Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It ranks #89 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $109; the Sony SRS-XB20 ranks #94 and costs $129, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
On the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 side: Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp. Set against that: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble.
The case for the Sony SRS-XB20: IPX5 rated pill shape slides easily into a bag. The tradeoff: Sounds thin at higher volumes.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sony SRS-XB20 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | Sony SRS-XB20 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $109.00 | $129 |
| Ranked | #89 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #94 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) | Yes (Partychain up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | No |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 608 g | 1.3 lbs / 590 g |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX5 |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 7.2" x 2.9" (184 x 73 mm) | 7.8" x 2.7" x 2.7" (198 x 68 x 69 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2" active drivers + 2x 2" x 4" passive radiators | 2x 42mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (via app) | No |
| Built in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Max Volume | 87dB | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | - | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| App | - | Yes (SongPal) |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Output Power | - | 20W |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Yamaha True X Speaker 1A
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Sony SRS-XB20 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
The Two Speakers In Full
Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $109.00 Amazon
Pros: Rich and warm bass without muddying mix, crisp highs, excellent 15-hour battery life, stable Bluetooth connectivity, IP67 rated and floats, rugged fabric shell, can pair up to 150 speakers via PartyUp
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. You can tell from the micro USB that they are just feeding you the same crap hardware over and over, this is inexcusable for a product released in 2021. Lots of mentions of failing batteries on amazon. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 3 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2" x 2.9" (184 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2" active drivers + 2x 2" x 4" passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 87dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 608 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Tribit Stormbox
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- See all 12 comparisons
Sony SRS-XB20: $129
Pros: IPX5 rated pill shape slides easily into a bag. 12 hour battery life.
Cons: Sounds thin at higher volumes. Bass falls away quickly.
Full Sony SRS-XB20 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (SongPal) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.8" x 2.7" x 2.7" (198 x 68 x 69 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 42mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Partychain up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 590 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons