Short answer: the Sony XB23 on measured sound quality, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 on price. The Sony XB23 ranks #64 of 136 medium speakers at $100. The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 ranks #85 at $79.99, $20.01 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 3 offers: IP67 rated, floats, and is rated to survive a 5 ft drop onto hard surfaces. 14 hour battery - longer than the Wonderboom 2. Watch for: Not stereo, barely any bass. Boosted 93hz upper bass. Cuts bass heavily at high volume. 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 2022. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Buy the Sony XB23 when sound quality outweighs the price for you, and the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 when the price outweighs sound quality instead.
If water resistance matters to you, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Sony XB23 at IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony XB23 | Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $100 | $79.99 |
| Ranked | #64 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #85 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 67Hz | 76Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Max Volume | 95dB | 87dB |
| 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 | 5.2 |
| 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 (46.1 x 65.2mm) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 166ms |
| Power Input | - | Micro USB |
| Stereo | - | No |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Aux Input | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Flip 4
- Sony XB33 vs JBL Flip 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Roll 2
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Sony XB23
- Soundcore Motion+ vs Sony XB23
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.
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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 3: $79.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and is rated to survive a 5 ft drop onto hard surfaces. 14 hour battery - longer than the Wonderboom 2.
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass. Boosted 93hz upper bass. Cuts bass heavily at high volume. 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 2022. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 76Hz |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 166ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| 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 (46.1 x 65.2mm) |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 87dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs / 420 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: The biggest upgrade since time began! 💪 More from alanrossreviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: JBL Flip 6 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 (Indoor Mode)⚔️ Battle of the Handheld Bluetooth Speakers. More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Flow has deeper bass than the Bose Flex but………..
- Danny Pops: Best Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker? Wonderboom 3 VS Sony XB-13 More from DannyPops →
- Reddit Search for Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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