Short answer: the Sony ULT Field 3, if you are buying new. The Sony XB33 ranks higher than the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 (#77 vs #114 of 175 medium speakers) but is discontinued; its replacement, the Sony ULT Field 3, is rated 3.4/5 at $208 and is still sold new.
The Sony XB33 is the better-sounding, deeper-bass pick. IP67 rated and lightweight (2.4 lb). Its bass reaches about 50Hz before falling 10dB, against 91Hz for the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It is rated for 24 hours of battery against 15 for the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It supports LDAC Bluetooth, which the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 lacks. The tradeoff: Not very loud.
The Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is the lighter choice. Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp. At 1.3 lbs (608 g) it weighs much less than the Sony XB33 at 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg). Watch for: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble.
Buy the Sony ULT Field 3, the replacement for the discontinued Sony XB33; it is rated higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Boom 3.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony XB33 | Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $110 Discontinued | $134.99 |
| Ranked | #77 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #114 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes (Sony Music Connect App) | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 110ms | - |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 97dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | - |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg) | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 9.7” x 3.8” x 4.2” (246 x 97 x 106 mm) | 7.2” x 2.9” (184 x 73 mm) |
| Amplifier Power | 16W RMS | - |
| Drivers | 2x 48x70mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators | 2x 2” active drivers + 2x 2” x 4” passive radiators |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
| Strap | - | Yes (built-in loop) |
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- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Sony XB33
- JBL Charge 6 vs Sony XB33
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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.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Sony XB33: $110 Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Sony ULT Field 3, ranked higher, rated 3.4/5, released Apr 2025.
Older models: the Sony SRS-XB31 (ranked lower, rated 2.8/5) and the Sony SRS-XB30 (ranked lower, rated 2.6/5). See every Sony XB and ULT generation.
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. Measured bass extension of 50Hz (-10dB).
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. Discontinued.
Full Sony XB33 review and specifications →
| Released | May 2020 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 16W RMS |
| App | Yes (Sony Music Connect App) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| 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 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 97dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB33 vs XB32 vs JBL Charge 4 best £120 bluetooth speaker? More from alanrossreviews →
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- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony xb33 vs xb43 vs Soundcore Motion Plus speakers test
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs Motion Plus and Sony XB33 - ultimate travel speaker 2021 🤗
- Alan Ross Reviews: LG Xboom Go PL7 vs JBL Charge 4 and Sony XB33 - best Bluetooth speaker?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Xsound Mega vs the world! (JBL Charge 5, Bose Flex, Sony XB33, LG PL7) 👍
- GYMCADDY: Sony XE300 Review And Compared to Sony XB33 - A Muffled Mess More from GYMCADDY →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $134.99 Amazon $134.99 eBay
Newer model: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5, released Jun 2024. See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Pros: Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp. Measured bass extension of 91Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. 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 2021. Lots of mentions of failing batteries on amazon. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 3 review and specifications →
| Released | Sep 2018 (8 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 2.9” (184 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2” active drivers + 2x 2” x 4” passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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