Ultimate Ears Roll portable bluetooth speaker

1. Introduction2. Unboxing3. Ultimate Ears Roll4. Testing5. Final Thoughts6. View All Pages

There are several things you want out of a portable speaker and as long as it can tick at least a few of the important boxes and preferably a few of the secondary ones too, you are on to a winner. Ultimate Ears has managed that with the Roll in spades. Sure, it may not have the audio quality of some of the more expensive speakers, but it is far from the cheap and nasty ones that have become so common place.

Yes the Ultimate Ears Roll is unlikely to please uber bass enthusiasts but for everyone else, the Roll is a fantastic little speaker.

It is incredibly portable and low profile, with the bungee making sure that wherever you go, it stays attached. It does not maintain a death grip on whatever you hook it too, so do not expect it to be able to hang there with much extra weight on it, but by itself on a shower pole it is not going anywhere.

The disc shape also helps provide the same 360 degree sound we have come to expect from the Ultimate Ears line of speakers, which means you can put in the middle of a table as a centerpiece. Although the blue version is a relatively eye catching piece of kit with its stitched covering, there are plenty of colour and pattern alternatives for prospective buyers to choose from. I am a fan of the plum pink myself.

Although the price tag on the UE Roll is not cheap by any means, it is a lot less than some of the other MP3 docks and portable speaker systems that are out there and its sound quality matches its cost. All of the extra features such as the water proofing, durability, portability and the expanded features that come as part of the app, are just icing on the cake.

You can buy an Ultimate Ears Roll from Currys for £100, though it is available to our pals across the pond for a much more attractive $100.

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Pros:

• Good sound, though not as strong as BOOM and Megaboom.
• Very durable. Withstood a drop from two metres on its side. Didn't even stop playing.
• Waterproof up to a metre for 30 minutes.
• Low profile size and bungee make it very portable.
• Eye catching design, with many colour options.
• App adds extra functionality, including remote power on/off for iOS and Android.

Cons:

• Price may still be more than most are willing to spend.
• Bass is a bit weak, especially at higher volumes.
• Quieter than other UE products.

KitGuru Says: The UE Roll is a fine addition to Ultimate Ears' line up of tough, waterproof speakers. While its sound might not be quite as good as its bigger brothers, it is the most portable yet and easily outstrips its competition from other firms.

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