Short answer: the Sony XB33 for better sound quality, the JBL Charge Essential for the lower price. The Sony XB33 ranks #59 of 136 medium speakers at $110. The JBL Charge Essential ranks #68 at $73.99, $36.01 cheaper.
What the Sony XB33 offers: IP67 rated and lightweight (2.4 lb). App-controlled color LED lighting, Party Connect links up to 100 speakers. ~19 hour real-world battery without lights. Watch for: Not very loud. Upper bass peaks, midrange dip, upper midrange peaks, not very neutral. Speaker will not remain at max volume and will turn itself down automatically.
What the JBL Charge Essential offers: Doubles as a power bank. IPX7 rated. Supports true wireless stereo pairing with a second Charge Essential. Watch for: Less clarity than the Flip 4, highs rolled off. An overpriced rebranded Charge 3 for people who want stereo sound.
Buy the Sony XB33 if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the JBL Charge Essential if the price is the priority over sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony XB33 | JBL Charge Essential | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $110 | $73.99 |
| Ranked | #59 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #68 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes (Sony Music Connect App) | No |
| Aux Input | No | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | - |
| Bluetooth Latency | 110ms | - |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 97dB | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Stereo | Yes | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg | 1.7 lbs / 770 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 4.1 |
| Dimensions | 9.7" x 3.8" x 4.2" (246 x 97 x 106 mm) | 8.4" x 3.5" x 3.4" (213 x 89 x 87 mm) |
| Output Power | 16W RMS | 20W RMS |
| Drivers | 2x 48x70mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Power Input | - | Micro USB |
| Frequency Response | - | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
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- JBL Charge 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- JBL Charge 2 vs Tribit Xsound Go
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Charge Essential
- JBL Charge Essential vs Bose SoundLink Color II
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 XB33: $110 eBay
Pros: IP67 rated and lightweight (2.4 lb). App-controlled color LED lighting, Party Connect links up to 100 speakers. ~19 hour real-world battery without lights.
Cons: Not very loud. Upper bass peaks, midrange dip, upper midrange peaks, not very neutral. Speaker will not remain at max volume and will turn itself down automatically.
Full Sony XB33 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Sony Music Connect App) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 110ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.7" x 3.8" x 4.2" (246 x 97 x 106 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 48x70mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 97dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 16W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony xb33 vs xb43 vs Soundcore Motion Plus speakers test More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs Motion Plus and Sony XB33 - ultimate travel speaker 2021 🤗
- GYMCADDY: Sony XE300 Review And Compared to Sony XB33 - A Muffled Mess More from GYMCADDY →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Xsound Mega vs the world! (JBL Charge 5, Bose Flex, Sony XB33, LG PL7) 👍
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB33 vs XB32 vs JBL Charge 4 best £120 bluetooth speaker?
- Alan Ross Reviews: LG Xboom Go PL7 vs JBL Charge 4 and Sony XB33 - best Bluetooth speaker?
- Reddit Search for Sony XB33 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
JBL Charge Essential: $73.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Doubles as a power bank. IPX7 rated. Supports true wireless stereo pairing with a second Charge Essential.
Cons: Less clarity than the Flip 4, highs rolled off. An overpriced rebranded Charge 3 for people who want stereo sound.
Full JBL Charge Essential review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.4" x 3.5" x 3.4" (213 x 89 x 87 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 770 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Flossy Carter: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 vs JBL Charge Essential More from FlossyCarter →
- Techder Audios: JBL EXTREME 3 VS JBL CHARGE ESSENTIAL More from techderaudios →
- The Tech Files: JBL CHARGE ESSENTIAL VS CHARGE ESSENTIAL 2 COMPARATIVO AMBIENTE EXTERNO
- Reddit Search for JBL Charge Essential Review
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