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Digital Trends
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
Ultimate Ears Miniroll review: Ultraportable speaker that won't disappoint on sound
Ultimate Ears MiniRoll MSRP $80.00 Score Details 'On a pure sound-for-size basis, it doesn't get much better than the UE Miniroll.' Pros Impressive sound quality for its size Tough, waterproof, and built to travel Expandable via PartyUp (Auracast) Thoughtful, flexible silicone strap Lightweight and easy to pack Cons Lacks a true wrist strap Can't stereo-pair No app for EQ adjustments Table of Contents Table of Contents Design Durability Expandability Sound quality Battery life Conclusion When it comes to portable Bluetooth speakers for under $100, compromise is part of the game. You want something small and light enough to toss in a bag, but not so wimpy that it sounds like your phone in a tin can. Ultimate Ears' Miniroll, the company's latest ultra-portable speaker, strikes that balance really well, and does so in a uniquely shaped package that is just plain fun. Recommended Videos I've been using the Miniroll on and off for a few months, and I've been really impressed with its versatility, but more importantly, its audio quality. Don't let its size and whimsical look fool you, this is a serious speaker that can produce surprisingly loud and full sound. Design At just 9.77 ounces, the Miniroll is incredibly light. Throw it in a backpack and I promise you won't even notice it. At 4.5 inches in diameter and about 1.75 inches thick, I could even slide into the back pocket of my jeans. From a portability standpoint, it may not be the smallest speaker on the market, but it doesn't have to be — it's plenty small enough. You can buy it in one of four colors: black, pink, grey, or blue (pictured here). Why the round shape? Well, for a start, it's just plain fun, but the better reason is that speaker drivers are round. When you pack a round driver into a round enclosure, you get a speaker that occupies the least amount of space. The woven fabric grille features Ultimate Ears' (UE) trademark oversized volume buttons, while power/BT pairing and play/pause/track skipping buttons are found around the side. A USB-C port handles charging, but unlike the JBL Flip 7, it can't be used for USB Audio. As is increasingly the case with portable audio products in general, UE doesn't ship the Miniroll with its own USB-C cable to avoid e-waste (and presumably reduce cost). On the back is a removable silicone strap that combines the functionality of a wrist strap and a carabiner, letting you attach the Miniroll to all kinds of objects from bike handlebars to the overhead wire of your patio lights. As a carry strap, it's not as comfortable as a true lanyard. You may be able to get a few fingers through the middle slot, but not your whole hand. However, the strap does play an interesting role when you place the speaker on a flat surface. The strap's four tiny raised feet provide both a surprisingly grippy connection and excellent vibration isolation. Durability With an IP67 rating, the Miniroll is effectively dust and waterproof. But UE also claims it's drop-proof, up to 1.2 meters (about 3.9 feet), making it a very rugged choice. It's perfect for the patio or the pool, but it's best to think of it as a poolside speaker, not an actual pool speaker. It may survive immersion in water, but unlike its larger sibling, the WonderBoom 4, the Miniroll doesn't float. In fact, it will sink like a stone (yep, I found that out the hard way). Expandability UE's PartyUp feature (powered by Bluetooth Auracast) lets you sync an unlimited number of other Minirolls for simultaneous playback. As long as another Miniroll is within Bluetooth range (32 feet or closer), it can join your primary Miniroll's PartyUp network. Unfortunately, PartyUp can't be used to stereo pair two Minirolls, and UE limits audio sharing to just other Minirolls. JBL's implementation of Auracast on its newest speakers is more flexible, letting any Auracast-enabled JBL speakers connect. Sound quality I think the Miniroll sounds great — for its size. You're not going to get thumping bass, but the speaker still manages to let you hear most of that low end. However, the key to the Miniroll's audio quality is its handling of midrange and high frequencies. Both enjoy very good clarity and detail, and there's a warm tonal quality that I find is missing from most ultraportable speakers. I happened to have Marshall's Willen on hand while testing the Miniroll. The Willen, physically, is a square version of the Miniroll, complete with the same design of silicone strap on the back (I believe the Willen was the first to feature this idea). Sound-wise, though, the two couldn't be more different. Where the Miniroll delivers the kind of balance, detail, and loudness that you might expect from a larger speaker, the Willen struggles mightily, with half the perceived power and far less bass response. Speaking of bass response, I've read a few other Miniroll reviews that note a lack of low end and point out that for the same $80 price, you can get the Soundcore Motion 300, a better-sounding Bluetooth speaker. This is true, but it's also beside the point. The Motion 300 is more than twice the size and three times the weight of the Miniroll. Price aside, these speakers aren't in the same category. I wouldn't think twice about grabbing the Miniroll on the way out the door. The Motion 300 might give me pause. The more reasonable critique of the Miniroll is that UE doesn't provide a companion app, so there's no way to tweak the EQ. Honestly, I'm not sure what I'd change if I could make adjustments. For my tastes, the factory settings were fine. Compared to competitors like the JBL Clip 4 or Soundcore Select 4 Go, the Miniroll consistently came out ahead in clarity, depth, and sheer listening enjoyment. Battery life UE claims up to 12 hours of battery life, and in my testing, mostly at moderate volume, that number holds up. For its size — and considering its impressive volume — that's very good stamina. Most of the other ultraportables have the same or less. However, if you want to get maximum battery life in the smallest possible package, it's hard to beat the Soundcore Select 4 Go's 20 hours. Conclusion If you're looking for a pocket-sized speaker that doesn't sound like a toy, the Ultimate Ears Miniroll is one of the best options out there. It combines smart design, rugged build quality, and above-average sound into a speaker that genuinely punches above its weight. Sure, it's not going to fill a backyard with bass, but for solo adventures, travel, or casual hangs, it's more than enough — and more than most in this price range.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Yahoo
Best Bluetooth Speaker for 2025
If you're looking for a new bluetooth speaker for playing music and more across a room, pool party or backyard, we're here to bring you the best you can buy. I've tested hundreds of portable Bluetooth speakers dating all the way back to the Jawbone Mini Jambox over 10 years ago to bring you the perfect match that meets all your needs. Our hands-on testing covers everything from premium boom boxes to budget-friendly options under $50 and evaluates sound quality, battery life, durability and special features like party mode and voice assistance. After years of testing, I've identified the best Bluetooth speakers to deliver exceptional audio performance at every price point in 2025. Choosing the best Bluetooth speaker overall is a tough decision given how many speakers are out there now. However, the Soundcore by Anker Boom 2 tops our list. While this is a great pick, there are others worth considering like the Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen), Bose SoundLink Max and Tribit StormBox Flow along with the new Beats Pill. Sony's LinkBuds Bluetooth Speaker, Ultimate Ears' Everboom and Tribit Strombox Blast 2 are our latest top picks. JBL's Charge 5 offers a good balance of size, performance and durability. It's bigger than some of the mini speakers on this list, like the Flip 5, but is still compact and packs more bass punch and overall volume. Featuring a built-in USB charging port for juicing up your mobile devices, it offers improved audio and a dustproof and waterproof design that's elevated from the previous Charge. According to JBL, the speaker is equipped with a "racetrack-shaped driver," with a separate tweeter and dual passive radiators, to improve both clarity and bass performance over the Charge 4. (In my tests, this indeed proved to be the case.) Battery life is rated at 20 hours at moderate volume levels. This model is also equipped with JBL's PartyBoost feature that allows you to connect it to other compatible JBL portable speakers to augment their sound. The Charge 5 comes in six color options: black, blue, gray, red, teal and "squad" (which looks like a kind of camo). See at Walmart For its first three generations, JBL's Clip micro Bluetooth speaker had a circular design. For the fourth-gen Clip 4, JBL has moved to a more oval shape, bulked up the speaker slightly and added USB-C charging. This portable Bluetooth speaker does seem more durable, with a sturdier integrated carabiner clip. Also, it sounds a little better, with more volume, clearer sound and more bass. With an IP67 water-resistance rating, it can survive being dunked in shallow water and is dustproof. The Clip 4 is right up there with the best overall micro Bluetooth speakers. See at JBL Sonos Roam: Available in white or black for $179, the Roam is currently the smallest and most affordable Sonos speaker (if you don't count those $99 Sonos-compatible Symfonisk Ikea Wi-Fi bookshelf speakers), although it's fairly expensive for a mini wireless speaker. This Sonos Roam model, like the bigger Sonos Move 2 portable speaker, is equipped with both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and can tap into an existing Sonos multiroom audio system and link with other Series 2-compatible Sonos speakers. Learn more about the Sonos Roam with our hands-on review. Tribit XSound Go: Despite being on the market for several years, the Tribit XSound Go remains one of the top Bluetooth speakers for the money. Besides sounding decent for streaming your favorite music and more, this affordable Bluetooth speaker is also fully waterproof. It has had some small upgrades over the years. Read our full review of the Tribit XSound Go to find out more. JBL Pulse 5: JBL's Pulse speaker is now in its fifth generation, and both the sound quality and 360-degree light show have been improved. JBL has "expanded the transparent outer body" so the customizable light show looks more impressive. (There's a companion app for iOS and Android that allows you to alter the colorful lighting effects.) The speaker is also IP67 dust-proof and waterproof, and it offers up to 12 hours of battery at moderate volume levels. I did a full review of the JBL Pulse 5 in January of 2023, and it still holds as an excellent speaker option. Anker Motion Boom: Anker's more expensive Soundcore Motion Boom Plus (see above) is a substantial sound upgrade over the original Motion Boom but this model remains a very good mini boom box for the money. Equipped with a handle and weighing a little over 4 pounds, the speaker reminds me of one of those giant flashlights or "floating lanterns" that were in vogue about 30 years ago. For the record, the Motion Boom actually does float and is fully waterproof with an IPX7 rating. Find out more in our full Anker Motion Boom review. UE Hyperboom: Ultimate Ears' Boom Bluetooth speakers come in a few different sizes, but none of them are as big as the Hyperboom. A supersize wireless speaker that tips the scales at a hefty 13 pounds, the Hyperboom makes the UE Megaboom 3 look unquestionably puny. It's not cheap, but its sound quality is better than a lot of the jumbo portable speakers on the market right now. Read our full review of the UE Hyperboom. Marshall Willen: Marshall's little mono Willen speaker is similar to Bose's SoundLink Micro and other micro speakers like the Tribit StormBox Micro 2. Also like those speakers, it has an integrated strap on its base so you can clip it onto a backpack or even to your bike's handlebars. Its 2-inch full-range driver and two passive radiators put out more sound than you'd think it would for its tiny size, and it offers decent clarity as well as just enough bass to avoid sounding tinny (you can choose from three preset sound modes). Tribit StormBox (Out of Stock): The StormBox looks like a cross between a UE and a JBL speaker. We suspect that's not an accident. This fully waterproof speaker costs significantly less than the JBL Flip 5 and Flip 6 and produces a bigger sound. Its rechargeable battery offers up to 20 hours of battery life for playing music and more. Tribit's XSound speakers are probably a better value, but the StormBox is more stylish. Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen): A couple of years ago, Bang & Olufsen upgraded its dome-shaped aluminum-clad A1 speaker with improved battery life, better speakerphone performance (it now has a three-microphone array) and slightly improved sound. It's not only the smallest wireless speaker from the Danish company, it's technically the most affordable. You can learn more about the small-but-mighty B&O Beousound A1 in our full review. Bose SoundLink Micro: Although a little pricey and due to be upgraded, the Bose SoundLink Micro sounds remarkably decent for its tiny size, delivering more bass than other pocketable speakers. It's a fully waterproof Bluetooth speaker and is available in three color options, although the blue version appears to be hard to find. I tested the speaker in 2018 and rated it an 8.3 out of 10 in the Bose SoundLink Micro review. Anker Soundcore Motion Plus: Anker's Soundcore Motion Plus came out in 2019, but it remains one of the best-sounding speakers for around $100. It's larger than many mini Bluetooth speakers, but it's still compact. It manages to sound quite a bit fuller than much of the competition in its price range, with bigger bass, more volume and better clarity. It's also fully waterproof (IPX7-rated) and has support for the aptX streaming codec for devices like Samsung's Galaxy phones that support it. Read more in my Anker Soundcore Motion Plus review. Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore: It's a little overpriced for the sound quality it delivers, but the Beosound Explore is a very good little speaker that has a sleek, eye-catching design, is fully waterproof and dustproof (IP67 rating), and offers excellent battery life, with up to 27 hours of music listening at moderate volume levels. Monoprice Soundstage 3: Monoprice tends to make pretty generic-looking electronic products, and its understated Soundstage 3 Bluetooth speaker probably isn't going to wow you with its design although its minimalist aesthetic has its appeal. It's a good value thanks to its ability to play big sound with strong bass and decent clarity, with 50 watts of power that drives a 5.25-inch "concave aluminum cone woofer" flanked by two 1-inch silk-dome tweeters. It also has good connectivity options, including digital optical, 3.5mm analog and RCA analog wired inputs that allow you to connect your television or another stereo component. There's also a sub-out port. Tribit XSound Mega (Out of Stock): Over the last few years, Tribit has made several Bluetooth speakers that deliver a lot of boom for the buck. Add its new XSound Mega to the list. Tribit is billing the XSound Mega as more of an outdoor speaker — a lanyard is included for toting it around as a sort of mini boombox — but it works just fine indoors. It has an LED light show that you can turn on or off and there are three EQ settings for sound: XBass, Music and Audiobook. Additionally, it can be used as a power bank to charge your mobile devices. Before anything else, you'll want to figure out how much you're willing to spend on a new Bluetooth speaker. Value-priced wireless speakers continue to improve, so you can find good "cheap" Bluetooth speakers from Chinese brands like Tribit for not too much money (less than $60). If you're looking for a more premium speaker, you can expect to pay $100 or more, especially for larger portable speakers that deliver better sound. Bigger speakers tend to sound better, delivering a bigger sound with more bass. Going bigger means they weigh more, which can make them a little harder to carry around. So you have to balance size with performance if you're looking for something that's easily portable. If you're interested in a larger portable speaker, one feature worth looking out for is a built-in handle. Many Bluetooth speakers are now fully waterproof and some are fully dustproof. If you're planning on taking the speaker with you to the beach, pool party or hiking trip, having a more durable speaker is a desirable trait. Some speakers have a built-in microphone that turns them into a speakerphone when making calls on your cell phone. Many speakers don't offer that feature, so choose accordingly if that's something you're looking for. If you're looking for more speakers that fit this bill, check out our roundup of the best speakerphones here. In assessing what the best Bluetooth speakers are, we consider the design of the speaker and how durable it seems, along with sound quality, battery life, extra features (such as additional connectivity options) and overall value. We test speakers in real-life environments both indoors and outdoors and compare it to other speakers in the same price range. The list includes everything from compact mini models and pocket-size micro versions to heftier models with powerful audio. For more, check out our lists of the best smart speakers, best PC speakers and the best Wi-Fi speakers and music systems. When choosing a Bluetooth speaker, it comes down to size and price. If you're looking for a very portable speaker, you'll want to get something very compact, but remember that smaller speakers usually produce less sound and bass than larger ones. There are plenty of mini Bluetooth speakers that deliver a bigger sound than you might expect, but they do have their sonic limitations. For a lot of people, it's a question of finding a speaker that's not too big or too small -- one that travels well but also is capable of producing good sound for its size. Finding the best portable Bluetooth speaker also comes down to your budget. Price can be a limiting factor. You may not want to spend $150 or more for a small speaker. Luckily, there are plenty of good options for $100, and some decent mini Bluetooth speakers can cost less than $50. Also, certain "value" brands that sell primarily on Amazon are strongly worth considering because they do offer a lot for the money. If you're looking for the best sound quality, as I said, bigger is usually better, and some larger portable Bluetooth speakers -- sometimes referred to as Bluetooth boom boxes -- can put out a lot of sound and have an integrated handle for toting them around. Well, first of all, you need a TV, video streaming device or set-top cable or satellite box that has Bluetooth. You connect a Bluetooth speaker just like you do Bluetooth earbuds: through the Bluetooth settings menu on your TV or those aforementioned devices (Apple TV, for instance, has Bluetooth connectivity, making it easy to connect your AirPods). The only issue with connecting a Bluetooth speaker to your TV is that there can be some audio-video syncing issues due to Bluetooth lag. In some cases, where your Bluetooth speaker has an audio input (a few high-end Bluetooth speakers even have digital audio inputs), you can use a wired connection to the speaker via the audio outputs on your TV. Soundbars tend to use the optical or HDMI connection on your TV to get sound. Many soundbars have a Bluetooth option so you can wirelessly stream music from your phone to the soundbar. So if you're looking to really build out the sound on your television, you may want to look into building a true home theater system or a great soundbar audio experience. The loudest Bluetooth speakers are the biggest ones. Sometimes they're referred to as boom boxes or "party" speakers. Some of those speakers are portable and have built-in rechargeable batteries while the biggest party speakers have wheels on them for transport and need to be plugged in with an AC adapter because they require so much power. We have a list of the best wireless boom box speakers if you're looking for a bigger Bluetooth speaker. It's also worth noting that Bluetooth speakers from the same company can be daisy-chained together to augment their sound or paired together as a left-right stereo pair. Often, the best way to get a bigger sound is to pair two Bluetooth speakers together in a stereo pair.
