Short answer: the Soundboks Rider, if you are buying new. The Sony SRS-XP500 ranks higher than it (#15 vs #27 of 44 party speakers, 4.0/5 vs 3.4/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Soundboks Rider is still sold new at $599.
The Sony SRS-XP500 is the better-sounding option. 20W 3-way speaker system with dual passive radiators, well-balanced sound (clear highs, detailed mids, punchy bass). It links with other speakers (Party Connect up to 100 speakers), which the Soundboks Rider cannot. Watch for: Not as loud and bass not as deep as a JBL Partybox 100 or JBL Partybox 110.
The Soundboks Rider is the longer-running, lighter pick. At 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) it is the lightest Soundboks yet, with a carry handle, IP66 dust and water protection, and the same swappable 100Wh battery as the Mix and Soundboks 4, rated for 35 hours at mid volume and 8 hours at maximum. It is rated for 35 hours of battery against 20 for the Sony SRS-XP500. At 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) it weighs much less than the Sony SRS-XP500 at 24.7 lbs (11.2 kg). It is rated IP66, while the Sony SRS-XP500 has no water resistance. The tradeoff: Its sealed 8in woofer runs out of real bass at high volume: Xander measured the -6 dB point rising to roughly 75 to 85 Hz at maximum, with 40 Hz some 20 dB down, and M1M heard the bass pulled back toward the upper bass above mid volume.
Buy the Soundboks Rider, since the Sony SRS-XP500 is discontinued and only worth hunting down used.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony SRS-XP500 | Soundboks Rider | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $549.99 Discontinued | $599.00 |
| Ranked | #15 of 44 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #27 of 44 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Soundboks) |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 42Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 35 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | LDAC, AAC, SBC | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | - |
| Charging Time | 3 hours | - |
| Dimensions | 10.8” x 22.5” x 11.6” (275 x 572 x 295 mm) | - |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (6-band EQ + Bass+, Indoor and Outdoor profiles) |
| Guitar Input | Yes | - |
| IP Rating | None | IP66 |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) | No (no TeamUp) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | - |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | USB-C (65W fast charging) |
| Stereo | Partially | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | No | No |
| USB Playback | Yes | - |
| Weight | 24.7 lbs (11.2 kg) | 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) |
| Drivers | 2x 140mm woofers + 2x 50mm tweeters | 8” woofer (sealed), 1.2” dome tweeter in horn |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Strap | No | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | - | 113.2dB(C) (measured by M1M Tech Channel) |
| Removable Battery | - | Yes |
| Amplifier Power | - | 92W RMS (72W woofer + 20W tweeter) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Sony SRS-XP500:
- Sony ULT Tower 7 vs Sony SRS-XP500
- JBL Partybox 330 vs Sony SRS-XP500
- JBL Partybox Stage 320 vs Sony SRS-XP500
- JBL Partybox 310 vs Sony SRS-XP500
- Sony ULT Tower 5 vs Sony SRS-XP500
Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 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-XP500: $549.99 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Sony SRS-XV500, ranked lower, rated 4/5.
Pros: 20W 3-way speaker system with dual passive radiators, well-balanced sound (clear highs, detailed mids, punchy bass). 20-hour battery life, immersive room-filling sound. Party Connect feature links multiple compatible Sony speakers. USB charging port for device charging on-the-go. Built-in handle and IPX4 water resistance. Microphone input and karaoke support. Measured bass extension of 42Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not as loud and bass not as deep as a JBL Partybox 100 or JBL Partybox 110. Discontinued.
Full Sony SRS-XP500 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 42Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | LDAC, AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Charging Time | 3 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 10.8” x 22.5” x 11.6” (275 x 572 x 295 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 140mm woofers + 2x 50mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | None |
| Lights | Yes |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Partially |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 24.7 lbs (11.2 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sony SRS-XP500 vs Sony SRS-XP700
- Sony SRS-XP500 vs Sony SRS-XV500
- Sony SRS-XP500 vs Onn Large Party gen 2
- Sony SRS-XP500 vs Zealot PT21
- Sony SRS-XP500 vs Soundcore Rave 3S
- Sony SRS-XP500 vs Onn XL Wireless Party Speaker
- Sony SRS-XP500 vs JBL Partybox 300
- Sony SRS-XP500 vs JBL Partybox 110
- See all 39 comparisons
Soundboks Rider: $599.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: At 6.5 kg it is the lightest Soundboks yet, with a carry handle, IP66 dust and water protection, and the same swappable 100Wh battery as the Mix and Soundboks 4, rated for 35 hours at mid volume and 8 hours at maximum. Xander’s measurements found its flat profile genuinely flat, with distortion around 0.2 percent at moderate volume and below 2 percent from 500 Hz to 10 kHz even at full output, and the Indoor profile reaching down to 40 Hz at moderate volume. Both Xander and M1M Tech Channel preferred its punchy, controlled kick bass to the larger Soundboks Mix, and the app adds a six-band EQ with saveable presets.
Cons: Its sealed 8in woofer runs out of real bass at high volume: Xander measured the -6 dB point rising to roughly 75 to 85 Hz at maximum, with 40 Hz some 20 dB down, and M1M heard the bass pulled back toward the upper bass above mid volume. It measured 107 dB(C) outdoors for Xander and 113.2 dB(C) for M1M, about 3 dB below the Soundboks Mix and well short of the claimed 118 dB. There is no TeamUp, so it cannot link with other Soundboks speakers, the strap and charger are sold separately, and Xander found the grille causes dispersion artifacts around 5 kHz and judged the price too high for what it delivers.
Full Soundboks Rider review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 92W RMS (72W woofer + 20W tweeter) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Soundboks) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 35 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Drivers | 8” woofer (sealed), 1.2” dome tweeter in horn |
| EQ | Yes (6-band EQ + Bass+, Indoor and Outdoor profiles) |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP66 |
| Maximum SPL | 113.2dB(C) (measured by M1M Tech Channel) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No (no TeamUp) |
| Power Input | USB-C (65W fast charging) |
| Removable Battery | Yes |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundboks Rider vs Ultimate Ears Hyperboom
- Soundboks Rider vs Soundboks Mix
- Soundboks Rider vs Samsung MX-ST50B
- Soundboks Rider vs Soundboks Go
- Soundboks Rider vs Marshall Bromley 450
- Soundboks Rider vs Klipsch Gig XXL
- Soundboks Rider vs Onn Large Party gen 1
- Soundboks Rider vs W-King T12
- See all 42 comparisons