Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3. It ranks #85 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $79.99; the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 ranks #120 and costs $200, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 offers: IP67 rated, floats, and is rated to survive a 5 ft drop onto hard surfaces. 14 hour battery - longer than the Wonderboom 2. Watch for: Not stereo, barely any bass. Boosted 93hz upper bass. Cuts bass heavily at high volume. 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 2022. 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 3. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
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.
If battery life is a priority, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 is rated for 14 hours versus 8 hours for the Harman Kardon Esquire 2.
There is a real gap in water resistance: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 at IP67 (brief submersion) against the Harman Kardon Esquire 2, which has IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 | Harman Kardon Esquire 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 | $200 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #85 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #120 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 76Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 166ms | - |
| Max Volume | 87dB | - |
| 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 | 5.2 | 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 (46.1 x 65.2mm) | 4x 1.25" (32mm) full-range drivers |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Party Mode | No | - |
| App | No | - |
| EQ | No | - |
| Built in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Output Power | - | 16W |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4
- JBL Charge 6 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Harman Kardon Esquire 2
- Soundcore Motion+ 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 3: $79.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and is rated to survive a 5 ft drop onto hard surfaces. 14 hour battery - longer than the Wonderboom 2.
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass. Boosted 93hz upper bass. Cuts bass heavily at high volume. 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 2022. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 76Hz |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 166ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| 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 (46.1 x 65.2mm) |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 87dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs / 420 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: The biggest upgrade since time began! 💪 More from alanrossreviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: JBL Flip 6 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 (Indoor Mode)⚔️ Battle of the Handheld Bluetooth Speakers. More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Flow has deeper bass than the Bose Flex but………..
- Danny Pops: Best Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker? Wonderboom 3 VS Sony XB-13 More from DannyPops →
- Reddit Search for Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs LG Xboom Grab
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
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- See all 74 comparisons
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
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs LG Xboom XG5
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Ultimate Ears Roll 2
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs LG Xboom Go PL5
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Sony SRS-XE200
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini+
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs W-King D8 Mini
- See all 71 comparisons