JBL Flip 7 vs Sony ULT Field 1

Last updated: October 2, 2026

Short answer: the JBL Flip 7 for sound quality, the Sony ULT Field 1 if battery life and price matter more. They rank #15 and #97 of 164 medium portable speakers, a gap of 82 places, for $18.05 more on the Flip 7.

JBL Flip 7 vs Sony ULT Field 1

The tonal balance is the main difference. Our notes describe the Flip 7 as a very neutral speaker with only a slight 4kHz bump keeping it from matching the excellent Flip 6. The ULT Field 1, by contrast, is flagged for an upper midrange peak and rolled off treble, a less balanced signature than the Flip 7’s. The Flip 7’s two-way driver setup, a 45x80mm racetrack driver plus a 16mm tweeter, also gives it a dedicated high-frequency driver that the ULT Field 1’s single woofer-plus-passive-radiator layout lacks.

Battery life swings hard the other way. Testers have gotten 28-plus hours of real-world use out of the ULT Field 1 with its bass-boost ULT mode turned off, more than double the Flip 7’s rated 14 hours. The ULT Field 1 can also stereo-pair with a second unit, something the Flip 7 cannot do, and it includes a built-in microphone for calls that the Flip 7 lacks.

Everything else is close: both carry an IP6x water rating (IP68 for the Flip 7, IP67 for the ULT Field 1), both charge via USB-C, and both are within 0.2 lbs (90 g) of each other in weight.

Buy the JBL Flip 7 for a more neutral sound signature and a tougher water rating, if sound quality is your priority.

Buy the Sony ULT Field 1 for dramatically longer battery life, stereo-pairing, and a lower price, if you can live with a peakier midrange.

Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.

Specifications Side By Side

JBL Flip 7 Sony ULT Field 1
Price$119.95$138.00
Ranked#15 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers#97 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers
AppYesYes
Aux InputNoNo
Bass Extension (-10dB)59Hz-
Battery Life14 hours (Manufacturer specified)12 hours (Manufacturer specified)
Built-in MicrophoneNoYes
EQYes (7 band)Yes
IP RatingIP68IP67
Maximum SPL100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews)-
Party ModeYes (Auracast)Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers)
Power BankNoNo
StereoNoNo
OmnidirectionalNoNo
TWSNoYes
Digital Aux InputYes (USB-C)No
Weight1.2 lbs (560 g)1.4 lbs (650 g)
BluetoothYesYes
Bluetooth CodecsSBC, AACAAC, SBC
Drivers45x80mm racetrack driver + 16mm tweeter83mm x 42mm woofer, 16mm tweeter + passive radiator
Amplifier Power35W total (25W main + 10W tweeter)-
Bluetooth Version5.45.3
Dimensions7.2” x 2.7” x 2.8” (182.5 x 69.5 x 71.5 mm)8.1” x 3” x 3” (206 x 77 x 76 mm)
Power InputUSB-C (5V 7.5W-15W)USB-C
StrapYes (detachable PushLock accessory)Yes (detachable strap)

More top alternatives to JBL Flip 7:

Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 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 7: $119.95 Amazon eBay

JBL Flip 7 ranking card

Older models: the JBL Flip 6 (ranked higher, rated 4.2/5), the JBL Flip 5 (ranked lower, rated 3.3/5) and the JBL Flip 4 (ranked lower, rated 3.3/5).

Pros: A very neutral speaker, very small, almost pocket size. Just slightly more treble than the Flip 6 which was already a great speaker. Slightly deeper bass than the Flip 6. IP68 protection, a 7-band app EQ, Auracast and a USB-C digital audio input. Measured bass extension of 59Hz (-10dB).

Cons: A little bit of a bump at 4kHz, not quite as neutral as the Flip 6. On balance it is the slightly worse of the two.

Amplifier Power35W total (25W main + 10W tweeter)
AppYes
Aux InputNo
Bass Extension (-10dB)59Hz
Battery Life14 hours (Manufacturer specified)
BluetoothYes
Bluetooth CodecsSBC, AAC
Bluetooth Version5.4
Built-in MicrophoneNo
Digital Aux InputYes (USB-C)
Dimensions7.2” x 2.7” x 2.8” (182.5 x 69.5 x 71.5 mm)
Drivers45x80mm racetrack driver + 16mm tweeter
EQYes (7 band)
IP RatingIP68
Maximum SPL100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews)
OmnidirectionalNo
Party ModeYes (Auracast)
Power BankNo
Power InputUSB-C (5V 7.5W-15W)
StereoNo
StrapYes (detachable PushLock accessory)
TWSNo
Weight1.2 lbs (560 g)

Sony ULT Field 1: $138.00 Amazon eBay

Sony ULT Field 1 ranking card

Older models: the Sony XB23 (ranked higher, rated 3.3/5) and the Sony SRS-XB20 (ranked lower, rated 2.8/5).

Larger models: the Sony ULT Field 7 (rated 3.2/5) and the Sony ULT Tower 10 (rated 3.9/5).

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

AppYes
Aux InputNo
Battery Life12 hours (Manufacturer specified)
BluetoothYes
Bluetooth CodecsAAC, SBC
Bluetooth Version5.3
Built-in MicrophoneYes
Digital Aux InputNo
Dimensions8.1” x 3” x 3” (206 x 77 x 76 mm)
Drivers83mm x 42mm woofer, 16mm tweeter + passive radiator
EQYes
IP RatingIP67
OmnidirectionalNo
Party ModeYes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers)
Power BankNo
Power InputUSB-C
StereoNo
StrapYes (detachable strap)
TWSYes
Weight1.4 lbs (650 g)