Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #111 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality (rated 2.9/5) at $80 and is still sold new; the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 ranks #155 (rated 2.3/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 175 medium speakers; for better sound, the EarFun Uboom L ranks #2 at $49.79.
The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 is the better-sounding, longer-running option. IP67 rated and floats. It is rated for 12 hours of battery against 8 for the Harman Kardon Esquire 2. It is rated IP67 against IPX4 for the Harman Kardon Esquire 2. The catch: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble.
Why pick the Harman Kardon Esquire 2: Doubles as a conferencing speakerphone with a 4-mic array and noise/echo cancellation. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 lacks. The catch: Bass is weak, vocal and instrument separation is underwhelming and sounds tinny at high volume.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2. It is rated higher for sound quality; the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 is no longer sold new.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 | Harman Kardon Esquire 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $80 | $200 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #111 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #155 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 82Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 88dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Power Input | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | No |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (420 g) | 0.8 lbs (0.35 kg) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX4 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 4.1 |
| Dimensions | 4.1” x 3.8” (104 x 95.3 mm) | 7.5” x 5.1” x 1.3” (190 x 130 x 34 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators | 4x 1.25” (32mm) full-range drivers |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Party Mode | No | - |
| App | No | No |
| EQ | No | No |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | - |
| Power Bank | - | Yes (USB-A) |
| Amplifier Power | - | 16W |
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Prices on this page were last checked October 12, 2026 at 4:13 PM 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 Wonderboom 2: $80 Amazon $80 eBay
Newer model: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5, released Jun 2024.
Older model: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5). See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Pros: IP67 rated and floats. Compact and light enough to toss in a bag. Measured bass extension of 82Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. Slightly boosted 93Hz upper bass Dip at 9kHz. 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 2019. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2019 (7 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 82Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.1” x 3.8” (104 x 95.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 88dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (420 g) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: The biggest upgrade since time began! 💪 More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: UE Wonderboom 2 review and sound test - vs Flip 5 - Flip 4
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Flare 2 - mega 360 degree speaker shootout!
- Danny Pops: MICRO SPEAKERS - my take on JBL Clip 4 VS Wonderboom 2 VS Bose Micro More from DannyPops →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs LG Xboom Grab
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Klipsch Groove
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Harman Kardon Esquire 2: $200 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Doubles as a conferencing speakerphone with a 4-mic array and noise/echo cancellation. Flat, compact design packs easily. USB charge-out for topping off a phone.
Cons: Bass is weak, vocal and instrument separation is underwhelming and sounds tinny at high volume. Discontinued.
Full Harman Kardon Esquire 2 review and specifications →
| Released | 2015 (11 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 16W |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.5” x 5.1” x 1.3” (190 x 130 x 34 mm) |
| Drivers | 4x 1.25” (32mm) full-range drivers |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (0.35 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Sony SRS-XE200
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