Sony is well known for mainly two things. Their audio products and the Sony Playstation. Sony sent me one of their portable Bluetooth speakers, the SRS-XB23, to check out. XB actually stands for Extra Bass, so I am expecting some mind-blowing bass… Is this the case? Let’s find out.
Design:
The Sony SRS-XB23 comes in a cylinder design, making it super easy to hold, throw in a bag or place in a small spot.
The design is really simple. The speaker takes up most of the front of the speaker and is covered in a mesh fabric finish. This does not only look great but feels good too. On the top and bottom of the speaker, you will find the dual passive radiators which produce the bass. You will notice that the area around the lower bass has spaces, so the bass can escape when the speaker is standing upright, while the top is sealed as it does not need the spacing.
The rear of the speaker has all the buttons that you will need: Power button, Bluetooth, play/pause, volume, battery status, party, and Studio Pair. These are all rubber and clicky, so they won’t get pressed by accident but you will know when they are pressed.
Further down you get the charging compartment which opens up to reveal a USB Type-C port for charging.
There is also a hook where the provided string can be attached so you can hang the speaker anywhere you wish.
Sound Quality:
The speaker has an X design which is said to produce higher quality sound for a richer and deeper listening experience. This design also helps produce more punchy bass with less distortion. The X-Balanced Speaker produces clear and crisp sound.
With Extra Bass turned off, the sound is very empty sounding, even worse than a cell phone. So the Extra Bass mode really gives more bass with a much deeper sound for an overall richer deeper listening experience.
Use:
The speaker connects to your device via Bluetooth. Getting connected is as simple as pressing the power button, hitting the Bluetooth button and then searching for the speaker on your device such as your phone. You will then be able to pair the speaker with your phone. Once music is playing, you can change songs or volume via your device or by pressing the buttons on the back of the speaker. To go to the next song, you simply press the play button twice or three times to go to the previous song.
Thanks to the party connect mode, you can connect up to 100 compatible wireless speakers together via Bluetooth to play the same song over multiple speakers. Compatible wireless speakers are: SRS-XB43, SRS-XB33, SRS-XB23. Pressing the Party connect button will let the speaker find and connect to a compatible speaker. There is also a Stereo Pair function which lets you connect two speakers together for a true stereo effect! (I wish I had two speakers to try this out..)
After the initial setup, I found that the speaker connects to my phone within 2 seconds. So for example, if I am playing music on my phone and then randomly turn on the speaker, within 2 seconds the music starts playing on the speaker. Usually, this process takes much longer on other speakers, so this is a major plus for me.
The speaker is designed to stand upright but it can also be placed horizontally. When doing so, it is best to turn to stereo mode so you can get a stereo effect.
To get the most out of the speaker, the Sony Music Center app can be used to change sound modes or switch between mono and stereo mode. Through the app, you can also create playlists or set the next song.
The speaker has an IP67 rating, which means that the speaker is dustproof and waterproof so it can go anywhere. From the beach to the forest or a pool party, it can handle it all. When it gets dirty, you can simply wash it underwater and then let it dry before use.
The speaker is also very durable and shockproof, so you don’t have to worry about the occasional drop. I mean, don’t go smash it against a wall but the average drop should be fine.
The speaker also has a built-in mic, so you can use it for conference calls from one person’s phone at the office. So many are doing this just from a phone and the audio quality sucks.
Battery Life:
The speaker comes with an advertised battery life of 10 Hours when Extra Bass mode is on or 12 hours in Stamina mode. Stamina mode turns off Extra Bass Mode, which means you don’t get the greatest music experience but at least you can jam for longer.. Upon turning on the speaker, a voice announces the battery level which is pretty cool. You can also press the battery button at the rear and the battery level will be announced.
What is in the box:
Besides for the speaker, you get a USB Type-C Cable, a strap, a setup guide, and an info booklet.
Price:
Coming in at R2199, the Sony SRS-XB23 is fairly priced given its superb build and sound quality. I have used a lot of cheaper speakers and nothing matches the overall experience of XB23.
Verdict:
Overall, the Sony SRS-XB23 is really an impressive speaker. It has a really good build quality, a long battery life which will leave you jamming for hours, and superb sound quality + bass. Given its design and ability to get wet and dirty, this is the perfect speaker for any sort of adventure. This is one speaker which I will definitely be leaving next to my bed and not packed away!
