The Sony SRS-XB23 is a portable cylindrical speaker. Thanks to its cylindrical design, its soundstage is perceived as wide and spacious. While its sound profile lacks low-bass out-of-the-box, it also has a graphic EQ via its companion app, which is nice if you like to tweak its sound profile. Unfortunately, it doesn't get very loud, and there are compression artifacts at max volume. That said, it's durable and well-built, making it a suitable option if you're looking for a speaker that you can take with you outdoors.
Our Verdict
The Sony SRS-XB23 isn't bad for music. Its sound profile has a touch of extra boom in the bass range, and it can sound a bit veiled due to its recessed treble. That said, vocals and lead instruments are still reproduced pretty clearly and accurately. Also, you can customize its sound using the graphic EQ in the Sony Music Center app. However, even with its Extra Bass feature turned on, it still struggles to reproduce the deep rumble in the low-bass, so it's not ideal for bass-heavy genres like EDM.
- Graphic EQ.
- Very portable and well-built design.
- Extra Bass feature.
- Doesn't get very loud.
- Doesn't support Apple AirPlay, Chromecast, or Wi-Fi.
- Lacks low-bass.
The Sony XB23 is middling for videos and movies. It has fairly low latency with both Android and iOS devices, so you shouldn't notice a delay between the audio you hear and the video you see. Some apps can compensate for latency differently, though, so your real-world experience may vary. This speaker doesn't get very loud, unfortunately, and it can't reproduce the deep rumble found in action-heavy scenes.
- Graphic EQ.
- Very portable and well-built design.
- Doesn't get very loud.
- Doesn't support Apple AirPlay, Chromecast, or Wi-Fi.
- Lacks low-bass.
The Sony XB23 is decent for podcasts. Dialogue is reproduced pretty clearly and accurately, though voices can also sound a bit veiled due to its recessed treble. It also doesn't get very loud. On the upside, its portable design makes it easy to bring this speaker with you from room to room.
- Very portable and well-built design.
- Doesn't get very loud.
The Sony SRS-XB23 is compatible with the voice assistants on your paired smartphone. Per our testing methodology, we use a series of recorded voice commands to test a speaker's voice assistant performance to ensure consistency across our reviews. However, like other Sony Extra Bass speakers we've tested, the Sony XB23 didn't respond to these recorded commands. It did register commands given in a normal speaking voice, but this isn't part of our testing process.
- Very portable and well-built design.
- Doesn't get very loud.
- No built-in voice assistant.
The Sony XB23 is satisfactory for outdoor use. It has a very lightweight, portable design, so you can easily bring it with you on the go. There's even an adjustable strap to help you attach it to your bag or backpack. It has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance that certifies it to be fully dust-tight and immersible in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. Unfortunately, it can't get very loud, so it can't fill up a large space with your audio.
- Graphic EQ.
- Very portable and well-built design.
- Doesn't get very loud.
- Lacks low-bass.
Changelog
- Updated Apr 18, 2024: We've updated this review based on user feedback to remove any mentions of its omnidirectional design.
- Updated Jul 05, 2023: Added market comparison with the Sony SRS-XB100 in the Portability box.
- Updated Aug 19, 2022: Added a comparison with the Sony SRS-XE300 in the 'Frequency Response Accuracy' box.
- Updated Aug 09, 2022: Added a comparison with the Sony SRS-XE200 in the 'Voice Assistant' box.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Sony SRS-XB23 comes in several color variants: 'Black', 'Olive Green', 'Orange', 'Coral Red', 'Sky Blue', and 'Taupe'. We tested the Black variant, and you can see its label here. We expect each of the color variants to perform similarly to our model.
If you come across another variant, please let us know in the discussions and we'll update our review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The Sony XB23 is a cylindric speaker that's part of Sony's Extra Bass lineup. It has a smaller, more portable design than the Sony SRS-XB33 and the Sony SRS-XB43, but it doesn't come with customizable RGB lighting, and it doesn't offer Sony ClearAudio+ to automatically adjust the speaker's sound field based on your audio content. That said, unlike the Sony SRS-XB12, it's compatible with the Sony Music Center app, and it comes with a graphic EQ for sound customization.
See also our recommendations for the best portable speakers, the best Bluetooth speakers, and the best Bluetooth speakers for bass.
The Sony SRS-XB23 is slightly better than the JBL Flip 6, though they have different strengths. The Sony can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono, which is more immersive. It has a longer-lasting battery life of over nine hours. It supports voice assistants through your smartphone, though its performance isn't very good. It also has lower Bluetooth latency with iOS and Android devices, making it better suited for watching movies and videos. That said, the JBL has a more neutral and balanced sound profile out of the box. It can get a bit louder with less compression present at max volume, so audio doesn't degrade as much as you increase the volume. It's also smaller, making it more portable.
The Sony SRS-XB23 is a better speaker than the JBL Flip 5. The Sony is better built, can play stereo content, and has longer-lasting continuous battery life. It also has a companion app with a graphic EQ so you can tweak its sound to your liking. However, the JBL can get a bit louder with fewer compression artifacts.
The Sony SRS-XB23 is a slightly better speaker than the Sony SRS-XB13 overall. The XB23 can produce a more extended low-bass than the XB13, and is more customizable thanks to the graphic EQ featured in its companion app, so you can tweak its sound to your liking. That said, the XB13 is smaller and more portable than the XB23. Also, while it doesn't get as loud, it has fewer compression artifacts present at max volume, so your audio sounds cleaner at louder volumes.
The Sony SRS-XB23 is slightly better than the Anker Soundcore 3. Thanks to its 360-degree design, the Sony has better directivity, resulting in a more open-sounding soundstage, so your audio sounds clear from most angles. You can also pair it with another speaker to create a stereo pair or multiple speakers when you want your audio to fill a large room. That said, while both speakers feature a graphic EQ, the Anker comes with presets you can use to customize its sound. It also has a longer battery life, though this can depend on your usage, so your experience may vary.
Test Results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
