UE Boom 3 review: Premium Bluetooth speaker with powerful sound, compact and rugged design

Boom 3 is the latest premium speaker from Ultimate Ears. The speaker comes with IP67 rating and 360-degree sound with deep bass. Check out our full review.

UE Boom 3 is available for ₹15,995 (HT Photo)

Brand: Ultimate Ears
Product: UE Boom 3
Specifications: Maximum Sound Level: 90dBA, Frequency Range: 90Hz - 20kHz, Drivers: Two 2-inch drivers and two 2 x 4-inch Passive Radiators, Bluetooth A2DP, Dimensions: 73x 184 inches, Weight: 608 grams
Price: ₹15,995
Rating: 4/5

Ultimate Ears, a brand of Logitech, is known for powerful premium speakers, especially the Boom series. The latest offering from UE is Boom 3, an upgrade over the old-gen Boom 2 and original Boom speakers. Priced at ₹15,995, Boom 3 focuses on ruggedness with IP67 rating for water resistance and dust resistance. There's also a 'magic' button to control the music.

Design

UE Boom 3 looks very similar to its predecessors with a familiar cylindrical design. But there are subtle changes in the newer speaker. For instance, it features two-toned fabric material on the outer shell. Fabric appears have to become a popular choice for external layer ever since Amazon and Google started using the material for their smart speakers. Even the Xiaomi Mi Soundbar features fabric.

Those familiar with Boom devices will find the new look refreshing. With a height of 184mm and diameter of 73mm, Boom 3 is compact, and easy to carry around in your backpack. On the back, it has a hang loop just in case you want to take it outdoors or simply like to hang it on the wall. The same rear strip houses microUSB port at the bottom. The top has power on/off, Bluetooth pairing, and the magic button.

A closer look at the fabric shell (HT Photo )

A closer look at the fabric shell (HT Photo )

Performance

UE Boom speakers have always been biased towards the bass. Boom 3 is no different. What we really liked that the audio remains warm and rich on higher volumes unlike other speakers in this range that tend to deliver muffled audio upon cranking up the volume. Mid frequencies and treble frequencies, however, leave a lot to be desired.

For its compact size and small-sized drivers, Boom 3 is loud enough. The 360-degree audio support encourages you to strategically place in your living room or wherever you want to place for an immersive experience. Bluetooth connectivity is quite impressive as well. During our usage, connectivity remained uninterrupted for up to 20 metres.

Good thing is you can further customise the audio with the official application. There's an equalizer which helps you personalise audio based on preference. For instance, you may want to have different settings for podcasts or heavy metal songs. The application also allows you to pair other Boom speakers if you have them.

Boom 3 is available in Night (Black), Sunset (Red) and Lagoon (Blue) colours. (UE)

Boom 3 is available in Night (Black), Sunset (Red) and Lagoon (Blue) colours. (UE)

The much advertised 'magic' button is essentially a music controller. It allows you to play, pause and skip tracks. It also allows users to control music on Apple Music. But it's pretty much useless if you don't Apple Music and prefer controlling music via the phone.

During our usage, UE Boom 3 delivers up to 10-11 hours of back compared to the claimed up to 15 hours of life.

Verdict

UE Boom 3 delivers pretty impressive sound quality despite its compact size and limited specifications. The IP67 rating allows you to take the speaker outdoors without worrying about it getting damaged by water or dust. For ₹15,995, Boom 3 is definitely worth considering. If you want to add smart features to it, you can always buy the Alexa Input dock or perhaps even consider Amazon Echo Plus.