The UE Roll 2 wireless speaker came out just in time for summer (in New York City that is). I reviewed the original UE Roll last year and loved it. Here’s what I thought about the sequel.
Design and Build
It will be hard for you to spot the difference between the UE Roll 2 and the original at a glance. It still has the CD shape with an integrated bungie cord on the rear side. You can leave it on a flat surface or hang it off your bike, beach chair, rail, etc. You can also have it float on the floatie that comes with speaker. You have the power and pair buttons by the bungie cord hook. You have the charging port and auxiliary jack (that are covered by a tab) on the other end. The protective tab is what helps keep the UE Roll 2 IPX7 waterproof.
The Roll 2 comes in 5 colors. I got the Reef color design. It’s blue with green design over it. The up/down volume buttons are dark orange.
EXPERIENCE
I used the Roll 2 pretty much the same way I used the first one. When around the house, it’s by the sink when doing dishes or by the tub when showering. It’s definitely a speaker that I feel “safer” with around these damp areas. I took it to the beach recently without fear. I doubt there will be instances where I’ll deliberately be dunking the speaker, but I did let the beach waves crash on it purposely. I also washed the speaker in the sink. Remember that it’s waterproof. Straight from the source:
WATERPROOF
IPX7 rated: UE ROLL can be immersed in liquid up to 1m for up to 30 minutes.
I do wish there were track control buttons or a microphone (if you want to push the features list up). Track control is important because you might be in the water with your speaker but don’t want to take your phone near the water with you (especially if it’s not waterproof) and there will always be a time when you want to search music. Not a deal breaker, but it would be nice.
Sound
The Roll 2 is the same size as the original. But somehow they managed to make sound louder and a bit better. The Roll 2 isn’t the best sounding speaker, but given its size and features, the sound quality is pretty dope. You get a good amount of bass and can pump it to high volume levels without the music distorting. It’s pretty much all you want in a waterproof speaker.
Features
You can use the UE Roll app to control the volume and equalizer on the speaker. You can also use it to pair 2 UE Roll speakers together. I couldn’t power the speaker on through the app for some reason. But once I turned on the speaker manually, it would pair and I was able to see the current battery life
Battery Life
One thing about UE speakers that never fails is the battery life. On the regular I never use the speaker longer than a few hours continuously. But for sake of testing I left it on and paired and it does last for hours on end. Of course battery life will vary with the amount of time used and volume level.
Pricing and Availability
You can find the UE Roll 2 wireless speaker at ultimateears.comfor $99 currently. You can also find it in carrier stores for the same price.
Overall
The UE Roll 2 wireless speaker is a win for many situations. It’s waterproof, has great sound and has a decent price of $100. It’s the speaker I recommend you bring to small BBQs, and pool parties. It’s easily portable and gets the job done.
This review is made possible by my affiliation with TechWeLike. You will see many of my reviews there as well.
You can pretty much connect with me anywhere. In case you didn’t know, I have Verizon Fios as an internet and cable provider. Based in New York City, I do have a couple of options to choose from, but I choose to be with Verizon Fios. There are a few reasons. Staying connected is important. And while it has become easier over the years, when calling internationally there are still some obstacles. With Fios reliable service I can stay connected via internet and phone without a problem.
How Do I Stay Connected?
I have tons of devices. Ranging from tablets, smartphones, to 2-in-1 computers, I use any of these to video chat with friends and family. Video chatting isn’t always convenient though. So I do spend time on the phone chatting it up. I have tons of family overseas, so catching up takes a while. Having strong wifi is so important to me, to keep these video chats going and images clear. I hate having blurry faces.
Current Offers from Verizon
I have a modest internet connection since I’m not home all of the time. But when I am, all my devices need love and connection. Verizon actually has some decent offers going on right now for great connection both at home and with family overseas, AKA their Triple Play International Offers. With these packages (see below), you get unlimited calling to 11 countries and international tv programming for 12 or 24 months. The 11 countries include: China, Hong Kong , India, Mexico, Dominican Republic, South Korea, Singapore, Portugal, UK, Pakistan, and Canada. The offer is temporary
The last few years we have had maybe a million (or what seems like a million) bluetooth speakers came out. There are a few that stand out from the rest. Earlier this year tat CES 2015, Ultimate Ears officially announced the UE Megaboom wireless speaker. While I never fully reviewed Ultimate Ears AKA UE Boom, I spent a good amount of time with one and I recommended it for a few holidays last year. There was nothing you couldn’t admire about it. The build, sound quality, and portability were great. Now that they have come bigger with the UE Megaboom wireless speaker, is it better? Is it worth it?
Design
UE MEGABOOM Group
If you’ve seen the original UE Boom wireless speaker, you will recognize the UE Megaboom. It looks the the UE Boom, but twice the size and better build to be honest. The waterproof (IPX7) speaker has a rugged build, with the its thick clothe grille, covered 3.5mm jacks and charging ports for better protection against water and shock. The rubber strip going down one side has the volume up and down buttons (super big buttons). The top part of the cylindrical speaker has the power button, and bluetooth pairing button. The bottom has the 3.5mm jack and charging port, covered of course. It’s a lot bigger than other cylindrical speakers out there, so I expect bigger sound.
Experience
The UE Megaboom comes in the same cylindrical packaging as the UE Boom.It has a nice picture on the outside of the package, and the Megaboom is tucked nicely inside a chest-like encasing. However it doesn’t bring a carrying case. At the price, it should bring a mesh bag or something to carry it around. Even though the speaker is huge, it weighs just under 2 pounds still making it portable.
Sound
UE made a name for the Boom speakers with the previous models. As expected with the Megaboom, you should get big (bigger) sound. At mid-volume the Megaboom is already incredibly loud and balanced. When cranking it up to 75% volume, bass response is still good and sound is not distorted.
Let’s not forget that because of the cylindrical shape, you get sound coming out all around. There seems to be stereo separation, which is pretty cool coming from a single speaker (and not officially advertised by UE). The speaker is so loud, that unless you’re at a party you won’t be pumping it at max volume for long.
The amount of bass pumping with balanced sound is incredible, even on loud levels. But on some tracks you will have to stay under 90% volume to avoid distortion or flattening sound.
Features
The UE Megaboom didn’t only improve on the outside, it has improved in function as well. Thjere is a dedicated UE Megaboom app. When I downloaded it, it had me update the speaker. The app seems bug-free. I am not entirely sure if there were any issues before the app update. It was cool to be able to do it wirelessly. The UE app allows you to do a variety of things. You can use it to pair two speakers, control the EQ (works with stored music, not with streaming apps).
The Smart Bluetooth allows you to be far from the speaker, not only for listening to music, but to turn it on from your phone. WIN. UE also claims you can go up to 100 feet away from the speaker and be able to control it.I wasn’t able to get so far from it as 100 feet, but I still got significantly far (more than the usual 15 feet) and control it without a problem.
Pricing and Availabilty
The UE Megaboom will run at $299. So you really have to enjoy the sound and build. It is available in four colors. Electric blue, Charcoal Black, Lava Red, and Plum. Sometimes UE does collaborations with other companies for artwork, but nothing yet for the Megaboom.
At $299 you have to be in the market for dedicated wireless speaker. I don’t think it looks very fancy for the price, but it does give a hell of a performance for it. Most consumers wouldn’t be able to buy 2 speakers to pair, so most would have to be satisfied with the sound of one.
Even though it’s quite an investment, you will be satisfied with the overall sound and performance. The fact that you can play it nearly everywhere (even near water), control it from a distance, and it lasts for a long time it a definite win.
You can use the UE Roll app to control the volume and equalizer on the speaker. You can also use it to pair 2 UE Roll speakers together. I couldn’t power the speaker on through the app for some reason. But once I turned on the speaker manually, it would pair and I was able to see the current battery life
