Sony SRS-XB33 Speaker Review

The Sony SRS-XE300 and the Sony SRS-XB33 are similar speakers, though the XE300 is slightly better overall. The XE300 can get a bit louder, though it has a touch more compression at max volume, so audio quality doesn't sound as clean at louder volume levels, but not by much. It also has a longer-lasting battery life of almost 17 hours. While they both support voice assistants through your smartphone, the XE300 performs better at registering your commands. It can also produce slightly deeper bass. That said, the differences between the XB33 and the XE300 are not all that pronounced, so if you already own the XB33, it isn't worth the upgrade.

The Anker Soundcore Motion+ is a better speaker than the Sony SRS-XB33 overall. The Anker has a better-balanced sound profile, a wider-sounding soundstage, and gets louder than the Sony. It also has a longer battery life lasting over 15 hours from a single charge, though this can depend on your usage, and your experience may differ. That said, the Sony is better built, with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, though we don't test for this.

The Sony SRS-XB33 and the Sony ULT FIELD 1 are both portable, wireless speakers that are marketed around having enhanced bass frequencies. That said, neither has a particularly punchy or rumbly bass response. The ULT FIELD 1 does have a more balanced mid and treble response, which makes it a great choice for podcasts. Perhaps the main point of departure between the two is the difference in battery life, as the SRS-XB33 has almost double the continuous battery life, making it a solid choice for weekend camping trips. That said, there's not much to split the two beyond this. Both speakers can get similarly loud, but the ULT FIELD 1 has more compression at max volume.

The Bose SoundLink Flex is a better speaker than the Sony SRS-XB33, though they have different strengths. The Flex is smaller, making it more portable. It has a better-balanced sound profile out of the box and has better directivity, so its soundstage sounds wider than that of the Sony. The Sony's sound profile is more customizable thanks to the graphic EQ in its companion app. It can also play stereo content without downmixing it to mono and has a longer-lasting battery life, though this can vary depending on your usage.

The Sony SRS-XB23 and the Sony SRS-XB33 are similarly performing speakers. The SRS-XB23 is smaller and has a 360-degree design, so its soundstage is perceived as wide. However, the SRS-XB33 is better built and can get slightly louder with fewer compression artifacts. Its battery also lasts longer and it has customizable lighting, which some users may prefer.

The Sony SRS-XB33 is a better speaker for most uses than the JBL Flip 5. The Sony is better built and can get louder with fewer compression artifacts. It also has a longer-lasting battery life, supports voice assistants from your smartphone, and its companion app has a graphic EQ so that you can tweak its sound profile. However, the JBL sounds better-balanced out of the box.

You may prefer either the Anker Soundcore Flare 2 or the Sony SRS-XB33 depending on your listening habits. The Anker offers a wider-sounding soundstage thanks to its 360-degree design and has a slightly better-balanced sound profile with its Default EQ and BassUp features enabled. That said, the Sony is better built and can be paired to up to two devices at once, which is handy when you need to quickly switch between audio sources. It also has a longer-lasting battery life, though this can vary depending on your usage.

The Ultimate Ears BOOM 3 is a slightly better speaker than the Sony SRS-XB33 overall. Thanks to its 360-degree design, it has better directivity, resulting in a wider and more natural-sounding soundstage. It has less compression present at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio at louder volume levels. It's also smaller and more portable than the Sony. That said, the Sony can produce a more extended low-bass than the Ultimate Ears. It can also support voice assistants through your smartphone, though its performance isn't very good.

The Sony SRS-XB33 is a slightly better speaker than the Anker Soundcore 3. The Sony is better built, and you can pair it with up to two devices at once, so you can easily switch between audio sources. It can also produce a more extended low bass than the Anker. The Anker is smaller, making it a bit more portable than the Sony.

The Marshall Emberton is a better speaker than the Sony SRS-XB33 for music. The Marshall has a better soundstage and a more neutral default sound profile, though both lack a bit of low bass. However, the Sony supports voice assistants, unlike the Marshall. It's also a better choice for outdoor use since it's better-built with longer battery life. Also, the Sony's app offers a graphic EQ for sound customization, which the Marshall lacks.

The Sonos Move is a better overall speaker than the Sony SRS-XB33. The Sonos has a more balanced sound profile, supports built-in voice assistants, and has a better companion app. You can also wirelessly stream audio to it via Wi-Fi. However, the Sony feels a bit better built, its companion app offers a basic graphic EQ, and it has lower Bluetooth latency on iOS and Android.

The Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3 is a better speaker than the Sony SRS-XB33. The Ultimate Ears offers a more natural-sounding soundstage thanks to its 360-degree design. It can also get louder with less compression at max volume, so your audio sounds cleaner during louder listening sessions. That said, the Sony supports voice assistants through your smartphone, though its performance isn't great. It can also be paired to two devices at once, which can come in handy if you need to switch between audio sources.

The Bose SoundLink Revolve II and the Sony SRS-XB33 are similar, though they have different strengths. The Bose has a more balanced sound profile out-of-the-box. It also offers better voice assistant support since it can hear you when you're far from the speaker or in noisy environments. That said, the Sony's companion app comes with a graphic EQ you can use to tweak the sound to your liking. Its ClearAudio+ feature is also advertised to adjust the speaker's sound reproduction according to your audio content. 

The JBL Xtreme 3 is a slightly better speaker for most uses than the Sony SRS-XB33. The JBL has a better-balanced sound profile and a more immersive soundstage. It can also get louder than the Sony, although there are more compression artifacts at max volume, and its battery life is outstanding. However, the Sony supports voice assistants through your smartphone. Its Bluetooth latency on Android and iOS is also much lower.

The Sony SRS-XE200 is a slightly better speaker than the Sony SRS-XB33. Overall, the speakers perform fairly similarly at a similar price point, only the XE200 is smaller, making it more portable. It has a slightly longer-lasting battery life too. Also, while both speakers support voice assistants through your smartphone, the XE200 is significantly better at registering your commands from far away and in noisier environments. That said, while the XB33 gets a touch less loud than the XE200, it has less compression present at max volume, so audio quality doesn't degrade as much as you increase the volume.

The Sony SRS-XB33 is a better speaker than the Bose SoundLink Color II. The Sony is better built and has a longer-lasting battery life, though this can depend on your usage. With its 'EXTRA BASS' feature enabled, it has a better-balanced sound profile that can produce a more extended low-bass than the Bose. Also, you can customize its sound thanks to the graphic EQ featured in its companion app. That said, the Bose is smaller, making it a bit more portable. It also offers better voice assistant support and does a better job of understanding your commands.

The Sony SRS-XB33 is a better speaker than the Alpine Corporation Solar Bluetooth Rock Speaker overall. It can produce a more extended low-bass, and you can customize its sound to your liking thanks to the graphic EQ featured in its companion app. It can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono, which is more immersive. It also supports voice assistants through your smartphone, though its performance isn't very good. However, the Alpine has less compression present at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio at louder volumes. Some users may also prefer its more outdoor-friendly rock-like design, and its built-in solar panel.

The Sonos Roam/Roam SL is a better speaker than the Sony SRS-XB33. The Sonos has a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box, and the Roam variant supports voice assistants. While it comes with bass and treble adjustments, the Sony has a graphic EQ for sound customization. Also, the Sony supports stereo content and has a longer battery life.

The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 is a better speaker for outdoor use than the Sony SRS-XB33. The Ultimate Ears feels better-built, has a more neutral sound profile, and its soundstage seems more wide and spacious. However, the Sony has better controls, it supports your smartphone's voice assistant, and it has a companion app with a basic graphic EQ. It also has low iOS and Android latency, although some apps seem to compensate for latency differently.

The Sony SRS-XB33 is better for outdoor use than the Bose SoundLink Revolve. Although we don't currently test for it, the Sony is rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, which makes it more sturdy. Its companion app also offers a basic graphic EQ so that you can customize its sound, and you can even adjust its lighting scheme to match your style. It has lower latency on iOS and Android, although apps seem to compensate for latency differently. However, the Bose is better suited for podcasts as its sound profile is more neutral right out-of-the-box and its soundstage is wider.