Short answer: the Sony SRS-XV500. It ranks #16 of 53 party speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $315.99; the Soundboks Rider ranks #31, rated 3.4/5, and costs $599, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
The Sony SRS-XV500 is the better-sounding pick. A slightly warm party speaker with plenty of bass punch that gets very loud outdoors, plus karaoke inputs and a long battery. The tradeoff: RTINGS measured poor directivity, so the sound changes noticeably as you move off to the sides.
The Soundboks Rider is the longer-running, lighter pick. A light, rugged party speaker with a swappable battery that lasts all day at mid volume and an app with a six band EQ. It is rated for 35 hours of battery against 25 for the Sony SRS-XV500. At 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) it weighs much less than the Sony SRS-XV500 at 24.7 lbs (11.2 kg). It is rated IP66 against IPX4 for the Sony SRS-XV500. The catch: 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 Sony SRS-XV500. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Soundboks Rider and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Sony SRS-XV500 | Soundboks Rider | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $315.99 | $599.00 |
| Ranked | #16 of 53 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #31 of 53 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Amplifier Power | 55W RMS | 92W RMS (72W woofer + 20W tweeter) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (6-band EQ + Bass+, Indoor and Outdoor profiles) |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Drivers | 2x 140mm woofers + 2x 60mm tweeters | 8” woofer (sealed), 1.2” dome tweeter in horn |
| Battery Life | 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 35 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IP66 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | - |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone Input | Yes (two 6.3mm inputs) | - |
| Guitar Input | Yes | - |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Dimensions | 22.2”H x 10.6”W x 11.6”D (564 x 269 x 294 mm) | - |
| Weight | 24.7 lbs (11.2 kg) | 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) |
| Strap | No | No |
| App | - | Yes (Soundboks) |
| Frequency Response | - | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | - | 113.2dB(C) (measured by M1M Tech Channel) |
| Party Mode | - | No (no TeamUp) |
| Power Input | - | USB-C (65W fast charging) |
| Removable Battery | - | Yes |
| Stereo | - | No |
| Omnidirectional | - | No |
| Digital Aux Input | - | No |
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