The Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4, released in 2024, is the next-gen of the Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3. It's equipped with app support, water and dust resistance, and a USB-C charge port. Externally, it looks like the previous model, so let's check out what's going on under the hood.
Our Verdict
The Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 is decent for music. True to its name, it adds extra boom and punch to your favorite tracks (which you can also cue up with the press of a button). You can also adjust the frequency response in the app's EQ. Thanks to its 360-degree design, the speaker has remarkable directivity, so your music sounds about the same across angles. However, the speaker doesn't get very loud, but you can always use the 'PartyUp' function to add another compatible Ultimate Ears speaker to fill out the space.
-
360-design means it sounds the same across angles.
-
EQ and 'PartyUp' features expand its sound profile and utility.
-
Very portable.
-
Can't get very loud.
-
No multi-device pairing.
-
Bass compresses at high volumes.
The Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 is okay for watching videos and movies. Its frequency response trends towards warm, which can slightly veil dialogue, but you can EQ it in the app. Its size is too small to appreciate the stereo mix of movies. It also doesn't get very loud, so if you're watching TV in a large room, it'll be harder to hear with more low-end compression at high volumes. Connectivity is limited to Bluetooth without other wireless or wired options. That said, its latency with iOS, in particular, is very low, ensuring no lipsync mismatch. However, latency is higher with Android devices, so your mileage may vary with different apps, too.
-
360-design means it sounds the same across angles.
-
EQ and 'PartyUp' features expand its sound profile and utility.
-
Low latency with iOS.
-
Can't get very loud.
-
Bass compresses at high volumes.
-
Higher latency with Android with no low latency mode.
The Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 is decent for podcasts. It's a bit warm by default, but you can EQ it, like trying out the 'Podcast' EQ preset, for instance, if you find speech sounds less clear. Because of its lightweight, you can easily tote it around with you. If you're listening to your favorite show while moving around, it'll sound virtually the same, thanks to its 360-degree design, but its max volume isn't very loud. The speaker also lacks multi-device pairing.
-
360-design means it sounds the same across angles.
-
EQ and 'PartyUp' features expand its sound profile and utility.
-
Very portable.
-
Can't get very loud.
-
No multi-device pairing.
-
Higher frequencies are somewhat pushed down in the mix by default.
The Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 lacks a mic, so you can't use it to access a voice assistant.
The Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 is very good for outdoor use. Its size and weight are portable enough to take with you, and its IP67 rating ensures the speaker can handle dust and water exposure. Due to its 360-degree design, your audio sounds nearly the same across angles, and you can use 'PartyUp' to add compatible speakers by the brand. Its long Bluetooth range means you don't have to worry about your signal cutting out. Plus, the app's EQ lets you adjust the tuning. Unfortunately, the speaker doesn't get very loud, and it compresses somewhat in the bass when set to its max volume setting. It also lacks multi-device pairing.
-
Well-built with IP67 rating.
-
360-design means it sounds the same across angles.
-
EQ and 'PartyUp' features expand its sound profile and utility.
-
Very portable.
-
Can't get very loud.
-
No multi-device pairing.
-
Bass compresses at high volumes.
- 7.1 Music
- 6.4 Videos/Movies
- 7.2 Podcasts
- 3.0 Voice Assistant
- 7.8 Outdoors
- Updated Oct 09, 2024: Review published.
- Updated Oct 03, 2024: Early access published.
- Updated Sep 24, 2024: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Aug 29, 2024: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Aug 26, 2024: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 comes in four colors. Our model is 'Active Black' (you can see our unit's label here), and we expect it to perform similarly to units in 'Enchanting Lilac,' 'Cobalt Blue,' and 'Raspberry Red.' If you encounter another variant of this speaker, let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Speakers
The Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 is one of the brand's middle-sized portable cylinder speakers, with more oomph than the smaller Ultimate Ears BOOM 4. Like the portable JBL Charge 5, the MEGABOOM 4 is dust-resistant and waterproof and gets loud enough to fill a small room. However, if you want a full-out party, you'll need something larger like the Ultimate Ears HYPERBOOM.
Check out the best portable Bluetooth speakers, best waterproof speakers, and best Bluetooth speakers for bass for other options.
Externally, the Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3 and Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 look a lot alike. Their specs are nearly the same except for the updated USB-C charge port on the MEGABOOM 4 and the ability to skip back a track. The MEGABOOM 4 has a bit more low-end extension and it's somewhat better balanced sounding. That said, it doesn't get quite as loud as the MEGABOOM 3, which uses an older micro-USB charge port, and it sounds less detailed in the highs. However, both have EQ, and they're not too dissimilar sounding overall.
The JBL Charge 5 and Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 are toe-toe in many respects, tilting the scales at the same weight and IP67 ratings. Which is better depends a bit on how you use them, but by default, the Ultimate Ears is bassier, while the JBL is a bit brighter and more balanced. Both have equalizers, though the Ultimate Ears app's EQ controls more frequencies. The JBL can get louder and has more conventional controls. It's also less likely to tip over on an uneven surface. However, the Ultimate Ears has impact resistance and a 360-degree design, ensuring your audio sounds the same across angles.
The Ultimate Ears EVERBOOM and Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 are both very portable speakers with the same IP67 and are advertised as impact resistant, although the EVERBOOM is a touch heavier and a bit more squat. It also has slightly better controls, NFC pairing, a carabiner for hooking it to your bag, and an 'Outdoor' mode, which is absent on the MEGABOOM 4. That said, despite being smaller, the MEGABOOM 4 is only a bit quieter at max and has a greater high-frequency extension, though both favor signature boominess over clarity and detail.
The Ultimate Ears BOOM 4 and Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 are very similar speakers, both in looks, durability and app support. The BOOM 4 is smaller and easier to take along with you and it gets a bit louder, but it sounds noticeably less clear with veiled treble, which you can EQ. In contrast, the slightly larger size of the MEGABOOM 4 allows it to reproduce more bass frequencies that the BOOM 4 can't even with EQ and its battery is rated to last longer.
Test Results
This vertical standing speaker doesn't depart much from the previous Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3, retaining the same signature oversized '+/-' and the small fabric loop. It's wrapped in a taut fabric with plastic, rubbery-textured caps, and the rest of the controls are located along the top. It looks like the bigger sibling to the Ultimate Ears BOOM 4. You can get it in 'Cobalt Blue,' 'Active Black,' 'Raspberry Red,' and 'Enchanting Lilac.'
The speaker is incredibly portable. It weighs about the same as the JBL Charge 5 but takes up less space in your bag. It's noticeably taller than the Ultimate Ears BOOM 4, though, so it won't fit in a large pocket. You can use its integrated fabric loop with your own clip if you want to attach it to your backpack.
Like the last generation model, this speaker is remarkably built. Its IP67 rating ensures it's dust-resistant and waterproof (in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes). Although not specified with any certification, the manufacturer claims the speaker is also impact-resistant.
The end caps are rubberized, and the majority of the speaker is covered in a tight and tough fabric grill. A flap protects the USB-C port when it's not in use. At the top of the speaker, there's a small fabric loop you can add a clip to or hang the speaker from a hook.
The speaker's controls cover the majority of commands you need. These are nearly identical to the last generation model, except you can skip to the previous track on the Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4. You can feel the buttons depress when you enter a command, and the speaker emits distinct chimes for functions like pairing mode and power, alongside a battery warning when it's low. It doesn't chime for volume adjustment, which, honestly, can be distracting anyway. Besides the large '+/-' buttons, the rest of the buttons don't have very clear labels. Unlike the Ultimate Ears BOOM 4, you can preconfigure the 'magic button' via the companion app to automatically launch a playlist in Spotify, Apple Music, or Amazon Music, depending on your device and subscription.
- Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 speaker
- USB-C charging cable
- Quick start guide and warranty information
The Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 uses a slightly different passive radiator design than the Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3 that, according to the manufacturer, improves the bass. Indeed, it has a greater low-end extension than the previous model. That said, depending on what you listen to, you might not notice a huge impact unless your music has a lot of sub-bass content, like dubstep. Overall, the speaker's frequency response is also more balanced in the midrange and a bit more detailed in the highs than in the last gen. This very slight retuning can give the impression that it's not as warm, even though it supplies a good amount of boom and punch. That said, thanks to the app's equalizer, you can utilize EQ presets or manually alter the sound profile to taste, including a 'Cramped Space' preset, even if there's no room correction tool.
The speaker's directivity is superb. Its 360-degree design translates to your music sounding nearly the same across listening angles. It retains the stereo mix of your music, but it might be hard to really notice it. You can also pair another compatible Ultimate Ears speaker, including the previous generation model (which is nice if you have one), to create a stereo pair.
The speaker's dynamics are passable. At max volume, it compresses in the bass through the low-mids a bit, which introduces a bit of pumping. The compression in the high-bass has improved over the last gen, but unfortunately, it can't get as loud at max volume.
The speaker is advertised to last 20 hours, and the main difference between its performance and the Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3 is that it charges using USB-C instead of micro-USB. In addition, the speaker has an auto-off feature that shuts it down if left idle for 15 minutes.
The Ultimate Ears companion app (as demonstrated in this video) expands the speaker's capabilities by including a graphic EQ with saveable custom EQs and presets. The app also has the 'PartyUp' feature for adding another speaker if you already own the MEGABOOM 3, for instance. 'PartyUp' also works with the same generation MEGABOOM 4, BOOM 4, EVERBOOM, EPICBOOM, and HYPERBOOM models.
If you need to interrupt the party and get everyone's attention, the 'Megaphone' feature allows you to use your device's mic to play the mic's audio through the speaker. You can allocate your favorite mood playlist in the app to open in Spotify, Apple Music, or Amazon Music with the press of a button on the speaker. Other features available in the app include an alarm clock, volume, and power on/off, changing whether the controls make sounds (or not), and switching to a different language.
The Bluetooth connectivity is great. Latency with iOS devices is very low, meaning video and audio exhibit imperceptible lag. Android latency is higher, and you may encounter a bit of lipsync mismatch if you're watching videos. However, latency can vary with different apps and devices. Unfortunately, the speaker doesn't support multi-device pairing, though.