Ultimate Ears EPICBOOM: Packs a punch

The Ultimate Ears EPICBOOM is a wireless speaker that pleasantly surprises us with its bass delivery and premium design with exceptional resistance to water and drops. On top of all that, it can boast an autonomy of up to 17 hours on a single charge and has a wireless operating range of 55 meters, which gives us a lot of freedom of movement. If you need another good reason to pay attention to it, know that it provides 360° immersive sound and supports adaptive equalization to tune the sound to our liking.

If you’re looking for something even more powerful, but just as epic and portable, maybe the Ultimate Ears Hyperboom will be up your alley.

Design

The Ultimate Ears EPICBOOM is a little different from the rest of this brand’s Bluetooth speakers. In fact, we can describe it as a mid-sized Bluetooth speaker, which curiously bridges the gap between the Megaboom 3 and Hyperboom models from the same company.

That said, the Ultimate Ears EPICBOOM feels sturdy and is available in two color options, which are charcoal black and cotton white. Regardless of the version chosen, the speaker features a durable fabric grille on the outside , while the rubber base and top plate housing the function controls help protect the speaker from bumps and wear. Additionally, the EPICBOOM has a carrying strap on the back, which makes our lives easier when carrying it.

It is very important to note that this speaker receives an IP67 rating, which means that it can resist immersion in dust and water for up to 30 minutes. In case anyone is wondering, a rubber cap secures the USB-C charging port on the back, and it’s very important to close it tightly if you plan to take the speaker swimming.

For those who may be interested in this information, the Ultimate Ears EPICBOOM is made from completely recycled material in its mesh and a majority of recycled plastic in its body (59%), so it is a sustainable product.

Sound and features

The sound delivery of the Ultimate Ears EPICBOOM is handled by two 1.5-inch mid-high frequency speaker drivers and a 4.6-inch woofer to handle the bass. The sound is very well balanced across the entire frequency range and vocals of all types sound clean and detailed.

The sound signature will be familiar to those who have used speakers from this company before, although we have to admit that it has been expanded a bit, especially when it comes to the bass and midranges.

Going into details, this speaker has a decent stereo frequency response , but exhibits a little more warmth in the upper bass, which slightly muddies vocals and main instruments as you reach the mids. There is also a little extra brightness in the treble, but none of these flaws are really serious (in the literal sense of the word).

In terms of volume, the Ultimate Ears EPICBOOM is loud, although not as loud as the Ultimate Ears HYPERBOOM, but enough to liven up a gathering with friends or to enjoy music in a large room. To be precise, it reaches about 94 dBC when full, it can even reach 95 dBC using a mode made for outdoors. However, we must warn that a little compression is noticeable when we turn the volume to maximum, and that obviously impairs clarity.

Another major selling point of the EPICBOOM is that it delivers an excellent soundstage . Thanks to its 360° design, it can reproduce consistent audio from all angles.

Application and connectivity

For those who want more options, there is the Ultimate Ears Boom mobile application, which allows us to adjust the equalizer settings, either by choosing between 5 presets or through an option configured by ourselves that allows us to adjust the sound from 360 degrees to our particular taste.

The application also gives us the ability to save our favorite music to a button on the speaker’s main control panel. The preset can accommodate up to four playlists or albums to choose from. However, this feature is only compatible with the three big music streaming platforms, that is, Amazon Music, Apple Music (iOS only), and Spotify (Android devices only).

At the connectivity level, it has Bluetooth and NFC for quick pairing with Android, and the story ends here; We will not find any 3.5mm jack nor Wi-Fi. Interestingly, it can connect with almost the entire Ultimate Ears speaker family to amplify sound, such as the BOOM 3, MEGABOOM 3, HYPERBOOM and EPICBOOM.

Autonomy

Finally, the Ultimate Ears EPICBOOM promises up to 17 hours of use on a single charge of its battery , while the recharge time ranges between 2 and 3 hours to reach 100%. With that said, it is important to note that the actual battery life is subject to the use we give to the speaker, and as a point of reference, those 17 hours are estimated based on a volume at 45%. If we decide to have the volume at maximum at all times, then we can expect less than half that figure.

PROS:

• Well balanced sound
• Good design and water resistance
• Can be paired with multiple speakers
• 55 meter operating range

CONS:

• Price
• Sound compression at maximum volume

 

Ultimate Ears EPICBOOM Specifications: