Bluetooth Speakers – it’s a category that can give smartphones a run for their money in terms of the sheer volume of launches. Logitech’s Ultimate Ears is one of the brands that we’ve kept up with. The brand has combined superior acoustics, funky design and an all-weather proof form factor. The design has probably the key differentiator – the brand has not shied away from experimenting with shapes and colours. The BOOM Series has been one of the brand’s more straight-cut, designs with a clean, minimalist design language. The BOOM 3 is the latest chapter in the BOOM story and aims to make a big impact in the Rs 15,000 – Rs 20,000 price band.
This price band is quite competitive and addresses consumers who are willing to spend a little extra for a Bluetooth speaker but have great expectations in terms of output and sound quality. If you’re familiar with the UE range of products, you will dig the subtle changes that the BOOM 3 brings. We like the stunning two-toned high-performance fabric – the BOOM 3 comes in a choice of three colour variants including a funky sunset red and a more subtle Night Black. The other change is what Ultimate Ears calls a Magic Button. This versatile button offers a host of music controls – you won’t need to keep hunting for your phone to run your device. Even if you did, the redesigned Ultimate Ears App (available on both iOS and Android) is quite intuitive with easy navigation. We tried the magic button with iOS app and it offers easy, one-touch access to your favourite playlists on Apple Music.
One of the things we’ve come to expect from Ultimate Ears’ premium products is a device that is ready to take on the elements. The BOOM 3 is IP67 certified. You can toss them in the pool, drop them and drive through desert terrain with this device. I took it to the shower and it survived all that splashing without a fuss. The App doesn’t just offer a choice of Equaliser options but also makes pairing the device a breeze.
The ultimate test for a Bluetooth Speaker is sound quality and output and the BOOM 3 punches way above its weight in this department. I tried a variety of audio tracks from tracks from my Imagine Dragons playlist to my late night easy listening tracks. The audio quality remained consistent even as I turned on BBC News. Each speaker has a carefully balance audio and 360-degree sound.
The other key purchase driver is battery life. It’s quite common for premium Bluetooth speakers to offer close to 24 hours of battery life. Ultimate Ears claims 15 hours of battery life, that seems like a fair claim based on our initial tests. We like the placement of the Micro-USB charging slot that allows you to charge the speakers even as it continues to belt out music. It would have been nice to see a USB Type-C charger though. At a time when wireless chargers are going mainstream, BOOM 3 offers a wireless solution. The speaker is compatible with the Ultimate Ears POWER UP charging dock (sold separately).
The BOOM 3 is one of the most formidable speakers we’ve seen roll out of an Ultimate Ears Assembly Line. The bass is solid, battery life is impressive and we dig the customisable equaliser options. If you’re looking for a speaker as your daily driver and for the occasional house party, the BOOM 3 certainly deserves your attention.
Ultimate Ears BOOM 3 costs Rs 15,999 and is available in three dual-toned colours – Night (Black), Sunset (Red) and Lagoon (Blue)
