Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 for a clearer, longer-lasting speaker, though neither ranks well in its class. It has crisp highs, an excellent 15-hour battery, stable Bluetooth, an IP67 floating shell and PartyUp pairing for up to 150 speakers, though it is not stereo and its treble is recessed. The Sony SRS-XE300 is also IP67 rated but is muffled sounding with not very deep bass. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 151 medium speakers; for better sound, the Earfun Uboom L ranks #1 at $49.79.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the Sony SRS-XE300 is discontinued, so it is only available used.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Sony SRS-XE300 is rated for 24 hours, the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 only 15 hours.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | Sony SRS-XE300 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $134.99 | $97.71 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #101 of 151 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #104 of 151 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | No |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (608 g) | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 2.9” (184 x 73 mm) | 9.4” x 4.1” x 4.7” (238 x 105 x 119 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2” active drivers + 2x 2” x 4” passive radiators | 2x 49x71mm X-Balanced speaker units + 2x passive radiators |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (via app) | Yes (via app) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| App | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) | - |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Amplifier Power | - | 16W |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Ultimate Ears Boom 3:
- Earfun Uboom L vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Soundcore Motion+ vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Minirig 4 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
Prices on this page were last checked October 2, 2026 at 10:18 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
Ultimate Ears Boom 3: $134.99 Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5.
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. Measured bass extension of 91Hz (-10dB).
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 →
| App | Yes (Ultimate Ears BOOM & MEGABOOM app) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 91Hz |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| 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 |
| Maximum SPL | 87dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (608 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- 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 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 Sony SRS-XB20
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- See all 92 comparisons
Sony SRS-XE300: $97.71 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Sony ULT Field 3, ranked higher, rated 3.4/5.
Pros: IP67 rated. Orientation-aware playback switches to stereo when laid flat. Party Connect links up to 100 speakers; fast charging (10 min charge = ~70 min playback).
Cons: Muffled sounding, not very deep bass. Hollow sounding. Worse than a XB43. Discontinued.
Full Sony SRS-XE300 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 16W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.4” x 4.1” x 4.7” (238 x 105 x 119 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 49x71mm X-Balanced speaker units + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- New Stuff TV: Sony SRS-XE300 vs JBL Charge 5 More from NewStuffTV1 →
- DLX Willington: FINALLY! Sony SRS XG300, SRS XE300, & SRS XE200 Are Here. Binaural Sound Samples & First Impressions More from DLXWillington →
- GYMCADDY: Sony XE300 Review And Compared to Sony XB33 - A Muffled Mess More from GYMCADDY →
- GYMCADDY: JBL Charge 5 Vs Sony XE300 - How Can You Mess Up This Bad?
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sony SRS-XE300 vs DBSONO X-Blast F37
- Sony SRS-XE300 vs Tribit Stormbox
- Sony SRS-XE300 vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Sony SRS-XE300 vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- Sony SRS-XE300 vs Yamaha True X Speaker 1A
- Sony SRS-XE300 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Sony SRS-XE300 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Sony SRS-XE300 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- See all 73 comparisons