Short answer: the Soundcore Rave Neo 2. It ranks #20 of 77 large speakers by sound quality at $119.29; the Sony SRS-XB43 ranks #42 and costs $150, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
What the Soundcore Rave Neo 2 offers: A big improvement in sound quality over the original Rave Neo. Use bass up at higher volumes, but turn it off for lower volumes. Watch for: Slight treble rolloff
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 Rave Neo 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 Rave Neo 2 | Sony SRS-XB43 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $119.29 | $150 |
| Ranked | #20 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 | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 107dB | 99dB |
| 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 | 7.9 lbs / 3.6 kg | 6.5 lbs / 2.95 kg |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 7.8" x 6.1" x 11.8" (198 x 154 x 299 mm) | 12.8" x 4.8" x 4.6" (325 x 123 x 117 mm) |
| Drivers | 4" woofer, 2x 2" tweeters | 63mm woofer + 12.5mm tweeter + passive radiators |
| Output Power | 80W | 32W RMS |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 85ms |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- Sony ULT Field 5 vs W-King D9
- Soundcore Motion X600 vs LG Xboom Bounce
- Sony ULT Field 5 vs Zealot S97
- Soundcore Motion X600 vs Soundcore Rave Neo 2
- Soundcore Rave Neo 2 vs Ultimate Ears Everboom
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
Soundcore Rave Neo 2: $119.29 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: A big improvement in sound quality over the original Rave Neo. Use bass up at higher volumes, but turn it off for lower volumes.
Cons: Slight treble rolloff
Full Soundcore Rave Neo 2 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz |
| Battery Life | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.8" x 6.1" x 11.8" (198 x 154 x 299 mm) |
| Drivers | 4" woofer, 2x 2" tweeters |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 107dB |
| 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 | 7.9 lbs / 3.6 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Rave To The Max With The Soundcore Rave Neo 2! 👆 More from alanrossreviews →
- Technoid: Soundcore Rave Neo 2 Review - Get the Grill & Pool Ready!!
- Flossy Carter: Soundcore Rave Neo 2 / Rave Party 2 - Affordable Party Speakers with RGB Lights More from FlossyCarter →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Soundcore Rave Party 2 🎇 & Rave Neo 2 🎉 Head to Head Off The Floor. A Family Battle❗️ More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: $350 Ultimate Ears EpicBoom gets Epic Beat-Down 😮by $120 Soundcore Rave Neo 2. Bluetooth Speaker KO🤛
- Reddit Search for Soundcore Rave Neo 2 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Rave Neo 2 vs Soundcore Motion X600
- Soundcore Rave Neo 2 vs Teufel Rockster Cross
- Soundcore Rave Neo 2 vs JBL Xtreme 3
- Soundcore Rave Neo 2 vs Bose SoundLink Plus
- Soundcore Rave Neo 2 vs Bose SoundLink Max
- Soundcore Rave Neo 2 vs Soundcore Motion X500
- Soundcore Rave Neo 2 vs B&O Beoplay A2 active
- Soundcore Rave Neo 2 vs Soundcore Select Pro
- See all 38 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