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The New UE Epicboom Bluetooth Speaker Is Designed to Play Loud

Instead of introducing another compact portable Bluetooth speaker, Ultimate Ears has released a beefier model that packs more punch and costs $350.

David Carnoy Executive Editor / Reviews

Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET's Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. He's also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Nook e-books and audiobooks.

Expertise Mobile accessories and portable audio, including headphones, earbuds and speakers Credentials

Maggie Award for Best Regularly Featured Web Column/Consumer

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David Carnoy

Sept. 6, 2023 2:16 p.m. PT

2 min read

One black and one white UE Epicboom Bluetooth speaker, sitting on a diving board over a swimming pool — The UE Epicboom comes in two color options and is not only fully waterproof but it also floats.
Ultimate Ears

Ultimate Ears has added another speaker to its line of Boom portable Bluetooth speakers, and it isn't quite what we were expecting. The new Epicboom, which carries a list price of $350 (£340), is on the larger side and features an oval-shaped design that's reminiscent of Sonos' new Move 2 speaker. Available in white or black, it's not just fully waterproof and dustproof (IP67 rating), but it floats.

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The Epicboom's oval design is a bit of a departure for UE, which is owned by Logitech and has primarily designed Bluetooth speakers with more of a cylindrical shape except for its boxy Hyperboom. UE says the oval design "creates an impressive internal acoustic volume, and is coupled with a 4.6-inch woofer for bass clarity." The speaker also has a built-in microphone that UE says automatically calibrates the speaker's sound, optimizing it for whatever space it's in -- indoors or outdoors.

Other highlights include a one-touch NFC Bluetooth pairing feature available for NFC-compatible smartphones with Android 8.0 or later (you can have multiple people pair their phones to the speaker and have them easily switch to their playlists). Additionally, UE has upgraded its Boom app -- it now lets you choose between various preset EQs, including Signature, Bass Boost, Game/Cinema, Podcast/Vocal and a new Deep Relaxation mode. You can also create your own custom EQ.

The UE Epicboom is the second largest speaker in UE's Boom line — The UE Epicboom (far right) is the second-largest speaker in UE's Boom line.
Ultimate Ears

Battery life is rated at up to 17 hours at moderate volume levels (the speaker charges via USB-C), and like other UE Boom speakers, the Epicboom can be wirelessly linked to other Boom speakers you may own to expand the sound to cover larger spaces. That includes the Boom, Boom 2, Boom 3, Megaboom, Megaboom 3 and Hyperboom, the largest speaker in the line.

We'll have a full review of the Epicboom in the coming weeks and evaluate how it stacks up to other Bluetooth speakers in this price range.