Short answer: the JBL Charge 4. It ranks #56 of 150 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 3.5/5, at $94.99; the Sony XB33 ranks #66, rated 3.4/5, and costs $110, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
What the JBL Charge 4 does well: Doubles as a power bank for charging phones/tablets. The tradeoff: Not stereo.
Why pick the Sony XB33: IP67 rated and lightweight (2.4 lb). The tradeoff: Not very loud.
Worth knowing: the JBL Charge 4 is discontinued, though it still ranks #56 of 150 medium speakers by sound quality, so a used unit beats most of what is still sold new.
Buy the JBL Charge 4. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Sony XB33 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 4 | Sony XB33 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $94.99 Discontinued | $110 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #56 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #66 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 54Hz | 50Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 330ms | 110ms |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 97dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | Yes (USB-A) |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.0 |
| Drivers | 1x 51x89mm fullrange | 2x 48x70mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 8.7” x 3.7” x 3.7” (220 x 95 x 93 mm) | 9.7” x 3.8” x 4.2” (246 x 97 x 106 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 30W RMS | 16W RMS |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| App | Yes | Yes (Sony Music Connect App) |
| EQ | No | Yes (3 band) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Strap | No | - |
| Lights | - | Yes |
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- Minirig 4 vs JBL Charge 4
Prices on this page were last checked September 30, 2026 at 2:57 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 4: $94.99 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Newer model: the JBL Charge 6, ranked higher, rated 4.2/5.
Pros: Doubles as a power bank for charging phones/tablets. IPX7 rated and floats. ~20 hour battery life; wirelessly links with 100+ JBL Connect+ speakers. Measured bass extension of 54Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo. 1 Oval driver. Boosted bass, top a little rolled off, warm sound. Not as loud as a Charge 3. Discontinued.
Full JBL Charge 4 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 30W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 54Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 330ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.7” x 3.7” x 3.7” (220 x 95 x 93 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 51x89mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 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 Charge 4 unboxing first impressions - vs Charge 3
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 and Charge 3 - best JBL charge 5 review 2021?
- Alan Ross Reviews: W King D8 Mini review vs JBL Charge 4 vs Maxsound Plus
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB33 vs XB32 vs JBL Charge 4 best £120 bluetooth speaker?
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Flip 6 vs JBL Charge 4 and JBL Charge 3 - small one or a large one? 🤷♂️
- Flossy Carter: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 vs JBL Charge Essential More from FlossyCarter →
- Naresh Lal: JBL Charge 4 Vs Xdobo X8 Tell me Which one is the BEST?
- Alan Ross Reviews: LG Xboom Go PL7 vs JBL Charge 4 and Sony XB33 - best Bluetooth speaker?
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Sony XB33: $110 Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Sony ULT Field 3, ranked higher, rated 3.4/5.
Pros: IP67 rated and lightweight (2.4 lb). App-controlled color LED lighting, Party Connect links up to 100 speakers. ~19 hour real-world battery without lights. Measured bass extension of 50Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not very loud. Upper bass peaks, midrange dip, upper midrange peaks, not very neutral. Speaker will not remain at max volume and will turn itself down automatically. Discontinued.
Full Sony XB33 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 16W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Sony Music Connect App) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 110ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.7” x 3.8” x 4.2” (246 x 97 x 106 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 48x70mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 97dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony xb33 vs xb43 vs Soundcore Motion Plus speakers test More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs Motion Plus and Sony XB33 - ultimate travel speaker 2021 🤗
- GYMCADDY: Sony XE300 Review And Compared to Sony XB33 - A Muffled Mess More from GYMCADDY →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Xsound Mega vs the world! (JBL Charge 5, Bose Flex, Sony XB33, LG PL7) 👍
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB33 vs XB32 vs JBL Charge 4 best £120 bluetooth speaker?
- Alan Ross Reviews: LG Xboom Go PL7 vs JBL Charge 4 and Sony XB33 - best Bluetooth speaker?
- Head-to-Head Comparisons