Ultimate Ear is back with a new round of enhanced Bluetooth speakers to add to its popular Boom line. The Boom 3 and MegaBoom3 continue to carry the mantle for the classic cylinder speakers UE is known for while adding a few wrinkles that make them even more useful.
The Boom 3 and MegaBoom 3 return the classic cylinder shape that will deliver the 360-degree sound that is helped out by deeper bass and improved clarity, though it has been slightly tweaked. Upon first look, you’ll still be greeted by a similar design with the ubiquitous plus and minus volume controls UE speakers are known for. However, minor changes were made that make the speakers feel new.
Among the changes made was the incorporation of a new high-performance fabric material that ensures the speaker will not only look great, but also hold up well into its lifespan. The overall design was slightly tweaked as well with smoothed out edges and the moving of the microUSB charging port to the backside of the speaker instead of the bottom. Unfortunately, it does not mark the beginning of the Boom line’s adoption of USB-C; that’ll have to wait another year.
The microUSB port is still covered by a flap that ensures the speaker retains its IP67 rating making it water, dust and drop proof. Another key advantage of the speaker’s design offers is that it’ll now float in the water.
The biggest addition the Boom 3 and MegaBoom 3 have is the inclusion of the brand new Magic Button. Placed at the top between power and connection buttons, it offers a super easy way to connect to your music service of choice and automatically play specific playlists. The feature currently supports Apple Music and Deezer premium on Android with additional music services to be added at a later date.
You can select the playlists using the new Ultimate Ears app. Up to four playlists can be selected and once selected, you can play, pause, and skip tracks and switch between playlists just using the Magic Button—no need to open an app.
Other minor improvements UE added were support for the Power Up dock introduced last year with the Blast line and an increased Bluetooth range of up to 150 feet.
The Boom 3 and MegaBoom will be available in four colors, Night, Sunset, Lagoon, and Ultraviolet and will retail for $149.99 and $199.99 respectively. There will be an additional two colors available, Cloud and Denim, that will be exclusively sold through Apple. UE’s new speakers will be available for purchase in September.
