Looking for a better soundtrack to your backyard adventures this summer? Prime Day delivers, with this excellent Ultimate Ears Boom 4 sale headlining my list of the best audio deals of the week.
Need more deals to shop? Check out our Prime Day Live Blog post, our Best Bluetooth Speakers guide, and our ultra-roundup of the Absolute Best Prime Day Deals for a cascade of sales.
Photograph: Ryan Waniata
The Boom 4 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) follows an impressive legacy in the world of Bluetooth speakers. The fourth generation of the popular line added some sonic tweaks and much needed USB-C charging, while keeping the same rugged exterior that makes it pretty much everything proof, including an IP67 weatherproof rating that makes it essentially immune to dust ingress and ready for a quick dunk in the pool or a wash in the sink.
The speaker’s sound is smooth and clear, with more refinement in the subtle details than most speakers we test, while still offering solid punch at high volume. Its 360-degree soundstage means you’ll get the same great sound from any angle. The bass isn’t as beefy as its larger sibling, the Megaboom 4 (also on sale for Prime Day) but it’s much more packable to let you take it virtually anywhere.
Those oversized plus/minus buttons on the front make it easy for anyone to juice up the party, while in-app features like an EQ, alarms, and even the ability to wake the speaker from sleep provide functionality you won’t find in most no-name cylinder speakers.
The Boom 4 totes 15 hours of battery life and, my personal favorite, over 100 feet of range (authenticated by my two feet and superior counting skills), so you won’t have to worry about killing the vibe when you check on the kids or the grill.
I was a big fan of this speaker at full price, but at $100 or less, it’s a no-brainer buy and a great addition to any portable audio arsenal.
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