UE has released the UE Roll 2 wireless speaker I reviewed the original UE Roll speaker last summer also and loved it. Here’s what I thought about the followup speaker
Design of Roll 2
At a glance the UE Roll 2 and the original look very similar. It still has the CD shape with an integrated bungie cord on the rear side. You can leave it on a flat surface or hang it off your bike, beach chair, rail, etc. You can also have it float on the floatie that comes with speaker. You have the power and pair buttons by the bungie cord hook. You have the charging port and auxiliary jack (that are covered by a tab) on the other end. The protective tab is what helps keep the UE Roll 2 IPX7 waterproof.
The Roll 2 is available in 5 colors / designs. The unit you see here is the “Reef”. Blue and green with orange volume buttons.
EXPERIENCE
Features
I used the Roll 2 pretty much the same way I used the first one. When around the house, it’s by the sink when doing dishes or by the tub when showering. It’s definitely a speaker that I feel “safer” with around these damp areas. I took it to the beach recently without fear. I doubt there will be instances where I’ll deliberately be dunking the speaker, but I did let the beach waves crash on it purposely. I also washed the speaker in the sink.
I do wish there were track control buttons or a microphone (if you want to push the features list up). Track control is important because you might be in the water with your speaker but don’t want to take your phone near the water with you (especially if it’s not waterproof) and there will always be a time when you want to search music. Not a deal breaker, but it would be nice.
You can find the UE Roll 2 wireless speaker at ultimateears.com for $99. You can also find it in some carrier stores for the same price.
Sound
The Roll 2 is the same size as the original. But somehow they managed to make sound louder and a bit better. The Roll 2 isn’t the best sounding speaker, but given its size and features, the sound quality is pretty dope. You get a good amount of bass and can pump it to high volume levels without the music distorting. It’s pretty much all you want in a waterproof speaker.
App
You can use the UE Roll app (available for booth iOS and Android) to control the volume and equalizer on the speaker. You can also use it to pair 2 UE Roll speakers together. I couldn’t power the speaker on through the app for some reason. But once I turned on the speaker manually, it would pair and I was able to see the current battery life.
Battery Life
One thing about UE speakers that never fails is the battery life. On the regular I never use the speaker longer than 2 -3 hours straight. But for sake of testing I left it on and paired and it does last for hours on end. Went for a good 7 -8 hours with medium volume. It does take a while to charge. I let it charge overnight to be on the safe side. Of course battery life will vary with the amount of time used and volume level.
Overall
The UE Roll 2 wireless speaker is a win for many situations. It’s waterproof, has great sound and has a decent price of $100. It’s the speaker I recommend you bring to small BBQs, and pool parties. It’s easily portable and gets the job done.
