Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #89 of 144 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 2.9/5, at $59.99; the Altec Lansing Lifejacket 2 ranks #143, rated 2.0/5, and costs $69.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 144 medium speakers; for better sound, the Earfun Uboom L ranks #1 at $49.79.
Why pick the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4: Small size. The catch: Bass isn’t as deep as the top-ranked speakers and is a little thuddy.
The case for the Altec Lansing Lifejacket 2: Tank-like build quality - reviewers have frozen it, dropped it, and buried it in sand with no issues. The tradeoff: Barely any bass, “pathetic sounding” said Jay’s Reviews of the line generally.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Altec Lansing Lifejacket 2 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
If battery life is a priority, the Altec Lansing Lifejacket 2 is rated for 30 hours versus 14 hours for the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 | Altec Lansing Lifejacket 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $59.99 | $69.99 |
| Ranked | #89 of 144 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #143 of 144 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | No |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (420 g) | 2.7 lbs (1.22 kg) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | - |
| Dimensions | 4.1” x 3.8” (104 x 95.3 mm) | 8.6” x 4.2” x 4.6” (218 x 107 x 117 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators (46.1 x 65.2mm) | 4.5” (114mm) woofer |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Party Mode | No | - |
| App | No | - |
| EQ | No | - |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Power Bank | No | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | Yes (mounting clip) |
| Amplifier Power | - | 10W |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4:
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Earfun Uboom L
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Soundcore Motion 300
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Soundcore Motion+
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Minirig 4
Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 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 4: $59.99 Amazon eBay
Older models: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 (rated 2.9/5), the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 (rated 2.9/5) and the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom (rated 2.9/5).
Pros: Small size.
Cons: Bass isn’t as deep as the top-ranked speakers and is a little thuddy. Not much improvement over the previous Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 besides the USB-C charging port.
Full Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| 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 |
| Maximum SPL | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (420 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs LG Xboom Grab
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Soundcore 2
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Tribit Stormbox 2
- See all 112 comparisons
Altec Lansing Lifejacket 2: $69.99 Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Altec Lansing Lifejacket 3, rated 2/5.
Pros: Tank-like build quality - reviewers have frozen it, dropped it, and buried it in sand with no issues. IP67 rated; doubles as a power bank. Universal mounting clip for a bike, kayak, or backpack. Built-in speakerphone with voice-confirmed caller ID.
Cons: Barely any bass, “pathetic sounding” said Jay’s Reviews of the line generally. Gets distorted with a lot of bass. No true wireless stereo pairing between two units, unlike the Lifejacket 3. Only available used now.
Full Altec Lansing Lifejacket 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 10W |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.6” x 4.2” x 4.6” (218 x 107 x 117 mm) |
| Drivers | 4.5” (114mm) woofer |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Bank | Yes |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (mounting clip) |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 2.7 lbs (1.22 kg) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Altec Lansing Lifejacket 2 vs Altec Lansing Lifejacket 3
- Altec Lansing Lifejacket 2 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4
- Altec Lansing Lifejacket 2 vs Marshall Emberton II
- Altec Lansing Lifejacket 2 vs Marshall Emberton III
- Altec Lansing Lifejacket 2 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Altec Lansing Lifejacket 2 vs Tribit Stormbox 2
- Altec Lansing Lifejacket 2 vs Sony ULT Field 1
- Altec Lansing Lifejacket 2 vs JBL Grip
- See all 12 comparisons