Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #109 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality (rated 2.9/5) at $74.50 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, and the EarFun Uboom L, ranked #2 at $49.79, is a better place to start if sound quality matters.
The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 is the better-sounding, longer-running choice. It is rated for 14 hours of battery against 8 for the Harman Kardon Esquire 2. It is rated IP67 against IPX4 for the Harman Kardon Esquire 2. It charges over USB-C rather than Micro USB. The catch: Bass isn’t as deep as the top-ranked speakers and is a little thuddy.
What the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 does well: 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 4 lacks. Watch for: Bass is weak, vocal and instrument separation is underwhelming and sounds tinny at high volume.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 is discontinued, so it is only available used.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 | Harman Kardon Esquire 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $74.50 | $200 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #109 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #155 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 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) | 0.8 lbs (0.35 kg) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX4 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | No |
| EQ | No | No |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | - |
| Amplifier Power | - | 16W |
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- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Soundcore Motion 300
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Soundcore Motion+
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
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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 4: $74.50 Amazon $74.50 eBay
Older models: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5), the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5) and the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5). See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Same family: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 (larger model, ranked lower, rated 2.9/5) and the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 (larger model, ranked lower, rated 2.1/5).
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 →
| Released | Jun 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| 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 138 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 →
| 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
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Ultimate Ears Roll 2
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs LG Xboom XG5
- 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 Zealot S61
- See all 72 comparisons