Of course, there’s only so much you can do with its diminutive dimensions and a single speaker, but Sony seems to have maximized the potential in terms of audio reproduction. This is usually a recipe for a severe lack of bass, as low-frequency waves are far longer than the interior of the speaker.
As you can see above, the standard Bluetooth speaker controls are present, as well as a microphone for use during phone calls and with your voice assistant. The reason I dove into such detail about the button functionality is that the included operation guide seems bent on proving that a picture is not always worth a thousand words. So, it’s not very sub-wooferish, but the sound from this tiny speaker is as good as you’ll find in the category. The SRS-XB13 can be pair with a second Sony speaker to produce true stereo, but the company didn’t send me a second to test that.
I also managed about 7 to 8 of the 10-meter range offered by the technology in my challenging apartment with its chicken-wire laden walls. As long as you’re aware of the sonic limits of monophonic speakers of this size, then the SRS-XB13 is as good or better than anything similar that’s out there.
3 best Sony speakers to buy [2021 Guide]
Having this amount of time to build experience and a customer review database would set any company ahead of its competition, and Sony is no different. You will see a general description of the products, and we will also present you with a simple pros and cons list for better understanding. Compact design that easily integrates into any home setup The overall sound volume could be stronger This bookshelf speaker set works with a 3-driver setup and uses a 5-inches foamed-mica cellular reinforced woofer and a 1-inch polyester main tweeter that cover the entire spectrum of low and high frequencies.
Connects wirelessly to multiple sets of speakers for a greater surround sound effect Check price The XB72 from Sony has an incredible amount of power for its size and the crystal-clear sounds it can produce baffle even the most pretentious listeners.
Check price The Sony SS-CS3 speaker system offers a professional-level sound and a slim but effective design. Music has never sounded better than through this speaker set, offering you the possibility of throwing the most amazing parties at home or have epic movie nights with your family and friends.
Sony is one of the top brands in this line of production, not just for speakers, but for electronic equipment.
The best Bluetooth speakers in 2021
The few noteworthy ones prove to be worth the investment and offer sound quality on par with the best headphones, long battery life, and a practical design that is either portable friendly or sits handsomely on your coffee table. With the holidays on the horizon, expect to see some great Black Friday deals announced over the coming weeks, and across every major audio category.
If the budget allows, then consider dropping $399 on the Sonos Move, the brand’s first portable speaker with both WiFi and Bluetooth, and lots of features to boot.
UE Megaboom 3 The best Bluetooth speaker overall Specifications Size and Weight: 8.9 x 3.4 x 3.4 inches, 2 pounds Battery Life (Rated): 20 hours Water Resistance: Yes Maximum Sound Level: 90db Voice Controls: No TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Dell View at Walmart 23 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Big bass and full vocals + Good battery life + Can pair with older Megaboom and Boom models for stereo sound Reasons to avoid – Big and heavy for a portable – No speakerphone Thanks to its excellent sound quality, long battery life and travel-ready ruggedness, the UE Megaboom 3 is the best Bluetooth speaker you can buy right now. This big, bold portable speaker pumps out rich 360-degree sound complete with crisp highs and satisfying low-end, and maxes out at 100 decibels of noise.
The Megaboom 3 is on the bigger side compared to other portable speakers, and unlike many of its competitors, it doesn’t have Alexa or Google Assistant support, or any other smart features. For under $50, this tiny powerhouse delivers loud, well-balanced sound within an IPX7-rated design that can survive water, dust and snow.
The speaker lasts a whopping 24 hours, thanks to Anker’s best-in-class battery technology, and the Soundcore 2’s dual neodymium drivers ensure you’ll get powerful sound in any setting. The Soundcore’s compact, 6.5 x 2.1 x 1.77-inch design makes this speaker perfect for tossing into your bag for a quick road trip, and it comes in vibrant blue and red color schemes in addition to the standard slick black. Sonos Roam The best Bluetooth speaker with Wi-Fi smarts Specifications Size and Weight: 6.6 x 2.4 x 2.4 inches, 15 ounces Battery Life (Rated): 10 hours Water Resistance: Yes (IP67 rated) Voice Controls: Yes (Alexa and Google Assistant) TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Crutchfield View at Walmart Prime View at Amazon Reasons to buy + Lightweight + Extensive connectivity + Auto TruePlay sound tuning Reasons to avoid – No Bluetooth multipoint – Middling battery life It’s much more portable and more affordable than the Move, though, and its Auto TruePlay feature automatically adjusts the sound to suit its surroundings, whether you’re listening in a noisy, urban park or a quaint, airy campground.
This tiny speaker delivers huge sound within a small 4-inch cylinder, complete with throbbing bass, balanced midtones and crisp vocals. It can survive being dunked in 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes and is dust-resistant, making it perfect for your next trip to the pool, beach or park.
Other key features include an impressive 13-hour battery life and the ability to pair two Wonderbooms together for immersive stereo sound. The UE Hyperboom is the best Bluetooth speaker for large gatherings, thanks to its massive size and big, booming audio output.
Pair that with seamless Bluetooth connectivity and plenty of volume, and you have the ultimate speaker for filling a big area with great sound. LG XBoom Go PL7 The best Bluetooth speaker for sheer style Specifications Size and Weight: 9.7 x 3.9 x 3.9 inches, 3.2 pounds Battery Life (Rated): 24 hours Water Resistance: IPX5 Voice Controls: No TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at BHPhoto Prime View at Amazon Reasons to buy + Crisp treble and defined bass + Good battery life + LED lights add to the fun Reasons to avoid – No integrated voice assistant – Few sound adjustments available
Every Bluetooth speaker on this list delivers great sound and functionality, but only the LG XBoom Go PL7 does it while boasting awesome LED lights. The XBoom’s appropriately booming sound holds its own against the best Bluetooth speakers in this price range, delivering balanced bass and satisfying treble. Sonos Move The best high-end Bluetooth speaker for outdoors Specifications Size and Weight: 9.4 x 6.3 x 5 inches, 6.6 pounds Battery Life (Rated): 10 hours Water Resistance: Yes (IP56 rated for splashes) Voice Controls: Yes (Alexa and Google Assistant) TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Crutchfield Prime View at Amazon View at Walmart 689 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Superb audio quality + Built-in Automatic TruePlay technology + Easy Wi-Fi-to-Bluetooth connection conversion Reasons to avoid – Pricey – No smart features in Bluetooth mode Alexa and Google Assistant support allow you to do anything from check the weather to control your smart home, and the Move’s Auto TruePlay automatically tunes the speaker’s audio output for wherever you’re listening, whether you’re having a rooftop party or rocking out in your bedroom. V-Moda Remix The best Bluetooth speaker for bass heads Specifications Size and Weight: 8.1 x 2.5 x 2.5 inches, 1.9 pounds Battery Life (Rated): 10 hours Water Resistance: No Voice Controls: No TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Walmart View at Musician’s Friend 139 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Loud, balanced audio with booming bass + Stunning design + Lots of customization options + Daisy-chain multiple speakers Reasons to avoid – A bit expensive – No multi-room solution The base model looks slick in aluminum or vegan leather, while, people with bottomless budgets and a penchant for style can opt for steel or platinum finishes (the later of which will run you well over $300,000).
Most importantly, the Remix sounds great, offering plenty of bass as well as a built-in headphone amp for enhancing the audio of your favorite set of cans. The Remix’s 10-hour battery life certainly makes this speaker worthy of longer jam sessions, and its trusty microphone allows for crisp call quality whether you’re set up inside your house or out.
Marshall Stanmore II Voice A classy Alexa speaker with great sound Specifications Size and Weight: 7.7 by 13.8 by 7.3 inches, 10.7 pounds Battery Life (Rated): None Water Resistance: No Voice Controls: Yes TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Amazon View at Best Buy Prime View at Amazon 40 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Great looks + Brilliant big sound + Easy to set up Reasons to avoid – Chunky and heavy – No battery option The Marshall Stanmore II Voice packs some fun features in a nostalgic design that emulates the brand’s classic amp look.
Tribit StormBox Micro The best Bluetooth speaker that’s both cheap and waterproof Specifications Size and Weight: 3.9 x 3.9 x 1.4-inch, 8 ounces Battery Life (Rated): 8 hours Water Resistance: Yes (IP67) Voice Controls: No TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Walmart Prime View at Amazon Prime View at Amazon Reasons to buy + Small and lightweight + Good bass for a small speaker + Water resistant Reasons to avoid – No app – Limited battery life The speaker has a plastic strap that makes it easy to attach to a backpack or bike, an IP67 water-resistant rating, so it’s fully protected against dust and dirt as well as submersion in water. While a number of wired speakers like the Amazon Echo provide excellent Bluetooth listening, you can’t bring them outside your kitchen or living room. These smart features will not work beyond your home’s Wi-Fi, so opt for a non-smart Bluetooth speaker for the beach or other outdoorsy locales.
Sony SRS-XB43 Review
In addition to its rugged build and big sound, it features built-in LEDs for a fun light show, and adjustable EQ so you can dial in your audio preferences. It also fills a gap between tiny and massive portable models, earning it an Editors’ Choice for outdoor speakers. The back of the speaker houses a covered compartment with connections for the included power adapter, a wall unit that terminates in USB-C. There’s also a 3.5mm aux input and a USB-A output for charging other devices with the SRS-XB43’s battery.
Callahan’s baritone vocals receive some added low-mid richness as well, but benefit from a high-mid and high-frequency presence that keeps things crisp. If there’s a complaint here, it’s that the scooped-out sound signature favors bass and treble over mids, and will not appeal to those looking for an accurate portrayal of the mix—but the EQ can tame the sculpting somewhat. Orchestral tracks, like the opening scene from John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary, definitely get more bass depth than purists will be looking for, but the overall result is still a balanced, crisp sound with solid low-frequency anchoring. Using the Voice Memos app on an iPhone 8, we understood every word we recorded, and while there was a little bit of Bluetooth distortion around the edges, the mic signal was strong. The SRS-XB43’s excellent waterproof rating and powerful audio output are marks in its favor, and the LED lighting is a fun added bonus.
Sony SRS-XB43 4.0 Editors’ Choice See It $248.00 at Amazon MSRP $249.99 Pros Powerful audio performance with strong bass depth and sculpted highs Bulky The Bottom Line The Sony SRS-XB43 is a bass-forward Bluetooth speaker with an outdoor-friendly design, built-in LED lighting, and lots of power for the price.
Customer Reviews: Sony EXTRA BASS Compact Portable Bluetooth Speaker Black SRSXB13/B
PROS: Excellent build quality, aesthetics, portable design, controls, battery life, multiway strap, and audio is crisp and clear for multimedia watching as you can easily hear what people are saying even at 2x speed. CONS: Despite the marketing boasting about EXTRA BASS it is very poor.
Sound quality for music is solid but can come across slightly tinny. Voices are forefront, then instruments, and I would say that mids are the most pronounced followed closely by highs and bass being about equal. Mids and highs sound great and comes across as quite accurate with good texture and depth. I noticed a very mild amount of bloat but no congestion, muddiness, or brightness. All sounds were very crisp, but especially spoken content which again makes it great for vocal centric songs and multimedia. For the most part sounds were natural but slightly processed, especially instruments. When you first power it on, by just tapping the power button, the LED light above the power button will turn green, and then it will automatically go into pairing mode denoted by flashing blue LED’s over the Bluetooth button. Then you just go into your Bluetooth settings and select the XB13 and it will give a small chime telling you you’re connected. If you power, it on after it is connected to a device you will see the power LED illuminate, the bluetooth button will flash, and then you will hear a chime when it is connected. If you quick press it will go into pairing mode denoted by flashing blue LED’s.
It creates a good seal and has a rubber string, so it should be breaking easily. All I know is that my Sony SRS-SB43 can connect to the Sony App which gives you greater customizability and adjustable EQ but costs like a lot more and just figured with this being the SRS-SB13 that it would also work the same? The only “issue” and I use that term lightly here is that sometimes there is some mild delay between pressing a button it and fully registering on my phone. I can’t think of anything they could add to make it better outside of an adjustable EQ since people go crazy for those things.
Sony SRS-XB23 Portable Bluetooth Speaker review
It hasn’t been long since Sony unveiled its updated line of 2020 Bluetooth speakers , but they’ve quickly garnered a lot of attention for their performance and value. The Sony SRS-XB23 will launch this summer– most likely June or July – for $99 (around £80, AU$150) and will be available in five colors: Coral Red, Olive Green, Light Blue, Taupe and Black.
Obviously, you’ll need to buy additional speakers to make these modes work, but their inclusion allows you to get pretty creative with your setup.
While Sony would never admit to it, it feels like it’s taken a lot of design cues for this year’s entry-level SRS-XB23 from Ultimate Ears’ lineup, especially with the new top bungee strap that allows you to hang the speaker from a carabiner, shower nozzle, tree branch or fencepost depending on where you use it.
Ultimate Ears wasn’t the first to use it and can’t claim any exclusivity over a primarily utilitarian feature, but it’s worth calling attention to the design inspiration for the sake of transparency. Last but not least, the XB23 uses Bluetooth 5.0, the latest standard, and supports three major codecs – SBC, AAC and LDAC, the latter of which you’ll find on newer Android devices and sounds absolutely great. If you don’t have another Bluetooth speaker in the same room to compare it to, however, you’ll probably be blown away by the SRS-XB23 – it can get pretty loud without a massive amount of distortion and the passive radiators help the bass to sound clearer than it has on any of Sony’s previous models. Connecting it to a Google Pixel 3a XL allowed us to test the speaker with the LDAC codec streaming MQA files from Tidal – all of which sounded full, robust and powerful.
Sony SRS-XB32 review
The newest offering comes in the form of the Sony SRS-XB32, which is packed with features ranging from high-quality Bluetooth codecs to strobe lights (seriously). Editor’s note: this Sony SRS-XB32 review was updated on April 14, 2021, to include a content menu, technical details, information about the mobile app, and more.
If you’re a hardcore outdoorsy person who counts every gram, get the JBL Clip 3 or the UE WONDERBOOM 2. The SRS-XB32 is made of hard plastic with a rough fabric that covers the speaker grill and dynamic drivers. A colorful LED strip lines the speaker, and you can control it via the Fiestable app. Enabling the “Party Booster” makes kick drums, snares, and cowbell sound just by tapping it to the beat. You can connect via the standard Bluetooth procedure, or by tapping your smartphone to it (so long as NFC is enabled). Sony claims a battery life of 24 hours of constant playback, but that’s only if you turn off all of the lights and Extra Bass mode. All of those things are turned on by default, so I tested the battery life with everything enabled; Sony claims the speaker will last 14 hours under these conditions.
Then again, it does have a real benefit: the bass emphasis makes it easier to hear music outdoors. Lower notes tend to dissipate quicker into your surroundings if there’s a lot going on in your area, and that extra emphasis helps you hear them outside. Treble notes were similarly lacking in clarity with the cymbals and hi-hats in Generator ^ Second Floor by Freelance Whales.
Listen to the audio sample below and please rate it, doing so really helps our other readers understand how the microphone performs across a wide array of devices. Particularly if you like the idea of having a speaker that can party as you do when you go to the beach or to the pool this isn’t a bad option.
But if strong bass, flashing strobe lights, fun features, and a tough waterproof build is what you’re looking for then that person might be you.
Sony SRS-XB33 review
While lifestyle images on the company’s website show the Sony SRS-XB33 portable speaker set against white sands and sun-drenched swimming pools, its rugged exterior and waterproof features mean it should keep going in any weather – ideal for winters as well as summers, then. It’s dustproof, so sand, soil and dried mud are of little concern, and it has undergone extensive shock testing for knocks, bumps and scrapes, meaning you can drop it and it’ll keep working.
Those include some flashing lights – controlled via the Sony Music Center and Fiestable apps – which can also dance in sync with up to 99 other compatible wireless speakers thanks to Party Connect. You’ll notice the Extra Bass advertising, which nods to this speaker’s dual passive radiators, but it’s the main driver units that are most interesting.
Sony calls this its X-Balanced Speaker Unit, where non-circular diaphragms make for a maximised surface area, and an increase in sound pressure aims for punchier bass. Not that this Bluetooth speaker needs the extra help; we connect our smartphone (NFC is available) and immediately the party starts, the SRS-XB33 throwing its voice across the room with real energy and verve.
This might be a speaker built to shout across busy rooms and fill a space in the infinite outdoors, but we’d still appreciate a little greater subtlety and maturity that would hold our interest better when not in party mode ourselves. There are speakers around this price, such as the Audio Pro Addon C3, that combine expert rhythm and sensitive dynamics with striking richness and clarity, but these are only built to be portable in the sense they needn’t constantly be plugged in.
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