Short answer: the Sony ULT Tower 9. It ranks #9 of 13 large party speakers by sound quality, rated 4.2/5, at $898. The Altec Lansing SoundRover Pro 650 ranks #13, rated 2.0/5, at $299.99, $598.01 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
The case for the Sony ULT Tower 9: Slightly better sounding than the ULT Tower 10. Watch for: Not as deep of bass and loses more bass at high volume even compared to the lower end Partybox speakers.
The case for the Altec Lansing SoundRover Pro 650: A 15-inch woofer and horn-loaded tweeter in a wheeled cabinet with a trolley handle, at a much lower price than the other large party speakers here. Watch for: Erin’s Audio Corner’s Klippel measurements are among the worst we rank: the listening window swings over an 8.4dB span between 300Hz and 5kHz, the predicted in-room response is very uneven (0.24 smoothness), and the preference score is -0.72 (1.81 with an ideal subwoofer).
Buy the Sony ULT Tower 9. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $598.01 you would save on the Altec Lansing SoundRover Pro 650 does not close the gap.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony ULT Tower 9 | Altec Lansing SoundRover Pro 650 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $898.00 | $299.99 each |
| Ranked | #9 of 13 in Large Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #13 of 13 in Large Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) | No Battery |
| EQ | Yes (10 band) | - |
| Guitar Input | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) | Yes (wireless microphone included) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1.5A) | Yes (USB charging ports) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes | Yes (USB and SD card) |
| Weight | 65.3 lbs (29.6 kg) | 44.1 lbs (20 kg) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| IP Rating | None | - |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Wi-Fi | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | - |
| Dimensions | 16.1” x 35.8” x 18” (410 x 910 x 456 mm) | 31.5”H x 18”W x 22”D (801 x 457 x 558 mm) |
| Drivers | 7 drivers: 1x 12.6”x12.6” woofer, 2x 4.7” midrange, 2x 2” tweeter, 2x 1.6” rear tweeter | 15” woofer, horn-loaded tweeter |
| Amplifier Power | 148W | 650W peak |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | Yes |
| Strap | No | No |
| Wheels | - | Yes |
| Spinorama Preference Score | - | -0.72 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | - | 1.81 |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 60Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 52Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Sony ULT Tower 9:
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs Sony ULT Tower 9
- JBL Partybox Ultimate vs Sony ULT Tower 9
- JBL Partybox 1000 vs Sony ULT Tower 9
- Teufel Rockster 2 vs Sony ULT Tower 9
- JBL Partybox 720 vs Sony ULT Tower 9
Prices on this page were last checked September 30, 2026 at 2:57 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 Tower 9: $898.00 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Sony SRS-XV900 (ranked lower, rated 3.7/5).
Pros: Slightly better sounding than the ULT Tower 10
Cons: Not as deep of bass and loses more bass at high volume even compared to the lower end Partybox speakers. Bass drops off a lot at higher volumes. Not quite as loud as the ULT Tower 10
Full Sony ULT Tower 9 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 148W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 16.1” x 35.8” x 18” (410 x 910 x 456 mm) |
| Drivers | 7 drivers: 1x 12.6”x12.6” woofer, 2x 4.7” midrange, 2x 2” tweeter, 2x 1.6” rear tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (10 band) |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | None |
| Lights | Yes |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1.5A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | No |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 65.3 lbs (29.6 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Oluv Patreon: Sony ULT Tower 9 vs JBL Partybox 720 - indoor listening test More from Oluv’Sone →
- Oluv Patreon: Sony ULT Tower 9 vs JBL Partybox 720 - power generator test
- GYMCADDY: Sony ULT Tower 9 Vs Sony ULT Tower 10 - Size Doesn’t Matter More from GYMCADDY →
- GYMCADDY: Sony ULT Tower 9 Review - Amazing Instrument Separation
- GYMCADDY: JBL Partybox 720 Vs Sony ULT Tower 9
- Joy & Oluv’Sone 3DAudio & Music: Sony ULT9 vs JBL Partybox 720 - the king of battery powered party speakers
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sony ULT Tower 9 vs Sony ULT Tower 10
- Sony ULT Tower 9 vs Teufel Rockster
- Sony ULT Tower 9 vs JBL Partybox 520
- Sony ULT Tower 9 vs Sony SRS-XV900
- Sony ULT Tower 9 vs JBL Partybox 710
- Sony ULT Tower 9 vs Marshall Bromley 750
- Sony ULT Tower 9 vs JBL Partybox 720
- Sony ULT Tower 9 vs Teufel Rockster 2
- See all 21 comparisons
Altec Lansing SoundRover Pro 650: $299.99 each Amazon eBay
Pros: A 15-inch woofer and horn-loaded tweeter in a wheeled cabinet with a trolley handle, at a much lower price than the other large party speakers here. A wireless microphone and a tripod stand come in the box, and it adds a guitar input, a 1/8-inch aux input, USB and SD playback, USB charging ports and LED lighting. Two can be paired for stereo. Measured bass extension of 60Hz (-3dB).
Cons: Erin’s Audio Corner’s Klippel measurements are among the worst we rank: the listening window swings over an 8.4dB span between 300Hz and 5kHz, the predicted in-room response is very uneven (0.24 smoothness), and the preference score is -0.72 (1.81 with an ideal subwoofer). Bass only reaches about 60Hz (-3dB) and 56Hz (-6dB) despite the 15-inch woofer, and horizontal coverage averages a narrow 30 degrees. It has no battery and no app.
Full Altec Lansing SoundRover Pro 650 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 650W peak |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 52Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 31.5”H x 18”W x 22”D (801 x 457 x 558 mm) |
| Drivers | 15” woofer, horn-loaded tweeter |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| Lights | Yes |
| Microphone Input | Yes (wireless microphone included) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB charging ports) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | No |
| Spinorama Preference Score | -0.72 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 1.81 |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes (USB and SD card) |
| Weight | 44.1 lbs (20 kg) |
| Wheels | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons