Short answer: the Sony XB23 for better sound quality, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 for the lower price. The Sony XB23 ranks #64 of 136 medium speakers at $100. The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 ranks #86 at $80, $20 cheaper.
What the Sony XB23 offers: Reasonably neutral. IP67 rated with a strap hook for backpacks. USB-C charging; up to 12 hour battery life. Watch for: Bass drops off a ton at high levels. Reduces its own volume over time when turned to max
What the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 offers: IP67 rated and floats. Compact and light enough to toss in a bag. Watch for: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. Slightly boosted 93hz upper bass Dip at 9khz. 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 2019. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Buy the Sony XB23 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Water resistance is not close: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 is rated at IP67 (brief submersion), well ahead of the Sony XB23 at IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony XB23 | Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $100 | $80 |
| Ranked | #64 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #86 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 67Hz | 82Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Max Volume | 95dB | 88dB |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 580 g | 0.9 lbs / 420 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 3" x 8.6" x 3" (76 x 218 x 76 mm) | 4.1" x 3.8" (104 x 95.3 mm) |
| Output Power | 8W RMS | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | - |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | No |
| EQ | Yes (3-band: bass, mid, treble) | No |
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) | No |
| Drivers | 2x 42x51mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Power Input | - | Micro USB |
| Stereo | - | No |
| TWS | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Flip 4
- Sony XB33 vs JBL Flip 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Roll 2
- Soundcore Glow vs Sony XB23
- Sony XB23 vs JBL Charge 3
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
Sony XB23: $100 eBay
Pros: Reasonably neutral. IP67 rated with a strap hook for backpacks. USB-C charging; up to 12 hour battery life.
Cons: Bass drops off a ton at high levels. Reduces its own volume over time when turned to max
Full Sony XB23 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 67Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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 |
| Max Volume | 95dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 8W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 580 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB23 vs JBL Flip 5 v Tribit Maxsound Plus More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Huawei Sound Joy vs Sony xb23 - worse or worser? 🤭
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB23 vs XB33 - specs and measurements
- GYMCADDY: Sony XE200 Review And Compared to Sony XB23 - It Got The XE300 Treatment More from GYMCADDY →
- Reddit Search for Sony XB23 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2: $80 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated and floats. Compact and light enough to toss in a bag.
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. Slightly boosted 93hz upper bass Dip at 9khz. 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 2019. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 82Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.1" x 3.8" (104 x 95.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 88dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs / 420 g |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs LG Xboom Grab
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- See all 74 comparisons