Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It ranks #89 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $109; the Sony SRS-XB30 ranks #104 and costs $199, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Sony SRS-XB30 gets right: IPX5 rated. Doubles as a power bank for charging your phone. The tradeoff: Muffled sound, worse than a XB20.
What the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 offers: Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp. Set against that: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sony SRS-XB30 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
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.
If battery life is a priority, the Sony SRS-XB30 is rated for 24 hours versus 15 hours for the Ultimate Ears Boom 3.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony SRS-XB30 | Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199 | $109.00 |
| Ranked | #104 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #89 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Partychain up to 100 speakers) | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs / 1000 g | 1.3 lbs / 608 g |
| IP Rating | IPX5 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | - |
| Dimensions | 9" x 3.2" x 3.4" (228 x 82 x 86 mm) | 7.2" x 2.9" (184 x 73 mm) |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) | - |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Power Input | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| Output Power | 20W | - |
| Drivers | 2x 48mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators | 2x 2" active drivers + 2x 2" x 4" passive radiators |
| Max Volume | 95dB | 87dB |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| EQ | - | Yes (via app) |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Sony SRS-XB30: $199
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 |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Soundcore Flare 2
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Teufel Rockster Go
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- 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+
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Sony SRS-XB20
- See all 17 comparisons
Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $109.00 Amazon
Pros: Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. You can tell from the micro USB that they are just feeding you the same crap hardware over and over, this is inexcusable for a product released in 2021. Lots of mentions of failing batteries on amazon. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 3 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2" x 2.9" (184 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2" active drivers + 2x 2" x 4" passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 87dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 608 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Tribit Stormbox
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