![]() ![]() Granted, none of the previous Boom speakers had Wi-Fi ( UE’s Blast models, however, do), but for a $400 speaker aimed at home listening, the lack of Wi-Fi is a puzzling omission. That brings me to the one feature missing. But in a livelier atmosphere, with other people around, it’s annoying. Honestly, it’s fine when I’m by myself, since the music needs to die down so I can take the call anyways. My biggest issue, as is the case with most Bluetooth speakers, occurred when my music was interrupted by phone calls throughout the day. I enjoyed the ease of use, as I was able to leave the house, come back, and resume the playlist I was listening to without reaching for my phone. ![]() The Hyperboom also offers the ability to toggle between two connected Bluetooth devices, in addition to the aux and optical inputs. 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. There’s a lot going on atop the speaker: a power button, a microphone for UE’s adaptive equalizer, the standard UE volume buttons, a series of buttons for switching between sources, and what UE dubs the “Magic Button,” a one-touch music control that lets you launch playlists as well as play, pause, and skip tracks. The Hyperboom has a pair of 4.5-inch woofers, a pair of 1-inch tweeters, and two passive radiators, each bigger than one of UE’s earlier products, the Boom. Most of its weight comes from the drivers packed into the 14-inch tall rectangular cabinet. However, I don’t recommend hiking with it. The Hyperboom, while hefty, can be moved from room to room, or out to the backyard to provide barbecuing tunes. Ebert said it was designed to be “home, and home adjacent,” and my experience affirmed that. The Hyperboom is technically portable, but you won’t be going far. The app also prompted me to set up my launch music (I’ll get to that later) by linking services from Amazon, Deezer or Spotify. It consisted of pairing my mobile device with the Hyperboom via Bluetooth and allowing the appropriate permissions. The actual setup was easy, as it should be. You don’t need that guide, though, because as soon as you set the speaker down and press the power button, a clear voice directs you to download UE’s accompanying app and follow the setup instructions. The sleekly crafted device arrived tucked in its own Styrofoam manger, with a small cardboard insert containing a charging cable and a quick start guide. “It needs to get loud, and it needs to get low.”įrom that, the UE Hyperboom was born. “It was great sound, but not enough to get people off the couch and really dancing,” Ebert said. They worked, but often lacked the level of sound needed to truly drive a fiesta. Often, he said, they were used inside at home in a party setting. ![]() At a briefing on the speaker, Ultimate Ears’ Global Product Manager Doug Ebert said his team extensively researched how UE speakers were being utilized by customers. There’s a reason for the bigger footprint. But at a whopping 13 pounds, the huge Hyperboom was a super-sized surprise. I was anticipating a speaker similar to the Megaboom 3, a two-pound, cylinder-shaped unit designed to grab and go. I knew I’d have a new UE product in for review, but details beyond that were scarce. The UE Hyperboom surprised me at first glance. Luckily, Ultimate Ears has landed on its feet with an impressive new product. In many ways, when the $399 Hyperboom arrives in early March, it will represent a leap of faith for UE, catapulting them into a different class of speakers with new competitors and challenges. The Hyperboom is built to completely fill your home with music, a contrast from the quality-on-the-go mantra of its predecessors. Ultimate Ears‘ Hyperboom is a massive Bluetooth speaker, and a departure from everything Ultimate Ears has produced so far.
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