OVERALL
ALTERNATIVES
SPECS
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REVIEWS
Scored using Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0
Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0
Mathematical & Unbiased Scoring
Products in this category are scored under Frontum Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0: technical specifications plus authentic consumer ratings, with 0% commercial bias.
Explore Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0

Sony SRS-XB22 Review | 130 Data compared

Avg. price:~£35Audio output power:8.00 WBattery life:12 hoursIP rating:IP67Bluetooth version:4.2Weight:540 g

Sony SRS-XB22 Review: Compare 130 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Portable Speakers category and whether it is worth buying.

6.9/10

Overall score

Score
6.9/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of products in the Portable Speakers category, based on technical analysis and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference for identifying the best products in the Portable Speakers category.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 61% of models
Score components

80%

6.9

Technical score

20%

?

User score

â–²Better than 61% of portable speakers
7.8

Value for money

Value for money
7.8/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the overall score of products in the Portable Speakers category with their prices.
When it matters
When you are comparing products in the Portable Speakers category and want a good balance between quality and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 68% of models
Score components

70%

6.9

Overall score

30%

10

Price

â–²Better than 68%
6.9

Technical score

Technical score
6.9/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Portable Speakers category across these key areas: Audio, Connectivity, Battery, Durability, Controls, Design, Smart features.
When it matters
When you want to compare products in the Portable Speakers category by technical performance, specifications, and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 70% of models
Score components

32%

6.3

Audio

20%

5.4

Battery

18%

9.2

Durability

16%

6.1

Connectivity

8%

8.8

Controls

3%

8.9

Design

3%

6.0

Smart features

â–²Better than 70%
?

User score

User score
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews with the total review volume for products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you want to know how products in the Portable Speakers category perform in everyday use and how reliable owners find them over time.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 71% of models
Score components

70%

?

User ratings

30%

?

Number of reviews

  • No image
No image
Where to buy
    N/A~ £35
Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
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Technical Specifications of portable speaker Sony SRS-XB22

Technical score
Technical score
6.9/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Portable Speakers category across these key areas: Audio, Connectivity, Battery, Durability, Controls, Design, Smart features.
When it matters
When you want to compare products in the Portable Speakers category by technical performance, specifications, and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 70% of models
Score components:

32%

6.3

Audio

20%

5.4

Battery

18%

9.2

Durability

16%

6.1

Connectivity

8%

8.8

Controls

3%

8.9

Design

3%

6.0

Smart features

6.9
User score
User score
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews with the total review volume for products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you want to know how products in the Portable Speakers category perform in everyday use and how reliable owners find them over time.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 71% of models
Score components

70%

?

User ratings

30%

?

Number of reviews

?
Popularity
Popularity
1.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you prefer products in the Portable Speakers category that have been chosen and reviewed by many other buyers.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 99% of models
Popularity:
Sony SRS-XB22 has a popularity score of 1 point, which is lower than 59.2% of products in this category.
1.0
Value for money
Value for money
7.8/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the overall score of products in the Portable Speakers category with their prices.
When it matters
When you are comparing products in the Portable Speakers category and want a good balance between quality and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 68% of models
Score components:

70%

6.9

Overall score

30%

10

Price

7.8
Audio output power
8 W
Market range: <4 W – >100 W
This portable speaker has an audio output power of 8 W which is lower than that of 73.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 2.4% of portable speakers.
Driver unit size
42 mm
Market range: <38 mm – >101 mm
This portable speaker has a driver unit size of 42 mm which is smaller than that of 75.3% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.9% of portable speakers.
Number of drivers
2
Market range: <0 – >5
This portable speaker has 2 drivers, which is more than 24.5% of portable speakers and equal to the number in 45.5% of portable speakers.
Frequency response tolerance
?
Lowest frequency
20 Hz
Market range: <20 Hz – >120 Hz
This portable speaker has a lowest frequency of 20 Hz which is lower than that of 84.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 14% of portable speakers.
Show more
Bluetooth connectivity
yes
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth audio. 5.4% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Bluetooth version
4.2
Market range: <3 – >5.3
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth version 4.2 which is older than that of 53.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 17.8% of portable speakers.
Maximum Bluetooth range
10 m
Market range: <10 m – >30 m
This portable speaker has a maximum Bluetooth range of 10 m which is longer than that of 4.3% of portable speakers and equal to that of 70.2% of portable speakers.
Bluetooth profiles supported
A2DP; AVRCP; HFP; HSP; SPP
Bluetooth LE Audio
no
This portable speaker does not support Bluetooth LE Audio. 2.5% of portable speakers offer this feature.
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Battery life
12 hours
Market range: <6 hours – >24 hours
This portable speaker has a battery life of 12 hours which is longer than that of 47.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 15.7% of portable speakers.
Battery capacity
2,700 mAh
Market range: <900 mAh – >6.6k mAh
This portable speaker has a battery capacity of 2,700 mAh which is larger than that of 56.5% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.8% of portable speakers.
Charging time
4 hours
Market range: <2 hours – >5 hours
This portable speaker has a charging time of 4 hours which is longer than that of 67% of portable speakers and equal to that of 19.3% of portable speakers.
Maximum charging input power
2 W
Market range: <5 W – >30 W
This portable speaker has a maximum charging input power of 2 W which is lower than that of 98.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.9% of portable speakers.
Built-in rechargeable battery
yes
This portable speaker has a built-in rechargeable battery. 18.7% of portable speakers offer this feature.
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IP rating
IP67
This portable speaker has an IP rating of IP67 which provides better ingress protection than 80% of portable speakers and the same ingress protection as 19.1% of portable speakers.
Water resistance
yes
This portable speaker is water resistant. 38.3% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Dust resistance
yes
This portable speaker is dust resistant. 48.6% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Waterproof depth rating
1 m
Market range: <0 m – >1 m
This portable speaker has a waterproof depth rating of 1 m which is deeper than that of 52.6% of portable speakers and equal to that of 47.4% of portable speakers.
Drop resistance
yes
This portable speaker resists accidental impacts. 67.3% of portable speakers offer this feature.
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On-device controls placement
top
Touchscreen
no
This portable speaker does not have a touchscreen. 0.3% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Smartphone app control
yes
This portable speaker supports smartphone app control. 46.1% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Compatible mobile app provides speaker control or settings.
Remote control
no
This portable speaker does not include a remote control. 15% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Fast pairing
?
Show more
Weight
540 g
Market range: <200 g – >5.6k g
This portable speaker weighs 540 g which is lighter than that of 63.4% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.8% of portable speakers.
Height
7.2 cm
Market range: <5.79 cm – >29 cm
This portable speaker has a height of 7.2 cm which is shorter than that of 78.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.8% of portable speakers.
Width
20.1 cm
Market range: <7.6 cm – >37 cm
This portable speaker has a width of 20.1 cm which is wider than that of 57.2% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.3% of portable speakers.
Depth
6.8 cm
Market range: <4.3 cm – >19.97 cm
This portable speaker has a depth of 6.8 cm which is shallower than that of 66.4% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.9% of portable speakers.
Carry options
handle
Show more
Companion app name
Sony | Music Center
Firmware updates
yes
This portable speaker supports firmware updates. 52.9% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Supports user-accessible firmware updates.
Firmware update method
App
Voice assistant support
yes
This portable speaker supports voice assistants. 73.6% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Supports direct voice-assistant control.
Spotify Connect
no
This portable speaker does not support Spotify Connect. 10.8% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more

Sony SRS-XB22 vs the average portable speaker

246810TotalAudioConnectivityBatteryDurabilityControlsDesignSmart features
  • Better ingress protection
    This portable speaker has better ingress protection than the average portable speaker (IP67 vs IPX5).
    IP67 vs IPX5
  • 2 more multipoint connections
    This portable speaker has more multipoint connections than the average portable speaker (3 vs 1).
    3 vs 1
  • 1 m deeper waterproof rating
    This portable speaker has a deeper waterproof depth rating than the average portable speaker (1 m vs 0 m).
    1 m vs 0 m
  • 40 Hz deeper bass extension
    This portable speaker has deeper bass extension than the average portable speaker (20 Hz vs 60 Hz).
    20 Hz vs 60 Hz
  • Has an equalizer
    This portable speaker has an equalizer, while the average portable speaker does not have an equalizer.
    Offers user-selectable EQ, tone adjustment, or sound presets.
  • Claims MIL-STD-810 compliance
    This portable speaker claims MIL-STD-810 compliance, while the average portable speaker does not claim MIL-STD-810 compliance.
  • Resists accidental impacts
    This portable speaker resists accidental impacts, while the average portable speaker lacks an impact-resistance rating.
  • 3 more EQ presets
    This portable speaker has more EQ presets than the average portable speaker (3 vs 0).
    3 vs 0
  • 2.57x cheaper
    Sony SRS-XB22 is cheaper than the average portable speaker (£35 vs £90).
    £35 vs £90
  • 40 Hz deeper bass extension
    This portable speaker has deeper bass extension than the average portable speaker (20 Hz vs 60 Hz).
    20 Hz vs 60 Hz
  • 2 more multipoint connections
    This portable speaker has more multipoint connections than the average portable speaker (3 vs 1).
    3 vs 1
  • Supports LDAC
    This portable speaker supports LDAC, while the average portable speaker does not support LDAC.
  • Supports NFC Bluetooth pairing
    This portable speaker supports NFC Bluetooth pairing, while the average portable speaker does not support NFC Bluetooth pairing.
  • Supports AAC Bluetooth audio
    This portable speaker supports AAC Bluetooth audio, while the average portable speaker does not support AAC Bluetooth audio.
  • Better ingress protection
    This portable speaker has better ingress protection than the average portable speaker (IP67 vs IPX5).
    IP67 vs IPX5
  • 1 m deeper waterproof rating
    This portable speaker has a deeper waterproof depth rating than the average portable speaker (1 m vs 0 m).
    1 m vs 0 m
  • Resists accidental impacts
    This portable speaker resists accidental impacts, while the average portable speaker lacks an impact-resistance rating.
  • Claims MIL-STD-810 compliance
    This portable speaker claims MIL-STD-810 compliance, while the average portable speaker does not claim MIL-STD-810 compliance.
  • Has an equalizer
    This portable speaker has an equalizer, while the average portable speaker does not have an equalizer.
    Offers user-selectable EQ, tone adjustment, or sound presets.
  • 3 more EQ presets
    This portable speaker has more EQ presets than the average portable speaker (3 vs 0).
    3 vs 0
  • Supports party mode
    This portable speaker supports party mode, while the average portable speaker does not support party mode.
    Supports synchronized multi-speaker party/group playback.
  • Has a sleep timer
    This portable speaker has a sleep timer, while the average portable speaker does not have a sleep timer.
    A selectable timer can stop playback or power the speaker down.
  • 5.2 cm shorter
    This portable speaker is shorter than the average portable speaker (7.2 cm vs 12.4 cm).
    7.2 cm vs 12.4 cm
  • 260 g lighter
    This portable speaker is lighter than the average portable speaker (540 g vs 800 g).
    540 g vs 800 g
  • Supports voice assistants
    This portable speaker supports voice assistants, while the average portable speaker does not support voice assistants.
    Supports direct voice-assistant control.
  • Supports firmware updates
    This portable speaker supports firmware updates, while the average portable speaker does not support firmware updates.
    Supports user-accessible firmware updates.
  • 1 hours longer charging time
    This portable speaker has a longer charging time than the average portable speaker (4 hours vs 3 hours).
    4 hours vs 3 hours
  • 8 W lower charging input power
    This portable speaker has lower charging input power than the average portable speaker (2 W vs 10 W).
    2 W vs 10 W
  • 12 W less audio output power
    This portable speaker has less audio output power than the average portable speaker (8 W vs 20 W).
    8 W vs 20 W
  • 5 °C higher minimum operating temperature
    This portable speaker has a higher minimum operating temperature than the average portable speaker (5 °C vs 0 °C).
    5 °C vs 0 °C
  • 8 mm smaller main driver
    This portable speaker has a smaller main driver than the average portable speaker (42 mm vs 50 mm).
    42 mm vs 50 mm
  • 0.8 Bluetooth levels older
    This portable speaker has an older Bluetooth version than the average portable speaker (4.2 vs 5).
    4.2 vs 5
  • 4.21x less popular
    Sony SRS-XB22 is less popular than the average portable speaker (1 vs 4.21).
    1 vs 4.21
  • 5 °C lower maximum operating temperature
    This portable speaker has a lower maximum operating temperature than the average portable speaker (35 °C vs 40 °C).
    35 °C vs 40 °C
  • 4.21x less popular
    Sony SRS-XB22 is less popular than the average portable speaker (1 vs 4.21).
    1 vs 4.21
  • 12 W less audio output power
    This portable speaker has less audio output power than the average portable speaker (8 W vs 20 W).
    8 W vs 20 W
  • 8 mm smaller main driver
    This portable speaker has a smaller main driver than the average portable speaker (42 mm vs 50 mm).
    42 mm vs 50 mm
  • 400 Hz lower microphone frequency limit
    This portable speaker has a lower microphone frequency limit than the average portable speaker (7,000 Hz vs 7,400 Hz).
    7,000 Hz vs 7,400 Hz
  • 0.8 Bluetooth levels older
    This portable speaker has an older Bluetooth version than the average portable speaker (4.2 vs 5).
    4.2 vs 5
  • 1 hours longer charging time
    This portable speaker has a longer charging time than the average portable speaker (4 hours vs 3 hours).
    4 hours vs 3 hours
  • 8 W lower charging input power
    This portable speaker has lower charging input power than the average portable speaker (2 W vs 10 W).
    2 W vs 10 W
  • 5 °C higher minimum operating temperature
    This portable speaker has a higher minimum operating temperature than the average portable speaker (5 °C vs 0 °C).
    5 °C vs 0 °C
  • 5 °C lower maximum operating temperature
    This portable speaker has a lower maximum operating temperature than the average portable speaker (35 °C vs 40 °C).
    35 °C vs 40 °C

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

P
pcmag.com
13/06/2019
Summary of the review
Sony SRS-XB22Go to product viewer dialogue for this item. Review - PCMag
U
uk.pcmag.com
13/06/2019
Summary of the review
Sony SRS-XB22 Review - PCMag UK
A
au.pcmag.com
14/06/2019
Summary of the review
Sony SRS-XB22 Review - PCMag Australia
S
scmp.com
21/06/2019
Summary of the review
We review the new Sony Extra Bass SRS-XB22 speaker
H
hifi.de
30/09/2020
Summary of the review
The best Bluetooth speakers under 100 euros
(Translated)Show original
H
haus.de
15/04/2021
Summary of the review
Bluetooth Speaker Review: 8 Portable Speakers Compared
(Translated)Show original
0
01net.com
01/06/2019
Summary of the review
JBL Horizon vs. Sony SRS-XB22 Comparison - 01net.com
(Translated)Show original
G
gadgerss.com
07/12/2019
Summary of the review
Sony SRS-XB22 Speaker Review - Gadgerss
(Translated)Show original

Third-party reviews

What customers like about Sony SRS-XB22

  • Excellent portability with a compact, lightweight, and ergonomic design
  • Highly durable with an IP67 waterproof, dustproof, and shockproof rating
  • Punchy bass and impressive volume level for its small size
  • Good overall battery life lasting up to 12 hours under standard usage
  • Reliable Bluetooth connectivity and convenient NFC quick-pairing
  • Includes fun, customizable LED lights that pulse to the beat of the music

What customers don't like about Sony SRS-XB22

  • Audio tends to distort on deep bass tracks when pushed to high volumes
  • The built-in single-colour light strip is somewhat underwhelming compared to higher-end models
  • Real-world battery life drops significantly (down to 6 hours) with lights and Extra Bass enabled
  • The soft-touch plastic housing is susceptible to developing scratches and water stains
  • Abruptly restricts maximum volume once the battery life drops below 20%

Verdict

The Sony SRS-XB22 is a highly rugged, portable 2.0-channel wireless speaker weighing approximately 540 grams and measuring 201 x 72 x 68 mm. It features dual 42mm full-range drivers, dual passive radiators, a frequency transmission range of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, and supports premium LDAC, AAC, and SBC audio codecs over Bluetooth 4.2 and NFC. Key advantages include an outstanding IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating, shockproof durability, built-in LED party lights, a hands-free speakerphone microphone, and up to 12 hours of battery life (reduced to 10 hours in EXTRA BASS mode with lights active). However, notable drawbacks include noticeable sound distortion on deep bass tracks at maximum volume levels, an underwhelming visual output from the single-color LED light strip, and reliance on an outdated Micro-USB charging port rather than modern USB-C.

Compare Sony SRS-XB22 with other products in the Portable Speakers category

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