Short answer: the Sony XB33 on measured sound quality, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 on price. The Sony XB33 ranks #59 of 136 medium speakers at $110. The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 ranks #85 at $79.99, $30.01 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 Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 offers: IP67 rated, floats, and is rated to survive a 5 ft drop onto hard surfaces. 14 hour battery - longer than the Wonderboom 2. Watch for: Not stereo, barely any bass. Boosted 93hz upper bass. Cuts bass heavily at high volume. 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 2022. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Buy the Sony XB33 when sound quality outweighs the price for you, and the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 when the price outweighs sound quality instead.
Battery life favors the Sony XB33: rated for 24 hours against 14 hours for the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony XB33 | Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $110 | $79.99 |
| Ranked | #59 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #85 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes (Sony Music Connect App) | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz | 76Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | - |
| Bluetooth Latency | 110ms | 166ms |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 97dB | 87dB |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | No |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg | 0.9 lbs / 420 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 9.7" x 3.8" x 4.2" (246 x 97 x 106 mm) | 4.1" x 3.8" (104 x 95.3 mm) |
| Output Power | 16W RMS | - |
| Drivers | 2x 48x70mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators (46.1 x 65.2mm) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Power Input | - | Micro USB |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Built in Microphone | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Sony XB33
- Soundcore Motion+ 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 →
- 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
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3: $79.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and is rated to survive a 5 ft drop onto hard surfaces. 14 hour battery - longer than the Wonderboom 2.
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass. Boosted 93hz upper bass. Cuts bass heavily at high volume. 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 2022. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 76Hz |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 166ms |
| 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 |
| Max Volume | 87dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs / 420 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: The biggest upgrade since time began! 💪 More from alanrossreviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: JBL Flip 6 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 (Indoor Mode)⚔️ Battle of the Handheld Bluetooth Speakers. More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Flow has deeper bass than the Bose Flex but………..
- Danny Pops: Best Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker? Wonderboom 3 VS Sony XB-13 More from DannyPops →
- Reddit Search for Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 Review
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