The UE Hyperboom has finally arrived in the UK, after launching in the US before Covid-19 closed the world down.
The new speaker from Ultimate Ears is all about making a statement. It's big in size and stature, and has been built for both indoor and outdoor use.
Given Ultimate Ears is usually known for speakers that are smaller in stature it doesn't mean that it hasn't got the audio grunt to go big - it really does. The UE Hyperboom is a party speaker that will turn heads, although we might just have to wait a little longer for the parties to start up again before its full potential is unleashed.
We gave it a go, though, warning the neighbours that things were about to get loud - here are five things to know...
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1. The UE Hyperboom is big, really big
The UE Hyperboom is the biggest speaker Ultimate Ears has released, by some margin. Measuring 364mm (H) x 190mm (D) x 190mm (W), it's something of a monolith, weighing a hefty 5.9kg. There is a rubber strap on the side for use when lifting the thing and underneath that is all the connectors: a USB charger (for your phone), optical input, aux input and power.
There is a good reason for the size, it houses some powerful speakers - including two 4.5-inch woofers, two 1-inch tweeters and two 3.5x7.5-inch passive radiators.
2. It's a speaker that looks at home at home
When it comes to looks Ultimate Ears hasn't gone down the party route with what is essentially its party speaker. It has a hard plastic shell but it's clad in fabric that makes it ideal for a shelf speaker in the home. It also has an optical port - although UE is really pushing this as a TV speaker, the option is there. The speaker also has a 270˚ direction, so it's best placed near a wall for optimum sound.
Design wise, we are really impressed. Most of the party speakers we've used are garish, with flashing lights and far too many bells and rave whistles. This screams more dinner party, although there is definite boom in this box.
3. It's simple to setup and use
The UE Hyperboom gets top marks when it comes to usability. Switch it on, download the app, wait for the update and you are ready to go. Connectivity is done through Bluetooth and there's no faffing when it comes to trying to connect - the Hyperboom is ready and blinking for you.
Volume controls are on the top of the thing and there's no way you can miss them - they are huge and great for when outside and it's dark as you just pat/slap the thing and it works.
You can hook up multiple phones to the thing, too, which means that more than one person can control the party playlist - there's a nice fading in and when switching over too, making it feel pretty seamless.
4. Yes, it's portable... just
As party speakers go, the UE Hyperboom isn't the heaviest we've tested but at 5.9kg it's not something you will be lugging around all of the time. It is built for the outside, though, as it's splash proof and has a fantastic battery life. In our tests (where the volume certainly wasn't on max), we got an utterly impressive 20-plus hours out of it. While we can't see us using the UE Hyperboom beyond the garden - there's much more portable speakers for that - it really is a great speaker for in and out of the house.
5. The sound is fantastic and bloody loud
Blimey, the UE Hyperboom is loud. It's one of the bassiest speakers we have ever tested but it doesn't sacrifice fidelity. Turn it up and your ears are blessed with a fantastically loud, clear sound that will blow the roof off of any house party.
We plied it with dub (Dub Grinder by Coki) and our stomach rumbled with rumbles. We even asked Ultimate Ears what songs they used to test the thing and they all sounded majestic. Seeya by Deadmau5 sounded excellent, Don't Start Now by Dua Lipa superb.
When played outside, it's best to find a wall to put it near but the in-built EQ works well to counter any outside noise and the bigger space.
UE Hyperboom review: Final Verdict
Ultimate Ears has big plans in the audio world and the UE Hyperboom is a fantastic loud speaker. It has looks that work inside out a build quality that's rugged enough for the outdoors. The sound this speaker showcases is immense but its under-pinned by real audio know how.
The UE Hyperboom available 1 October for £359.99 from Ultimate Ears.
