Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom. It ranks #87 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $79; the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 ranks #120 and costs $200, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom offers: IP67 rated and floats. Compact, light, and simple to use. Watch for: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. Dip at 9khz. Low mid bass distortion. 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. 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.
Water resistance is not close: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom is rated at IPX7 (brief submersion), well ahead of the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 at IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears Wonderboom | Harman Kardon Esquire 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79 Discontinued | $200 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #87 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #120 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Input | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | No |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs / 425 g | 0.8 lbs / 0.35 kg |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX4 |
| Drivers | 2x 1.6" active drivers + 2x 1.8" x 2.6" passive radiators | 4x 1.25" (32mm) full-range drivers |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Party Mode | No | - |
| App | No | - |
| EQ | No | - |
| Built in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Discontinued | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 4.1 |
| Dimensions | - | 7.5" x 5.1" x 1.3" (190 x 130 x 34 mm) |
| Power Bank | - | Yes (USB-A) |
| Aux Input | - | Yes |
| Output Power | - | 16W |
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- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4
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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: $79 Discontinued eBay
Pros: IP67 rated and floats. Compact, light, and simple to use.
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. Dip at 9khz. Low mid bass distortion. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear. Discontinued.
Full Ultimate Ears Wonderboom review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 1.6" active drivers + 2x 1.8" x 2.6" passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs / 425 g |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
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- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 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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