Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom. It ranks #87 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $79; 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 Wonderboom: IP67 rated and floats. The tradeoff: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble.
What the Sony SRS-XE300 gets right: IP67 rated. The catch: Muffled sounding, not very deep bass.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom. 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 10 hours for the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom.
Specifications Side By Side
| Ultimate Ears Wonderboom | Sony SRS-XE300 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79 Discontinued | $137 |
| Ranked | #87 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #92 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Input | Micro USB | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | No |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs / 425 g | 2.9 lbs / 1.3 kg |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Drivers | 2x 1.6" active drivers + 2x 1.8" x 2.6" passive radiators | 2x 49x71mm X-Balanced speaker units + 2x passive radiators |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| App | No | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
| EQ | No | Yes (via app) |
| Built in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Dimensions | - | 9.4" x 4.1" x 4.7" (238 x 105 x 119 mm) |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Aux Input | - | No |
| Output Power | - | 16W |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Tribit Stormbox vs Yamaha True X Speaker 1A
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Tribit Stormbox vs Sony SRS-XB20
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The Two Speakers In Full
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom: $79 Discontinued
Pros: IP67 rated and floats. Compact, light, and simple to use.
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. Dip at 9khz. Low mid bass distortion. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear. Discontinued.
Full Ultimate Ears Wonderboom review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 1.6" active drivers + 2x 1.8" x 2.6" passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs / 425 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom vs LG Xboom Grab
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 3
- Sony SRS-XE300 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Sony SRS-XE300 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- See all 11 comparisons