Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It ranks #89 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $109; the Sony SRS-XE300 ranks #92 and costs $137, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the Ultimate Ears Boom 3: 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. The tradeoff: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble.
What the Sony SRS-XE300 offers: IP67 rated. Watch for: Muffled sounding, not very deep bass.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sony SRS-XE300 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the Sony SRS-XE300 is rated for 24 hours versus 15 hours for the Ultimate Ears Boom 3.
Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears Boom 3 | Sony SRS-XE300 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $109.00 | $137 |
| Ranked | #89 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #92 of 136 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 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 |
| Max Volume | 87dB | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| App | - | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Aux Input | - | No |
| Output Power | - | 16W |
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 Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XB20
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 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 12 comparisons
Sony SRS-XE300: $137 Amazon
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
Full Sony SRS-XE300 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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 |
| Output Power | 16W |
| 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 |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- New Stuff TV: Sony SRS-XE300 vs JBL Charge 5
- DLX Willington: FINALLY! Sony SRS XG300, SRS XE300, & SRS XE200 Are Here. Binaural Sound Samples & First Impressions
- GYMCADDY: Sony XE300 Review And Compared to Sony XB33 - A Muffled Mess
- GYMCADDY: JBL Charge 5 Vs Sony XE300 - How Can You Mess Up This Bad?
- Reddit Search for Sony SRS-XE300 Review
- 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 3
- See all 11 comparisons