UE Megaboom 3 Bluetooth speaker

A TOUCH OF POLISH FOR THE PORTABLE POWERHOUSE

WHETHER YOU’RE SPLASHING about at a pool party or huddled around a campfire, the need for your Bluetooth speaker to be able to handle rough and tumble is essential. Instead of fixing what isn’t broke, Ultimate Ears has refined its rugged, sound-pumping cylinders with the third generation. While the Megaboom 3 retains the water-resistance of its predecessor, it’s now officially dustproof as well, bumping the rating up from IPX7 to IP67. This is thanks, in part, to the durability of the swanky new material that encompasses most of the unit. This fabric also gives off a neat iridescent sheen, changing hue with shifts in light or viewing angle due to its two-toned color design.

The speaker’s new Magic Button lets you quickly play, pause, or skip your tunes akin to the way some in-line remotes behave for headphones. There’s support to long-press the button to bring up favourite playlists from Apple Music and Deezer, although unfortunately there’s currently no word on whether this will be compatible with other streaming services in the future. The same 360-degree sound projection returns with the Megaboom 3, but this time Ultimate Ears has tuned it to have more bass and an overall warmer sound signature. The ability to leave the unit standing up while charging is a welcome change and comes thanks to a clever micro-USB port relocation, or you can use the Charge Up dock (sold separately for $49) if you please.

Ultimate Ears has refined its already-exceptional Bluetooth speaker into an even better proposition for outdoor enthusiasts and partygoers. While there’s not really enough here to warrant an upgrade from the previous model, it’s difficult to recommend anything else to newcomers.

[ HARRY DOMANSKI ]