Summary
The differences between the UE Megablast and UE Meagboom 3 are actually pretty subtle, and they sound roughly equal in terms of absolute volume output. The Megablast speaker features two 25mm tweeters and 55mm acoustic drivers with two 85 x 50mm passive bass radiators. It has a maximum sound output level of 93 dB. It has a built in battery that delivers 16 hours of battery playtime on a single charge. The UE Megablast speaker is a great choice if you are looking for a powerful speaker with superb volume.
By contrast, the Megaboom 3 has two 50mm, 4 ohm full range drivers and passive bass radiators with a maximum sound output of 90 dB. It also has two 55mm x 86mm passive bass radiators. It comes equipped with a 20 hour battery capacity.
That being said, the key difference here is that the Megablast comes with Alexa built-in which dispenses the need to get an Echo Dot.
We conclude that the Megaboom 3 delivers more value for money than the UE Megablast as all things being equal, they both have the same sound quality and acoustic driver size but the Megaboom 3 is a much more economical option than the Megablast.
Comparing the Specs
UE Megablast
The UE Megablast is probably the most powerful UE speaker available and is built for serious sound performance. The speaker is built to deliver full-range 360 degree sound performance with crystal clear clarity and deep bass response. It is also equipped with a built-in battery that delivers up to 16 hours of battery time. The Megablast speaker is Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled, and is also compatible with Alexa voice service at home when connected to Wi-Fi. This allows you to take calls on the go and play music using voice commands. The wireless Bluetooth on the Megablast works like a charm and connects to virtually any Bluetooth enabled smartphone device.
UE Megaboom 3
The UE Megaboom 3 is a powerful Bluetooth speaker that delivers high-fidelity sound performance in a portable setup. The Megaboom 3 blasts loud, crystal clear and immersive sound with 360 omni-directional waves which can fill up an entire room with rich sound quality. The bass output from the Megaboom 3 is absolutely stunning, and adds a layer of punch in music soundtracks that you might not have heard before.
Furthermore, the UE Megaboom 3 is designed for enhanced portability, and is fully waterproof, shockproof and dustproof with a military grade exterior design. It also comes with one touch to music feature which allows you to access your playlist with Apple music instantly. We liked the fact that the Megaboom 3 supports Party Up feature which allows you to connect multiple UE Boom speakers together to create a much wider soundstage. If you are looking for a highly versatile portable speaker, the UE Megaboom 3 is definitely the one you should get.
Sound Performance
UE Megablast
We particularly liked the fact that the UE Megablast is designed like a tank and is completely waterproof and durable. The speaker itself is IP67 rated and can be immersed in water for up to 1m for 30 minutes without any issues. The Bluetooth range on this speaker is 150 ft and allows you to make around freely while playing music from your smartphone device.
The sound performance on the UE Megablast is unlike anything we have heard before – it delivers some of the loudest and cleanest sound we have ever heard. The Megablast delivers 360 degree rich sound quality with crystal clear clarity and punchy bass performance. The bass output on this speaker goes very deep and punches hard with plenty of depth; you can literally feel the table shaking when this speaker is placed on top of the table. At maximum volume, this speaker is loud enough to fill up a large outdoor open space with rich music quality and is perfect for parties or pool gatherings. If you are looking for one of the best UE speakers with the most volume output, the UE Megablast is probably your best bet.
UE Megaboom 3
The sound quality from the UE Megaboom 3 speaker is extremely loud and powerful, and sounds really detailed straight out of the box. The highs and midranges are detailed and crystal clear, and you can adjust the treble ranges through the EQ settings on the UE app. Compared to the other UE Boom speakers, the Megaboom has crisp highs, clearer midranges and deep bass response. You can practically crank up the volume on the Megaboom speakers and hear virtually no distortion – the music quality remains consistent and clear.
The Meagboom 3 pumps out deep bass that can literally shake the entire table; the bass feels deep and punchy and does not muddy into the midrange frequencies. We also liked the fact that the Megaboom 3 produces 360 omni-directional sound which radiates through the entire area. It is ideal for large outdoor open spaces or large rooms where you can blast music and hear every single beat of the music with loud thumping bass. The maximum sound pressure level of the Megaboom 3 is 90dB.
Comparatively, there isn’t any real difference in the sound quality between the UE Megablast and the Megaboom 3 speaker. The UE Megablast has a max output power of 93dB while the UE Megaboom 3 has a max output of 90 dB. The bass from both speakers sounds roughly equal.
The Verdict?
We conclude that the UE Megaboom 3 is actually a better option than the UE Megablast, simply because it provides better value for money. Both speakers have the same bass, same volume output and sound quality, but the Megaboom 3 is a more economical option.
While the UE Megablast has Alexa built-in, this really isn’t much of a concern since you can simply connect your Echo Dot to the Megaboom 3 to enable Alexa. In terms of sound performance, you are really getting much more value with the UE Megaboom 3 based on a dollar per dollar comparison.