Short answer: the JBL Pulse 5 for better sound quality, the Sony XB33 for the lower price. The JBL Pulse 5 ranks #42 of 136 medium speakers at $199.12. The Sony XB33 ranks #59 at $110, $89.12 cheaper.
What the JBL Pulse 5 offers: Cool light show, although not synced to the music like the Pulse 2. Watch for: Not quite as deep bass as others. Plastic scratches easily.
What the Sony XB33 offers: IP67 rated and lightweight (2.4 lb). App-controlled color LED lighting, Party Connect links up to 100 speakers. ~19 hour real-world battery without lights. Watch for: Not very loud. Upper bass peaks, midrange dip, upper midrange peaks, not very neutral. Speaker will not remain at max volume and will turn itself down automatically.
Buy the JBL Pulse 5 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Sony XB33 if the price matters more than sound quality.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Sony XB33 is rated for 24 hours, the JBL Pulse 5 only 12 hours.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Pulse 5 | Sony XB33 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.12 | $110 |
| Ranked | #42 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #59 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Sony Music Connect App) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz | 50Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | No |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs / 1500 g | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 4.2" x 8.4" x 5.2" (107 x 214 x 131 mm) | 9.7" x 3.8" x 4.2" (246 x 97 x 106 mm) |
| Drivers | 64mm woofer, 16mm tweeter | 2x 48x70mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | - |
| Output Power | 40W | 16W RMS |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | - | No |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 110ms |
| Max Volume | - | 97dB |
| Power Bank | - | Yes (USB-A) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- Soundcore Glow vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor
- Turtlebox Ranger vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- Sony XB33 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Pulse 5: $199.12 Amazon eBay
Pros: Cool light show, although not synced to the music like the Pulse 2.
Cons: Not quite as deep bass as others. Plastic scratches easily.
Full JBL Pulse 5 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.2" x 8.4" x 5.2" (107 x 214 x 131 mm) |
| Drivers | 64mm woofer, 16mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Output Power | 40W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs / 1500 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Techder Audios: JBL PULSE 5 VS JBL CHARGE 5 “LIGHTS VS BASS?!” More from techderaudios →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Bass Check 💣 Treblab HD-360, Ultimate Ears EpicBoom, Marshall Middleton & JBL Pulse 5. Boom or Bust? More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- M1MTechChannel: Welche JBL Partybox ist die BESTE ? Alle Partyboxen im Vergleich | 2026 More from M1MTechChannel →
- Reddit Search for JBL Pulse 5 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Soundcore Glow
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Tribit Stormbox Pro
- JBL Pulse 5 vs W-King D320
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Soundcore Motion 100
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Bose Soundlink Revolve
- See all 72 comparisons
Sony XB33: $110 eBay
Pros: IP67 rated and lightweight (2.4 lb). App-controlled color LED lighting, Party Connect links up to 100 speakers. ~19 hour real-world battery without lights.
Cons: Not very loud. Upper bass peaks, midrange dip, upper midrange peaks, not very neutral. Speaker will not remain at max volume and will turn itself down automatically.
Full Sony XB33 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Sony Music Connect App) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 110ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.7" x 3.8" x 4.2" (246 x 97 x 106 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 48x70mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 97dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 16W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony xb33 vs xb43 vs Soundcore Motion Plus speakers test More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs Motion Plus and Sony XB33 - ultimate travel speaker 2021 🤗
- GYMCADDY: Sony XE300 Review And Compared to Sony XB33 - A Muffled Mess More from GYMCADDY →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Xsound Mega vs the world! (JBL Charge 5, Bose Flex, Sony XB33, LG PL7) 👍
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB33 vs XB32 vs JBL Charge 4 best £120 bluetooth speaker?
- Alan Ross Reviews: LG Xboom Go PL7 vs JBL Charge 4 and Sony XB33 - best Bluetooth speaker?
- Reddit Search for Sony XB33 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons