Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 2. It ranks #10 of 77 large speakers by sound quality at $99.99; the Sony SRS-XB43 ranks #42 and costs $150, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
What the Soundcore Boom 2 offers: Pretty deep bass for the size. Cool lights in the side passive radiators. For the best sound quality use Oluv’s EQ or Alan Ross’s EQ. With the stock tuning, this speaker would rank around #24, due to the boosted bass and rising treble. Watch for: Only a single midrange driver, so you only get stereo for the tweeters. Sound processing issues with inconsistent bass notes that disappear at low levels like the Soundcore Boom and Soundcore Boost, not great for listening at low levels. Quite bass heavy with BassUp turned on, I’d recommend turning it off. A little bit of a bright tuning in the treble, about +5db.
What the Sony SRS-XB43 offers: Full, warm sound with deep, rich bass. Twin passive radiators deliver Extra Bass impact. IPX7 waterproof and rugged. Up to 24 hour battery (14 hours with lights on). Party lights for visual appeal. Watch for: Not as loud as others in the category. Speaker will not remain at max volume and will turn itself down automatically.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 2. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sony SRS-XB43 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boom 2 | Sony SRS-XB43 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 | $150 |
| Ranked | #10 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #42 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Sony Music Center App) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 47Hz | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Built in Microphone | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms | 85ms |
| Max Volume | 105dB | 99dB |
| MicroSD Playback | No | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast 2.0 up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1A) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs / 1.68 kg | 6.5 lbs / 2.95 kg |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 11.7" x 7.3" x 4" (297 x 185 x 102 mm) | 12.8" x 4.8" x 4.6" (325 x 123 x 117 mm) |
| Drivers | 120mm x 90mm woofer, 2x 20mm tweeters | 63mm woofer + 12.5mm tweeter + passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 80W | 32W RMS |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- W-King D8 vs Sony SRS-XG300
- Sony ULT Field 5 vs Zealot S97
- Marshall Stockwell 2 vs Zealot S97
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Soundcore Motion X600
- Sony SRS-XB43 vs Soundcore Motion X500
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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
Soundcore Boom 2: $99.99 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Pretty deep bass for the size. Cool lights in the side passive radiators. For the best sound quality use Oluv’s EQ or Alan Ross’s EQ. With the stock tuning, this speaker would rank around #24, due to the boosted bass and rising treble.
Cons: Only a single midrange driver, so you only get stereo for the tweeters. Sound processing issues with inconsistent bass notes that disappear at low levels like the Soundcore Boom and Soundcore Boost, not great for listening at low levels. Quite bass heavy with BassUp turned on, I’d recommend turning it off. A little bit of a bright tuning in the treble, about +5db.
Full Soundcore Boom 2 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 47Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.7" x 7.3" x 4" (297 x 185 x 102 mm) |
| Drivers | 120mm x 90mm woofer, 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 105dB |
| MicroSD Playback | No |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 80W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast 2.0 up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs / 1.68 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- JOY‘s 3D Audio Show: Tribit StormBox Lava vs SoundCore Boom 2 - sound quality demo More from Oluv’Sone →
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Charge 6 vs SoundCore Boom 2 - David vs Goliath
- Mateusz Cholewa: TRIBIT StormBox LAVA vs Soundcore BOOM 2 More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose SoundLink Max & SoundCore Boom 2 - indoor soundtest
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose SoundLink Max & SoundCore Boom 2 - outdoor soundtest
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Best portable speakers 2025 - get the best bang for your buck $$$
- Oluv Patreon: SoundCore Boom 3i - first impressions & EQs
- Alan Ross Reviews: Ultimate Soundcore Boom 2 Review - Is It Worth The Hype? More from alanrossreviews →
- Oluv Patreon: Anker Soundcore Boom 2 - first impressions
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Soundcore Boom 2 💣vs Mifa Wildbox 🪇 Basement Battle of the Bluetooth Boombox Welterweights ⚖️ More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: New Release! Soundcore Boom 2 😯 Bluetooth Boombox Speaker 🔊 Unboxing, First Look & Sound Demo
- CEONTHEMAKING: Soundcore Boom 2 - HANDS DOWN The Best Speaker Under $150!
- Josh’s Gadgets and More: Budget Monster ZZA K8 vs Soundcore Boom 2
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: JBL, Bose, B&O, Sonos, Earfun, SoundCore… which portable speaker sounds best?
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Sony ULT Field 5 vs Anker SoundCore Boom 2 - listening test
- Reddit Search for Soundcore Boom 2 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Mifa Wildbox
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Marshall Stockwell 2
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs B&O Beosound A5
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Harman Kardon Citation 200
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Soundcore Motion Boom
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Soundcore Select Pro
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Brane X
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs B&O Beoplay A2 active
- See all 48 comparisons
Sony SRS-XB43: $150 eBay
Pros: Full, warm sound with deep, rich bass. Twin passive radiators deliver Extra Bass impact. IPX7 waterproof and rugged. Up to 24 hour battery (14 hours with lights on). Party lights for visual appeal.
Cons: Not as loud as others in the category. Speaker will not remain at max volume and will turn itself down automatically.
Setup: Try out +3 +6 +3 as an EQ to get it as flat as possible as mentioned in the Alan Ross video
Full Sony SRS-XB43 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center App) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 85ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.8" x 4.8" x 4.6" (325 x 123 x 117 mm) |
| Drivers | 63mm woofer + 12.5mm tweeter + passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 99dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 32W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 6.5 lbs / 2.95 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 3 vs Sony XB43 - boombox champ? More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs Motion Boom vs Sony XB43 - a step to far? 🤪
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony xb33 vs xb43 vs Soundcore Motion Plus speakers test
- DLX Willington: Who Sounds The Best Of Sony XG300, XB43 & JBL XTREME3 With Sound Sample BLIND CHALLENGE Reveal. More from DLXWillington →
- Reddit Search for Sony SRS-XB43 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons