These sit in different size classes, so this is not a straight ranking comparison. The Sony ULT Tower Max ranks #1 of 12 large party speakers by sound quality at $1499.99; the Bose S1 Pro+ ranks #9 of 14 battery-powered PA speakers by sound quality at $699.
This pits Sony’s Tower Max, a 360-degree consumer party speaker, against the Bose S1 Pro+, a performer-focused battery PA. The Tower Max offers nine drivers including three 11-inch woofers, 360-degree sound, 10-band EQ with Sound Field Optimization, wheels, and RCA/XLR/USB-C/mic I/O, though it is AC-only with no battery at all. The Bose S1 Pro+ offers a 3-channel mixer with per-channel OLED displays for quick EQ/reverb adjustment, Auto EQ that adapts to cabinet orientation, and multiple angled placement positions, all at just 6.5kg.
Choose the Tower Max for wheels for easier transport and immersive 360-degree party sound: Its wheels also make it easier to roll between rooms or events. Its 360-degree drivers and ULT1/ULT2/EQ modes suit a living-room-to-backyard party speaker better than a performer-focused PA cabinet.
Choose the Bose S1 Pro+ for true multi-channel mixing in the lightest cabinet here: It also runs on battery power at all, where the Tower Max is AC-only. Its independent-channel mixer with dedicated gain/EQ per input suits a performer or DJ better than the Tower Max’s single mic/line jack. At $699 it also costs less.
Buy the Sony ULT Tower Max at $1499.99 for a large party speaker, or the Bose S1 Pro+ at $699 for a battery-powered PA speaker instead.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings and PA & Live Sound rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony ULT Tower Max | Bose S1 Pro+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,499.99 | $699.00 |
| Ranked | #1 of 12 in Large Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #9 of 14 in Battery-Powered PA Speakers |
| App | Yes (Sony Sound Connect) | Yes |
| Aux Input | RCA input | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | 11 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Dimensions | 21" x 41.8" x 18.6" (534 x 1062 x 472 mm) | 13.1" x 9.4" x 11" (332.7 x 238.8 x 279.4 mm) |
| Drivers | 9 drivers: 3x 11" woofer (2 front, 1 rear), 2x 4.7" midrange, 2x 1" tweeter, 2x 1.6" rear tweeter | 1x 6" (152mm) woofer + 3x 2.25" (57mm) tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (10 band; ULT1 / ULT2 / Flat / Live) | Yes |
| Guitar Input | No | - |
| IP Rating | Splashproof top surface | None |
| Microphone Input | Yes (6.3mm) | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Yes (360 degree Party Sound) | No |
| Amplifier Power | 2,150W (manufacturer specified) | 150W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Chain) | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB charging) | No |
| Power Input | AC 120-240V, 50/60Hz | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | No | - |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| TWS | Yes (Stereo Pair) | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes (USB-A) | No |
| Weight | 124.1 lbs (56.3 kg) | 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No | - |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Wheels | Yes | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 55Hz |
| Charging Time | - | 5 hours |
| Inputs | - | 2x XLR/6.3mm combo (mic/line/instrument), 6.3mm line, 3.5mm stereo, Bluetooth |
| XLR Input | - | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | - | 109dB |
| Configuration | - | Battery-powered 2-way active PA |
| Cabinet Material | - | Polypropylene |
| Rigging | - | 35mm pole mount; multi-position cabinet |
| Coverage | - | Not specified |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | Not specified |
| DSP | - | 3-channel mixer with EQ, reverb and Auto EQ |
| Bluetooth | - | Yes |
| Frequency Response | - | Not specified |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Sony ULT Tower Max:
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs JBL Partybox Ultimate
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs JBL Partybox 1000
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs JBL Partybox 720
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs Sony ULT Tower 9
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs Sony ULT Tower 10
Prices on this page were last checked September 15, 2026 at 12:52 AM 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 Max: $1,499.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: AudioTribe measured 110.6dBC at roughly 6m outdoors with Flat EQ and ULT1 enabled, 4.4dB above the JBL PartyBox Ultimate in the same setup. Its three 11-inch woofers held about 110dB from 40-100Hz; Sony also provides 10-band EQ, Sound Field Optimization, RCA and XLR inputs, USB-C, a mic input, and XLR output.
Cons: The same comparison found it 1.2dB behind the JBL in A-weighted loudness and weaker below 40Hz. At 56.3kg (124lb) and AC-only, this is a wheeled event speaker rather than a portable battery model.
Full Sony ULT Tower Max review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 2,150W (manufacturer specified) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Sony Sound Connect) |
| Aux Input | RCA input |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 21" x 41.8" x 18.6" (534 x 1062 x 472 mm) |
| Drivers | 9 drivers: 3x 11" woofer (2 front, 1 rear), 2x 4.7" midrange, 2x 1" tweeter, 2x 1.6" rear tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (10 band; ULT1 / ULT2 / Flat / Live) |
| Guitar Input | No |
| IP Rating | Splashproof top surface |
| Lights | Yes |
| Microphone Input | Yes (6.3mm) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes (360 degree Party Sound) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Chain) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB charging) |
| Power Input | AC 120-240V, 50/60Hz |
| Removable Battery | No |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes (Stereo Pair) |
| USB Playback | Yes (USB-A) |
| Weight | 124.1 lbs (56.3 kg) |
| Wheels | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs JBL Partybox Ultimate
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs JBL Partybox 1000
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs JBL Partybox 720
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs Sony ULT Tower 9
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs Sony ULT Tower 10
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs Sony ULT Tower 5
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs Sony ULT Tower 7
- Sony ULT Tower Max vs Electro-Voice Everse 12
- See all 20 comparisons
Bose S1 Pro+: $699.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Extremely compact and light with flexible placement options. Full sound with no lack of low-end output, crystal-clear audio quality. Three-channel mixer (2 XLR/quarter-inch combo mic-instrument + 1 line/Bluetooth), each with its own OLED display for quick treble/bass/reverb adjustment. Auto EQ adjusts sound based on orientation. Multiple angled surfaces for various positioning including tilted portrait mode, plus a line out to daisy-chain a second unit. Optional WT-XLR/WT-INST wireless transmitters dock, pair, and charge right in the speaker for a cable-free mic or instrument. Up to 11 hours battery life. Professional build quality. High efficiency drivers reach 2-3x the volume of typical speakers for the same wattage. Measured bass extension of 55Hz (-10dB).
Cons: With full range music, it becomes distorted above ⅔ volume, and reviewers describe it as screeching at max volume. Better suited for voice amplification. Not as much deep bass as the Everse 8, midrange sounds reasonably balanced. Treble is pretty boosted. Not stereo. Designed for more loudness than deeper bass. Ports are fully exposed with no water resistance. Charges via a less common three-prong AC cable instead of the two-prong barrel cable most rivals use.
Full Bose S1 Pro+ review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 150W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | Not specified |
| Battery Life | 11 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Cabinet Material | Polypropylene |
| Charging Time | 5 hours |
| Configuration | Battery-powered 2-way active PA |
| Coverage | Not specified |
| DSP | 3-channel mixer with EQ, reverb and Auto EQ |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 13.1" x 9.4" x 11" (332.7 x 238.8 x 279.4 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 6" (152mm) woofer + 3x 2.25" (57mm) tweeters |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | Not specified |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | 2x XLR/6.3mm combo (mic/line/instrument), 6.3mm line, 3.5mm stereo, Bluetooth |
| Maximum SPL | 109dB |
| Microphone Input | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Rigging | 35mm pole mount; multi-position cabinet |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) |
| XLR Input | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Precision Drive Audio: Music test for BOSE S1 PRO& PD K8 & JBL EON ONE COMPACT
- Precision Drive Audio: Bose S1 pro VS PD K8 VS JBL EON ONE COMPACT
- HQ AUDIO Exchange: Bose S1 Pro vs. JBL PartyBox 100 Bass Sound Test 😱💥🔥
- briansredd: Electro-Voice Everse 8 VS Bose S1 Pro - Side By Side Shoot-Out (Attempt)
- briansredd: Q&A - Electro-Voice Everse 8 Vs Bose S1 Pro AND (Warning) My Opinion
- True Techy: BOSE S1 Pro vs JBLPartybox ENCORE This Comparison SHOCKED me!!!
- JPW Pro: EV Everse 8 vs JBL EON One Compact Review
- W. Weiss: Part 3 Shootout MACKIE THUMP GO vs BOSE S1 PRO vs JBL EON ONE COMPACT Max Volume Demo A New Winner!
- James from Canada: SOUND TESTS - Soundboks, Minirig 3, dB Technologies, Bose S1 Pro, etc - RAVE TEST
- GYMCADDY: Bose S1 Pro+ Review More from GYMCADDY →
- GYMCADDY: Bose S1 Pro Vs JBL Partybox 120 & Sony XV500
- GYMCADDY: Bose S1 Pro Vs JBL Partybox 320 & Sony XV800
- Aaron Strawn: The Battery Speaker Battle: QSC/EV/Mackie/LD/Bose
- GYMCADDY: Bose S1 Pro Vs JBL Boombox 3 & Sony ULT 7
- Head-to-Head Comparisons