Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4. It ranks #88 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $105; the Sony SRS-XB20 ranks #94 and costs $129, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 gets right: IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges via USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB. 15 hour battery. Set against that: Not much improvement over the old ones. Weak bass extension and thuddy bass.
On the Sony SRS-XB20 side: IPX5 rated pill shape slides easily into a bag. 12 hour battery life. Watch for: Sounds thin at higher volumes. Bass falls away quickly.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Boom 4. 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 4 | Sony SRS-XB20 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $105 | $129 |
| Ranked | #88 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #94 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (SongPal) |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX5 |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs / 620 g | 1.3 lbs / 590 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 7.2" x 2.9" x 2.9" (184 x 73 x 73 mm) | 7.8" x 2.7" x 2.7" (198 x 68 x 69 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.57" (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81" x 2.57" (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators | 2x 42mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (via app) | No |
| Built in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Max Volume | 85dBC | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (Partychain up to 100 speakers) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| 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 Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Sony SRS-XE300
The Two Speakers In Full
Ultimate Ears Boom 4: $105 Amazon
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges via USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB. 15 hour battery. Customizable EQ and speaker-pairing via the UE app.
Cons: Not much improvement over the old ones. Weak bass extension and thuddy bass. Gets distorted above 90%
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 4 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2" x 2.9" x 2.9" (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.57" (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81" x 2.57" (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 85dBC |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs / 620 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 4 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Tribit Stormbox
- See all 10 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
- Sony SRS-XB20 vs Yamaha True X Speaker 1A
- Sony SRS-XB20 vs Tribit Stormbox
- Sony SRS-XB20 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Sony SRS-XB20 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Sony SRS-XB20 vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- Sony SRS-XB20 vs Marshall Emberton III
- Sony SRS-XB20 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Sony SRS-XB20 vs Marshall Emberton II
- See all 9 comparisons