It takes moxie for a corporation to maneuver on from a product that’s become a signature of the brand. For such a shift to be justified, the change must be necessary to satisfy the desires of fans. That’s what the last word Ears Hyperboom achieves.
Ultimate Ears‘ Hyperboom may be a massive Bluetooth speaker, and a departure from everything Ultimate Ears has produced thus far . The Hyperboom is made to completely fill your home with music, a contrast from the quality-on-the-go mantra of its predecessors.
In some ways , when the $399 Hyperboom arrives in early March, it'll represent a leap of religion for UE, catapulting them into a special class of speakers with new competitors and challenges. Luckily, Ultimate Ears has landed on its feet with a powerful new product.
Out of the box
The UE Hyperboom surprised me initially glance. I knew I’d have a replacement UE product certain review, but details beyond that were scarce. i used to be anticipating a speaker almost like the Megaboom 3, a two-pound, cylinder-shaped unit designed to grab and go. But at a whopping 13 pounds, the large Hyperboom was a super-sized surprise.There’s a reason for the larger footprint. At an appointment on the speaker, Ultimate Ears’ Global Product Manager Doug Ebert said his team extensively researched how UE speakers were being utilized by customers. Often, he said, they were used inside reception during a party setting. They worked, but often lacked the extent of sound needed to really drive a fiesta.
“It was great sound, but not enough to urge people off the couch and really dancing,” Ebert said. “It must get loud, and it must get low.”
From that, the UE Hyperboom was born. The sleekly crafted device arrived tucked in its own Styrofoam manger, with alittle cardboard insert containing a charging cable and a fast start guide. You don’t need that guide, though, because as soon as you set the speaker down and press the facility button, a transparent voice directs you to download UE’s accompanying app and follow the setup instructions.
The actual setup was easy, because it should be. It consisted of pairing my mobile device with the Hyperboom via Bluetooth and allowing the acceptable permissions. The app also prompted me to line up my launch music (I’ll get thereto later) by linking services from Amazon, Deezer or Spotify. Easy-peasy.
Design and connectivity
The Hyperboom is technically portable, but you won’t be going far. Ebert said it had been designed to be “home, and residential adjacent,” and my experience affirmed that. The Hyperboom, while hefty, are often moved from room to room, or bent the backyard to supply barbecuing tunes. However, I don’t recommend hiking with it.Most of its weight comes from the drivers packed into the 14-inch tall rectangular cabinet. The Hyperboom features a pair of 4.5-inch woofers, a pair of 1-inch tweeters, and two passive radiators, each bigger than one among UE’s earlier products, the Boom.
There’s tons happening atop the speaker: an influence button, a microphone for UE’s adaptive equalizer, the quality UE volume buttons, a series of buttons for switching between sources, and what UE dubs the “Magic Button,” a one-touch music control that allows you to launch playlists also as play, pause, and skip tracks. Down the backside of the speaker are several inputs including a 3.5mm jack, an optical audio input, a USB port for charging mobile devices, and a charging port for the speaker itself.
The Hyperboom also offers the power to toggle between two connected Bluetooth devices, additionally to the aux and optical inputs.
Portability
I enjoyed the convenience of use, as i used to be ready to leave the house, come back, and resume the playlist i used to be taking note of without reaching for my phone.My biggest issue, as is that the case with most Bluetooth speakers, occurred when my music was interrupted by phone calls throughout the day. Honestly, it’s fine when I’m alone , since the music must die down so I can take the decision anyways. But during a livelier atmosphere, with people around, it’s annoying.
That brings me to the one feature missing. The Hyperboom doesn't have Wi-Fi. Granted, none of the previous Boom speakers had Wi-Fi (UE’s Blast models, however, do), except for a $400 speaker aimed toward home listening, the shortage of Wi-Fi may be a puzzling omission. Wi-Fi offers better sound quality and eliminates the matter of phone calls interrupting a musical performance .
The Hyperboom does offer 24 hours of battery life, counting on how loud you play (I saw a full day of moderate-to-loud playback without charging). It also has an IPX4 rating that protects against spills and splashes, and therefore the ability to meet up to other speakers within the Boom family. These all align with its mission of semi-portable tunes. It’s easy to put the Hyperboom during a room and not worry about it all day.
Audio Performance
The Hyperboom sounds good. specialized . Songs just like the Zac Brown Band’s Jolene or Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here let the Hyperboom showcase its ability to elegantly glide through different frequencies and tones. It isn’t audiophile-grade quality by any means, but it made for a fun listening experience.The Hyperboom shined brightest when playing tracks with a substantial low end. UE says the Hyperboom can reach right down to 45Hz, and that i was pleasantly surprised to listen to it consistently dig that low in tracks like Rodeo by Lil Nas X. I felt it, too, after moving the speaker from my open front room to a tighter office. Logic’s Everyday and Schoolboy Q’s collards gave me a well-known flutter in my chest. This speaker can rock you. Literally.
UE uses the speaker’s microphone to live the space it’s in and tailor its EQ towards the environment . Likely thanks to this, I didn’t notice a big drop by quality when moving from different rooms in my house to the backyard, aside from an expected dip within the low end in an open-air environment.
The app also features a customizable EQ to regulate the sound to your liking, and presets specialized for cinema, podcasts, and bass boosting. The podcast setting drowned out low frequencies, which was a pleasant help when taking note of voices like Dax Shepard’s low growl on Armchair Experts.
I didn’t spend plenty of your time with the Hyperboom connected to my TV. it had been fine. Just don’t expect it to be ready to produce what a soundbar or a home theatre system could. This speaker is concentrated on music.
Ultimate Ears Hyperboom vs. Sonos Move
In a showdown, I pit the UE Hyperboom against a Sonos Move I had handy. Despite the apparent size disparity (the Move is lighter at 6.61 pounds and stands slightly below 10 inches tall), the pair are identically priced at $399.The Hyperboom outperformed the Move in bass-heavy songs; the Move just couldn’t push the maximum amount air because the larger Hyperboom. But, low end aside, the Move emerged as a transparent winner with a more detailed, refined sound to my ears.
Which you’ll prefer comes right down to what you would like . The Sonos Move is more refined, but the UE Hyperboom is best for larger spaces and parties.
Warranty Information
The Ultimate Ears Hyperboom features a two-year limited hardware warranty.
Our Take
The UE Hyperboom may be a big speaker, and a good bigger step for the brand. almost everything about this speaker, from its assortment of features to its roof-raising sound, is meant to require the household Bluetooth landscape by storm. Even without the Wi-Fi, competitors might want to batten the hatches.Is there a far better alternative?
Though they'll not have previously been direct competitors, UE and Sonos seem to be shooting for an equivalent corner of the market with the Hyperboom and Move, respectively. For those trying to find Wi-Fi capability, multiroom functionality, and smart home control, the Move would be an appealing alternative.Currently at $285, the Riva Festival is another solid-sounding speaker hovering within the same price range because the Hyperboom. But make no mistake. For the cash , UE is providing premium performance with the Hyperboom.
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