EarFun UBoom L review

EarFun has gained a reputation for making excellent audio peripherals at inexpensive price points, making fantastic sound more accessible. I’ve tested and highly rated two pairs of its earbuds — the EarFun Air Pro 3 and EarFun Air Pro 4 — and as someone who listens to music through a speaker while cooking and even playing video games, I was excited to get my hands on the UBoom L. I’m happy to report that it did not disappoint.

The UBoom L brings a plethora of exciting features at the low price of $79. Featuring indoor and outdoor modes to ensure you get the best sound wherever you are, this small but mighty speaker will soundtrack all aspects of your life. And it sounds incredible, with powerful bass and rich vocals thanks to the 55mm drivers and EarFun’s “JumboBass technology.” Thanks to customizable EQ, you can tailor the sound to your liking. The speaker is also IP67-rated, which means you can use it at pool parties and in the shower.

Is it one of the best cheap Bluetooth speakers around? Read my full EarFun UBoom L review to find out.

EarFun UBoom L review: Specs

EarFun UBoom L review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A portable Bluetooth speaker
• Who is it for? For music lovers on a budget who want a cheap speaker to soundtrack parties
• How much does it cost? The EarFun UBoom L is available for $79 / £79
• What do we like? The powerful bass and clear vocals, its portability, the IP67 rating, the long battery life, the customizable EQ, and the fact that it’s fantastic value for money
• What don’t we like? The styling might be mundane for some, and the sub-bass is lacking

EarFun UBoom L review: Price & availability

The EarFun UBoom L, available in only black, has a retail price of $79 / £79 and I’ve seen it drop to as low as $59 / £54 at Amazon. This price tag pits the UBoom L against the likes of the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 ($99), Tribit StormBox Flow ($79) and the Anker Soundcore 3 ($51).

EarFun UBoom L review: Design & controls

With a slightly angular shape, the EarFun UBoom L is designed to be positioned horizontally. Its body is made of hard plastic and rubber, and most of it is covered by a mesh speaker. On its underside are two strips of grippy rubber which keep it in place. If you want, you can also make it stand upright, but I found that it sounded best horizontally.

Measuring 8.26 x 3.07 x 2.83 inches and weighing 1.43lbs, the UBoom L doesn’t take up much space on a desk and is easy to carry around in a backpack. The six controls are straightforward too. The power, Bluetooth, volume, play/pause and sound mode buttons all give good tactile feedback and are quick to respond.

EarFun UBoom L review: Features

The EarFun UBoom L is IP67-rated, which means it’s waterproof down to 3 feet. Drop it into the shallow end of a pool and the speaker will survive. I put the speaker under the shower too and there were no signs of damage, and it survived being underwater in my friend’s pool. The USB-C and 3.5mm aux ports located at the back are protected by a rubber flap, so you can rest assured no harm will come to the UBoom L.

This rating also means that the speaker is dustproof. It’s portable and perfect for hikes and long walks. The IP67 rating is the same as the much more expensive Ultimate Ears Epicboom ($349) and the Tribit StormBox Flow.

EarFun UBoom L review: Sound quality

The EarFun UBoom L employs the manufacturer’s “JumboBass technology.” The passive bass radiators on each side work in conjunction with the 55mm drivers to deliver powerful audio, particularly in the low frequencies. To test the speaker’s capabilities, I listened to a playlist on Spotify Premium, which is one of the best music streaming services.

I was very satisfied with the sound the UBoom L produced. “Jumpsuit” by Twenty One Pilots has one of the band’s strongest basslines, and the speaker reproduces it well and adds an extra oomph. Small speakers may struggle to amplify the bass, and while you will find the UBoom L’s sub-bass lacking somewhat, it still provides a rich sound that will have you bobbing your head. 

The UBoom L features an indoor and outdoor mode. Setting the speaker to outdoor mode increases the rumble without sacrificing clarity. Set the speaker to indoor mode and you’ll be treated with vocals that sound natural with great treble. Lana Del Rey’s “A&W” has a good mix of bass and vocals, and the UBoom L does a fantastic job of emphasizing the latter. Vocals are crystal clear but never too shrill. This is also the case with “Too Sweet” where Hozier’s high notes never sound piercing. And give “Hounds to Hamartia” by Poets of the Fall a spin and you’ll truly appreciate each and every guitar note at the beginning.

The UBoom L is an excellent choice for the outdoors. I used it in a friend’s garden during a gathering and even with the volume turned up really high, the music remained free of distortion. All of us were pleased with how a range of genres sounded — from Glass Animals’ indie hit “Life Itself” and ABBA’s “Gimme Gimme Gimme” to Four Tet’s low-key “Three Drums.”

The speaker also features a low-latency video mode which ensures near-perfect lip-sync. I tested this by connecting the UBoom L via an aux cable to my Samsung smart TV. There was no lag between dialogue spoken on screen and the audio emitting from the speaker. The UBoom L also provided an eerie soundscape when watching horror movies like Get Out, and amplified explosion sounds while watching action movies like John Wick 3 and The Dark Knight.

EarFun UBoom L review: Connectivity & app

The EarFun UBoom L utilizes Bluetooth 5.0 to connect to your smartphone and laptop, and it’s really easy to pair. Simply hold down the Bluetooth button and your device will recognize the speaker. It also features a “party mode” which can be toggled by pressing and holding the sound mode button. This lets you pair your unit with another UBoom L to create stereo sound.

The EarFun Audio app, available on either iOS or Android, which can be used to customize its earbuds, will be able to recognize the UBoom L come October, giving you access to the equalizer. We got early access to this and I'm pleased to report that the EQs I love the most — three levels of bass boost, vocal enhancement and treble boost — sound delicious.

EQs such as rock, pop, R&B, classical, etc. exist too, and they work really well. Listening to "Two Suns in the Sunset" by Pink Floyd with the EQ set to rock was a treat for the ears as it amplified the instruments while ensuring they didn't sound jarring. Also, via the app, you can choose when the speaker automatically shuts down if it's inactive.

The more expensive Bose SoundLink Flex ($149) doesn’t have customizable EQ, and the UBoom L is half the price — that's a point to EarFun.

EarFun UBoom L review: Battery life

EarFun claims the UBoom L can last up to 16 hours on a single charge, and its battery life is better than the more expensive Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 (14 hours) and even the Bose SoundLink Flex (12 hours). If you want even more juice, the similarly priced Tribit StormBox Flow boasts up to 30 hours of playback time.

I left the UBoom L playing at a moderate volume and the speaker finally died after just over 16 hours. It takes the speaker approximately four hours to go from zero to 100% when charged with a 30W USB-A to USB-C charger.

EarFun UBoom L review: Verdict

At $79, the EarFun UBoom L ticks a lot of boxes. The outstanding sound quality that’s consistent across a range of genres will please audiophiles on a budget. I found the indoor and outdoor modes really handy. The latter boosts the bass enough to soundtrack gatherings by a campfire, and the indoor mode makes vocals sound very natural. And if you want to listen to music at a pool party, the UBoom L’s IP67 rating ensures no harm comes to the speaker — even if it’s dropped into the shallow end. Also, the 16-hour battery life means you can continue partying into the small hours.

Having customizable EQ via a user-friendly companion app is sure to make a lot of people happy. It works really well and takes the sound quality to the next level. There isn't much wrong with the UBoom L either. I can happily overlook the mundane styling, and the sub-bass might be a little lacking but at this price? No biggie.

If you need me, I’ll be at a party trying to upstage everyone else’s speakers with the UBoom L.