Short answer: the Sony ULT Field 1, if you are buying new. The Sony XB23 ranks higher than the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 (#84 vs #108 of 175 medium speakers) but is discontinued; its replacement, the Sony ULT Field 1, is rated 3.1/5 at $138 and is still sold new.
The Sony XB23 is the lighter pick. Reasonably neutral. At 1.3 lbs (580 g) it weighs noticeably less than the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 at 2 lbs (925 g). It supports LDAC Bluetooth, which the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 lacks. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3. The tradeoff: Bass drops off a ton at high levels.
The Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 is the louder, longer-running pick. IP67 rated, floats, and survives drops from up to 1 meter. Alan Ross Reviews measured it at 98dB at full volume, against 95dB for the Sony XB23. It is rated for 20 hours of battery against 12 for the Sony XB23. It is rated IPX7 against IPX4 for the Sony XB23. The catch: Not stereo, barely any bass.
Buy the Sony ULT Field 1, the replacement for the discontinued Sony XB23; it is rated higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony XB23 | Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $100 Discontinued | $191.99 |
| Ranked | #84 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #108 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 67Hz | 70Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 98dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (580 g) | 2 lbs (925 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 3” x 8.6” x 3” (76 x 218 x 76 mm) | 3.4” x 8.9” x 3.4” (87 x 225 x 87 mm) |
| Amplifier Power | 8W RMS | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| EQ | Yes (3-band: bass, mid, treble) | Yes (App EQ) |
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) | Yes (UE | BOOM app) |
| Drivers | 2x 42x51mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IPX7 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | Yes (built-in loop) |
| Frequency Response | - | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Sony XB23 compares with other leading options:
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- Soundcore Motion+ vs Sony XB23
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Sony XB23
- Minirig 4 vs Sony XB23
- B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen vs Sony XB23
Prices on this page were last checked October 12, 2026 at 4:13 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 XB23: $100 Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Sony ULT Field 1, ranked lower, rated 3.1/5, released Apr 2024.
Older models: the Sony SRS-XB20 (ranked lower, rated 2.8/5) and the Sony SRS-XB21 (ranked lower, rated 2.7/5). See every Sony XB and ULT generation.
Pros: Reasonably neutral. IP67 rated with a strap hook for backpacks. USB-C charging; up to 12 hour battery life. Measured bass extension of 67Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass drops off a ton at high levels. Reduces its own volume over time when turned to max. Discontinued.
Full Sony XB23 review and specifications →
| Released | May 2020 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 8W RMS |
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 67Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3” x 8.6” x 3” (76 x 218 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 42x51mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3-band: bass, mid, treble) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (580 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Huawei Sound Joy vs Sony xb23 - worse or worser? 🤭 More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB23 vs XB33 - specs and measurements
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB23 vs JBL Flip 5 v Tribit Maxsound Plus
- GYMCADDY: Sony XE200 Review And Compared to Sony XB23 - It Got The XE300 Treatment More from GYMCADDY →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3: $191.99 Amazon $191.99 eBay
Newer model: the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4, ranked lower, rated 2.1/5, released Jun 2024. See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and survives drops from up to 1 meter. 20 hour battery life: about double most speakers this size. Measured bass extension of 70Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass. You can tell from the micro USB that they are just feeding you the same crap hardware over and over, this is inexcusable for a product released in 2018. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 review and specifications →
| Released | Sep 2018 (8 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (UE | BOOM app) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 70Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.4” x 8.9” x 3.4” (87 x 225 x 87 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 98dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2 lbs (925 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Tribit Stormbox 2
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
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