeper bass than the Bose Flex but………..
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Flow firmware update 1.2.3 game changing moment in portable bluetooth history!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Flow firmware update 1.2.5 - stuff gets fixed ✔
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit Stormbox Flow vs XSound Mega - Sound Comparison, Stock EQ, Both Mono Sound 😶🌫️ A Family Feud
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit Stormbox Flow vs Soundcore Motion 300 (LDAC) 😵 Budget Bose Soundlink Flex “Inspired” Speakers
- Oluv Patreon: Tribit Stormbox Flow - after firmware update
- Oluv Patreon: Tribit Stormbox Flow - sound demo
- Reddit Search for Tribit Stormbox Flow Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons