Ultimate Ears was something of a niche company back in the day. The company catered to true audiophiles by creating customized earphones that fit perfectly. Recently, Logitech acquired the company, and the latest piece of ear-blasting equipment to come from Ultimate Ears are the 'Ears Boom' speakers.
At first glance, you can tell that these speakers are nothing like the Jambox (the Boom's number one competitor). From shape and size alone, it's clear that these are not boxes. You'll also be pleasantly surprised when you listen to the sound coming from the Boom -- right in line with what Ultimate Ears fans have come to expect.
A Design that Stands Alone
The Boom speakers are shaped like cylinders, and they look best when standing on a desktop or shelf. Thanks to the perfectly cylindrical shape of the speakers, sound comes from all angles. Ultimate Ears has also created a nice colour scheme to go along with the speakers, so you can easily place them in any room in your home.
Ultimate Ears designed the Boom speakers to replace complete home theatre systems. As such, these speakers really do impress when it comes to sound. The Boom speakers alert you to their sound excellence from the start.
Sound Beats All
Instead of lighting up with a nice LCD screen when on or connected to a wireless device, the Boom speakers sound out -- one bass note for power and another note for connectivity. These speakers have nothing to hide when it comes to sound, clearly.
The bass notes coming from the Boom speakers are deep and light notes are crisp. The Boom speakers can easily fill up a small room, and they are the perfect way to get that party rocking. Plus, Logitech has thrown in a nice app to go along with all of that amazing sound.
The UE Boom App
If you want to listen to Boom speakers in stereo, you'll have to download the Boom app. This app allows one speaker to become a slave to the other speaker, and, in turn, lets you switch from left to right seamlessly. The app also lets you know how much battery power these speakers have. What is battery life like? Logitech reports 15 hour of continuous play before a charge is needed, and that's not half bad.
Where can you get the Boom speakers and how much is Logitech asking for them? These speakers will be priced at $199.99, which is somewhat comparable to what Jawbone asks for the larger Jambox. The Boom speakers are available in some countries today, and will be spread to the rest of the world shortly. If you're considering purchasing a Jambox, I suggest waiting until the Boom hits shelves.
Who the Boom Is For
In my opinion, these compact speaker set ups can't really replace a larger system. Why? You're dealing with an incorporated battery that can't be changed; the sound isn't quite there yet; and anything that connects with Bluetooth will be somewhat subpar. That said, the Boom speakers are the perfect way to fill up a room, power up a party, or put in your studio gym.