Short answer: the JBL Charge 5 Wifi. It ranks #29 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $139.95; the Sony ULT Field 1 ranks #100, rated 3.1/5, at $138. The price gap is small enough that the sound-quality ranking should decide it.
The JBL Charge 5 Wifi is the better-sounding, longer-running pick. Sounds exactly the same as the non-Wifi version. It is rated for 20 hours of battery against 12 for the Sony ULT Field 1. Watch for: Shouty upper mids.
The Sony ULT Field 1 is the lighter choice. IP67 rated, survives drops and 1m submersion. At 1.4 lbs (650 g) it weighs noticeably less than the JBL Charge 5 Wifi at 2.2 lbs (1 kg). It links with other speakers (Party Connect up to 100 speakers), which the JBL Charge 5 Wifi cannot. Watch for: Upper midrange peak, rolled off treble.
Buy the JBL Charge 5 Wifi. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $1.95 saving on the Sony ULT Field 1 is not enough to make up the difference.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 Wifi | Sony ULT Field 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $139.95 | $138.00 |
| Ranked | #29 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #100 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | Yes |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | No |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs (1000 g) | 1.4 lbs (650 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 97 x 94 mm) | 8.1” x 3” x 3” (206 x 77 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 83mm x 42mm woofer, 16mm tweeter + passive radiator |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Alexa Multi-Room Music | - |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | Yes (detachable strap) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How JBL Charge 5 Wifi compares with other leading options:
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- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Soundcore Motion 300
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Soundcore Motion+
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Minirig 4
Prices on this page were last checked October 12, 2026 at 4:13 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 5 Wifi: $139.95 Amazon $139.95 eBay
Same family: the JBL Charge 5 (smaller model, ranked lower, rated 4/5). See every JBL Charge generation.
Pros: Has Wifi. Sounds exactly the same as the non-Wifi version. Measured bass extension of 53Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo. Warm sound. Shouty upper mids. Boosted bass. Slightly rolled off treble. Overly expensive. No party mode on the wifi version
Full JBL Charge 5 Wifi review and specifications →
| Released | May 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 97 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 (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Alexa Multi-Room Music |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs (1000 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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Sony ULT Field 1: $138.00 Amazon $138.00 eBay
Older models: the Sony XB23 (ranked higher, rated 3.3/5), the Sony SRS-XB20 (ranked lower, rated 2.8/5), the Sony SRS-XB21 (ranked lower, rated 2.7/5) and the Sony SRS-XE200 (ranked lower, rated 2.5/5). See every Sony XB and ULT generation.
Same family: the Sony ULT Field 7 (larger model, rated 3.2/5), the Sony ULT Tower 10 (larger model, rated 3.9/5), the Sony ULT Field 3 (larger model, ranked higher, rated 3.4/5), the Sony ULT Field 5 (larger model, rated 3.5/5), the Sony ULT Tower 5 (larger model, rated 4.5/5), the Sony ULT Tower 7 (larger model, rated 4.7/5), the Sony ULT Tower 9 (larger model, rated 4.2/5) and the Sony ULT Tower Max (larger model, rated 4.8/5).
Pros: IP67 rated, survives drops and 1m submersion. Real-world battery around 28+ hours with ULT (bass boost) mode off. Stereo-pairs with a second ULT Field 1.
Cons: Upper midrange peak, rolled off treble
Full Sony ULT Field 1 review and specifications →
| Released | Apr 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.1” x 3” x 3” (206 x 77 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 83mm x 42mm woofer, 16mm tweeter + passive radiator |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs (650 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Techder Audios: Sony ULT Field 1 VS Teufel Rockster Go 2 “CLOSE CALL?” More from techderaudios →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Ultimate Ears MegaBoom 4 vs Sony ULT Field 1 😧 $200 vs $128 Cylinder Bluetooth Speaker Matchup More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Storytripper HD: Huawei Soundjoy 2 vs Edifier ES60 vs Sony ULT Field 1 More from storytripperhd →
- 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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