Sony SRS-XB100 review: small but powerful

In one look

Expert rating

Benefits

Lightweight and compact
Great sound
Long battery life
Microphone for calls

The inconvenients

Sound varies depending on where it is seated
It could be stronger

Our Verdict

Nice little speaker that can pump out quality sound, provided you place it on the right surface.

Best prices today: Sony SRS-XB100

$38

Sony has a strong track record when it comes to compact Bluetooth speakers. I’ve owned a few myself over the years, so when the company announced a new model, it immediately shot to the top of my review list. The not so catchy named SRS-XB100.

But does this little speaker have what it takes to receive the composer’s baton from its predecessors? It’s time to launch it and find out.

Design and build

Lightweight
Nice big buttons
IP67 water and dust protection rating
Uses sustainable materials

When you first take the SRS-XB100 out of its non-plastic packaging for a welcome change, the immediate surprise is that the speaker itself feels so light in the hand. At 274g, it’s not much more than most smartphones, so you can definitely see how it’s the kind of device you can throw in a bag or even a jacket pocket if you want to take it with you.

The 75 x 95mm cylindrical shape also allows for easy grip if you prefer to carry it that way, with the textured plastic providing a good grip. Sony includes a removable wrist strap so you don’t have to worry about dropping it in the pool during summer barbecues or any awkward mishaps with hard floors.

Martyn Casserly

If the former happens, the XB100’s IP67 waterproof rating means you’ll be able to fish it out one more time without missing a beat. Waterproofing is helpful in another way because the body tends to leave oil marks on the hands and fingers, which can take a little effort to remove.

The design is simple and somewhat utilitarian, at least in the darker liveries, but it looks modern and neat.

The top of the XB100 houses the speaker and grille, while the bottom has cutouts to allow the passive radiator to emit its tones. Above it is a selection of controls including power on/off, Bluetooth pairing, play/pause and volume. These are all raised symbols that give a satisfying click response and are large enough to ensure you find the right one quickly.

At the end of the controls is a covered panel that houses the USB-C charging port. The box includes a cable, but no adapter, so you’ll have to use the one from your smartphone or something.

The design is simple and somewhat utilitarian, at least in the darker liveries, but it looks modern and neat. The XB100 comes in orange, blue, light gray, and black, so you can add a little sparkle with the lighter tones if that’s more your thing.

Sony also claims that the XB100 is partly made from sustainable materials, so that’s a good thing, or rather a partly good thing.

Martyn Casserly

Sound quality and features

Sound streaming processor
Passive radiator for bass
Microphone for hands-free calls

For such a small and lightweight device, you would expect the sound to be a bit thin. This is certainly not the case with the XB100, although there is some context to understand.

The way the unit is built, the main speaker comes out of the top, aided by a sound diffusion processor to balance the output frequencies. At the bottom there is a passive radiator. Basically, it works by bouncing off sounds emitted by the speaker, which it amplifies by transferring that energy into the surface below.

It’s a design that’s been around for a while, but the result is that the tones that come out of the XB100 are heavily influenced by what it’s sitting on. For example, when I listened to the speaker with it on my wooden table in the living room, the bass really rumbled. In effect, the passive radiator pushed energy towards the wooden top, which then spread along the legs to the slate floor.

This resulted in crazy bass levels at times and I could feel a slight throb in the ground itself. If I pick up the XB100 and hold it in my hand, almost all of the low frequencies will disappear because they don’t have much to work with.

So, you will find that you can fine-tune or tame the frequencies emitted by the speaker by simply moving it to another surface. That’s a good thing, because no EQ controls or sound profiles are available, even in the app Sony offers.

Martyn Casserly

In general use, the speaker can sound pretty good, depending on the music you choose (and the surface it’s on). Interestingly, I found that modern rock tracks, which are usually quite compressed in the mix, sounded quieter and less rich than singer-songwriter or classic jazz tracks.

For example, the new Nita Strauss album with its guitar gymnastics and catchy songs, actually seemed a little smaller than the last The renaissance of elephants album with its sweet harmonies and folk instrumentals.

I suspect this is because there is more space between frequencies, which is easier to manage with the XB100’s single-speaker setup. If you want a more powerful and wider frequency range, I recommend trying a larger unit with a driver range for both higher and lower frequencies.

That’s not to say you can’t listen to modern mixes on the Sony SRS-XB100. They sound great, but I really feel like the unit delivers a more spacious and rewarding sound when it comes to less busy songs.

It is possible to purchase two XB100s and then combine them for a stereo configuration. It might be a good idea if you and a friend each considered choosing one, if not just one, but better speaker would make more sense.

As a portable speaker, it’s a great little device to have in your bag. You won’t be able to host a party with it, because sounds don’t transmit very well outside. But if you’re sitting with friends having a picnic or having a drink in the garden, the XB100 can add some nice background music without disturbing the neighbors.

It’s also a great option for those, like me, who love audiobooks and podcasts but want larger volumes than those offered by a smartphone. A microphone is also built in so you can take calls hands-free while using the speakerphone. In my testing, recipients said everything sounded great, which is all you can hope for with this kind of feature.

Luckily, you won’t have to charge the XB100 too often, as the 16-hour battery life will get you through quite a few albums before it runs dry. Charging time is around three hours, so you’ll want to plug it in well before you head out for a day.

Pricing and availability

Sony is offering the SRS-XB100 for $59.99/£54.99/$64.99 and you can also purchase it from various retailers including Sony, Amazon, Currys and Argos in the UK.

In the US, you can purchase it from Sony, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy, Dell, and B&H Photo.

At the time of writing, these prices had been lowered by the company to around $40/£40/$40, so this appears to be the real price on the street. For that money, you get a lovely little travel companion capable of producing great sounds.

Alternatively, you could try the JBL Clip 4, which costs around $50/£50/$50, is compact, sounds good but doesn’t have a built-in mic for hands-free calling. There’s also the Edifier MP100 Plus, another speaker that’s highly portable, waterproof, and capable of spinning good music for about the same price as the Sony XB100.

Don’t forget to check out our best cheap Bluetooth speakers for more ideas.

Should you buy the Sony SRS-XB100?

As a portable speaker that you can take on vacation, around the house or in the garden, the Sony XB100 is a very good option.

The sound quality is good (although you’ll need to be careful where you place it) and the easy pairing and battery life mean you can continue listening to your audio without any issues.

An EQ setting would have been nice, as would more volume for outdoor use, but this little speaker is still a good choice for those looking for a compact, well-built way to listen on the go without breaking the bank.