Short answer: it’s close, lean toward the ULT Field 3. It ranks #60 of 142 medium speakers at $138, just ahead of the XB33 at #62 for $110, $28 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.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony ULT Field 3 | Sony XB33 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $138.00 | $110 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #60 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #62 of 142 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 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 |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 50Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 110ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 97dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
| Lights | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Sony ULT Field 3 compares with other leading options:
- 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 September 23, 2026 at 11:24 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 ULT Field 3: $138.00 Amazon eBay
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 →
| Amplifier Power | 27W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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 |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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Sony XB33: $110 Discontinued eBay
Pros: IP67 rated and lightweight (2.4 lb). App-controlled color LED lighting, Party Connect links up to 100 speakers. ~19 hour real-world battery without lights. Measured bass extension of 50Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not very loud. Upper bass peaks, midrange dip, upper midrange peaks, not very neutral. Speaker will not remain at max volume and will turn itself down automatically. Discontinued.
Full Sony XB33 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 16W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Sony Music Connect App) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 110ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.7" x 3.8" x 4.2" (246 x 97 x 106 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 48x70mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 97dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony xb33 vs xb43 vs Soundcore Motion Plus speakers test More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs Motion Plus and Sony XB33 - ultimate travel speaker 2021 🤗
- GYMCADDY: Sony XE300 Review And Compared to Sony XB33 - A Muffled Mess More from GYMCADDY →
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- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB33 vs XB32 vs JBL Charge 4 best £120 bluetooth speaker?
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