Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom. It ranks #87 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $79; the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 ranks #89 and costs $109, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom offers: IP67 rated and floats. Watch for: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble.
On the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 side: Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp. Set against that: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is rated for 15 hours versus 10 hours for the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom.
Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears Wonderboom | Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79 Discontinued | $109.00 |
| Ranked | #87 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #89 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Input | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs / 425 g | 1.3 lbs / 608 g |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Drivers | 2x 1.6" active drivers + 2x 1.8" x 2.6" passive radiators | 2x 2" active drivers + 2x 2" x 4" passive radiators |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| App | No | - |
| EQ | No | Yes (via app) |
| Built in Microphone | No | No |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 91Hz |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | - | 7.2" x 2.9" (184 x 73 mm) |
| Max Volume | - | 87dB |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
The Two Speakers In Full
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom: $79 Discontinued
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 |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- 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 Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs LG Xboom Grab
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Sony SRS-XE300
Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $109.00 Amazon
Pros: Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. 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 2021. Lots of mentions of failing batteries on amazon. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 3 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2" x 2.9" (184 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2" active drivers + 2x 2" x 4" passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 87dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 608 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Tribit Stormbox
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- See all 12 comparisons