UE MiniBoom Bluetooth Speaker Review

Ratings

Specifications

Lets Break It Down

Design

As the name indicates it’s a mini Bluetooth speaker, I mean really mini. It’s so small that I was able to take two of them without sacrificing much space in the backpack. Furthermore, the speaker weighs just 301 grams (i.e. a little more than half a pound). The UE Mini Boom is an ideal barbecue companion. Listening to music while manning the BBQ pit, applying the secret sauce, etc. – these are memories to cherish forever. It’s so small and weightless that I take it wherever I go.

The small speaker has a rubberized exterior with just a few controls on the top. The speaker has no legs to stand on, so I had to be very careful where I place the speaker. On top of the speaker, there are three buttons – the Bluetooth button at the center and the volume increase/decrease buttons on the sides. Some of the controls that are normally found in other Bluetooth speakers are missing in US Mini Boom. There are no forward/backward buttons to skip tracks, phone call controls, or the pause button.

Inside the speaker, there is a passive radiator and two drivers that produce quality sound with rich bass. The front side of the speaker is covered with metal mesh and on the back end, there are on/off power switch, battery indicator, auxiliary input, and micro-USB to charge the battery.

The black UE Mini Boom Bluetooth Speaker with black mesh gives the gadget a modern look. But, there are four more color options made available to the customers. Other color combinations that are available are the black with yellow, black with red, purple with yellow, and orange with gray.

Functionality

UE Mini Boom plays audio/music from both Bluetooth supported and non-supported devices. First, let’s see how to pair Android and iOS devices. The process was simple enough; all I had to do was press down the Bluetooth button for a few seconds till a tone is sounded. The Bluetooth speaker becomes discoverable. On the Android or Apple device search the Bluetooth section for UE Mini Boom Bluetooth Speaker. Select the right option and pair the device.

The makers claim UE Mini Boom also supports NFC technology. NFC or Near-Field Communication technology allows two devices to communicate when they are brought together, within 1-1.5 inches of each other. To pair Android devices using this technology, touch or bring the Android device very close to the speaker. A dialog box will open on the Android device, click the accept option to pair the devices. To play music from non-Bluetooth supported devices connect the gadgets using a 3.5mm auxiliary cord.

To make up for the lack of control options on the speaker Logitech has introduced an app for Android and iOS devices. The app increases the control options. My immediate action after downloading the app was to switch off the alert tones.

The app can do a lot more. I used the app to connect two UE Mini Boom speakers to make a stereo. Furthermore, through the setting page, the EQ (Equalizer Settings) can be tweaked, UI language and speaker name can be changed, and battery status can be checked.

As Logitech claims, does the speaker really have a maximum signal range of 50 feet? I tested it more than once; to receive an uninterrupted signal the music source needs to be within 30 feet of the speaker.

The UE Mini Boom also comes with speakerphone functionality. Users can direct the call audio to be played on the speaker. To use this feature the phone must be connected to the speaker via Bluetooth. On the Android phone, when a call is received, visit the menu option to choose the audio source. Users of iOS phones are at a disadvantage. The phone will directly play on the Mini Boom speaker. To take the call on the iOS phone users need to turn off the headphone option.

Performance

For its size, the UE Mini Boom speaker does an exemplary job. The sound quality is good; has a decent bass, and at the low and medium volume the audio is clear and crisp. Users who get carried away and try to ramp up the volume will experience some level of distortion. To entertain people in a large room, don’t increase the volume, instead, pair two Mini Boom speakers to bring out the stereo effect.

The UE Mini Boom is louder, clearer, and has richer bass than the previous models. I know the limitations of a small speaker, so I didn’t expect too much from UE Mini Boom. I wasn’t disappointed at all.

The Mini Boom has fairly decent battery life. The speaker takes around 4 hours to fully recharge and each full charge can last up to 10 hours. There are a couple of ways to check the battery status. Next to the power on/off switch, if the battery indicator turns red, it means less than 15% of charge in the battery. If the battery has more than 15% charge the indicator will turn green. An alternate method is to check the app setting screen to know the battery level.