The Ultimate Ears Everboom: A Worthy Upgrade?
Ultimate Ears has carved a niche for itself in the portable speaker market by offering robust, feature-packed audio devices that can withstand the rigors of outdoor adventures. Their latest offering, the Everboom, promises a significant leap in audio quality and power compared to its predecessors. But is the Everboom truly an upgrade worth its premium price tag, or do other, more budget-friendly options offer similar value? Let’s dive into the details.
A Capable Companion for Outdoor Adventures
Most portable speakers shine in the great outdoors, and the Everboom is no exception. It truly steps up its game when used outside, delivering a robust and immersive listening experience. At distances of 10 feet or more, its sound profile is characterized by:
- Full-bodied bass and midrange: The Everboom delivers a satisfying punch in the low frequencies, providing a powerful foundation for the music. Its midrange is also well-defined, allowing for clear and present vocals and melodies.
- Refined clarity in the higher frequencies: The speaker’s treble response is well-controlled, avoiding any harshness or sibilance. This contributes to a smooth and pleasurable overall listening experience.
- A touch of stereo separation: While not a fully immersive stereo experience, the Everboom provides a subtle sense of separation between left and right channels, adding to the overall enjoyment.
"There’s a pulpy warmth that hits just right when rendering snappy percussion, jangly strings, or crisp vocals" – This quote from a Wired review aptly describes the Everboom’s sonic character. The speaker possesses a "pulpy warmth" that makes music sound natural and engaging, especially for genres like acoustic, folk, and pop where nuanced details are crucial.
Turning Up the Volume
The Everboom is designed to fill spacious environments with sound. While it can be cranked up pretty loud, don’t expect it to be equally impressive at top volumes. At its highest volume levels, some digital compression becomes noticeable, which can result in a slight reduction in clarity and dynamic range.
Even with the compression, the Everboom still outperforms smaller options like the Boom 4 and aging JBL Flip 5. Its larger size allows for greater air movement, resulting in a fuller and more impactful sound. The Everboom also holds its own against the brawnier Beats Pill, which can tend towards a sharper sound in higher registers when outdoors.
Everboom vs. Megaboom 4: A Battle of Subtlties
The real competition for the Everboom comes from within the Ultimate Ears family: the Megaboom 4. Both speakers share similar features and design philosophies, making a direct comparison crucial. In a side-by-side listening test, the Everboom emerges as the slightly smoother performer.
- Warmer and fuller midbass: The Everboom boasts a slightly more pronounced low-end response, adding a touch of extra depth and richness to bass-heavy tracks.
- Slightly more power: While both speakers can reach impressive volume levels, the Everboom seems to have a slight edge in overall power output.
However, the Megaboom 4 focuses more on the mids, offering a punchier and more articulate sound in that frequency range. The Everboom’s treble, on the other hand, is subtly more refined, avoiding any harshness that can be present in the Megaboom 4.
In the real world, these subtle differences are unlikely to matter much when you’re enjoying your music at a barbecue or outdoor gathering. Both speakers deliver an enjoyable and engaging experience, and personal preference may ultimately dictate your choice.
Missing the Deep End: A Lack of Sub-Bass
One area where both the Everboom and Megaboom 4 struggle is in delivering deep bass. Neither speaker can truly "dig" into the sub-bass frequencies with the authority that some larger options, like the Epicboom or the Brane X, are known for.
However, this lack of deep bass shouldn’t be seen as a major drawback. The Everboom excels in other areas, such as its clarity, warmth, and portability. If your primary focus is on overall sonic quality and convenience, the Everboom’s lack of sub-bass might not be a significant issue.
Unwavering Durability: A Signature Feature
What truly sets Ultimate Ears’ "Boom" series apart is their industry-leading durability. The Everboom follows this tradition, boasting a water-resistant, drop-proof, and dust-proof design. It can handle spills, sand, and even a few rough tumbles.
This level of durability is rare in the portable speaker market, especially at its price point. The Everboom is built to last, a quality that will be appreciated by outdoor enthusiasts and anyone who values a rugged and reliable audio companion.
Price vs. Value: A Question of Needs
The Everboom’s biggest hurdle is its price tag. It’s significantly more expensive than its predecessor, the Boom 4, and it sits closer in price to the Megaboom 4. This raises the question: is the price premium justified?
The answer depends on your individual needs and preferences. If you’re prioritizing the ultimate combination of audio quality, durability, and portability, the Everboom might be worth its price. However, if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option that still offers excellent performance and features, the Megaboom 4 or the Boom 4 could be better choices.
For those on tighter budgets, the JBL Charge 5, which offers a built-in power bank, or the JBL Flip 6, which boasts impressive sound and portability, are also strong contenders.
Ultimately, the decision comes down to your individual needs and priorities. If you’re looking for an exceptional outdoor speaker with a robust and well-balanced sound profile, the Everboom might be a rewarding investment. However, if your budget is more constrained, or if you prioritize features like a built-in power bank, other excellent options are available in the market.
