Short answer: the Charge 5, and the XE300’s own review makes the case. It ranks #30 of 179 medium speakers at $114.95; the XE300 ranks #118 at $99.99, with cons that describe it as worse than Sony’s own XB43. The Sony SRS-XE300 is discontinued; its replacement is the Sony ULT Field 3.
The XE300’s real complaints are about clarity, not features. Orientation-aware playback and Party Connect for up to 100 speakers are genuine conveniences, but our notes call the sound muffled and hollow, without much bass.
The Charge 5 isn’t a great value pick either, to be clear. Our notes call it overly expensive for what it delivers, with warm, shouty, boosted-bass tuning. It still beats the XE300 on measured sound, and it doubles as a USB power bank.
Buy the Charge 5 for the better sound and the power bank function. Buy the XE300 only if Sony’s ecosystem specifically matters to you.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
A rugged, fully waterproof speaker with punchy, warm sound and long battery life that also charges your phone.
A rugged waterproof speaker with a long 24 hour battery, LDAC support, fast charging and Party Connect linking, now discontinued.
Prices on this page were last checked November 7, 2026 at 7:34 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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Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 | Sony SRS-XE300 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $114.95 | $99.99 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #30 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #118 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | Yes (via app) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | No |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) | 9.4” x 4.1” x 4.7” (238 x 105 x 119 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 2x 49x71mm X-Balanced speaker units + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | 16W |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | - |
Watch Them Compared
Videos and reviews that test both speakers side by side.
- GYMCADDY: JBL Charge 5 Vs Sony XE300 - How Can You Mess Up This Bad?
- New Stuff TV: Sony SRS-XE300 vs JBL Charge 5
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