Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3. It ranks #83 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $163; the Sony SRS-XB30 ranks #104 and costs $199, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 offers: IP67 rated, floats, and survives drops from up to 1 meter. 20 hour battery life - about double most speakers this size. Watch for: Not stereo, barely any bass. 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 2018. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
What the Sony SRS-XB30 offers: IPX5 rated. Doubles as a power bank for charging your phone. Long claimed battery life (up to 24 hours at moderate volume). Watch for: Muffled sound, worse than a XB20
Buy the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sony SRS-XB30 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
The Sony SRS-XB30 is not a sound-quality pick. It sits near the bottom of the 136 medium speakers; there are better options higher up.
Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 | Sony SRS-XB30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $163 | $199 |
| Ranked | #83 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #104 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 70Hz | 55Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Max Volume | 98dB | 95dB |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) | Yes (Partychain up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | No |
| Weight | 2 lbs / 925 g | 2.2 lbs / 1000 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange | 2x 48mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 3.4" x 8.9" x 3.4" (87 x 225 x 87 mm) | 9" x 3.2" x 3.4" (228 x 82 x 86 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX5 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | - | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| App | - | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
| Built in Microphone | - | Yes |
| Output Power | - | 20W |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- Harman Kardon Luna vs Soundcore Flare 2
- Harman Kardon Luna vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Soundcore Flare 2 vs B&O Beosound Explore
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- JBL Charge 6 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
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
Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3: $163 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and survives drops from up to 1 meter. 20 hour battery life - about double most speakers this size.
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass. 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 2018. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 70Hz |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.4" x 8.9" x 3.4" (87 x 225 x 87 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 98dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| Weight | 2 lbs / 925 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs LG Xboom Grab
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Soundcore 2
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Tribit Stormbox 2
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Tribit Xsound Surf
- See all 74 comparisons
Sony SRS-XB30: $199 eBay
Pros: IPX5 rated. Doubles as a power bank for charging your phone. Long claimed battery life (up to 24 hours at moderate volume).
Cons: Muffled sound, worse than a XB20
Full Sony SRS-XB30 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9" x 3.2" x 3.4" (228 x 82 x 86 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 48mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Max Volume | 95dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Partychain up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs / 1000 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Soundcore Flare 2
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs W-King D8 Mini
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Marshall Emberton II
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs B&O Beosound Explore
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Marshall Emberton III
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Sony SRS-XB30 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini+
- See all 72 comparisons