Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Ok, so I didn't buy this on Amazon, as I didn't want to wait on the shipping......I know, I'm impatient! I went to the local Big Box store and picked it up. After listening to it for a couple of days, I began to contemplate if I had made the right choice. So, I went to the local Bose store in Boca Raton, FL and asked if I could do a side by side with their units. A store associate gladly accepted my request/challenge, and we went into one of their sound rooms for product demos. He brought with him the Bose Mini and the Soundlink II. I admit that I lean towards Bose due to my positive history with the company. All things considered, I expected a "blowout" with the Bose coming out on top. WAS I WRONG! First, we put the Boom and the Mini head to head. The Bose Associate controlled both units from his iPod Touch to start. He started with the Mini and switched over to the Boom. Both were played at 50% volume with a very noticeable difference in output. To clarify, the Mini's MAX volume was equivalent to the Boom's less than 75% volume output. In other words, the Boom was MUCH louder than the Mini. The employee was dumbfounded at this. I said ok, lets test the sound quality with a song that I find myself listening to quite often. It is Mothers Wingspan, by Ben Leinbach, which I think covers the sound spectrum pretty well. We hooked both units to my phone for this test. Testing on the Mini began with a slight popping from the speaker. You could tell it was really straining. It should be noted that the volume on the Mini was set at 50%. The song was switched to the Boom, and the sound was phenomenal. Never did we hear popping from the Boom. However, at 80% volume you could begin to hear distortion, but by this point the volume was at an uncomfortable level (for your ears). Though slight, it was there. It was at this point the Bose employee asked me to turn it off, so he could go get his manager. He said he had to let his manager hear this. The store manager came in the room and we started back up and switched between both units. Again, the Boom BLEW the Mini away! When I stopped the music, the manager asked me what this "thing" (UE BOOM) was. I told him, and he said that he couldn't believe the sound coming from this thing. Once I gave him the specs and other abilities of the Boom, the only thing he said was, "wow, that is amazing" as he shook his head and walked out the room. By this time, I was feeling pretty happy with my decision. Especially, given the fact that I could buy another one and have twice the sound! To confirm my decision, I asked if we could put the Boom head to head with the Soundlink II. Again the employee was happy to give it a go. Maybe because I told him that if it was a big difference, I would buy the Soundlink and take the Boom back. So, we hooked them up and played Mothers Wingspan just as we had with the prior test with the Mini. Folks, the Boom did not blow the Soundlink II away. HOWEVER, it did get as loud and as clear as the Soundlink. The only thing the Soundlink did better was the presentation of lows from 0%-50% volume. That being said, it DID NOT present them so well that I would spend an additional $100.00 on the unit. It should be noted that the low's that create a fuller sound for me are what sells a speaker to me. I could not believe the Boom had just comparably performed with the Soundlink II. Neither could the Bose employee! As a matter of fact, he said that this made him want to leave work today and go buy a Boom for himself. In the same sentence, he also said that he wasn't going to tell anybody about the Boom because it would put the Bose Mini out of business! He was just as amazed as I was! Now factor in above the ability to pair two Booms, water and dust resistant, 15 hour battery, pairing options, and shear sound. All of which, with exception to sound on the Soundlink II, the Bose cannot do. The question of which should I get, is answered! The Boom!!!! The only proof I can give you of my account with the testing as described above is............If you don't believe me, get one and go to a Bose store and do it yourself. I bet you will be surprised with the outcome. Just as the Bose employees will be too! I would absolutely recommend the UE Boom. To put the icing on the cake, with a big fat cherry; The Boom comes with a 2 YEAR warranty, as opposed to Bose's 1 year warranty on their units. I am just amazed at the performance of the Boom! I forgot to mention above; the Booms pairing is super fast! Both the Bose and Boom are fast, but the Boom also outperformed the Bose in this test as well. Get it! I don't think you'll be dissatisfied.