Short answer: it’s close, lean toward the ULT Field 3. It ranks #71 of 179 medium speakers at $208, just ahead of the XB33 at #73 for $110, $98 less. Both share the same IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, so this comes down to sound signature and size rather than durability.
The ULT Field 3’s sound quality has a real catch built into its own design. Its notes describe it as sounding a bit hollow with boosted treble, and Sony’s custom EQ can’t be used at the same time as the dedicated ULT bass-boost button: turning on ULT disables the EQ entirely, and bass is very weak with ULT switched off. In a direct side-by-side comparison it also lost out to the JBL Charge 6 despite being the larger speaker.
The XB33 is lighter and simpler, with its own tonal and output limits. Its own notes describe upper bass peaks, a midrange dip, and upper midrange peaks that add up to a sound that isn’t very neutral, and volume output is capped since it won’t hold max volume and automatically turns itself down. It does add app-controlled color LED lighting and a real-world battery life around 19 hours without the lights running.
Everything else is close: both share Party Connect for linking up to 100 speakers, both offer LDAC codec support, and both are rated for a manufacturer-claimed 24 hours of battery life. The ULT Field 3 adds a built-in microphone and USB-C power bank output, while the XB33 sticks to USB-A.
Buy the Sony ULT Field 3 if you’re willing to choose between the ULT bass button and custom EQ rather than using both together, for a slightly higher overall rank.
Buy the Sony XB33 if a lighter speaker and app-controlled lighting matter more to you than maximum volume or bass depth.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Sony ULT Field 3 | Sony XB33 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $208.00 | $110 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #71 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #73 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Sony Music Connect App) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| Dimensions | 10.1” x 4.4” x 3.1” (256 x 113 x 79 mm) | 9.7” x 3.8” x 4.2” (246 x 97 x 106 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 20mm tweeter + 1x 86mm x 46mm woofer | 2x 48x70mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (App + ULT button) | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 5V/1.5A) | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg) | 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg) |
| Amplifier Power | 27W | 16W RMS |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 50Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 110ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 97dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Lights | - | Yes |
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