Short answer: the Sony SRS-XB43. It ranks #42 of 77 large speakers by sound quality at $150; the Sony SRS-XG300 ranks #55 and costs $169, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Sony SRS-XB43 offers: Full, warm sound with deep, rich bass. Watch for: Not as loud as others in the category.
On the Sony SRS-XG300 side: IP67 dust/waterproof rating. Set against that: Overly expensive.
Buy the Sony SRS-XB43. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sony SRS-XG300 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony SRS-XB43 | Sony SRS-XG300 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $150 | $169.00 |
| Ranked | #42 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #55 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | 54Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 85ms | - |
| Max Volume | 99dB | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1A) | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1.5A) |
| Weight | 6.5 lbs / 2.95 kg | 6.6 lbs / 3 kg |
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center App) | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 12.8" x 4.8" x 4.6" (325 x 123 x 117 mm) | 12.5" x 5.4" x 5.4" (318 x 138 x 136 mm) |
| Output Power | 32W RMS | 16W RMS |
| Drivers | 63mm woofer + 12.5mm tweeter + passive radiators | 2x X-Balanced woofers, 2x 20mm tweeters |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Sony SRS-XB43: $150
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.
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 →
| 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 |
| Max Volume | 99dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 32W RMS |
| 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 |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 3 vs Sony XB43 - boombox champ?
- 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.
- Reddit Search for Sony SRS-XB43 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Sony SRS-XG300: $169.00 Amazon
Pros: IP67 dust/waterproof rating. Bluetooth 5.2 with multipoint pairing, LDAC codec support. Retractable carry handle for easy portability. Big boomy bass-forward sound, excellent for parties. Fast-charging: 10 minutes gives 70 minutes playback. Stamina mode optimizes battery.
Cons: Overly expensive. Bass not as deep as competitors. Upper mids peak. Hollow sounding. Rolled off treble. Not much clarity. Does not float. Speaker will not remain at max volume and will turn itself down automatically.
Full Sony SRS-XG300 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 54Hz |
| Battery Life | 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.5" x 5.4" x 5.4" (318 x 138 x 136 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x X-Balanced woofers, 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 16W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1.5A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 6.6 lbs / 3 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- DLX Willington: Who Sounds The Best Of Sony XG300, XB43 & JBL XTREME3 With Sound Sample BLIND CHALLENGE Reveal.
- Techder Audios: SONY XG300 VS SOUNDCORE MOTION BOOM
- GYMCADDY: JBL Xtreme 3 Vs Sony XG300 - Its Not Even Close
- GYMCADDY: Sony XG300 Review & Compared To Sony XB43
- New Stuff TV: Sony SRS-XG300 Vs JBL Xtreme 3
- Reddit Search for Sony SRS-XG300 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- Sony SRS-XG300 vs Ultimate Ears Epicboom
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- Sony SRS-XG300 vs JBL Xtreme
- Sony SRS-XG300 vs B&O Beosound Level
- Sony SRS-XG300 vs Ultimate Ears Megablast
- Sony SRS-XG300 vs LG PN7
- Sony SRS-XG300 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4
- See all 17 comparisons