Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 3i. It ranks #31 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $118.99; the Sony ULT Field 1 ranks #100, rated 3.1/5, and costs $138, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
The Soundcore Boom 3i is the better-sounding, longer-running pick. Looks to be designed as a direct competitor to the JBL Charge 5 with a very similar sound profile, warm tuned with boosted bass. It is rated for 16 hours of battery against 12 for the Sony ULT Field 1. The catch: Not quite as good as a JBL Charge 5, doesn’t go quite as loud or sound quite as balanced, but very very close.
The case for the Sony ULT Field 1: IP67 rated, survives drops and 1m submersion. It links with other speakers (Party Connect up to 100 speakers), which the Soundcore Boom 3i cannot. Watch for: Upper midrange peak, rolled off treble.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 3i. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Sony ULT Field 1 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boom 3i | Sony ULT Field 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $118.99 | $138.00 |
| Ranked | #31 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #100 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 8.3” x 3.3” x 3.1” (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) | 8.1” x 3” x 3” (206 x 77 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 94mm woofer + tweeter | 83mm x 42mm woofer, 16mm tweeter + passive radiator |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs (783 g) | 1.4 lbs (650 g) |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | AAC, SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | Yes (detachable strap) |
| Power Bank | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Soundcore Boom 3i compares with other leading options:
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs EarFun Uboom L
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- Soundcore Motion+ vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Minirig 4
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
Soundcore Boom 3i: $118.99 Amazon $118.99 B&H Photo Video $129.99 Soundcore $129.99 eBay
Pros: Looks to be designed as a direct competitor to the JBL Charge 5 with a very similar sound profile, warm tuned with boosted bass. Better value for the money than the JBL Charge 5. Measured bass extension of 56Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not quite as good as a JBL Charge 5, doesn’t go quite as loud or sound quite as balanced, but very very close. An earlier firmware version had some bass distortion, update your firmware in the Soundcore App
Full Soundcore Boom 3i review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2025 (1 year ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 50W |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.3” x 3.3” x 3.1” (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 94mm woofer + tweeter |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs (783 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Oluv Patreon: SoundCore Boom 3i - first impressions & EQs More from Oluv’Sone →
- Mateusz Cholewa: Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Picky Audio: Compact Speaker BEAST! 🔥 soundcore Boom 3i More from pickyaudio →
- Clinch Audio Bass: Mirtune C3 Plus 50w VS SoundCore Boom 3i 50w
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Charge 5
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Cleer Audio Scene
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Bogasing M4
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Teufel Rockster XS
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Bogasing G4
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Harman Kardon Luna
- See all 145 comparisons
Sony ULT Field 1: $138.00 Amazon $138.00 Lowest Sony $139.99 eBay
Older models: the Sony XB23 (ranked higher, rated 3.3/5), the Sony SRS-XB20 (ranked lower, rated 2.8/5), the Sony SRS-XB21 (ranked lower, rated 2.7/5) and the Sony SRS-XE200 (ranked lower, rated 2.5/5). See every Sony XB and ULT generation.
Same family: the Sony ULT Field 7 (larger model, rated 3.2/5), the Sony ULT Tower 10 (larger model, rated 3.9/5), the Sony ULT Field 3 (larger model, ranked higher, rated 3.4/5), the Sony ULT Field 5 (larger model, rated 3.5/5), the Sony ULT Tower 5 (larger model, rated 4.5/5), the Sony ULT Tower 7 (larger model, rated 4.7/5), the Sony ULT Tower 9 (larger model, rated 4.2/5) and the Sony ULT Tower Max (larger model, rated 4.8/5).
Pros: IP67 rated, survives drops and 1m submersion. Real-world battery around 28+ hours with ULT (bass boost) mode off. Stereo-pairs with a second ULT Field 1.
Cons: Upper midrange peak, rolled off treble
Full Sony ULT Field 1 review and specifications →
| Released | Apr 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.1” x 3” x 3” (206 x 77 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 83mm x 42mm woofer, 16mm tweeter + passive radiator |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs (650 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Techder Audios: Sony ULT Field 1 VS Teufel Rockster Go 2 “CLOSE CALL?” More from techderaudios →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Ultimate Ears MegaBoom 4 vs Sony ULT Field 1 😧 $200 vs $128 Cylinder Bluetooth Speaker Matchup More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Storytripper HD: Huawei Soundjoy 2 vs Edifier ES60 vs Sony ULT Field 1 More from storytripperhd →
- New Stuff TV 2: Sony ULT Field 1 vs JBL Flip 6, JBL Charge 5 & Soundcore Motion 300 More from NewStuffTV1 →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sony ULT Field 1 vs JBL Grip
- Sony ULT Field 1 vs Treblab HD77
- Sony ULT Field 1 vs Tribit Xsound Go
- Sony ULT Field 1 vs Tronsmart Mirtune S100
- Sony ULT Field 1 vs KEF Muo gen2
- Sony ULT Field 1 vs Tronsmart Mirtune C3
- Sony ULT Field 1 vs Tribit Xsound Surf
- Sony ULT Field 1 vs Sonos Roam
- See all 140 comparisons