In terms of sound quality and portability, the UE Boom 2 ($94+) and UE Megaboom ($150+) are still some of the best Bluetooth speakers you can buy. Now, with the surging interest in smart speakers, Ultimate Ears has released its first Bluetooth and wi-fi enabled speakers that work with Alexa voice commands: the UE Blast ($230) and UE Megablast ($298).
Both new speakers share the familiar look, portability and ruggedness of the Boom 2 and Megaboom, but these “Blast” speakers are integrated with Amazon’s Alexa and, when connected to wi-fi, can now function similarly to an Amazon Echo Tap ($130). You can ask Alexa to play certain songs, set alarms and answer simple questions. And both speakers can be carried with you from room to room, while an Amazon Echo or Echo Dot always needs to be plugged into a wall outlet.
The Good: The sound quality of both the Blast and Megablast is excellent. The smaller Blast isn’t as powerful and won’t fill a room like the Megablast, as you’d expect, but both can get very loud without really any distortion. Over the holiday break, I took the Megablast and listened to it while my friends and I played outdoor paddle tennis; at max volume, the vocals and highs in “Thunder” by Imagine Dragons were super clear, for example, even amidst the song’s heavy bass. If you’re a fan of other UE speakers, the Megablast is the loudest speaker the company has ever made (40 percent louder than the Megaboom). The two speakers retain the familiar design and easy-to-use functionality of UE’s other Bluetooth speakers. You won’t really have to think about recharging because of their superb battery life. Nor will you really have to worry about breaking either speaker — they’re very durable.
Who They’re For: The Blast and Megablast walk the line between a smart speaker and a portable Bluetooth speaker. I’d recommend them if you don’t already have or need a multiroom speaker at home, like a Sonos or Play-Fi system, and if you’re also looking for a Bluetooth speaker. The Boom 2 and Megaboom are more convenient (and better sounding) than an Amazon Echo because they are both portable. If you want to listen to music and talk to Alexa in the living room, bedroom or kitchen, these speakers can simply be carried with you.
Watch Out For: Don’t expect the Blast and Megablast to work just like (or just as good as) your Amazon Echo device. For starters, voice commands only work with Amazon Music, iHeart Radio and TuneIn. You can still obviously stream music using other services, like Apple Music Unlimited, Spotify or Pandora, but Alexa can’t access them (yet). Also, compared to my Echo or Echo Dot, it takes noticeably longer for Alexa respond using these speakers. I’d often say “Alexa” and the light on top of the speakers would light up, but it would take several seconds for the speaker to process my request or answer my question. It just wasn’t nearly as easy as using my other Echo devices. There’s no multiroom functionality, even between two of UE’s “Blast” speakers, which is kind of a shame given that you can pair multiple “Boom” speakers together. The last thing is that, unless you purchase the charging dock ($40), you have to turn the speaker upside down to listen and charge it at the same time.
Alternatives: Unless you subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited (you get a three-month trial with the purchase of a Blast or Megablast), I think most people will use this as a very good portable speaker. For substantially less, you can buy the UE Boom 2 ($94+) or UE Megaboom ($150+). I also recommend Bose’s SoundLink Mini II ($205) as a great-sounding portable Bluetooth speaker. The JBL Flip 4 ($85+) is a more affordable and rugged alternative.
