The UE Roll was a surprise hit with music listeners last thanks to its durability, compact size and price point. It was pretty much on the top of mini speakers out there in 2015. This year Ultimate Ears decided to revise the UE Roll 2 with giving it slight improvements that don’t deviate from its predecessor. Is the Roll 2 ready for another great year in audio?
Style/Feature
The Roll 2 keeps its familiar circular disk-shaped design as well as its waterproof and stain resistant material. Its pretty lightweight at 12oz and can also be held when you pull out its bungee-like cord. I handed it off to my nephew and he had some fun swinging it around. It’s very easy to use with the huge volume controls on the front and power/bluetooth sync buttons on the back. Best thing about the UE Roll 2 is its built with a IPX7 rating. This means you can pretty much submerge it in water for up to 30 minutes with any stress. If you look at a video I posted you can see how much a beating I gave it.
Sound
What they improved in the UE Roll 2 is the sound. Not saying the sound was bad in the Roll, but it’s now gotten louder and a bit more crisper. Most likely you are using this outside in an open area so you want this to be able to pump out tunes at its max level and without distortion. It pumps out a nice amount of bass and you can see it in action with the little bits of water jumping on the speaker. It has a range of 100 feet as well so you don’t always have to be nearby. Something Ultimate Ears greatly improved with this device.
Experience
When I knew I was coming out to L.A. to cover E3, I figured if I stopped any of the sandy beaches I’d have the UE Roll 2 right alongside me. I threw it in the soft sandy beach of Santa Monica and then decided to take it for a dip to see how it did. It was pretty muddy and wet but after a few moments you can hear the music kick in and it was good as new. Also based on its design material it went from looking dirty to brand new in minutes. No worries about stains or it not working after getting hit by waves.
$99 is the Sweet Spot
You really can’t beat the price of $99 for a mini bluetooth speaker with what you get out of the UE Roll 2. It’s very compact, pumps out good sound, and is waterproof and stain resistant. It also comes with a floatie if you want to say take it in the pool as the Roll 2 doesn’t float. Its one of the most durable speakers out there and can be the life of any party. Of course if you want louder more powerful sound there is the UE Boom 2 and Megaboom with higher price points.
