Short answer: the Brane X. It ranks #4 of 115 large speakers by sound quality, rated 4.6/5, at $549. The Ultimate Ears Epicboom ranks #84, rated 2.9/5, at $228.59, $320.41 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
The Ultimate Ears Epicboom is the longer-running, lighter option. A rugged, floating waterproof speaker made mostly from recycled materials, with long Bluetooth range and USB-C charging. It is rated for 17 hours of battery against 12 for the Brane X. At 4.3 lbs (1.97 kg) it weighs much less than the Brane X at 7.7 lbs (3.5 kg). Watch for: Not very deep bass for the size.
The Brane X is the better-sounding, deeper-bass choice. A portable speaker with extraordinarily deep bass for its size, plus Wi-Fi, AirPlay, Alexa and a low latency aux input. Its bass reaches about 31Hz before falling 10dB, against 55Hz for the Ultimate Ears Epicboom. It supports aptX HD Bluetooth, which the Ultimate Ears Epicboom lacks. It links with other speakers (Brane app, up to 8 speakers), which the Ultimate Ears Epicboom cannot. Watch for: The front-facing design has only moderate dispersion, so sound changes noticeably off to the sides or behind it.
Buy the Brane X. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $320.41 you would save on the Ultimate Ears Epicboom does not close the gap.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
A rugged, floating waterproof speaker made mostly from recycled materials, with long Bluetooth range and USB-C charging.
A portable speaker with extraordinarily deep bass for its size, plus Wi-Fi, AirPlay, Alexa and a low latency aux input.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears Epicboom | Brane X | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $228.59 | $549.00 |
| Ranked | #84 of 115 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #4 of 115 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 | Yes (Brane app) |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | aptX HD, aptX, AAC, SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes (5 band) |
| 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 | 5.1 |
| 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 |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | No |
| Aux Latency | - | 295ms default, 33ms with aux pass-through |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 100ms |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa |
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