Short answer: the Tribit Xsound Plus 2. It ranks #32 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $60; the Sony XB23 ranks #64 and costs $100, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Tribit Xsound Plus 2 offers: Use this EQ for the best sound quality Watch for: Boosted treble, boosted bass in the factory EQs. Peak at 320hz, dip at 500hz. Bass is slappy and distorted in xbass mode
What the Sony XB23 offers: Reasonably neutral. IP67 rated with a strap hook for backpacks. USB-C charging; up to 12 hour battery life. Watch for: Bass drops off a ton at high levels. Reduces its own volume over time when turned to max
Buy the Tribit Xsound Plus 2. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sony XB23 and costs less, so the other one has nothing left to offer.
Battery life favors the Tribit Xsound Plus 2: rated for 24 hours against 12 hours for the Sony XB23.
If water resistance matters to you, the Tribit Xsound Plus 2 at IPX7 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Sony XB23 at IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| Tribit Xsound Plus 2 | Sony XB23 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $60 | $100 |
| Ranked | #32 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #64 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
| Aux Input | Yes | - |
| Aux Latency | 16ms | - |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (3-band: bass, mid, treble) |
| Bluetooth Latency | SBC 233ms, AAC 240ms | - |
| Max Volume | 99dB | 95dB |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C | - |
| Stereo | Yes | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs / 798 g | 1.3 lbs / 580 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 7.8" x 2.8" x 2.6" (198 x 71 x 66 mm) | 3" x 8.6" x 3" (76 x 218 x 76 mm) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX4 |
| Output Power | 30W | 8W RMS |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz | 67Hz |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 45mm neodymium full-range drivers | 2x 42x51mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- Tribit Stormbox Pro vs JBL Flip 4
- Klipsch Nashville vs Tribit Stormbox
- JBL Flip 4 vs LG Xboom Grab
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Sony XB23
- Soundcore Boost “original model” pre-2021 vs Sony XB23
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
Tribit Xsound Plus 2: $60 Amazon eBay
Pros: Use this EQ for the best sound quality
Cons: Boosted treble, boosted bass in the factory EQs. Peak at 320hz, dip at 500hz. Bass is slappy and distorted in xbass mode
Full Tribit Xsound Plus 2 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 16ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | SBC 233ms, AAC 240ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.8" x 2.8" x 2.6" (198 x 71 x 66 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 45mm neodymium full-range drivers |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 99dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 30W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.8 lbs / 798 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Xsound Plus 2: Upgrade Your Sound With Maxsound Eq Preset! New firmware tested More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Goodbye Maxsound Plus hello Tribit Xsound Plus 2! neutral heaven or bass for the masses?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bogasing G4 spot cheap speaker - I was NOT expecting this!
- Oluv Patreon: Tribit XSound Plus 2 - first impressions More from Oluv’Sone →
- Reddit Search for Tribit Xsound Plus 2 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- See all 76 comparisons
Sony XB23: $100 eBay
Pros: Reasonably neutral. IP67 rated with a strap hook for backpacks. USB-C charging; up to 12 hour battery life.
Cons: Bass drops off a ton at high levels. Reduces its own volume over time when turned to max
Full Sony XB23 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 67Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3" x 8.6" x 3" (76 x 218 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 42x51mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3-band: bass, mid, treble) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Max Volume | 95dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 8W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 580 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB23 vs JBL Flip 5 v Tribit Maxsound Plus More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Huawei Sound Joy vs Sony xb23 - worse or worser? 🤭
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB23 vs XB33 - specs and measurements
- GYMCADDY: Sony XE200 Review And Compared to Sony XB23 - It Got The XE300 Treatment More from GYMCADDY →
- Reddit Search for Sony XB23 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons