Short answer: the Charge 5, and the XE300’s own review makes the case. It ranks #28 of 142 medium speakers at $179.95; the XE300 ranks #95 at $97.71, with cons that describe it as worse than Sony’s own XB43.
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.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 | Sony SRS-XE300 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $179.95 | $97.71 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #28 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #95 of 142 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 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 |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 22, 2026 at 5:11 AM 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 5: $179.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Doubles as a power bank (USB-A out) for charging your phone. IP67 rated, survives a 1m dunk for 30 minutes. ~20 hour battery life. Measured bass extension of 53Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive.
Full JBL Charge 5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8" x 3.8" x 3.7" (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 6 or the JBL Charge 5? don’t go home till you watch this! More from alanrossreviews →
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- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 and Charge 3 - best JBL charge 5 review 2021?
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- Oluv Patreon: JBL Charge 5 - unboxing & first impressions More from Oluv’Sone →
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- The Tech Files: JBL CHARGE 5 Vs. CHARGE ESSENTIAL 2 #shorts
- Alan Ross Reviews: Huawei sound joy vs JBL Charge 5 and Flip 6 - top mono speaker! 🤓
- New Stuff TV 2: Sony ULT Field 1 vs JBL Flip 6, JBL Charge 5 & Soundcore Motion 300 More from NewStuffTV1 →
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- Storytripper HD: Klipsch Nashville vs JBL Charge 5 More from storytripperhd →
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- Alan Ross Reviews: UE Megaboom 3 review vs JBL Charge 5 & Motion Boom! how bad can it be??
- New Stuff TV: Sony SRS-XE300 vs JBL Charge 5
- GYMCADDY: JBL Charge 5 Vs Sony XE300 - How Can You Mess Up This Bad?
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- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs Motion Boom vs Sony XB43 - a step to far? 🤪
- DIGI-EARS: Xdobo X8 Max vs. JBL Charge 5 vs. Anker Soundcore Motion+ vs. Tribit Stormbox Pro Sound Test Battle More from DigitalSlang →
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Sony SRS-XE300: $97.71 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated. Orientation-aware playback switches to stereo when laid flat. Party Connect links up to 100 speakers; fast charging (10 min charge = ~70 min playback).
Cons: Muffled sounding, not very deep bass. Hollow sounding. Worse than a XB43. Discontinued.
Full Sony SRS-XE300 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 16W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.4" x 4.1" x 4.7" (238 x 105 x 119 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 49x71mm X-Balanced speaker units + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- New Stuff TV: Sony SRS-XE300 vs JBL Charge 5 More from NewStuffTV1 →
- DLX Willington: FINALLY! Sony SRS XG300, SRS XE300, & SRS XE200 Are Here. Binaural Sound Samples & First Impressions More from DLXWillington →
- GYMCADDY: Sony XE300 Review And Compared to Sony XB33 - A Muffled Mess More from GYMCADDY →
- GYMCADDY: JBL Charge 5 Vs Sony XE300 - How Can You Mess Up This Bad?
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