Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Epicboom, if you are buying new. The Vifa Helsinki ranks higher than it (#1 vs #84 of 115 large speakers, 4.8/5 vs 2.9/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Ultimate Ears Epicboom is still sold new at $228.59.
The Ultimate Ears Epicboom is the longer-running, tougher choice. 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 8 for the Vifa Helsinki. It is rated IPX7, while the Vifa Helsinki has no water resistance. Watch for: Not very deep bass for the size.
The Vifa Helsinki is the better-sounding, deeper-bass choice. A superb sounding battery powered speaker, with exceptionally clean mids and treble, now discontinued but worth buying used. Its bass reaches about 48Hz before falling 10dB, against 55Hz for the Ultimate Ears Epicboom. At 3.1 lbs (1.4 kg) it weighs noticeably less than the Ultimate Ears Epicboom at 4.3 lbs (1.97 kg). It supports aptX Bluetooth, which the Ultimate Ears Epicboom lacks. The tradeoff: No TWS pairing, looks like a purse, requires a hacked Vifa app (Android only post #48) to enable night mode to sound good.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Epicboom new; the Vifa Helsinki is no longer sold new, so it only makes sense as a used find.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
A rugged, floating waterproof speaker made mostly from recycled materials, with long Bluetooth range and USB-C charging.
A superb sounding battery powered speaker, with exceptionally clean mids and treble, now discontinued but worth buying used.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears Epicboom | Vifa Helsinki | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $228.59 | $449.00 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #84 of 115 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #1 of 115 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~55Hz | 48Hz |
| Battery Life | 17 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 4.3 lbs (1.97 kg) | 3.1 lbs (1.4 kg) |
| App | No | No (official app is broken, 3rd party android app only) |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | aptX, SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | None |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Yes | Partially (shared woofer) |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 4.1 |
| Drivers | 1x 120mm woofer, 2x 45mm tweeters | 2x 50mm fullrange, 2x 66mm woofers + 2x passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 4.7” x 9.5” x 6.4” (119 x 241 x 162 mm) | 6.1” x 8.3” x 2.8” (156 x 210 x 70 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 58Hz - 18kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 10W RMS | 50W |
| Maximum SPL | 94dB (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | Yes (built-in strap) |
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