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TheEarFun UBoom Lportable Bluetooth speaker takes you by surprise.
You buy it for some weekend jams but quickly realize it can do much more.
It can go anywhere you go and can fill almost any room with a bass-rich sound.
Kelly Hodgkins / How-To Geek
Best of all, this speaker’s superior sound won’t cost you a fortune.
UBoom is a relative newcomer to theportable Bluetooth speakermarket, but don’t let that deter you.
I was wowed by its performance, especially considering its relatively low price point.
Kelly Hodgkins / How-To Geek
What did I like and didn’t like with this Bluetooth speaker?
Read on to find out.
Portable but Plain Design
We will start off with the didn’t like.
Kelly Hodgkins / How-To Geek
The UBoom L is bland in its design and doesn’t stand out.
Like almost all Bluetooth speakers, it has a cylindrical shape with curved edges and solid black color.
No other color options exist.
Kelly Hodgkins / How-To Geek
You are stuck with only black for the speaker and trim.
The unit’s top is home to several tactile rubber buttons and status LEDs.
The LEDs are small, but the controls are prominent and easy to press.
Kelly Hodgkins / How-To Geek
On the back, you will find aUSB-Cconnector for charging and a 3.5mm aux input.
This aux connection allows you to connect a variety of non-wireless devices.
It’s a definite bonus as you don’t often see aux on most modern portable speakers.
you could use the speaker at the beach or pool without damaging it.
And it floats, so you might easily find it if it falls into the pool or a lake.
The speaker is durable but not overly rugged.
You probably could drop it without damaging it, but it’s possible for you to’t abuse it.
The 1.43-pound Uboom L has some heft which gives it a quality feel.
It’s also the perfect size for a backpack’s side pocket or a bike’s bottle holder.
I held the Bluetooth button for a few seconds, and the speaker was ready to pair.
The speaker supports Bluetooth 5.0 and has a decent 45-foot range.
I never dropped the connection as long as I was in that range.
The UBoom L offers three different listening modes with mixed results.
Indoor mode is the default mode when you turn on the speaker.
It is tuned for indoor usage.
The UBoom L could fill a living room with sound without reaching maximum volume.
It was loud enough that you could hear your music or listen to a podcast without straining.
I used outdoor mode on my porch and a friend’s patio while we cooked and ate.
We could hear the music in both situations, but it didn’t drown out our conversations.
It was great for background music.
I noticed a difference in loudness when I enabled outdoor mode, but it wasn’t overwhelming.
Sometimes I wasn’t even sure which mode I was using.
Thankfully, EarFun included a white LED that lets you know when the outdoor mode is enabled.
EarFun included a third mode, video mode, that reduces latency from the standard 250ms to 150ms.
Though great for watching movies, this lower latency was slightly sluggish for gaming.
Boy, was I surprised.
It’s one of the few speakers that boasts about its bass and actually delivers on its claim.
It had just enough thumping bass to make you feel the music.
Not a hip-hop fan?
I listened to everything from country to rap and enjoyed a warm, full sound regardless of music genre.
The company says the speaker can last about 16 hours, and that claim was spot on.
I used the speaker for nearly a week without charging it.
I was pleasantly surprised to pull out the UBoom L daily and still have plenty of juice.
Run out of battery?
No worries, you won’t lose your music.
Unlike most portable speakers, you’re free to use the UBoom L while charging.
Unfortunately, the speaker is not fast charging.
You’ll need about four hours to go from zero to a full charge.
Should You Buy the EarFun UBoom L Bluetooth Speaker?
TheEarFun UBoom Ldelivers outstanding sound for its size and price point.
It offers a balanced sound and is durable enough for almost any adventure.
It excels at bass, making it perfect for rock, hip-hop, and similar bass-heavy music.
Add in the excellent battery life, and you have a speaker you’ll gladly use every day.
