Ultimate Ears Epicboom Review | Trusted Reviews

Verdict

One other entertaining, approachable outside speaker from Final Ears, the Epicboom has loads of allure and satisfying sound to make outside events and gatherings whizz by – a strong effort in just about all classes.

Introduction

Final Ears isn’t any stranger to the outside speaker, it’s bought loads of type from small efforts to large ones, and regardless of the title, the Epicboom falls someplace within the center.

Following within the footsteps of the Sonos Transfer, the Final Ears Epicboom is the kind of speaker that could possibly be used within the backyard or taken additional afield to the park. It’s not as transportable because the Wonderboom 3, however the tradeoff you get is an even bigger sound and extra options.

Is it a tradeoff value making for the Final Ears Epicboom? Let’s see if it lives as much as its title.

Design

• Distinctive seems
• Considerate design
• It floats in water!

The look of the Final Ears Epicboom gives the look that it was, on the very least, impressed by the Sonos Transfer. Although it’s about as tall as both Transfer speaker, and thicker too, it’s not as broad, so the Epicboom is comparatively compact in comparison with its outside rival.

It’s additionally not as heavy both – simply shy underneath 2kg to the Transfer’s 3kg – making it simpler to move although it’s not as if this speaker shall be accompanying you in your travels wherever you go. It does include a material carry strap that makes it simpler to hold, and I just like the magnetic attachment on the rear of the speaker to cease it from flailing about.

A lot of the speaker is roofed in a material (a alternative of white or black). The speaker itself is rated to IP67, which makes it dust-resistant, resilient towards grime, and waterproof. Final Ears claims you possibly can put it in a physique of water and it’ll float, and having examined that declare out, the Epicboom does certainly float moderately than sink. Whether it is submerged it could possibly survive for about half-hour. Personally, I wouldn’t strive it, the speaker retains water and takes some time to dry out.

Do you have to drop the speaker, it could possibly survive a fall of a couple of metre, with the underside of the speaker constructed from a more durable materials. It’s additionally decked with tiny little spots, as if somebody has flicked paint on the backside – a messily endearing contact. Built-in into the underside is a USB-C charging port, and there’s no cradle just like the Transfer to put the speaker in. Battery ranges are represented by three dots above the quantity controls, hidden beneath the material masking.

On prime are controls for energy, Bluetooth pairing, playback, and Out of doors Mode (extra on that later). Playback additionally doubles up because the Magic button to serve up music playlists (leap to Options for extra on that). The presses are good and agency, which is strictly what you’d need. The amount controls are on the entrance, writ massive within the standard Final Ears trend to face out. I like how the Epicboom seems – designed to face out moderately than fade into the background.

Final Ears, like different audio manufacturers, is taking a extra sustainable method with its merchandise. 59% of the plastics used are derived from recycled plastic, the material coating is 100% constructed from recycled supplies. The battery can be dismounted and recycled however Final Ears doesn’t have a substitute scheme – that is solely an choice for when the speaker is on the finish of its life cycle.

Options

• Lengthy battery life
• Sturdy Bluetooth connection
• App help

First off, there’s no Wi-Fi help – strictly Bluetooth streaming solely. I’m ready for phrase on which Bluetooth codecs the Epicboom helps from Final Ears, and as soon as I do, I’ll replace this assessment.

Whichever model of Bluetooth the Epicboom helps, the connection is a agency one. Strolling from one finish of my backyard to a different with music taking part in (properly over 20 metres), the connection to the Epicboom didn’t break up as soon as. Final Ears claims it’s sturdy sufficient to outlive a distance as much as 55m.

Battery life is alleged to be as much as 17 hours when performed at 45% quantity. Having performed music at round 50% quantity, the speaker dropped 10% in about two and a half hours, which suggests you possibly can get extra from this speaker than Final Ears claims.

When you’ve got different UE audio system, particularly the Hyperboom, Growth 3, and Megaboom 3, the Epicboom can pair with them to create an even bigger sound by way of the PartyUp characteristic. And in case you’re accustomed to the Wonderboom collection, you’ll recognise the Out of doors Increase mode that redirects a number of the energy from the low frequencies and channels them to the mid and excessive frequencies for an even bigger increase.

There may be an app, helpfully titled ‘Growth’ and inside it there’s scope to energy the speaker off, have interaction Out of doors Increase, modify the taking part in quantity, and test the battery ranges. Maintain down the Magic button and that’ll take you straight to your favorite playlists arrange within the app. Spotify and Amazon Music are supported on Android, whereas for iOS units it’s Apple Music.

You’ve a alternative of 4 presets to fill in, edit, re-order or delete; and it’s as straightforward as choosing one, taking part in music in Spotify and saving it within the app. It’s a handy characteristic however I discovered it’s barely complicated getting again to this space to customize it extra. You don’t, as an example, press the One-Contact characteristic within the app (it’ll ask if you wish to log off) however press on the playback part on the primary display. It’s the one side of this quite simple app that was unclear to me.

There may be additionally a number of EQ presets to select from that features Bass Increase, Recreation/Cinema, Deep Rest, Signature, and Podcast/Vocal. They do what they are saying on the tin like the plain Bass Increase, whereas Deep Rest is analogous however softens the treble response. Should you don’t like them, there’s the choice of making your individual EQ preset.

Sound High quality

• Heat, punchy audio
• Not the sharpest efficiency
• Can hit loud quantity ranges with ease

Tonally, there’s a heat to the Epicboom’s efficiency that’s not overly wealthy however doesn’t make for the sharpest or most outlined audio efficiency both.

Nonetheless, I discover myself liking the Epicboom’s supply. There’s first rate presence and weight to the bass in Mako and Pusha T’s Misfit Toys in each indoor settings and outdoors. Bass typically takes a success in outside settings due to the dearth of reflective surfaces to bolster it, however the Epicbooms’ low frequency just isn’t missing for punch.

Excessive frequency notes aren’t crisp in tone however in Flying Lotus’ Parisian Goldfish there’s a transparent timbre/tone to the notes that stands out from the lows and midrange. Even higher is the speaker’s deal with vocals – they’re all the time on the forefront of any monitor, clearly intelligible in Fall Out Boy’s This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race, and even higher at ladling Amber Simone’s soulful vocals with readability in Life’s Pleasure.

And regardless of not being the sharpest-sounding effort by Bluetooth speaker phrases, there’s satisfying ranges of readability and element afforded to The Chemical Brothers’ Provoke, in addition to an honest degree of dynamism in a broader sense and with vocals. It’s not probably the most sprightly when it comes to traversing the distinction between quiet and loud, however the Epicboom is ready to talk the power of the monitor’s rhythm and digital beats.

And whilst you’d take a look at the Epicboom and assume, like I did, that it’s not going to unfold its sound out broad, there’s a facet of stereo panning in Galvanise regardless of the UE speaker primarily being a mono speaker. The sound doesn’t come from one place within the speaker’s physique, it’s really coming from all elements of the higher physique, giving songs loads of area and avoiding sounding bunched up.

In truth, the Epicboom can push sound away from its physique too. Supertramp’s The Logical Tune has the sound of maracas (I feel) firing away from the speaker’s sides and increasing the soundstage. Although Final Ears claims a 360-degree efficiency, that isn’t fairly the case. Sitting in entrance of the speaker gives one of the best sound, and although you get the same efficiency from behind, it does really feel extra distant.

The speaker, unsurprisingly, has extra presence and radiates extra power at larger volumes, and at prime quantity the Epicboom can get loud with out invoking distortion. Activating Out of doors Increase could make bass sound tougher and flatter with Starkey’s New Cities, however the frequencies from the midrange upwards do get a lift, projected away from the speaker to listen to them higher.

Maybe most of all with the Final Ears Epicboom, I simply take pleasure in its stability. Neither wealthy nor scientific in its method, the Signature EQ works properly throughout a variety of genres from rock to pop, to R&B and electronica. That is an out of doors speaker with an agreeable character, and I feel you’ll prefer it too.

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