Short answer: the Brane X for better sound quality, the Ultimate Ears Epicboom for the lower price. The Brane X ranks #4 of 78 large speakers at $500. The Ultimate Ears Epicboom ranks #58 at $213.41, $286.59 cheaper.
What the Ultimate Ears Epicboom offers: 17 hour battery with USB-C charging (first UE portable with USB-C). IP67 rating, floats in water. Made mostly from recycled fabric and plastic. Large best-sounding UE portable that still feels portable. 180ft Bluetooth range. Watch for: Not very deep bass for the size. Gets distorted at around 70-80% with bass thuds.
What the Brane X offers: The Brane X pairs a dedicated RAD subwoofer with two midrange drivers and two tweeters to achieve extraordinary low bass for a 3.5kg portable: its measured -10dB extension is 31Hz. Independent testing finds it loud, with well-balanced mids, a smooth treble balance and useful bass-level controls; Wi-Fi, AirPlay, Alexa, quality Bluetooth codecs and low-latency aux pass-through make it unusually versatile. Watch for: The front-facing design has only moderate dispersion, so sound changes noticeably off to the sides or behind it. Bass response shifts at maximum volume, the default aux mode has very high latency, and some listeners find the upper register edgy or need EQ to achieve their preferred balance. Its claimed 12-hour runtime and premium cost make it more of a compact high-end system than a carefree all-day speaker.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Epicboom when the price outweighs sound quality for you, and the Brane X when sound quality outweighs the price instead.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears Epicboom | Brane X | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $213.41 | $500 |
| Ranked | #58 of 78 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #4 of 78 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~55Hz | 31Hz |
| Battery Life | 17 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 4.3 lbs (1.97 kg) | 7.7 lbs (3.5 kg) |
| App | No | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | aptX HD, aptX, AAC, SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP57 |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Brane app, up to 8 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | - |
| Drivers | 1x 120mm woofer, 2x 45mm tweeters | 2x 2.5" midrange, 2x 0.75" tweeters + 6.5"x9" subwoofer |
| Dimensions | 4.7" x 9.5" x 6.4" (119 x 241 x 162 mm) | 9.3" x 7" x 6.1" (236 x 178 x 155 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 30Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 10W RMS | 200W |
| Maximum SPL | 94dB (Manufacturer specified) | 106dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Aux Latency | - | 295ms default, 33ms with aux pass-through |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 100ms |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
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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 Epicboom: $213.41 Amazon eBay
Pros: 17 hour battery with USB-C charging (first UE portable with USB-C). IP67 rating, floats in water. Made mostly from recycled fabric and plastic. Large best-sounding UE portable that still feels portable. 180ft Bluetooth range. Measured bass extension of ~55Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not very deep bass for the size. Gets distorted at around 70-80% with bass thuds.
Full Ultimate Ears Epicboom review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 10W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~55Hz |
| Battery Life | 17 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.7" x 9.5" x 6.4" (119 x 241 x 162 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 120mm woofer, 2x 45mm tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 94dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 4.3 lbs (1.97 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Bass Check 💣 Treblab HD-360, Ultimate Ears EpicBoom, Marshall Middleton & JBL Pulse 5. Boom or Bust? More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: $350 Ultimate Ears EpicBoom gets Epic Beat-Down 😮by $120 Soundcore Rave Neo 2. Bluetooth Speaker KO🤛
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Bose SoundLink Max vs. Ultimate Ears EpicBoom 🤑Big Bucks No Whammies? 💣 Let’s Find Out 😧
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Brane X: $500 Amazon eBay
Pros: The Brane X pairs a dedicated RAD subwoofer with two midrange drivers and two tweeters to achieve extraordinary low bass for a 3.5kg portable: its measured -10dB extension is 31Hz. Independent testing finds it loud, with well-balanced mids, a smooth treble balance and useful bass-level controls; Wi-Fi, AirPlay, Alexa, quality Bluetooth codecs and low-latency aux pass-through make it unusually versatile. Measured bass extension of 31Hz (-10dB).
Cons: The front-facing design has only moderate dispersion, so sound changes noticeably off to the sides or behind it. Bass response shifts at maximum volume, the default aux mode has very high latency, and some listeners find the upper register edgy or need EQ to achieve their preferred balance. Its claimed 12-hour runtime and premium cost make it more of a compact high-end system than a carefree all-day speaker.
Full Brane X review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 200W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 295ms default, 33ms with aux pass-through |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 31Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX HD, aptX, AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 100ms |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.3" x 7" x 6.1" (236 x 178 x 155 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2.5" midrange, 2x 0.75" tweeters + 6.5"x9" subwoofer |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 30Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP57 |
| Maximum SPL | 106dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Brane app, up to 8 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 7.7 lbs (3.5 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: This speaker left me shocked! Brane X, they said it defies the laws of physics! More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Brane X vs JBL Xtreme 5: Maximum Bass, No Mercy
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Boombox 4 HUMILIATES Brane X?! Ultimate Bass Battle!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Minirig 2.1 or the Brane X or the Harman Kardon Go Play 3?
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- mark: Brane X Speaker Review
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