UE’s Wonderboom 2 speaker has a big battery, a new button, and OUTDOOR MODE

I’m a big fan of UE audio gear. I’ve extolled the virtues of the BOOM 3 in the past, so when I heard about the just announced Wonderboom 2 – a Bluetooth speaker with a number of improvements over its predecessor – I was hyped.

Shockingly, the Wonderboom 2 is the second version UE’s entry-level Wonderboom range. They retail for around $100, which is cheaper than the BOOM 3. They also differ aesthetically from this range, being smaller and rounder than the cylindrical BOOM speakers.

Basically, Wonderbooms look like this:

Ugh it’s so cute I wanna bundle it up in cotton and walk around in a pram.

The Wonderboom 2 comes with a number improvements over its already impressive predecessor. The rugged exterior and waterproofing (as well as its floating ability) all remain, but UE has made upgrades to the sound, battery life, and functionality.

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The Wonderboom 2 has been tweaked to deliver a better audio experience. On top of this, it’s introduced something called “Outdoor Boost mode.” In simple terms, this switches up the EQ to deliver a louder, crisper sound for – you guessed it – the outdoors. I’d assume this also alters the speaker’s bass levels in some manner.

In regards to the battery life, UE claim the Wonderboom 2 can pump out the jams for 13 hours, a 30-percent improvement over the old model.

Yup, in case you missed it, the Wonderboom 2 is waterproof and floats. Great for pool parties, well, if you’re rich and have friends.

The Wonderboom 2’s functionality improvements are also worth noting. Much like the BOOM 3, UE has added a fancy new to button on top of the new Wonderboom. Basically, this puts the play/pause push switch in a more prominent position than before, making control simpler and more intuitive.

While the old Wonderbooom could sync up with other speakers to play the same music, the latest model has a trick up its sleeve: stereo pairing. This means if you connect two up, you can get proper separation between the left and right channels. Well, if you want to of course.

On paper, the Wonderboom 2 is a solid update to an already great speaker. It fits in a lot of functionality and – if the old version was anything to go by – delivers great sound for the very reasonable price of $100. It could be the ideal summer speaker.

The Wonderboom 2 will be available in the US from late June (although you can pre-order it now). But if you have no need for the newest version, you can grab the original (and still very good) Wonderboom for around $50 on Amazon.

We’ll be posting the review for the Wonderboom 2 in the coming weeks, so check back soon for a full review.

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Story by Callum Booth

Callum Booth is a freelance journalist with over a decade of experience. Previously, he was the Managing Editor of TNW, where his reporting (show all) Callum Booth is a freelance journalist with over a decade of experience. Previously, he was the Managing Editor of TNW, where his reporting was cited widely, including in VICE, the FT, and the BBC. Callum’s writing has appeared in The Verge, The Daily Telegraph, Time Out, and many more. He covers the full spectrum of technology, with a particular focus on how it shapes our daily lives. And a lot of regulation stuff too. Outside of work, Callum’s an avid bookworm, a Fisherman’s Friends addict, and resolutely unshaven. Follow him on Twitter @CallumBooth or visit www.callumbooth.net.