Short answer: the onn Portable FM Boombox. It ranks #23 of 78 large speakers by sound quality at $74.83; the Sony SRS-XB43 ranks #42 and costs $150, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Sony SRS-XB43 offers: Full, warm sound with deep, rich bass. Twin passive radiators deliver Extra Bass impact. IPX7 waterproof and rugged. Up to 24 hour battery (14 hours with lights on). Party lights for visual appeal. Watch for: Not as loud as others in the category. Speaker will not remain at max volume and will turn itself down automatically.
What the onn Portable FM Boombox offers: Extremely good value. Reasonably deep bass, though not as deep as something like the JBL Xtreme 3, Soundcore Boom 2, or Tribit Stormbox Lava. IPX7 waterproof and floats. FM radio with 10 presets. 6 multicolor LED lighting effects. Can run on battery or corded power. Watch for: Reasonable frequency response, but not quite as smooth as some of the top-ranked speakers in this size. No custom EQ. Only available in the United States and Canada.
Buy the onn Portable FM Boombox. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sony SRS-XB43 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Battery life favors the Sony SRS-XB43: rated for 24 hours against 16 hours for the onn Portable FM Boombox.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony SRS-XB43 | onn Portable FM Boombox | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $150 | $74.83 |
| Ranked | #42 of 78 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #23 of 78 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 85ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Party Sync, pairs with 1 other onn. speaker) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1A) | Yes (USB-A) |
| Weight | 6.5 lbs (2.95 kg) | 4.9 lbs (2.22 kg) |
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center App) | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | - |
| Dimensions | 12.8" x 4.8" x 4.6" (325 x 123 x 117 mm) | 13.8" x 5.9" x 7.7" (350 x 149 x 195 mm) |
| Amplifier Power | 32W RMS | 25W RMS (100W peak) |
| Drivers | 63mm woofer + 12.5mm tweeter + passive radiators | 2 speakers |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | Yes |
| FM Tuner | - | Yes (10 presets) |
| Removable Battery | - | No |
| Discontinued | - | No |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 16, 2026 at 12:41 AM 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-XB43: $150 eBay
Pros: Full, warm sound with deep, rich bass. Twin passive radiators deliver Extra Bass impact. IPX7 waterproof and rugged. Up to 24 hour battery (14 hours with lights on). Party lights for visual appeal. Measured bass extension of 53Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not as loud as others in the category. Speaker will not remain at max volume and will turn itself down automatically.
Setup: Try out +3 +6 +3 as an EQ to get it as flat as possible as mentioned in the Alan Ross video
Full Sony SRS-XB43 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 32W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center App) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 85ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.8" x 4.8" x 4.6" (325 x 123 x 117 mm) |
| Drivers | 63mm woofer + 12.5mm tweeter + passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 6.5 lbs (2.95 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 3 vs Sony XB43 - boombox champ? More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs Motion Boom vs Sony XB43 - a step to far? 🤪
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony xb33 vs xb43 vs Soundcore Motion Plus speakers test
- DLX Willington: Who Sounds The Best Of Sony XG300, XB43 & JBL XTREME3 With Sound Sample BLIND CHALLENGE Reveal. More from DLXWillington →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
onn Portable FM Boombox: $74.83 Walmart eBay
Pros: Extremely good value. Reasonably deep bass, though not as deep as something like the JBL Xtreme 3, Soundcore Boom 2, or Tribit Stormbox Lava. IPX7 waterproof and floats. FM radio with 10 presets. 6 multicolor LED lighting effects. Can run on battery or corded power.
Cons: Reasonable frequency response, but not quite as smooth as some of the top-ranked speakers in this size. No custom EQ. Only available in the United States and Canada.
Full onn Portable FM Boombox review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 25W RMS (100W peak) |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 13.8" x 5.9" x 7.7" (350 x 149 x 195 mm) |
| Discontinued | No |
| Drivers | 2 speakers |
| EQ | No |
| FM Tuner | Yes (10 presets) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Sync, pairs with 1 other onn. speaker) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Removable Battery | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 4.9 lbs (2.22 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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