JBL Charge 5 vs Sony SRS-XE300

The Sony SRS-XE300 and the JBL Charge 5 are similar speakers with different strengths. While the JBL offers better overall sound quality, the Sony is more versatile. The JBL has better directivity, resulting in a wider and more open-sounding soundstage, while the Sony's sounds a bit more muffled. It also has a bit less compression present at max volume, so audio sounds cleaner at louder volumes. Its sound profile is also more balanced and a bit smaller, making it easier to transport. However, the Sony can produce slightly deeper bass, and its battery life lasts almost three hours longer. It supports voice assistants through your smartphone too. Also, it can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono, resulting in a richer and fuller sound. However, it's hard to notice the channel separation when passively listening due to the speaker's size.