Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM (2015) Portable Waterproof & Shockproof Bluetooth Speaker - Charcoal

Megabooms are the ultimate cycling speaker! The overall mix of loud volume, tight upper bass at high volume, lack of distortion (dynamic compression) at high volume, battery life, and waterproof case makes this a clear winner.Party Up Mode: With the app you can pair 2 (up to 50) of these and play off a single phone! I've had 4 hooked up at once at a camp site and its a crowd pleaser. People will stop and ask you what speaker it is.. not because its loud, or even that the sound quality is mind-blowing.. Mostly because of the sound stage you get from having stereo sound (L and R speaker in different locations) in an unexpected location (not a house). Don't underestimate the additional sound quality you get from having the drums and bass in the left speaker and vocals and lead guitar in the right. Especially at a camp site or backyard BBQ. Especially when one speaker is on your bike and the other is on your wife's bike and you pass someone by going around them (one on each side) and they get a brief couple seconds of stereo sound, and are completely confused how you're playing 2 speakers at once. A good sound stage delivers you an experience where you can visually place each instrument, and this feature allows you to do this just about anywhere. That alone makes this product incredible that you can do so just about anywhere. You can also do a party mode where you let as many people as possible create a public playlist through the app.. Cool stuff. Also, bluetooth range is amazing (when you have line of sight).Ok, think multiple speakers is a gimmick and you won't buy 2? Fine. Its still an solid speaker if you only own 1. The bass is not the deepest out there (JBL Charge 2+ better bass, but not waterproof and doesn't get very loud). If you want an outdoor speaker that has pretty good bass, high volume, waterproof, and low distortion at high volume there's not anything else out there that checks all the boxes. Its case is robust so it makes for the perfect outdoor/cycling speaker. Oh, and the battery life exceeded my expectations by several hours.. or should I say days. I hoped I could get through an entire day of RAGBRAI (7 day bike ride across Iowa) at 3/4 to full volume. It lasted 3 days at 6-7 hours per day (not always at full volume, but at least half, usually 3/4). I think the battery is only like 2600mAh, but the speaker uses 2 x 2" drivers and 2 x 4" passive radiators, which is why you get the awesome battery life with only a 2600 mAh battery. Not to get too techy, but passive radiators use air pressure trickery from drivers and allows massive bass without actually powering the "bass speakers", so to speak. Look up "passive radiators".. cool tech. Ok, I'm in the weeds here.Mounting is a little awkward on a road bike since its bigger than most. I just stretched out my metal water bottle cage and added a velcro strap. Stays in place well enough for road biking at 20-30 mph. The internet mostly recommended the Topeak cage to mount a Megaboom to a bike, but I found it to be even more awkward and too tight, resulting in unnecessary rubbing and scuffing of my Booms. Emphasis on ROAD BIKE, not mountain bike. Your results may vary jumping off rocks from 5'. Tap Control doesn't work very well.. Tap top of speaker twice for skip, once for play pause, and pulling out your phone is a pain. Your life will immediately improve if you buy a media button for cycling (Satechi Bluetooth Button <--- what I bought).In a nutshell, if you're looking for a cycling speaker that also sounds good when you get to the campsite, this is it! After buying 2 for cycling only it was so good I removed my large 250W Yamaha receiver and Micca speakers from my garage (took up too much space) and I'm happy with 2 Megabooms. I also moved my back porch stereo (Audioengine A5+) to the basement because Megabooms sound great. I'm not saying that Megabooms sound as good as a full Yamaha setup or Audioengines, but they are good enough and the portability, versatility, and soundstage makes up for it.PROS:- Louder than anything out there- Battery Life is 3-4 days at least. I haven't charged mine in 2 weeks, including a weekend cycling trip.- Sound (perfect mix of tight upper bass, mids, highs not too bright)- Waterproof/durability (you can dunk in water for 30 min!)- Good app (turn speakers on/off with app, speaker firmware updates, stereo volume balance control)- Sound stage with 2 speakersCONS:- Price (Its a chunk of change to buy 2, but if you cycle as much as me, just use the gas money saved)- Tap Control (you're supposed to be able to tap on top of speaker twice to skip songs, once to pause/play.. Just doens't work well)

his speaker is highly recommended! It's a true "all-terrain" speaker that has exceeded all our expectations. We purchased it several years ago, and it's still working perfectly with excellent sound quality.The battery life is impressive, holding up wonderfully even after years of consistent use. It's truly a reliable and robust speaker that delivers consistent performance, whether we're using it indoors or outdoors.A fantastic investment for anyone looking for a durable, great-sounding, and long-lasting portable speaker.

Long review, so buckle up! I bought the Megaboom after buying the Boom II. I'll add a quick comparison overview at the end of this review.Short review: (scroll down for pros and cons) Excellent sound, excellent quality, and easy to use! 9.5/10Overview:The Megaboom is hands down the best wireless speaker I have owned.Utility: I bought it to use at several beach/river trips I had coming up during the summer. I tested to see if it actually floats in the pool, and it does! I threw it in, but it does takes a few seconds to resurface, but eventually it made its way back up. I clipped a carabiner and added a float device on as well so it would resurface quickly if anything happened, then hooked it to my tube and floated the river for 6 hours without any issues. I dunked it in the water a few times to show off a bit and everyone was impressed. I've taken it to the beach and set it in the sand and let it play. I even took it to a natural spring to hang out with friends. It is an absolute blast to be able to toss around the speaker and skip songs, or use the voice function to play a different one. Mostly I use this in the shower/bathroom when getting ready in the morning, and I typically have to charge it every 3-4 weeks, which is absolutely amazing!Sound: I am blown away by the sound from this wireless speaker. I have gotten compliments on it just about everywhere I bring it. I've already talked two people into buying it! The app does a great job of having some good pre-set sound settings (extra bass, voice boost for podcasts, etc.). The sound is extremely loud and can fill a room indoors. Outdoors it is loud enough to have a good time, without worrying about it easily being drown out. My only real complaint is that it seems to overheat in the sun and shut down after a few hours of direct sunlight, so I would quickly fix this by placing it under a beach chair or something similar.Pros:Shockproof!! (I dropped this (about 4 feet) in my bathroom on a tile floor and had a minor freak out knowing I joke broke my expensive speaker, but it just kept playing, no issues at all!)Waterproof/floatsVoice controlled audioExtremely strong soundMobileApp controlled/remote turn onVariable audio settingsLong battery life (sometimes I go 3-4 weeks without charging)Bluetooth range is extremely strong (I'll carry it with my as I do chores on different floors of the house without losing signal from my phone)Cons:Shuts down when in direct sunlightBattery life is a bit shorter when using at full volume outsideLong charge time (although can still be used while charging)Some people may say that the price point is a con, but you get what you pay for. This is a solid speaker that is worth every penny for the outdoor enthusiast!Megaboom vs Boom III initially bought the Boom II and absolutely loved it. I used it mostly indoors, and have zero complaints. The sound quality is great, but outdoors, is where the Megaboom really shines. If you are mostly indoors in smaller rooms, the Boom II is more than powerful enough. However, if you have large open areas, or are outdoors, always pick the Megaboom!