Introducing The Megaboom 4
The Megaboom 4 is the latest in the Megaboom series by Ultimate Ears, this speaker is larger than the similar-looking Boom 4. Compared to the previous generation, the Megaboom 3, there is little difference in the appearance. However, the Megaboom 4 has more bass, improved sound quality, and newer Bluetooth connectivity. Keep reading for a more detailed comparison between the Megaboom 3 and Megaboom 4.
Winner
Megaboom 4
The Megaboom 4 is a slightly better speaker than the Megaboom 3, while its upgrades are limited, they improve both sound quality and connectivity.
Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Megaboom 4
| Model | Megaboom 3 | Megaboom 4 |
| Release Date | 2018 | 2024 |
| Water Resistance | IP67 | IP67 |
| Output Power | 14W | 14W |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.1 |
| Bluetooth Profiles | A2DP | A2DP |
| Battery Life | Up to 20 Hours | Up to 20 Hours |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz – 20kHz | Unspecified |
| Drivers | 2x 2″ | 2x 1.97″ |
| Passive Radiators | 2x 1.81 x 2.57″ | 2x 1.81 x 2.57″ |
| Multispeaker Pairing | Yes (150+ speakers) | Yes (150+ speakers) |
| Weight | 2.03 lbs | 2.08 lbs |
| Dimensions | 8.86″ x 3.42″ | 8.86″ x 3.42″ |
| App Support | UE | Boom | UE | Boom |
| Price | Check Price | Check Price |
Design, Build, & Durability
The Megaboom is an easily portable and durable speaker with comprehensive water resistance (IP67). They can be used outdoors for extended periods and can withstand nearly any lifestyle, no matter how rugged. There is very little that sets these two speakers apart, physically – but the increase in eco-friendly design by the Megaboom 4 earns it some additional points.
Design
Winner: Tied
As with all the other 4th generation releases from Ultimate Ears, there isn’t a difference in the overall design between the Megaboom 3 and Megaboom 4. The most noticeable difference is the new colorways, with the Megaboom 4 coming in Active Black, Enchanting Lilac, Raspberry Red, and Cobalt Blue. At the same time, the Megaboom 3 is available in Night Black, Sunset Red, Ultraviolet Purple, and Lagoon Blue.
Durability
Winner: Megaboom 4
Both speakers are built with durability in mind, and designed for everyday use indoors and outdoors. The fabric mesh that covers the exterior of the speakers protects much of the body from scratches while the exposed plastic areas do a decent job of remaining unscratched during regular use. However, if dropped onto a hard, rough surface like gravel or tar, it will leave some marks. The Megaboom 4 is a more eco-friendly speaker with at least 52% of the speaker being made from recycled plastics.
Portability
Winner: Tied
While slightly larger than the Boom series, the Megaboom 3 and 4 are the same size (8.86″ x 3.42″) and have similar weights, offering excellent portability. The Megaboom 4 is a mere 0.35 oz heavier than the Megaboom 3. They can be carried in one hand and feature a small carry loop which can be hooked onto a carabiner and attached to backpacks for added portability. They’re also small enough to fit into most bags.
Waterproofing
Winner: Tied
The Megaboom 3 and 4 have the same water resistance, sporting comprehensive IP67 ratings which means they are both protected from water and dust. They can be used in the rain, at the beach, or by the pool. Even if one accidentally ends up in the water, they’ll come out the other side unscathed so long as they aren’t submerged deeper than 1 meter or longer than 30 minutes.
Controls, Connectivity & App Support
Both speakers share identical controls, but the Megaboom 4 has improved Bluetooth over the previous generation. However, we do feel like the lack of Auracast support is a missed opportunity and something we had hoped to see from this generation of UE products.
Inputs & Outputs
Winner: Tied
Both speakers have the same barebone approach to them, you won’t get any wired inputs or outputs, with the Megaboom 3 and 4 solely supporting wireless Bluetooth connections.
Multi-Speaker Pairing
Winner: Tied
Multi-speaker pairing is outstanding on both speakers. They have broad pairing support and can be paired with any Boom, Megaboom, Everboom, Epicboom, or Hyperboom speaker, even from different generations. This is facilitated by UE’s Party Up feature With support for more than 150 speakers being paired together, there’s no limit to the coverage that can be achieved. There isn’t any difference in the multi-speaker pairing between the two.
Controls
Winner: Tied
The controls on the Megaboom 3 and 4 are identical and easy to use. They feature large volume controls on the front, along with power and pairing buttons on the top. Both speakers have Ultimate Ears’ unique ‘magic button’ which serves as a track control button and doubles as a playlist toggle, making it easy to swap between your defined playlists which can be set up using the companion app.
Bluetooth
Winner: Megaboom 4
The Megaboom 4 has superior Bluetooth to the Megaboom 3, now upgraded to Bluetooth 5.1. The move to 5.1 gives the Megaboom 4 a slight advantage of more modern codec support which can reduce latency and improve overall sound quality. Despite the upgrade, the Bluetooth range remains the same as the Megaboom 3 (up to 150 feet).
App Support
Winner: Tied
App support is provided to both speakers using UE | Boom – which displays how much battery is remaining, facilitates multispeaker pairing, and offers options to adjust the speaker’s sound via EQ. Equalizing is a great way to customize the sound and personalize it to your tastes, with the 5-band custom EQ. Additionally, you can toggle between one of the following presets: Signature, Bass Boost, Cramped Spaces, Deep Relaxation, Podcast / Vocal.
Audio Performance
The Megaboom 4 is a better-sounding speaker than its predecessor. It has more powerful bass and its improved dynamic range means you get a bit more detail. Using the companion app, you can dial in the sound to your liking, reducing bass or increasing vocal presence. However, the Megaboom 3 gets a little louder than the Megaboom 4.
Sound Quality
Winner: Megaboom 4
The Megaboom series is known for its pronounced bass, and with the Megaboom 4 the lows have been enhanced even more than with its predecessor, this has been achieved by improving the passive bass radiators. These powerful lows are also significantly more prominent than the Ultimate Ears Boom 4. Despite the powerful lows, the Megaboom 4’s vocal clarity is slightly better than the Megaboom 3.
The Megaboom 3 and 4 both have good, balanced mids, but they can be overpowered by the bass on some tracks. There isn’t a massive improvement in sound quality, but small changes to the way these two speakers sound cause the Megaboom 4 to come out on top.
The EQ profiles make it easy to toggle between the different types of sound, and if you feel the bass is too powerful for you, the podcast/vocal preset helps to tone down the bass and create more vocal emphasis.
EQ Presets (And What They Do)
Signature: A standard EQ preset with all frequencies set to +0. This is the standard sound for the speaker and is best for general use.
Bass Boost: Elevates the bass heavily, while also increasing the mids. This setting is good for bass-heavy music like hip-hop and EDM.
Cramped Spaces: Slight to moderate reduction in midrange frequencies. Good for reducing the emphasis on powerful instruments like electric guitars.
Deep Relaxation: Extreme elevation of bass levels and reduction of vocals, useful for sleep sounds like brown noise.
Podcast / Vocal: Decreases the low bass, while increasing the upper mids and highs for enhanced vocal emphasis. Great for watching Youtube videos, or listening to podcasts or audiobooks.
Volume, Soundstage & Dynamics
Winner: Megaboom 4
The Megaboom 3 and 4 both have outstanding soundstage with the drivers facing out to the sides of each speaker. This helps improve the stereo separation and is the core design feature behind UE’s “360-degree spacial sound”. Soundstage refers to how lifelike the speaker sounds, and relates to its directivity. These speakers broadly disperse sound, making the listening experience more immersive.
Dynamics refers to the variation in subtle details that the listener can hear in the mix. The Megaboom 4 has slightly better dynamics than the Megaboom 3, with a bit more detail present in the upper frequencies. Compared to other speakers on the market, the dynamics are good for the size of the speaker and outperform the JBL Flip 6.
The volume between the two speakers is specified differently by Ultimate Ears. When they released the Megaboom 3, an unspecified SPL of 90 dBC was listed. However, the Megaboom 4 is advertised as having an SPL of 85 dBC in an anechoic chamber and 91 dBC as a ground plane reading. It is reasonable to assume the 90 dBC on the Megaboom 3 was an anechoic chamber reading as this is the industry standard, meaning the Megaboom 4 is not as loud as the Megaboom 3, but produces higher quality sound. Still, both speakers can fill a small to medium-sized room.
Is the Megaboom 4 the best-sounding speaker on the market? Not quite. The bass can be a little too powerful and while general dynamics are good when you push the volume up to over 90%, some compression causes sound quality degradation.
Battery / Power
Winner: Megaboom 4
Battery life on the Megaboom series is great, with both speakers offering up to 20 hours of advertised playtime at around 40% volume. The types of EQ profiles being used can influence overall battery life, but you can expect an average of between 16 and 18 hours of playtime at moderate volume levels.
The Megaboom 4 has the advantage of supporting USB-C charging, while the Megaboom 3 uses the older micro-USB technology. The move to USB-C improves support with modern charging cables and decreases charging times.
Price & Value
Both speakers have the same retail price of $199, but discounts are already available for the Megaboom 4, with some retailers offering it at $170. Given how similar the pricing is between these two speakers, the Megaboom 4 is the easy choice between the two, it offers all the same features as the previous generation with small changes to charging, Bluetooth, and sound performance.
Conclusion
Both the Megaboom 3 and 4 are both viable speakers for those looking to maximize their bass. It’s a solid choice for everyday use, particularly for those who frequently listen to bass-heavy genres. Some listeners may find the bass a little too much, but the app’s EQ capabilities allow these lows to be toned down for a more natural sound. Overall, the Megaboom 4 is a better choice than the Megaboom 3, but there isn’t much that separates them.
If you’re open to other brands, you should also consider the JBL Charge 5, which can compete with the Megaboom 4 in many areas, and even surpasses it in general sound quality. However, the Megaboom 4’s soundstage remains among the best in its price range.
Winner
Megaboom 4
The Megaboom 4 is a slightly better speaker than the Megaboom 3, while its upgrades are limited, they improve both sound quality and connectivity.
