Gadget Review: Ultimate Ears Mini Boom

IF the Mini Boom’s size is comparable to a block of butter, its sound is just as sweet for an affordable speaker. Once easily paired with a phone or tablet, the bass comes to the fore while the mid-range is warm and vivid without compromising the treble. The best surprise, though, is the volume, which more than lives up the name.

Ultimate Ears Mini Boom

£79 RRP

Cranked up full, the Mini Boom’s output reaches 86 decibels, a level that more than holds its own in large rooms or outside. Streaming a rock-heavy Spotify playlist via an HTC One, the Bluetooth connection offered an excellent range throughout an average sized household, with several devices paired at once.

Weighing in at 301 grams and with dimensions of 11.1 by 6.7 by 6.1 centimetres, the Mini Boom is easily transportable. In a marketplace where promises of portability often ring hollow, Logitech’s device can fit with ease into the pockets of most coats and jackets, as well as any bag.

Its metal framed chassis is coated in a thick black rubber polymer that is easy to grip and ensures the unit will not budge with vibrations. The main concession to style is a red coloured grille (although other versions are available with different coloured bodies and grilles) covering the speaker drivers which looks snappy enough without being ostentatious.

On the top of the speaker, there are just three large pad buttons for volume control and Bluetooth functionality; although the basic controls will suffice for most users, Logitech also have a UE Mini Boom app, downloadable from Google Play or the App Store. The result is a clever way of producing a unit that is uncluttered with a stripped back aesthetic.

Along with a good wireless range of up to 15 metres, the Mini Boom’s impressive battery life ran close to an advertised ten hours when playing music and talk radio at an average volume level. Helpfully, Logitech have also included a function which sees the Mini Boom automatically turn itself off after a quarter of an hour of inactivity.

On the downside, the speaker can take around four hours to achieve a full charge via micro USB and its impressive sound does not always excel in providing distinct channels, meaning that consumers looking for stereo separation would be best advised investing in two Mini Booms and pairing them. Overall, however, this is functional tech that feels hardy and durable and sounds superb given its price tag.