Short answer: the Sony XB33. It ranks #59 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $110; the KEF Muo gen2 ranks #73 and costs $249.99, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
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 KEF Muo gen2 offers: KEF seemed to have fixed the rolled off treble and overall balance Watch for: Lacking deeper bass. Very thuddy bass. Appears to be the exact same hardware but with updated tuning. Bass distorts as volume increases, and the claimed 43Hz extension is really only audible at low listening volumes, with a few seconds of lag after volume changes. Loses most of its bass off-axis. Customer reviews are mixed, ranging from praise for detail at low volume to complaints of a boxy, hollow sound.
Buy the Sony XB33. It ranks higher for sound quality than the KEF Muo gen2 and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony XB33 | KEF Muo gen2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $110 | $249.99 |
| Ranked | #59 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #73 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes (Sony Music Connect App) | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC, aptX Adaptive up to 48 KHz 24 bit |
| Bluetooth Latency | 110ms | - |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | - |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 97dB | 90dB |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | - |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg | 1.6 lbs / 740 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.4 |
| Dimensions | 9.7" x 3.8" x 4.2" (246 x 97 x 106 mm) | 8.5" x 3.2" x 2.3" (216 x 82 x 59 mm) |
| Output Power | 16W RMS | 40W |
| Drivers | 2x 48x70mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators | 1x 58x117mm racetrack woofer, 1x 20mm tweeter |
| Digital Aux Input | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Frequency Response | - | 43Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
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- JBL Charge 6 vs Sonos Roam
- Bose Soundlink Mini 2 vs Sonos Roam
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs KEF Muo gen2
- JBL Charge 5 Wifi vs Sony XB33
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 →
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- 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
KEF Muo gen2: $249.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: KEF seemed to have fixed the rolled off treble and overall balance
Cons: Lacking deeper bass. Very thuddy bass. Appears to be the exact same hardware but with updated tuning. Bass distorts as volume increases, and the claimed 43Hz extension is really only audible at low listening volumes, with a few seconds of lag after volume changes. Loses most of its bass off-axis. Customer reviews are mixed, ranging from praise for detail at low volume to complaints of a boxy, hollow sound.
Full KEF Muo gen2 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX Adaptive up to 48 KHz 24 bit |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 8.5" x 3.2" x 2.3" (216 x 82 x 59 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 58x117mm racetrack woofer, 1x 20mm tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 43Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 90dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 40W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.6 lbs / 740 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons