Short answer: the JBL Charge 3. It ranks #67 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $80; the Sony SRS-XB30 ranks #104 and costs $199, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
What the JBL Charge 3 offers: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank for USB devices. ~20 hour battery life. IPX7 rated; built-in noise/echo-cancelling speakerphone. Watch for: Less clarity than the Flip 4. Battery failures are common.
What the Sony SRS-XB30 offers: IPX5 rated. Doubles as a power bank for charging your phone. Long claimed battery life (up to 24 hours at moderate volume). Watch for: Muffled sound, worse than a XB20
Buy the JBL Charge 3. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sony SRS-XB30 and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
The Sony SRS-XB30 is not a sound-quality pick. It sits near the bottom of the 136 medium speakers; there are better options higher up.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 3 | Sony SRS-XB30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $80 Discontinued | $199 |
| Ranked | #67 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #104 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz | 55Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Max Volume | 100dB | 95dB |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Partychain up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | - |
| Power Input | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs / 800 g | 2.2 lbs / 1000 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 4.2 |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange | 2x 48mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 8.4" x 3.5" x 3.5" (213 x 88 x 88 mm) | 9" x 3.2" x 3.4" (228 x 82 x 86 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 20W RMS | 20W |
| App | Yes (JBL Connect) | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| EQ | No | - |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX5 |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Stereo | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- JBL Flip Essential vs JBL Charge 2
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Soundcore Flare 2
- JBL Charge 6 vs Soundcore Flare 2
- Soundcore Glow vs Sony SRS-XB30
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Charge 3: $80 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank for USB devices. ~20 hour battery life. IPX7 rated; built-in noise/echo-cancelling speakerphone.
Cons: Less clarity than the Flip 4. Battery failures are common. Discontinued.
Full JBL Charge 3 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (JBL Connect) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.4" x 3.5" x 3.5" (213 x 88 x 88 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 100dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs / 800 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 and Charge 3 - best JBL charge 5 review 2021? More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Flip 6 vs JBL Charge 4 and JBL Charge 3 - small one or a large one? 🤷♂️
- DLX Willington: JBL Flip 5 vs Flip 4 :Sound Battle: Almost to the size of the JBL Charge 3? More from DLXWillington →
- EnforcerMan: JBL CHARGE 3 VS TREBLAB HD77 - FULL REVIEW
- Reddit Search for JBL Charge 3 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Sony SRS-XB30: $199 eBay
Pros: IPX5 rated. Doubles as a power bank for charging your phone. Long claimed battery life (up to 24 hours at moderate volume).
Cons: Muffled sound, worse than a XB20
Full Sony SRS-XB30 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9" x 3.2" x 3.4" (228 x 82 x 86 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 48mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Max Volume | 95dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Partychain up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs / 1000 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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