Short answer: the Sony SRS-XB30. It ranks #104 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $199; the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 ranks #132 and costs $200, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
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
What the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 offers: IP67 rated, floats, and finally uses USB-C charging. 20 hour battery life. ‘PartyUp’ feature syncs multiple UE speakers together. Watch for: A lot of distortion at higher volumes. Rolled off treble. Not very loud. They really screwed this up
Buy the Sony SRS-XB30. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Neither of these is a sound-quality pick. Look higher up the 136 medium speakers if that is what you are optimizing for.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony SRS-XB30 | Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199 | $200 |
| Ranked | #104 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #132 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Partychain up to 100 speakers) | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs / 1000 g | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
| IP Rating | IPX5 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.1 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | - |
| Dimensions | 9" x 3.2" x 3.4" (228 x 82 x 86 mm) | 3.4" x 3.4" x 8.9" (87 x 87 x 225 mm) |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) | Yes |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Power Input | Micro USB | USB-C |
| Output Power | 20W | - |
| Drivers | 2x 48mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators | 2x 50x50mm full-range + 2x 55x86mm passive radiators |
| Max Volume | 95dB | 91dB |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| EQ | - | Yes (via app) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- JBL Charge 6 vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Teufel Rockster Go vs TDK A33
- Soundcore Flare 2 vs B&O Beosound Explore
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Harman Kardon Esquire 2
- JBL Charge 6 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
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
Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4: $200 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and finally uses USB-C charging. 20 hour battery life. ‘PartyUp’ feature syncs multiple UE speakers together.
Cons: A lot of distortion at higher volumes. Rolled off treble. Not very loud. They really screwed this up
Full Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.4" x 3.4" x 8.9" (87 x 87 x 225 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50x50mm full-range + 2x 55x86mm passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 91dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Ultimate Ears MegaBoom 4 vs Sony ULT Field 1 😧 $200 vs $128 Cylinder Bluetooth Speaker Matchup More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Ultimate Ears MegaBoom 4 vs W-King D320 🔋Does Paying More Get You Less? 😧
- Reddit Search for Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 Review
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