Before you start thinking about biscuits and snack rolls, the Ultimate Ears Miniroll has nothing to do with chocolate-covered sponge cakes. Delicious as those are, the US brand's latest offering is actually a palm-sized portable speaker that it hopes will toe-to-toe with class-leading rivals such as the JBL Clip 5 (around £50 / $80) or the ever-likeable Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 (roughly £60 / $60).
Conceived as a go-anywhere update on 2015's original UE Roll and promising plenty of sonic firepower, the lightweight Miniroll has been created to accompany you on every adventure.
The new Bluetooth speaker weighs just 279g and, thanks to its IP67 water and dustproof rating, you should feel confident taking it anywhere from a sandy beach to, if you feel so inclined, a murky swamp. Sporting similar dimensions to a standard ice hockey puck, the new unit sports a bookable strap for securing it to, say, your bicycle frame or your favourite outdoor jacket.
The UE Miniroll offers up to 12 hours on a single charge. That is a solid number, matching the battery life offered by the five-star Tribit Stormbox Micro 2, albeit falling just short of the 14 hours offered by Ultimate Ears' handsome and portable Wonderboom 3 stablemate. The Miniroll has a handy quick recharge facility for juicing up on the go, too.
What its Tribit rival doesn't have, though, is Auracast compatibility, which gives owners the ability to connect unlimited compatible Ultimate Ears speakers. It's the same future-proof tech we've recently seen implemented with the JBL Xtreme 3 and the JBL Go 4, and is baked in and ready with the new Miniroll.
“The Miniroll started with a consumer ask: they wanted a speaker that could strap in and go anywhere to keep up with their active lifestyles," says Jonah Staw, UE's general manager. "This led our design and engineering teams to build our most portable speaker, showing how passionate consumers can drive innovation.”
Coming in black, blue, grey and pink colourways, the Ultimate Ears Miniroll is available now for £70 / $80 / €80 / AU$120.
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