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-XB32 Review | 130 Data compared

Avg. price:~£150Audio output power:?Battery life:24 hoursIP rating:IP67Bluetooth version:4.2Weight:900 g

Sony SRS-XB32 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.

7.3/10

Overall score

Score
7.3/ 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
Score components

80%

7.3

Technical score

20%

?

User score

â–²Better than 83% of portable speakers
8.0

Value for money

Value for money
8.0/ 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
Score components

70%

7.3

Overall score

30%

9.7

Price

â–²Better than 82%
7.3

Technical score

Technical score
7.3/ 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
Score components

32%

6.9

Audio

20%

6.6

Battery

18%

9.2

Durability

16%

6.1

Connectivity

8%

8.9

Controls

3%

8.4

Design

3%

6.0

Smart features

â–²Better than 89%
?

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
Score components

70%

?

User ratings

30%

?

Number of reviews

  • No image
No image
Where to buy
    N/A~ £150
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-XB32

Technical score
Technical score
7.3/ 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
Score components:

32%

6.9

Audio

20%

6.6

Battery

18%

9.2

Durability

16%

6.1

Connectivity

8%

8.9

Controls

3%

8.4

Design

3%

6.0

Smart features

7.3
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
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
Popularity:
Sony SRS-XB32 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
8.0/ 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
Score components:

70%

7.3

Overall score

30%

9.7

Price

8.0
Audio output power
?
Driver unit size
48 mm
This portable speaker has a driver unit size of 48 mm which is smaller than that of 56.4% of portable speakers and equal to that of 3.3% of portable speakers.
Number of drivers
2
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
?
Show more
Bluetooth connectivity
yes
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth audio. 5.4% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Bluetooth version
4.2
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
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.
Show more
Battery life
24 hours
This portable speaker has a battery life of 24 hours which is longer than that of 88.1% of portable speakers and equal to that of 6.4% of portable speakers.
Battery capacity
2,700 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
5 hours
This portable speaker has a charging time of 5 hours which is longer than that of 87% of portable speakers and equal to that of 7.7% of portable speakers.
Maximum charging input power
5 W
This portable speaker has a maximum charging input power of 5 W which is lower than that of 58.7% of portable speakers and equal to that of 38.5% 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.
Show more
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
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.
Show more
On-device controls placement
?
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
yes
This portable speaker supports fast pairing. 77.6% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
Weight
900 g
This portable speaker weighs 900 g which is heavier than that of 53% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.7% of portable speakers.
Height
8.4 cm
This portable speaker has a height of 8.4 cm which is shorter than that of 70.6% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.3% of portable speakers.
Width
23.8 cm
This portable speaker has a width of 23.8 cm which is wider than that of 66.9% of portable speakers.
Depth
8.3 cm
This portable speaker has a depth of 8.3 cm which is shallower than that of 49.9% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.7% of portable speakers.
Carry options
none
Show more
Companion app name
?
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-XB32 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
  • 12 hours longer battery life
    This portable speaker has a longer battery life than the average portable speaker (24 hours vs 12 hours).
    24 hours vs 12 hours
  • 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
  • 3 more adjustable EQ bands
    This portable speaker has more adjustable EQ bands than the average portable speaker (3 vs 0).
    3 vs 0
  • 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.
  • 6.5% better value for money
    Sony SRS-XB32 offers better value for money than the average portable speaker (8.03 vs 7.5).
    8.03 vs 7.55
  • 7 dB SPL higher maximum sound pressure
    This portable speaker has a higher maximum sound pressure level than the average portable speaker (99 dB SPL vs 92 dB SPL).
    99 dB SPL vs 92 dB SPL
  • 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.
  • 1 more USB ports
    This portable speaker has more USB ports than the average portable speaker (2 vs 1).
    2 vs 1
  • 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.
  • 12 hours longer battery life
    This portable speaker has a longer battery life than the average portable speaker (24 hours vs 12 hours).
    24 hours vs 12 hours
  • Has a power bank function
    This portable speaker has a power bank function, while the average portable speaker does not have a power bank function.
  • 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.
  • 3 more adjustable EQ bands
    This portable speaker has more adjustable EQ bands than the average portable speaker (3 vs 0).
    3 vs 0
  • 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 fast pairing
    This portable speaker supports fast pairing, while the average portable speaker does not support fast pairing.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 2 hours longer charging time
    This portable speaker has a longer charging time than the average portable speaker (5 hours vs 3 hours).
    5 hours vs 3 hours
  • 5 W lower charging input power
    This portable speaker has lower charging input power than the average portable speaker (5 W vs 10 W).
    5 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
  • 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-XB32 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
  • 2 mm smaller main driver
    This portable speaker has a smaller main driver than the average portable speaker (48 mm vs 50 mm).
    48 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
  • 4.21x less popular
    Sony SRS-XB32 is less popular than the average portable speaker (1 vs 4.21).
    1 vs 4.21
  • 66.7% more expensive
    Sony SRS-XB32 is more expensive than the average portable speaker (£150 vs £90).
    £150 vs £90
  • 2 mm smaller main driver
    This portable speaker has a smaller main driver than the average portable speaker (48 mm vs 50 mm).
    48 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
  • 2 hours longer charging time
    This portable speaker has a longer charging time than the average portable speaker (5 hours vs 3 hours).
    5 hours vs 3 hours
  • 5 W lower charging input power
    This portable speaker has lower charging input power than the average portable speaker (5 W vs 10 W).
    5 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
  • 5.7 cm wider
    This portable speaker is wider than the average portable speaker (23.8 cm vs 18.1 cm).
    23.8 cm vs 18.1 cm

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

P
pcmag.com
04/06/2019
Summary of the review
T
techhive.com
11/06/2019
Summary of the review
T
techradar.com
08/07/2019
Summary of the review
T
techgearlab.com
03/09/2019
Summary of the review
T
tech360.tv
02/06/2020
Summary of the review
S
soundguys.com
14/04/2021
Summary of the review
T
technicallywell.com
29/04/2019
Summary of the review
E
einfoldtech.com
10/07/2020
Summary of the review
I
imtest.de
03/11/2020
Summary of the review
T
techbook.de
29/02/2020
Summary of the review
R
rts.ch
15/06/2019
Summary of the review
L
leclaireur.fnac.com
02/08/2019
Summary of the review
G
gadgerss.com
06/12/2019
Summary of the review
Z
zoomtecnologico.com
12/12/2019
Summary of the review
T
technopatas.com
21/03/2020
Summary of the review
D
dday.it
04/06/2019
Summary of the review
D
draadlozemuzieksystemen.nl
20/08/2019
Summary of the review

Third-party reviews

What customers like about Sony SRS-XB32

  • Powerful bass response and deep low-end tones with the Extra Bass feature
  • Excellent, loud audio performance capable of filling large rooms or outdoor spaces
  • Highly durable, tough build quality with an IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating
  • Long-lasting battery life that can also function as a power bank to charge external devices
  • Fun and vibrant customizable LED light strip and strobe synchronization options
  • Easy connectivity options, including stable Bluetooth pairing and quick NFC tagging
  • Versatile sound customizability through a 3-band equalizer in the Sony Music Center app
  • Wireless Party Chain feature that allows connecting up to 100 compatible Sony speakers

What customers don't like about Sony SRS-XB32

  • Audio frequencies can become muddy or over-emphasized at lower to mid-volumes when Extra Bass is enabled
  • High volume drops automatically when the battery life gets low (around 15-20%) to save power
  • Real-world battery runtime drops significantly when Extra Bass and the LED lights are actively used
  • The built-in microphone provides mediocre clarity for phone calls and voice assistants
  • The speaker is bulky and relatively heavy compared to some competitive portable options
  • Relies on an outdated micro-USB port for charging itself rather than USB-C
  • Digital Signal Processing (DSP) can sometimes aggressively compress and overwhelm the music mix at peak levels
  • The soft-touch plastic material exterior is prone to gathering scratches and scuffs over time

Verdict

The Sony SRS-XB32 is a portable wireless Bluetooth 4.2 speaker equipped with dual 48mm full-range drivers, dual passive radiators, and an IP67 waterproof, dustproof, and shockproof rating. Weighing approximately 900 grams and measuring 238 x 84 x 83 mm, it features integrated customizable LED party lights and an onboard USB-A port that acts as a power bank to charge external devices. Its primary advantages include a powerful low-end boost via Extra Bass mode, a 20 Hz–20,000 Hz frequency response range, high-quality audio codec support (SBC, AAC, and LDAC), and a long-lasting battery life of up to 24 hours in standard mode (dropping to 14 hours with Extra Bass and lighting enabled). However, its downsides are a bulkier, heavier build compared to similar portable models, a lack of sound clarity at maximum volumes where the bass tends to recede, and an outdated micro-USB port used for charging the speaker itself instead of a modern USB-C connection.

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