There are 7 reasons why your Ultimate Ears speaker is not turning on, including a dead battery, broken charger, faulty USB port, glitch, or battery problems. Most of these have a pretty easy fix, although sometimes you might need a replacement.
My name is Donovan, and I’m an avid home studio enthusiast and audiophile. I’ve spent years working as a musician and producer, and have experience working with many different types of speakers. I’ve dealt with Ultimate Ears models first-hand.
This post will highlight some of the most common reasons why an Ultimate Ears speaker won’t turn on. I’ll also give you a quick fix for each issue to help you get your speaker working correctly or figure out another solution quickly.
Let’s dig in.
Key Takeaways
- The most common reason for your Ultimate Ears speaker not to turn on is because of a dead battery. You need to plug the speaker into the charger and a power source until it has enough battery to work correctly.
- You also might be dealing with a broken charger, preventing your speaker from charging if the battery fully dies. You need to replace the charger in this situation.
- A bug or glitch can also result in powering-on issues with your speaker, and you may need to reset it to resolve this.
- A faulty USB port may also cause the speaker not to turn on. Try to plug your speaker into a different USB port, such as on your computer, to see if this is the case.
- Your speaker also might have a broken or bad battery. You can’t really replace the battery on these speakers without some technical know-how, so the fix is to buy a new speaker.
7 Reasons Why Ultimate Ears Speaker Not Turning On
When your electronic devices don’t work correctly, it can be frustrating, to say the least. And if you are reading this post, you are struggling with getting one of those devices to cooperate in the form of your Ultimate Ears speaker.
But before you get frustrated and assume your speaker is broken, read this entire post. There are a few common reasons why your speaker might not be powering on, and each has a relatively simple solution.
The same advice applies here as it does to troubleshooting many situations – start with the small fixes and problems and go from there. This will save you time, effort, energy, and a lot of stress along the way. Believe me.
I’ve used a few different Ultimate Ears speakers in recent years, and I’ve dealt with this sort of issue on two occasions. The first time it happened, I was able to fix the speaker in a matter of minutes by following one of the tips I’ll share below.
The second time it happened, it was because the speaker had a faulty battery. I couldn’t fix this problem directly, but I was able to reach out to customer service and get a replacement for free because it wasn’t an issue I caused.
All that is to say, this post will either help you get the problem resolved or direct you to a worst-case scenario of having a broken speaker. But we’ll start troubleshooting before assuming the worst.
Go through the reasons and fixes below in order. I started with the most common reason with the simplest fix and then worked towards more complicated problems and fixes. In most situations, you should be able to fix things quickly.
Reason #1: Dead Battery
A dead battery is by far the most common reason why your Ultimate Ears speaker is not powering on. This one seems obvious because it is. But sometimes, you don’t realize your speaker is out of charge and assume the worst.
UE speakers have a solid battery life, so it’s always somewhat surprising when they do finally die. I’ve had my Boom speaker die a few times when I swore it was supposed to have hours left on a charge.
Rather than plugging it in right away, I shook it and my head, thinking that something was majorly wrong. Then I calmed down, plugged it in for a few minutes, and everything worked just fine.
How to Fix It:
Plug your speaker into the charger and a power source. We all know How to charge our devices, but it can still sneak up occasionally. Keep in mind that it might take a few minutes for your speaker to charge up enough to turn on if it is completely dead.
Reason #2: Broken Charger
A broken charger is another very common reason why your speaker won’t turn on. This one really doesn’t have to do with the speaker itself but rather the accessories you use to charge the battery for it to work properly.
If your speaker dies, which will happen during regular use, you’ll plug it in to charge it up. If your charger cable or brick is bad, the speaker won’t turn on even if you leave the thing plugged in for hours on end.
Chargers go bad either from damage or regular use. If you see any broken wires or other signs of damage, that’s an obvious sign that it might be broken. But they can also fail without any visible signs.
How to Fix It:
You need to replace the charger if it’s bad or broken. You might have another charger sitting around the house, as your UE speaker uses a common type. But if you don’t, you’ll need to purchase one online or at an electronics store near you.
I recommend going into the store with the broken charger in tow. Just so you can make sure you get the right one. I once went out to get a new one, only to come back with a slightly different cable that didn’t work at all.
Reason #3: Bug or Glitch in Speaker
A bug or glitch in your speaker can also cause power issues. This can actually result in several different problems with your speaker. Glitches happen occasionally, and they aren’t really much to worry about because they are easy to resolve.
There isn’t always a direct cause or reason for a glitch to occur in your speaker. They can just happen. You may experience other issues in performance, or you may just be dealing with the speaker not turning on.
How to Fix It:
You’ll need to reset your speaker to deal with this issue. And since your speaker isn’t powered on, you need to plug it into the charger first. Ensure you have a working charger, or this won’t work.
The exact way to reset your speaker will depend on which Ultimate Ears model you have. But most can be reset by pressing the volume down button and the power button simultaneously for about ten seconds until the speaker cycles through a reset.
Reason #4: Faulty USB Port
The USB port on your Ultimate Ears speaker can go bad or be faulty, resulting in charging issues, and then it might not power on. This doesn’t happen that often, but it can be frustrating to deal with and somewhat challenging to figure out if it happens.
If you recently dropped your speaker and now it’s not working, you can inspect the USB port for any signs of damage. If you see broken or bent parts, you are most likely dealing with a broken port.
But the damage can also be on the inside of the speaker, and you won’t see anything. The wiring between the port and the internal components may have gotten damaged, and now aren’t working.
Other times, the port itself just goes bad. This is rare, but it does happen. You likely won’t see any signs of damage if you have a faulty port.
How to Fix It:
There isn’t much you can do to fix a faulty or damaged USB port. You might be looking at a replacement situation – meaning you’ll need to purchase a new speaker if you want to get things working again.
But if you see that the port is bent, and that’s what prevents you from inserting the charging cable, you can try to gently bend it back into place with a small pair of pliers. Just be careful here and don’t tug or yank on things too hard, or you might cause more harm than good.
If the port is faulty, it’s worth contacting UE customer service to see if the speaker is under warranty. You might be able to get a replacement for free if so.
Reason #5: Bad Battery
A bad battery is another potential cause of your powering issues with your UE speaker. Even though these speakers are pretty solid and have a good lifespan, they won’t last forever. The speaker can wear out, just like any other rechargeable speaker.
Sometimes, the battery reaches the end of its lifespan, and other times, you might be dealing with a bad battery from the start. The former is much more common than the latter, but I’ve seen both happen.
Either way, when your battery isn’t working correctly, it won’t hold a charge, and you won’t be able to turn it on once it dies.
How to Fix It:
The batteries on your UE speaker aren’t really designed to be replaced easily. It is technically possible to do this with some special tools and a little small electronics repair knowledge, but it’s difficult for the average person.
If you want to try it, there are some kits available with everything you need to repair it. But you need to take the speaker apart, unwire the battery, and then solder a new battery in place. If any of that sounds intimidating, I don’t recommend attempting it.
Reason #6: Software Update Needed
Out-of-date software or firmware on your speaker might also be the cause of your issues here. Just like with your phone, computer, or other devices you use often, software updates are needed from time to time for proper performance.
The difference with your UE speaker is that you probably won’t get any notification that you are out of date. That is until you start to notice performance issues, like your speaker not turning on.
How to Fix It:
Plug your speaker into a computer to attempt to fix this one. The speaker might automatically download an update if your computer is connected to the internet. You can also visit the Ultimate Ears website to check for any available updates.
If you don’t see any available updates, then this isn’t your problem. But it’s worth checking because downloading the latest version can fix things right up.
Reason #7: Broken Speaker
The last reason here is bad news. So if none of the other fixes on this list worked so far, I apologize. But your speaker is probably broken. These speakers aren’t indestructible, and they do fail from time to time.
Your speaker can go bad because of external damage or worn-out components. Either way, there’s not much you can do about it. If you have been using your speaker for years and this just started happening, it’s safe to assume it’s on the way out.
How to Fix It:
Rather than giving up and throwing your speaker in the trash, try contacting Ultimate Ears customer service to see if they can direct you to any other troubleshooting tips that we didn’t cover here.
The service reps might also help you determine if your speaker is under warranty. If it is, you can possibly get a replacement for free. You’ll need to purchase a new speaker if it’s not under warranty.
FAQs
Here are a few quick answers to some of the most commonly asked questions related to the reasons why your Ultimate Ears speaker is not turning on.
Why is my Ultimate Ears speaker not turning on?
The most common reason your Ultimate Ears speaker is not turning on is because the battery is dead. You should plug it in to charge up for a while to see if that fixes the issues. You also might have a bad charging cable or battery.
How do I reset my Ultimate Ears speaker?
The resetting process will vary based on which Ultimate Ears speaker model you have, but many of them can be reset by holding the volume down and power button at the same time until the speaker cycles through a reset.
How do I turn on my Ultimate Ears speaker?
You just need to press the power button on your Ultimate Ears speaker to get it to turn on. You may need to plug your speaker into a charger to get it to power on if the battery is dead. The power button can be in different locations on different speaker models.
How long does an Ultimate Ears speaker last?
The exact battery life for an Ultimate Ears speaker will depend on which model you are using and the conditions you use it in. Most UE speakers have a battery life of anywhere from 14 to 24 hours, but it depends on multiple factors.
Can you change the battery in an Ultimate Ears speaker?
Changing the battery in an Ultimate Ears speaker is technically possible, but you need some special equipment and small electronics know-how to make this happen. It’s not as simple as just pulling out the old battery and putting in a new one.
Final Thoughts
Most of the time, it’s pretty easy to fix the problem of an Ultimate Ears speaker not turning on. You most likely have a dead battery and just need to charge it up. Remember that your charger can also go bad and need to be replaced.
While replacing the battery on some UE models is possible, I don’t recommend doing this unless you have experience or are comfortable with small electronics repair. You’ll be wasting your time if you don’t.
What is your favorite feature on your Ultimate Ears speaker? Let me know in the comments below.
