In the experiment UE Hyperboom: ”More than a party speaker”

The Hyperboom speaker from Ultimate Ears offers plenty of volume, connectivity, and battery life for party use. But it also works on headphones at home for listening.

Text and screenshots: Joni Nikkola
Photos: Ultimate Ears

Ultimate Ears' cylindrical Boom and Megaboom speakers are familiar to many. However, they are at their best in a slightly quieter environment than as a centerpiece for parties.

Hyperboom is a brand new speaker model that, like its little brothers, is portable and battery-powered but offers a bit more volume for a larger audience. The price of the UE Hyperboom is clearly higher, at about 400 euros. What do you get for that money?

The elegance of the heavy series
The angular Hyperboom is an elegant exception among cylindrical Bluetooth speakers. Its surface is adorned with a stylish and supportive fabric. The control buttons are located on the speaker itself. The speaker stands firmly upright, and the first impression is sturdy. There is a loop on the side of the speaker for carrying it. However, the weight of the device is 5.9 kilograms, so you wouldn’t be able to carry it around casually, for example while strolling in the park.

Hyperboom is protected against splashing water according to the IPX4 rating. The connections located under the protective cover against water are surprisingly numerous – the connection is for the external power supply included in the package, an aux audio input, a USB connection for charging a mobile device, and most surprisingly, an optical connection. Additionally, there is a micro-USB charging port.

There's enough battery and range
The range for the wireless Bluetooth connection is promised to be as much as 45 meters, and the sound didn’t stop ringing at any point, at least while walking around the room. The battery is promised to last for up to 24 hours, which varies depending on the volume used. At medium volume, the reading seems to hold pretty well. With working-day listening, the battery should last for about three days, which is a respectable figure.

You can check the battery charge level either from the phone or by pressing both volume buttons simultaneously, at which point a female voice will indicate the charge percentage. Charging to full capacity takes about 2.5 hours, but you can also listen to music while the speaker is charging.

The tweeter and bass-midrange elements are positioned on the front two sides. The passive radiators are positioned on the rear sides to add punch to the bass when the speaker is positioned in a corner, for example. Thanks to these elements, the sound is said to extend down to a minimum of 45 Hertz, which is quite low in its class.

The Boom app is available for managing the speaker. It allows you to turn the speaker on, adjust the volume, and select a playback source. The app features an Adaptive EQ frequency correction function that adjusts the playback to the environment. However, in our testing, it did not provide much of a difference. The frequency correction can also be adjusted manually. There are five zones and three presets: bass boost, gaming/movie mode, and podcast mode. Spotify, Deezer, and Amazon Music users can access their chosen playlists with just one tap.

Convenient for parties is also the PartyUp function. If there are other UE-compatible speakers present, they can be played in sync with up to 150 tracks. In addition, the app has a wake-up function where you can choose the music you want.

Clear and concise repetition
In parties, the noise doesn’t always stop right away, even if there are people with noise-canceling headphones present. In a standard room, the volume is so loud that you’d better keep the volume at a moderate level during the middle of the party. At home, the volume is enough to fill another room as well.

The sound is clearly emphasized even when it’s not being played outdoors or when there are more people around. The bass is played in a subdued way. The treble side is also emphasized in a party-like style. When listening to music at quieter home settings, you might need to adjust the frequency a little. The playback also doesn’t get stuck very easily.

We also tried the speaker connected to a TV. It allows you to enhance movies or scenes from a sci-fi film. For more permanent use, the format sets its own limitations, such as when using the TV sound to adjust the volume. The speaker does not fit under a TV that is standing on a tabletop in a vertical position. When placed next to the TV or in a position other than vertical, the stereo image is blurred, which is annoying in the long run. However, the sound quality is commendable.

The Hyperboom has a comprehensive number of connections. Surprisingly, it also includes an optical input, which makes the speaker suitable for movie or gaming nights as well. The connections are located under a protective flap that protects them from splashing water.

The sturdy elements on the front page, together with the passive speakers placed in the rear, provide a balanced sound. Those who need more bass can place the speaker closer to the wall.

The buttons can be used to turn on the power, control playback, and select the source of the playback. The wireless sources can be selected between two Bluetooth devices. The volume buttons are of a decent size.

Thanks to the carrying handle, the device is easy to carry around. However, due to its weight, it isn’t easy to carry it around for fun on long trips.

The application is the same as in the smaller Boom series speakers. It works, among other things, as a remote for the speaker and includes a five-band equalizer.

The article is available for reading From the AVPlus magazine 3/2020 (No. 196)