Short answer: the Sony ULT Field 3, if you are buying new, though neither ranks well in its class. The Sony SRS-XE300 ranks higher than the Marshall Emberton III (#118 vs #126 of 175 medium speakers) but is discontinued; its replacement, the Sony ULT Field 3, is rated 3.4/5 at $208 and is still sold new. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 175 medium speakers, so if sound quality matters, consider the EarFun Uboom L instead, ranked #2 at $49.79.
What the Sony SRS-XE300 does well: Orientation-aware playback switches to stereo when laid flat. It supports LDAC Bluetooth, which the Marshall Emberton III lacks. Watch for: Muffled sounding, not very deep bass.
The Marshall Emberton III is the longer-running, lighter pick. 30 hour battery life: among the best in its class; a 20 min quick-charge gives 4 hours. It is rated for 32 hours of battery against 24 for the Sony SRS-XE300. At 1.5 lbs (673 g) it weighs much less than the Sony SRS-XE300 at 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg). The catch: Strange unnatural echo-like sound coloration, bass not as deep as competitors.
Buy the Sony ULT Field 3, the replacement for the discontinued Sony SRS-XE300; it is rated higher for sound quality than the Marshall Emberton III.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony SRS-XE300 | Marshall Emberton III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $94.99 Discontinued | $129.99 |
| Ranked | #118 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #126 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Weight | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) | 1.5 lbs (673 g) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC |
| Dimensions | 9.4” x 4.1” x 4.7” (238 x 105 x 119 mm) | 6.3” x 2.7” x 3” (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 49x71mm X-Balanced speaker units + 2x passive radiators | 2x 2” full-range cone drivers + 2x 2” passive radiators |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (via app) | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 16W | 20W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 62Hz |
| Strap | - | No |
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- Soundcore Motion+ vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- JBL Charge 6 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- JBL Flip 6 vs Sony SRS-XE300
Prices on this page were last checked October 12, 2026 at 4:13 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-XE300: $94.99 Discontinued Amazon $94.99 eBay
Newer model: the Sony ULT Field 3, ranked higher, rated 3.4/5, released Apr 2025. It adds power bank charging.
Older models: the Sony XB33 (ranked higher, rated 3.4/5), the Sony SRS-XB31 (ranked lower, rated 2.8/5) and the Sony SRS-XB30 (ranked lower, rated 2.6/5). See every Sony XB and ULT generation.
Pros: IP67 rated. Orientation-aware playback switches to stereo when laid flat. Party Connect links up to 100 speakers; fast charging (10 min charge = ~70 min playback).
Cons: Muffled sounding, not very deep bass. Hollow sounding. Worse than a XB43. Discontinued.
Full Sony SRS-XE300 review and specifications →
| Released | Jul 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 16W |
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.4” x 4.1” x 4.7” (238 x 105 x 119 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 49x71mm X-Balanced speaker units + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- DLX Willington: FINALLY! Sony SRS XG300, SRS XE300, & SRS XE200 Are Here. Binaural Sound Samples & First Impressions More from DLXWillington →
- Danny Pops: Sony XE200 XE300 vs Bose Marshall & JBL More from DannyPops →
- GYMCADDY: Sony XE300 Review And Compared to Sony XB33 - A Muffled Mess More from GYMCADDY →
- GYMCADDY: JBL Charge 5 Vs Sony XE300 - How Can You Mess Up This Bad?
- GYMCADDY: Sony XE200 Review And Compared to Sony XB23 - It Got The XE300 Treatment
- New Stuff TV: Sony SRS-XE300 vs JBL Charge 5 More from NewStuffTV1 →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sony SRS-XE300 vs DBSONO X-Blast F37
- Sony SRS-XE300 vs Tribit Stormbox
- Sony SRS-XE300 vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Sony SRS-XE300 vs Klipsch Groove
- Sony SRS-XE300 vs Yamaha True X Speaker 1A
- Sony SRS-XE300 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Sony SRS-XE300 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Sony SRS-XE300 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- See all 73 comparisons
Marshall Emberton III: $129.99 Amazon $129.99 eBay
Older models: the Marshall Emberton II (ranked lower, rated 2.7/5) and the Marshall Emberton (ranked lower, estimated 2.6/5). See every Marshall Portable Speakers generation.
Same family: the Marshall Willen II (smaller model, rated 4/5), the Marshall Middleton II (larger model, rated 4.1/5), the Marshall Stockwell III (larger model, rated 3/5) and the Marshall Kilburn III (larger model, rated 3.8/5).
Pros: 30 hour battery life: among the best in its class; a 20 min quick-charge gives 4 hours. IP67 rated, durable rubbery build using 50% recycled plastic. Measured bass extension of 62Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Strange unnatural echo-like sound coloration, bass not as deep as competitors. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear. Not very loud. Not really any different from the Marshall Emberton II except having the treble turned down a little bit.
Full Marshall Emberton III review and specifications →
| Released | Aug 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 20W |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.3” x 2.7” x 3” (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2” full-range cone drivers + 2x 2” passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (673 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Emberton III vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Marshall Emberton III vs Marshall Emberton II
- Marshall Emberton III vs Yamaha True X Speaker 1A
- Marshall Emberton III vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Marshall Emberton III vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Marshall Emberton III vs Sony SRS-XB30
- Marshall Emberton III vs Tribit Stormbox
- Marshall Emberton III vs Soundcore Flare 2
- See all 141 comparisons