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Reddit Reviews
A couple of the sony xb100 sounds superb. Connect it to a tv and it gives a good stereo sound for movies too. If you get even more, can use its wireless party chain function
Yes of course. I’ve been mentioning this superior TWS mode the whole time. I have 2 Soundcore X600s for home use, and 2 Sony XB100s, for travel (light in carry on). Both aren’t the best. But both sound amazing, in Stereo. Nothing beats a wide soundstage and better separation, in Left & Right channels. Better yet, ask yourself. Why do you have Two Ears in the first place..🤣
Sony is better than the jbl imo
I haven't tried the soundcore as its not available in my region, but since I listen to a lot of hip hop and edm, I found the sony to be better when I compare it to the jbl.
I despise putting anything inside my ear as ear irritation causes vertigo for me. Bass is not a priority. My problem with the Sony is that it probably produces a beautiful sound but it is clearly intended to project, not be essentially a contact-free headphone
Got lots of recs for Soundcore Select 4 Go for this use case both here on r/JBL, so I just ordered one. The Sony XB100 is probably great if I wanted to play music at a small party or listen to a podcast while I cook at a high volume. But I just want a small sound next to my head -- and no phone in reach without having to get out of bed.
If you need something that portable, it's about as good as it gets. There are a few competing models of a similar size that make slightly different tradeoffs, like the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2, the Soundcore Select 4 Go, or the JLab Pop Party, but ultimately nothing that's fundamentally better, especially in areas that small speakers always struggle with, like bass response or volume. If you're tight on budget, but flexible on size, you've got some interesting options like the Sony SRS-XB100, the Soundcore 3, or the JLab Go Party. Although the Go 4 is still a credible choice, especially if clear sound is more important to your than big sound.
i have an xb100 and it's exceptional, as long as you dont need something TOO loud/live in a small space, it does its job really well
I currently have the Sony SRS-XB100 and the ULT Field 1 that I use interchangeably depending on the occasion. I was looking for a larger speaker (preferably under the same brand) to use as a desktop/indoor speaker in case I wanted something a little louder than what I currently have. I *had* the JBL Xtreme3 at one point, but that spent most of its life sat on a shelf rather than being taken outdoors, and I hated having to re-glue the feet as that was peeling off no matter what adhesive I put on it, and after a while of owning it I found the sound to be too bright for my taste & would just get fatiguing to listen to at above moderate volumes. Like, the bass was good, but the rest just felt too harsh or too distant IMO. So I thought I'd give a different brand a try, hence why I ended up with those small Sony speakers, and I quite like how they sound. I've had my eye on both the Sony XB43 and ULT Field5 (once that got announced) for a while, but I can't really decide on which would be more worth it to find and purchase. There's a few listings on Marketplace for the XB43 at an average of $200, and the Field5 retails currently at $330+ (translated from Philippine Peso currency). Price difference aside I read around that they perform similarly(?), but they have pros and cons to each other. For anyone that's owned one or both of these speakers, I'd like to hear your opinions on them, particularly on the sound, convenience of use, and battery life. Should I save up the extra cash for the Field5, or spare my wallet and go for the XB43? Thanks.
even with some tweaks to the EQ you can't squeeze more bass out of it? That's a bit worrying considering the ULT Field 1 was pretty bassy already out of the box, at least to me. I wanted to skip the Field 3 since I heard it's just a Field 1 in a larger chassis.
even with some tweaks to the EQ you can't squeeze more bass out of it? That's a bit worrying considering the ULT Field 1 was pretty bassy already out of the box, at least to me. I wanted to skip the Field 3 since I heard it's just a Field 1 in a larger chassis.
I can't speak for the soundcore select 4 go as I haven't used one of those. I have the Soundcore Boom 3i and love it, so I'm sure their other products are great. Purely deciding between the options you stated without suggesting something else: - The clip 5 will be the loudest of the options and it does well in vocals, but really lacks bass and just doesn't sound very full. - The Sony has pretty good bass, but ultimately it's really quiet. - I returned my JBL go 4 to get my soundcore Boom 3i (not because I didn't like it, the Boom 3i just met my needs better). Despite returning it, I actually LOVED my little JBL and was astounded at how amazing it sounds for its size. As a side note about it, if you're comfortable doing it - you can open up the go 4 and unplug its battery and replace it with a battery for a Clip 5 (replacement batteries can be bought online pretty cheap) and it will more than double the battery life. Final note: all the speakers you listed are water resistant, so you could actually use them all inside the shower if you wanted. They sound muffled if there's water directly on the drivers even though it won't harm them. Hanging them from something to keep them out of any direct water streams will prevent any of that and they'll sound great!
Rankings by Use Case
Top recommendations from others in the same boat
Best for Audiobooks and podcasts

Top pick
Anker - Select 4 Go
Best for Audiophile-grade sound

Top pick
Harman Kardon - Go + Play 3
Best for Backpacking and hiking

Top pick
LG Electronics - XBOOM Grab
Best for Boating and kayaking

Top pick
soundcore - Boom 3i
Best for Outoor parties and large gatherings

Top pick
JBL - PartyBox 520
Best for Quiet home listening

Top pick
Bose - SoundLink Flex Series





