Short answer: the Sony ULT Field 3. It ranks #75 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality (rated 3.4/5) at $208 and is still sold new; the JBL Charge 3 ranks #91 (rated 3.2/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. The JBL Charge 3’s replacement, the JBL Charge 6, is rated 4.2/5 at $119.95.
What the Sony ULT Field 3 does well: IP67 rated, dustproof and water resistant. It supports LDAC Bluetooth, which the JBL Charge 3 lacks. It has an adjustable EQ, which the JBL Charge 3 lacks. It charges over USB-C rather than Micro USB. The tradeoff: Sounds a bit hollow, a bit boosted in the treble.
The JBL Charge 3 is the lighter choice. Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank for USB devices. ~20 hour battery life. At 1.8 lbs (800 g) it weighs noticeably less than the Sony ULT Field 3 at 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg). It keeps a wired aux input, which the Sony ULT Field 3 lacks. Watch for: Less clarity than the JBL Flip 4.
Buy the Sony ULT Field 3. It is rated higher for sound quality; the JBL Charge 3 is no longer sold new.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony ULT Field 3 | JBL Charge 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $208.00 | $80 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #75 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #91 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (JBL Connect) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 4.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | 10.1” x 4.4” x 3.1” (256 x 113 x 79 mm) | 8.4” x 3.5” x 3.5” (213 x 88 x 88 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 20mm tweeter + 1x 86mm x 46mm woofer | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| EQ | Yes (App + ULT button) | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 5V/1.5A) | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg) | 1.8 lbs (800 g) |
| Amplifier Power | 27W | 20W RMS |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 63Hz |
| Maximum SPL | - | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Frequency Response | - | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Sony ULT Field 3:
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs EarFun Uboom L
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Sony ULT Field 3
- Soundcore Motion+ vs Sony ULT Field 3
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Sony ULT Field 3
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs Minirig 4
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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
Sony ULT Field 3: $208.00 Amazon $208.00 eBay
Older models: the Sony XB33 (ranked lower, rated 3.4/5), the Sony SRS-XE300 (ranked lower, rated 2.8/5), 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.
Same family: the Sony ULT Field 1 (smaller model, ranked lower, rated 3.1/5), the Sony ULT Field 7 (smaller model, rated 3.2/5), the Sony ULT Tower 10 (smaller model, rated 3.9/5), the Sony ULT Field 5 (larger model, rated 3.5/5), the Sony ULT Tower 5 (larger model, rated 4.5/5), the Sony ULT Tower 7 (larger model, rated 4.7/5), the Sony ULT Tower 9 (larger model, rated 4.2/5) and the Sony ULT Tower Max (larger model, rated 4.8/5).
Pros: IP67 rated, dustproof and water resistant. 24 hour battery life. App with 10-band EQ. Party Connect with up to 100 speakers. USB-C in/out for charging your phone.
Cons: Sounds a bit hollow, a bit boosted in the treble. Custom EQ and the ULT bass-boost button can’t be used together: turning on ULT disables the EQ. Bass is very weak with ULT off. Lost to the JBL Charge 6 in a side-by-side comparison despite being the larger speaker.
Full Sony ULT Field 3 review and specifications →
| Released | Apr 2025 (1 year ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 27W |
| App | Yes |
| 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 | 10.1” x 4.4” x 3.1” (256 x 113 x 79 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 20mm tweeter + 1x 86mm x 46mm woofer |
| EQ | Yes (App + ULT button) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 5V/1.5A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs Bose Soundlink Mini
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs Xiaomi Mi Portable
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs Sony XB33
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs Bose SoundLink Home
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs Bose Soundlink Mini 2
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs Bose Portable Smart Speaker
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs Beats Pill 2024
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs Soundcore 3
- See all 144 comparisons
JBL Charge 3: $80 Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the JBL Charge 6, ranked higher, rated 4.2/5, released Mar 2025.
Older model: the JBL Charge 2 (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5). See every JBL Charge generation.
Pros: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank for USB devices. ~20 hour battery life. IPX7 rated; built-in noise/echo-cancelling speakerphone. Measured bass extension of 63Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Less clarity than the JBL Flip 4. Battery failures are common. Discontinued.
Full JBL Charge 3 review and specifications →
| Released | May 2016 (10 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS |
| App | Yes (JBL Connect) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.4” x 3.5” x 3.5” (213 x 88 x 88 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs (800 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: jbl Charge 4 unboxing first impressions - vs Charge 3 More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 and Charge 3 - best JBL charge 5 review 2021?
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Flip 6 vs JBL Charge 4 and JBL Charge 3 - small one or a large one? 🤷♂️
- DLX Willington: JBL Flip 5 vs Flip 4 :Sound Battle: Almost to the size of the JBL Charge 3? More from DLXWillington →
- EnforcerMan: JBL CHARGE 3 VS TREBLAB HD77 - FULL REVIEW
- YouTube: Sony SRS XB31 vs JBL Charge 3: Sound Battle
- Head-to-Head Comparisons