The UE Roll is the latest installment of 360-degree sound producing Bluetooth speakers from Ultimate Ears. The UE roll is the replacement for the Mini Boom, and it takes outdoor bluetooth speakers to a whole new level.
Outdoor Rugged Design
The design of this Bluetooth speaker is new and unrecognisable compared to your standard Bluetooth speakers. The spherical disc shaped speaker is 135mm in diameter (approximately 4.8 inches with a height of 40mm (1.6 Inches), also weighting in at 340grams.The UE Roll comes in a wide range of colours; black/orange, blue/red, purple/yellow, and three multi-coloured patterned versions. All have the same sturdy fabric that cover the top/front side which also is home to the embroidered volume buttons that is the norm for UE Bluetooth speakers. On the back side, you have to power on/off, the Bluetooth connect button, as well as the charging port and 3.5mm jack that is coved in a thick rubber protector. The final feature of the UE Roll is the attachable marine grade bungee cord strap that makes the UE Roll able to attach to almost anything, taking the outdoor speaker abilities to a whole new level. Of course to be certifiable outdoor, you need to have waterproof abilities, which it has. UE Roll is IPX7 rated, which means it can handle submersion in water for short periods of time.
Another great option that has come from the BOOM and MEGABOOM is the compatible smart phone app. With the app, you can pair 2 UE Rolls, adjust the EQ, set an alarm to wake you up and even turn the UE Roll on and off remotely.
Sound Performance.
The UE Roll has a Bluetooth range of around 20 metres or 65 Feet and a battery life cycle around 9 hours. When testing the UE Roll, I took it to the beach as well as used it as an indoor everyday speaker. The beach test went perfectly, as I was able to strap the UE roll to my backpack, I had a readymade speaker holder, and even when I got sand on the UE Roll, I was able to rinse it off without worrying. The sound is loud and clear, having a speaker output rating of 89 dBA, I was able to hear my music perfectly, even with a few mates around. The bass was not of the BOOM or MEGABOOM, but you can’t expect it to be, having a much smaller enclosure as well as speakers. In saying that, it still has great sound. Similar tone to the BOOM speakers, but lacking in punch at the bottom.
Moving the speaker indoors, and using it as my everyday Bluetooth speaker, I did miss the bass that come from the MEGABOOM. I think it is definitely an outdoors specialist speaker. Although, it is also a great bathroom speaker. You can use this in the shower or around the bath, as you don’t have to worry about getting it wet.
Final Thoughts.The rugged new UE Roll is the specialist outdoor speaker. Able to take life’s abuse and being IPX7 rated with great sound and battery life, combined with the ability to attach it to also any object, you won’t find a more versatile Bluetooth speaker. At $99 USD or $149 AUD, the UE roll is a little expensive, as you can get the UE BOOM for just a little more but it’s still great. If you want a dedicated outdoor speaker, this one’s for you.
TECH SPECS:
DIMENSIONS
- Diameter: 135mm
- Height: 40mm
- Weight: 330 g
- IPX7 rated: UE ROLL can be immersed in liquid up to 1m for up to 30 minutes.
- Maximum Sound Level: 85dBA
- Frequency Range: 108Hz – 20kHz
- Drivers: One 2” driver and Two ¾” tweeters
- Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery for up to 9 hours of battery life between Micro USB charges. Actual battery life will vary with use, settings and environmental conditions.
- Charge time: 5.5 hours
- Pair up to 8 Bluetooth ® enabled devices – Connect up to two source devices at the same time.
- Wirelessly play (stream) to 2 UE ROLLs from one source.
- Mobile range of play is up to 20m or (65ft).
- For Audio Playback – Smartphones, tablets and other devices that support Bluetooth® wireless audio profile [Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP)] or 3.5 mm audio output.
2-YEAR LIMITED HARDWARE WARRANTY
