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 3 ranks #75, rated 3.4/5, and costs $208, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
The JBL Charge 5 Wifi is the better-sounding pick. Sounds exactly the same as the non-Wifi version. Watch for: Shouty upper mids.
What the Sony ULT Field 3 does well: IP67 rated, dustproof and water resistant. It supports LDAC Bluetooth, which the JBL Charge 5 Wifi lacks. It links with other speakers (Party Connect up to 100 speakers), which the JBL Charge 5 Wifi cannot. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the JBL Charge 5 Wifi. Watch for: Sounds a bit hollow, a bit boosted in the treble.
Buy the JBL Charge 5 Wifi. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Sony ULT Field 3 and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 5 Wifi | Sony ULT Field 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $139.95 | $208.00 |
| Ranked | #29 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #75 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | Yes (App + ULT button) |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | Yes (USB-C, 5V/1.5A) |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs (1000 g) | 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 97 x 94 mm) | 10.1” x 4.4” x 3.1” (256 x 113 x 79 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 1x 20mm tweeter + 1x 86mm x 46mm woofer |
| 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 | 27W |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (dual microphones) | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) |
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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
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Bogasing M4
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs JBL Charge 5
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Bogasing G4
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Harman Kardon Luna
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Harman Kardon Luna 2
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Cleer Audio Scene
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Tribit Maxsound Plus
- See all 144 comparisons
Sony ULT Field 3: $208.00 Amazon $208.00 eBay
Older models: the Sony XB33 (ranked lower, rated 3.4/5), the Sony SRS-XE300 (ranked lower, rated 2.8/5), the Sony SRS-XB31 (ranked lower, rated 2.8/5) and the Sony SRS-XB30 (ranked lower, rated 2.6/5). See every Sony XB and ULT generation.
Same family: the Sony ULT Field 1 (smaller model, ranked lower, rated 3.1/5), the Sony ULT Field 7 (smaller model, rated 3.2/5), the Sony ULT Tower 10 (smaller model, rated 3.9/5), 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, dustproof and water resistant. 24 hour battery life. App with 10-band EQ. Party Connect with up to 100 speakers. USB-C in/out for charging your phone.
Cons: Sounds a bit hollow, a bit boosted in the treble. Custom EQ and the ULT bass-boost button can’t be used together: turning on ULT disables the EQ. Bass is very weak with ULT off. Lost to the JBL Charge 6 in a side-by-side comparison despite being the larger speaker.
Full Sony ULT Field 3 review and specifications →
| Released | Apr 2025 (1 year ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 27W |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 10.1” x 4.4” x 3.1” (256 x 113 x 79 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 20mm tweeter + 1x 86mm x 46mm woofer |
| EQ | Yes (App + ULT button) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 5V/1.5A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs Bose Soundlink Mini
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs Xiaomi Mi Portable
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs Sony XB33
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs Bose SoundLink Home
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs Bose Soundlink Mini 2
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs Bose Portable Smart Speaker
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs Beats Pill 2024
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs Soundcore 3
- See all 144 comparisons