Short answer: the Sony ULT Field 1, if you are buying new. The Sony XB23 ranks higher than the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 (#84 vs #109 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 better-sounding choice. Reasonably neutral. It supports LDAC Bluetooth, which the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 lacks. It links with other speakers (Party Connect up to 100 speakers), which the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 cannot. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 lacks. The catch: Bass drops off a ton at high levels.
The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 is the lighter, tougher pick. At 0.9 lbs (420 g) it weighs noticeably less than the Sony XB23 at 1.3 lbs (580 g). It is rated IP67 against IPX4 for the Sony XB23. The tradeoff: Bass isn’t as deep as the top-ranked speakers and is a little thuddy.
Buy the Sony ULT Field 1, the replacement for the discontinued Sony XB23; it is rated higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony XB23 | Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $100 Discontinued | $74.50 |
| Ranked | #84 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #109 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 67Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (580 g) | 0.9 lbs (420 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| 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) |
| Amplifier Power | 8W RMS | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC |
| 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 |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | Yes (built-in loop) |
| Power Bank | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Sony XB23:
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Sony XB23
- 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
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 Wonderboom 4: $74.50 Amazon $74.50 eBay
Older models: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5), the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5) and the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5). See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Same family: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 (larger model, ranked lower, rated 2.9/5) and the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 (larger model, ranked lower, rated 2.1/5).
Pros: Small size.
Cons: Bass isn’t as deep as the top-ranked speakers and is a little thuddy. Not much improvement over the previous Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 besides the USB-C charging port.
Full Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| 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 |
| Maximum SPL | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (420 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs LG Xboom Grab
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Soundcore 2
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 vs Tribit Stormbox 2
- See all 138 comparisons