Short answer: the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove. It ranks #90 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $89; the Sony SRS-XB30 ranks #104 and costs $199, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove offers: Pretty balanced sound. Distinctive mid-century design with real wood veneer and a woven grille, unlike most plastic/rubber portables. ~8 hour battery life. Watch for: Not stereo. Bass doesn’t go as deep as others its size. Gets distorted at higher levels. Wouldn’t generally recommend these old speakers as they can’t compete with modern speakers for bass performance and features.
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 Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sony SRS-XB30 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Skip the Sony SRS-XB30 if sound quality matters to you. It ranks near the bottom of the 136 medium speakers.
Battery life favors the Sony SRS-XB30: rated for 24 hours against 8 hours for the Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove.
Specifications Side By Side
| Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove | Sony SRS-XB30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $89.00 | $199 |
| Ranked | #90 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #104 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 (Groove), none (Heritage Groove) | IPX5 |
| Power Input | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 770 g | 2.2 lbs / 1000 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.0 | 4.2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Dimensions | 5" x 6" x 2.6" (127 x 152 x 67 mm) | 9" x 3.2" x 3.4" (228 x 82 x 86 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 3" full-range driver + 2x side-firing passive radiators | 2x 48mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Partychain up to 100 speakers) |
| App | No | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
| EQ | No | - |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Output Power | 10W RMS | 20W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 55Hz |
| Stereo | - | Yes |
| Max Volume | - | 95dB |
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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
Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove: $89.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Pretty balanced sound. Distinctive mid-century design with real wood veneer and a woven grille, unlike most plastic/rubber portables. ~8 hour battery life.
Cons: Not stereo. Bass doesn’t go as deep as others its size. Gets distorted at higher levels. Wouldn’t generally recommend these old speakers as they can’t compete with modern speakers for bass performance and features.
Full Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 5" x 6" x 2.6" (127 x 152 x 67 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 3" full-range driver + 2x side-firing passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX4 (Groove), none (Heritage Groove) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 10W RMS |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 770 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Tribit Stormbox
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- See all 70 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
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