Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2. It ranks #86 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $80; the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 ranks #120 and costs $200, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
What the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 offers: IP67 rated and floats. Compact and light enough to toss in a bag. Watch for: 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.
What the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 offers: 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. Watch for: Bass is weak, vocal and instrument separation is underwhelming and sounds tinny at high volume
Buy the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
The Harman Kardon Esquire 2 is not a sound-quality pick. It sits near the bottom of the 136 medium speakers; there are better options higher up.
There is a real gap in water resistance: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 at IP67 (brief submersion) against the Harman Kardon Esquire 2, which has IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 | Harman Kardon Esquire 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $80 | $200 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #86 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #120 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 82Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Max Volume | 88dB | - |
| 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 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 | - |
| EQ | No | - |
| Built in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Power Bank | - | Yes (USB-A) |
| Aux Input | - | Yes |
| Output Power | - | 16W |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4
- JBL Charge 6 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Soundcore Glow vs Harman Kardon Esquire 2
- JBL Charge 3 vs Harman Kardon Esquire 2
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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 eBay
Pros: IP67 rated and floats. Compact and light enough to toss in a bag.
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 →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 82Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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 |
| Max Volume | 88dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs / 420 g |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
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- 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
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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 →
| Aux Input | Yes |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 4x 1.25" (32mm) full-range drivers |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 16W |
| 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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