None Can Equal The Power Of Megablast

FOR Dynamic sound; goes very loud; excellent build

AGAINST Slightly lean presentation

The Megablast is Ultimate Ears’ loudest and smartest speaker yet. It also has Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant built-in, meaning that it’s the first portable smart speaker to grace our test rooms.

More crucially, the Megablast joins the brand’s portfolio of five-star Bluetooth speakers that are simply fun to use and listen to. Trendy and great-sounding, the Megablast is an absolute treat.

Home and dry

Design-wise, the Ultimate Ears Megablast is similar to the existing Megaboom speaker, albeit a touch flatter at the ends. The brand name is now prominently displayed, too.

It retains the same rugged, durable build quality that makes Ultimate Ears speakers perfect for outdoor use. It is waterproof as well (IP67 rated), so will survive being dunked in the pool or splashed in the rain.

Battery life is a respectable 16 hours, although it’s worth noting that’s down from the non-Alexa-powered Megaboom’s claimed 20 hours.

Despite the Megablast having been designed with portable usage in mind, there also appears to have been a conscious effort to make it more home-friendly, which is befitting of its new identity as a smart speaker. The six finishes – Graphite (black), Blizzard (white), Blue Steel (blue), Merlot (red), Mojito (green) and Lemonade (yellow) – are more muted than the flashy and vibrant finishes we’ve been used to seeing on other Ultimate Ears' products. The overall look is a little more grown up than the Roll, for example.

You can also prop the Megablast up on an optional charging dock – the Power Up (£35) – which doubles as a neat stand.