Short answer: the Sony XB33. It ranks #59 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $110; the Sony SRS-XB30 ranks #104 and costs $199, 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 Sony SRS-XB30 offers: IPX5 rated. Doubles as a power bank for charging your phone. Long claimed battery life (up to 24 hours at moderate volume). Watch for: Muffled sound, worse than a XB20
Buy the Sony XB33. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sony SRS-XB30 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Sony SRS-XB30. It ranks near the bottom of the 136 medium speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony XB33 | Sony SRS-XB30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $110 | $199 |
| Ranked | #59 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #104 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes (Sony Music Connect App) | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz | 55Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 110ms | - |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | - |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX5 |
| Max Volume | 97dB | 95dB |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Partychain up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | - |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg | 2.2 lbs / 1000 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 9.7" x 3.8" x 4.2" (246 x 97 x 106 mm) | 9" x 3.2" x 3.4" (228 x 82 x 86 mm) |
| Output Power | 16W RMS | 20W |
| Drivers | 2x 48x70mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators | 2x 48mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Built in Microphone | - | Yes |
| Power Input | - | Micro USB |
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- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Sony SRS-XB30
- JBL Pulse 5 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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- GYMCADDY: Sony XE300 Review And Compared to Sony XB33 - A Muffled Mess More from GYMCADDY →
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- 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
Sony SRS-XB30: $199 eBay
Pros: IPX5 rated. Doubles as a power bank for charging your phone. Long claimed battery life (up to 24 hours at moderate volume).
Cons: Muffled sound, worse than a XB20
Full Sony SRS-XB30 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9" x 3.2" x 3.4" (228 x 82 x 86 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 48mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Max Volume | 95dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Partychain up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs / 1000 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Soundcore Flare 2
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs W-King D8 Mini
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Marshall Emberton II
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs B&O Beosound Explore
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Marshall Emberton III
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini+
- See all 72 comparisons