Short answer: the Tribit Maxsound Plus/Thunderbox Plus. It ranks #21 of 140 medium speakers by sound quality at $79.99; the Sony XB33 ranks #62 and costs $110, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus offers: Use Xbass mode for flattest frequency response. V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus sound exactly the same. Watch for: Slightly less deep bass than the best in category.
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.
Buy the Tribit Maxsound Plus/Thunderbox Plus. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sony XB33 and costs less, so the other one has nothing left to offer.
Specifications Side By Side
| Tribit Maxsound Plus/Thunderbox Plus | Sony XB33 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 | $110 |
| Ranked | #21 of 140 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #62 of 140 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | Yes (Sony Music Connect App) |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 58Hz | 50Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | No | - |
| EQ | No | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 160ms | 110ms |
| Max Volume | 99dB | 97dB |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A) |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | No | - |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 595 g | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.0 |
| Drivers | 2x 44mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators | 2x 48x70mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| Output Power | 24W | 16W RMS |
| Power Input | Micro USB | - |
| Dimensions | 2.6" x 7.8" x 2.7" (65 x 198 x 68 mm) (2.56 x 7.79 x 2.68 inches) | 9.7" x 3.8" x 4.2" (246 x 97 x 106 mm) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- Tribit Xsound Mega vs JBL Charge Essential
- Sony ULT Field 3 vs Xiaomi Mi Portable
- Tribit Xsound Mega vs JBL Flip 4
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Sony XB33
- Soundcore Motion+ vs Sony XB33
Prices on this page were last checked September 1, 2026 at 2:15 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
Tribit Maxsound Plus/Thunderbox Plus: $79.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Use Xbass mode for flattest frequency response. Identical driver, tuning, and sound to the Thunderbox Plus and the newer Maxsound Plus V2.
Cons: Slightly less deep bass than the best in category. No true wireless stereo pairing between two units, unlike the V2.
Full Tribit Maxsound Plus/Thunderbox Plus review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 58Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 160ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 2.6" x 7.8" x 2.7" (65 x 198 x 68 mm) (2.56 x 7.79 x 2.68 inches) |
| Drivers | 2x 44mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 99dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 24W |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 595 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: All Tribit Speakers Compared - Maxsound Plus, Stormbox, Xsound Go, Maxboom More from alanrossreviews →
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- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Maxsound Plus v1 vs V2 - upgraded Maxsound Plus tested! 🏅
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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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?
- Head-to-Head Comparisons