Short answer: the JBL Flip 4. It ranks #63 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $70; the Sony SRS-XB30 ranks #104 and costs $199, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the JBL Flip 4 offers: Less bass than a Flip 5. Peaky lower treble. Watch for: Battery failures are common.
What the Sony SRS-XB30 offers: IPX5 rated. Doubles as a power bank for charging your phone. Long claimed battery life (up to 24 hours at moderate volume). Watch for: Muffled sound, worse than a XB20
Buy the JBL Flip 4. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sony SRS-XB30 and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Sony SRS-XB30. It ranks near the bottom of the 136 medium speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Sony SRS-XB30 is rated for 24 hours, the JBL Flip 4 only 12 hours.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip 4 | Sony SRS-XB30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $70 Discontinued | $199 |
| Ranked | #63 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #104 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 66Hz | 55Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 300ms | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Partychain up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs / 510 g | 2.2 lbs / 1000 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm fullrange | 2x 48mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 6.9" x 2.8" x 2.6" (175 x 70 x 65 mm) | 9" x 3.2" x 3.4" (228 x 82 x 86 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 70Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 16W RMS | 20W |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX5 |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Max Volume | 92dB | 95dB |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| App | - | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
| Built in Microphone | - | Yes |
| Stereo | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- Bose Soundlink Revolve vs Soundcore Flare 2
- Sony XB23 vs Marshall Emberton III
- JBL Flip 5 vs Harman Kardon Esquire 2
- Tribit Stormbox 2 vs Sony SRS-XB30
- W-King D320 vs Sony SRS-XB30
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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 Flip 4: $70 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Pros: Less bass than a Flip 5. Peaky lower treble.
Cons: Battery failures are common. Discontinued.
Full JBL Flip 4 review and specifications →
| Aux Input | Yes |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 66Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 300ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.9" x 2.8" x 2.6" (175 x 70 x 65 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm fullrange |
| Frequency Response | 70Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 92dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 16W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs / 510 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- DLX Willington: JBL Flip 5 vs Flip 4 :Sound Battle: Almost to the size of the JBL Charge 3? More from DLXWillington →
- GYMCADDY: Best $100 Speaker? JBL Flip 4 Vs Sony XB20 Vs UE WONDERBOOM Vs Altec Mini Lifejacket 2 More from GYMCADDY →
- GYMCADDY: Best $100 Speaker? JBL Flip 4 Vs Sony XB20 Vs UE WONDERBOOM Vs Altec Mini Lifejacket 2
- Reddit Search for JBL Flip 4 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Sony SRS-XB30: $199 eBay
Pros: IPX5 rated. Doubles as a power bank for charging your phone. Long claimed battery life (up to 24 hours at moderate volume).
Cons: Muffled sound, worse than a XB20
Full Sony SRS-XB30 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9" x 3.2" x 3.4" (228 x 82 x 86 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 48mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Max Volume | 95dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Partychain up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs / 1000 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Soundcore Flare 2
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs W-King D8 Mini
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Marshall Emberton II
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs B&O Beosound Explore
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Marshall Emberton III
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini+
- See all 72 comparisons