Different classes, so treat this as a step-up-or-not question rather than a head-to-head. The Sony ULT Tower 9 ranks #9 of 12 large party speakers by sound quality at $748; the Soundcore Rave 3S ranks #17 of 40 party speakers by sound quality at $299.99.
Why pick the Sony ULT Tower 9: Slightly better sounding than the ULT Tower 10. The catch: Not as deep of bass and loses more bass at high volume even compared to the lower end Partybox speakers.
What the Soundcore Rave 3S does well: 2 AA battery Wireless Microphones and remote control included. The tradeoff: Some upper bass and upper mids boost.
Buy the Sony ULT Tower 9 ($748) for a large party speaker; the Soundcore Rave 3S ($299.99) suits a party speaker instead.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Sony ULT Tower 9 is rated for 25 hours, the Soundcore Rave 3S only 12 hours.
There is a real gap in water resistance: the Soundcore Rave 3S at IPX4 (splashing) against the Sony ULT Tower 9, which has no water resistance.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony ULT Tower 9 | Soundcore Rave 3S | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $748.00 | $299.99 |
| Ranked | #9 of 12 in Large Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #17 of 40 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes (10 band) | Yes |
| Guitar Input | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) | Yes (Karaoke mode with reverb effect) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1.5A) | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | USB-C |
| Removable Battery | No | - |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| USB Playback | Yes | No |
| Weight | 65.3 lbs (29.6 kg) | 21.6 lbs (9.8 kg) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| IP Rating | None | IPX4 |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Wi-Fi | No | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 16.1” x 35.8” x 18” (410 x 910 x 456 mm) | 21.7”H x 11.1”W x 12”D (550 x 283 x 306 mm) |
| Drivers | 7 drivers: 1x 12.6”x12.6” woofer, 2x 4.7” midrange, 2x 2” tweeter, 2x 1.6” rear tweeter | 1x 6.5” (165mm) woofer + 3x 2.5” (63mm) full-range drivers |
| Amplifier Power | 148W | 200W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | Yes |
| Strap | No | No |
| Wireless Microphones | - | Yes 2 Included |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Soundcore Rave 3S:
- Sony ULT Tower 7 vs Soundcore Rave 3S
- JBL Partybox 330 vs Soundcore Rave 3S
- JBL Partybox Stage 320 vs Soundcore Rave 3S
- JBL Partybox 310 vs Soundcore Rave 3S
- Sony ULT Tower 5 vs Soundcore Rave 3S
Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 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: $748.00 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Sony SRS-XV900 (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 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 20 comparisons
Soundcore Rave 3S: $299.99 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Older model: the Soundcore Rave 3 (rated 3.8/5).
Pros: 2 AA battery Wireless Microphones and remote control included. AI voice removal feature for Karaoke
Cons: Some upper bass and upper mids boost. Not as deep of bass as a Partybox 110/120
Full Soundcore Rave 3S review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 200W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 21.7”H x 11.1”W x 12”D (550 x 283 x 306 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 6.5” (165mm) woofer + 3x 2.5” (63mm) full-range drivers |
| EQ | Yes |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with reverb effect) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 21.6 lbs (9.8 kg) |
| Wireless Microphones | Yes 2 Included |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Rave 3S vs Onn Large Party gen 2
- Soundcore Rave 3S vs W-King T12
- Soundcore Rave 3S vs Sony SRS-XV500
- Soundcore Rave 3S vs Sony SRS-XP500
- Soundcore Rave 3S vs LG XL7
- Soundcore Rave 3S vs Sony SRS-XP700
- Soundcore Rave 3S vs Klipsch Gig XXL
- Soundcore Rave 3S vs Samsung MX-ST50B
- See all 52 comparisons