UE Wonderboom vs UE Roll 2 - Which one to choose?
So far UE had the Roll 2 in the small, waterproof, outdoor speaker category and then they released the UE Wonderboom, which has a quite different shape, however, apart from this it really plays in the same category.
What makes this comparison more interesting that both speakers are in the same price range, so more or less the UE Wonderboom is an in-house competitor of the UE Roll 2.
This can be confusing if you need to choose between these two speakers, so I’ve tested and compared all characteristics of them to help you in the decision and summarized it in this UE Wonderboom vs UE Roll 2 ultimate comparison.
Bluetooth range
Battery life
Water protection
Pros
Cons
Bottom line
Bluetooth range:
- 115 feet
Battery life:
- 70% volume: 6 hours 40 minutes
- Maximum volume: 2 hours
Water protection:
- IP67 certification
- It can be submerged into 1-meter-deep water for 30 minutes
- It is dustproof
Pros:
- Rugged, sturdy design
- Shockproof, IPX7 water protection
- Big sound with deep lows
- Good Bluetooth range
Cons:
- Short battery life
- Uncontrolled, boosted bass
- No audio input port
Bottom line:
The Wonderboom has a bigger sound with much deeper lows and a more powerful bass. It has music control capabilities and a longer Bluetooth range, however, its battery life is shorter and its hook is not so versatile as the cord of the Roll 2.
Bluetooth range:
- 50 feet
Battery life:
- 70% volume: 11 hours 30 minutes
- Maximum volume: 2 hours 10 minutes
Water protection:
- IPX7 certification
- It can be submerged into 1-meter-deep water for 30 minutes
Pros:
- Waterproof slim design
- It can be attached to anything
- Floatie is a good new accessory
- Very loud, clear sound
Cons:
- Bad design of the charging port flap
- Missing music control capability
- Weak bass
Bottom line:
The Roll 2 has a longer battery life, an audio jack input port, and a more precise battery indicator, however, it has a much weaker bass and a shorter Bluetooth range.
Price
At the date of this review (05.04.2018) the Wonderboom can be bought for $55 and the Roll 2 for $65, so currently the Roll 2 is slightly more expensive.
Click here to check the current price of the UE Wonderboom
Click here to check the current price of the UE Roll 2
You can find the reviews of the speakers here:
The Design
The two speakers have a similar size, which is too big to put into a pocket but small enough to easily carry in a backpack.
The most significant difference between the speakers is their shape.
The Roll 2 got a disc-like shape with a slim body but a larger footprint, so it is easy to slip into a beach bag or into a notebook bag.
The Wonderboom got a cylindrical, bulkier design with a similar size as a larger apple.
Apart from their shape, they have several mutual, typical UE design elements like the plastic bottom, the Power, and Bluetooth buttons or the large volume control buttons.
Both speakers are covered by a mesh fabric material, which looks durable and provides good grip.
Their design is youthful and stylish they are available in several color options.
Music Control
A significant difference between the two speakers is that while the Wonderboom has some music control capability, the Roll 2 does not have anything.
With the Roll 2, you can only adjust the volume levels, you cannot even pause/play a song.
In contrast, with the Wonderboom, you can pause/play the music and you can skip a song.
This feature is really handy if you use the speaker in the pool or in the shower.
Water Protection
The Roll 2 got an IPX7 water protection, so it is completely waterproof, it can be submerged into 1-meter-deep water for 30 minutes.
The Wonderboom got an IP67 protection, which means it is also completely waterproof and in addition it is dustproof.
According to the manufacturer, it can even survive some accidental drops from up to 5 feet as well.
On top of that, it floats on the water, so it’s ideal for water sports like canoeing, surfing or jet ski.
The Roll 2 does not float, however, it comes with an accessory called Floatie which is a mini inflatable life preserver which helps the speaker to float on the water.
Using the Floatie, you can even listen to music with the Roll 2 while it is floating.
It is not possible with the Wonderboom since its drivers are covered by water when it is floating.
To ensure the water protection, the ports are covered with a waterproof flap by booth speakers.
I prefer the flap of the Wonderboom, by the Roll 2 it is a bit hard to open and close and it seems to be less durable.
Attachment Option
The Roll 2 comes with a built-in elastic cord what makes the speaker super portable.
With this, you can attach it to almost anything.
You can fix it to your bike or backpack or just simply hang it on a hook in the shower.
The Wonderboom has only a small built-in elastic hook on its top.
It seems durable and can be useful if you have a carabiner but it is definitely not so versatile like the cord of the Roll 2.
Connectivity, Bluetooth range
Unlike the Wonderboom, the Roll 2 features an audio jack input port, so it can be connected also with a cable.
In my outdoor test, I measured 50 feet Bluetooth range by the Roll 2 and 115 feet range by the Wonderboom.
Both values are above the average but the Wonderboom is really outstanding with its long range.
By both speakers, it is possible to connect together two devices to amplify the sound, however, only the Roll 2 supports stereo mode as well.
It is an extra of the Roll 2 that unlike the Wonderboom it supports the UE mobile app, which provides some handy features like an equalizer, an alarm clock and a ‘Block Party’ feature, which allows two of your friends to join their phones to the speaker.
It is also possible to turn on and off the speaker remotely with the app.
Battery Life
In my test, when I played various types of songs on the speakers at 70% volume I measured 11 hours 30 minutes play time by the Roll 2 and 6 hours 40 minutes by the Wonderboom.
Repeating the same test at full volume, I got 2 hours 10 minutes by the Roll 2 and 2 hours by the Wonderboom.
So the Roll 2 has a longer battery life, the battery life of the Wonderboom is below the average.
If you press the ‘Volume up’ and ‘Volume down’ buttons simultaneously the Roll 2 tells you the exact remaining battery percentage.
The Wonderboom is not so smart it can play only three types of tones indicating that the battery level is high, medium or low.
UE Wonderboom vs UE Roll 2 Sound Test
UE Wonderboom vs UE Roll 2 sound comparison video
Although the two speakers have several similarities, they sound profiles are completely different.
The Roll 2 has a quite flat sound with boosted mids and highs; its bass is weak and the deeper lows are completely missing.
The Wonderboom has bigger sound with more powerful, deeper bass, however, its bass is even too boosted and many times it becomes uncontrolled and overpowers other frequencies in the songs.
Otherwise, their sound is clear and mostly distortion free.
Their maximum volume level is similar but the Roll 2 getting too harsh at full volume.
Even with the uncontrolled bass I rather prefer the bigger, deeper sound of the Wonderboom.
Both speakers have a 360° omnidirectional sound, you can put them in the middle of the room and you will get similar sound quality everywhere.
Conclusion
It is interesting that while in some areas the Wonderboom improved compared to the Roll 2, in some other areas it stepped back.
I think the main improvement is that finally, it has a music control possibility which is a critical function of a beach or a shower speaker.
It also has a bigger sound with much deeper lows and a more powerful bass.
However, on the other hand, unlike the Roll 2 it does not have an audio jack input port, does not support the UE mobile app and does not have a precise battery level indication.
Also, its hook is not so versatile as the cord of the Roll 2 and while it can float on the water, you cannot listen to music on it while it’s floating.
Its Bluetooth range is longer but it has a shorter battery life.
It is hard to choose a winner in this comparison, I suggest considering what are the more important factors for you and choose accordingly.
I would give the edge to the Wonderboom just because it has a bigger sound with a more powerful bass.
Click here to check the current price of the UE Wonderboom
Click here to check the current price of the UE Roll 2
You can find the reviews of the speakers here:
Alternatives
One alternative can be the Bose SoundLink Micro, which is also a completely waterproof, outdoor speaker.
It is more compact and portable than the UE speakers and has a nice balanced sound.
It also has a built-in elastic strap and a microphone.
Another strong competitor is the JBL Flip 4, which is a slightly bigger device with IPX7 water protection.
It has a better sound quality than the Roll 2 and the Wonderboom and also has a longer battery life.
