Ultimate Ears launches Roll 2 Bluetooth speaker

Along with UE’s Boom, Boom 2 and Megaboom Bluetooth speakers, the Roll is a firm favourite of ours - if you're looking for a portable wireless speaker for less than £100, it should be near the top of your audition list.

But there's now a new Roll ready to, ahem, roll out. Ultimate Ears claims the Roll 2 can go 15 per cent louder than the current model and also boasts a wider wireless range (up to 100ft from 65ft).

A new Block Party feature allows up to three users to pair to any one speaker and play songs separately through UE’s accompanying app. At £79, the Roll 2 is cheaper than the original, too.

It looks virtually identical to the original and still includes a bungee-cord loop for hooking it up to something (or someone) and a number of colourful finishes to choose from.

It's still waterproof (IPX7 certified), which should mean it can survive a 30-minute dunk in one metre of water.

The Roll 2 now comes with a Floatie inflatable float as standard (it was an optional extra for the old model) so you can take it into the pool with you.

The UE Roll 2 launches in the U.S and select European countries this month and comes in five different colours: Habanero, Tropical Anime, Volcano, Atmosphere and Sugarplum.

Andy Madden

Andy is Deputy Editor of What Hi-Fi? and a consumer electronics journalist with nearly 20 years of experience writing news, reviews and features. Over the years he's also contributed to a number of other outlets, including The Sunday Times, the BBC, Stuff, and BA High Life Magazine. Premium wireless earbuds are his passion but he's also keen on car tech and in-car audio systems and can often be found cruising the countryside testing the latest set-ups. In his spare time Andy is a keen golfer and gamer.