There are many Bluetooth speakers in the same size range as the UE Wonderboom 2, and then for a valid reason: people want to take their music about them wherever they go. Most small Bluetooth speakers, unfortunately, sound little – tinny and lacking in bass.
A UE Wonderboom 2 seems to be an outlier in this regard. It’s the top Bluetooth speaker because of its size because it’s small and portable around yet big enough just to deliver a huge sound. The Wonderboom 2 offers an intriguing subset of characteristics for such a price, including robustness that makes this one of the best waterproof speakers.
What you will see here?
Price and availability
The tiny Portable Bluetooth Speaker is offered for $99.99 / £89.99 / AU$129 in the US, UK, and Australia, which is the same price as that of the original Wonderboom.
The original Wonderboom will be available for a bit longer, and according to a business spokeswoman, it’ll be sold at a discounted price while supplies last.
Design
The Wonderboom resembles a squished UE Megaboom 3 in appearance: it’s a little broader (3.8 inches vs. 3.4 inches again for Megaboom 3), but it’s a lot smaller (4.1 inches versus 8.9 inches). The 2nd Gen Wonderboom is only slightly larger than the first. It weighs 0.9 pounds, which is about twice as much as the JBL Clip, making it tiny but not ultraportable.
On the top of the speaker are power and Bluetooth connecting controls, and a fabric loop for hanging or carrying the speaker. The UE Wonderboom 2 improves on the original’s design by adding a center button to the top that controls playback (The old model had the same functionality as this one, but there was no noticeable button on it.). To start or stop a track, press it once, and to go ahead, press it twice. The huge + and – controls just on the side can be used to change the volume.
The charging micro-USB port is hidden beneath a cover on the bottom of the device. There is no auxiliary port on the Wonderboom for wired connections.
Performance
The Wonderboom has a surprising amount of bass and treble for such a little speaker. It seems to have more bass than that of the previous model. It’s one of the best-sounding portable speakers under $100; the JBL Flip marginally outperforms it in terms of sound quality, owing to the Flip’s larger size, which allows it to provide a wider sound field.
On the UE Wonderboom 2, Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts” had good bass resonance and depth, and her vocals are clear and simple to hear. With Billie Eilish’s “bad man,” the unit had just enough bass to shake my desk. Wilco’s “Love Is Everywhere” included a crisp acoustic guitar.
The UE Wonderboom 2 is a powerful device. An Outdoor Boost button just on the bottom raises the volume to approximately 100 decibels, but without it, the volume rises to 94 dB. However, at maximum volume, it becomes distorted, so it sounded better at about 85 dB, which is loud enough to be heard in most situations.
Ruggedness
It’s UE Wonderboom 2 does have an IPX67 quality, which means it can be underwater for 30 minutes in 3 feet of water. I submerged it in a sink of water for 5 minutes so it continued to operate normally. It’s also resistant to dust.
Battery
The UE Wonderboom 2 can last 13 hours on such a full charge. According to UE, which is an upgrade over the previous iteration. The Wonderboom had enough juice left after more than 6 hours of listening – and over half of its potential.
However, getting its battery status is more difficult than it should be. The speaker will play a noise that correlates to one of three levels: high, medium, or low if you press the volume buttons up & down at the same time. Like many Bluetooth speakers, I would have liked a visual indicator.
Wireless and Setup
My iPhone and the UE Wonderboom 2 linked quickly. It had a good signal and stayed connected even though there were multiple barriers between my phone.
The Wonderboom doesn’t have an app from UE, which is frustrating. Because their Boom and Megaboom applications are always among the finest. That also implies there isn’t a mechanism to change the volume.
Holding the center button on top of each Wonderboom for 3 seconds allows you to couple two Wonderbooms together. It uses with an original Wonderboom speaker; however, it cannot uses with a Boom and Megaboom speaker.
Conclusion
The UE Wonderboom 2 will suit most of your demands if you’re searching for a portable Bluetooth speaker this is tiny enough to carry around and produces excellent sound. It offers good bass with a little speaker and sounds on par with the top sub-$100 speakers.
Lighter and smaller speakers, just like Tribit StormBox Micro, are available, although they won’t sound as nice. If you’re ready to go bigger, a UE Boom 3 creates better sound. But it’ll set you back $150 on the list price. For portable Bluetooth speakers, the Wonderboom reaches a sweet spot in terms of price, size, and sound quality. There aren’t enough upgrades in the 2nd gen Wonderboom to warrant an upgrade if you have the original Wonderboom.
