The Sony SRS-XB33 is a portable, battery-powered speaker from Sony's EXTRA BASS lineup, with a similar design to the larger Sony SRS-XB43. Like other speakers from this lineup, it comes with customizable RGB lights and is compatible with the Sony Music Center app and Sony's Fiestable app, which lets you access sound customization features, sound effects, and light show effects.
Our Verdict
The Sony SRS-XB33 is mediocre for music. It has an uneven sound profile, and even with its 'EXTRA BASS' preset on, and like most speakers its size, it lacks a thumpy, rumbly low-bass. Vocals and lead instruments also sound a bit veiled and dull at times. That said, you can customize its sound profile thanks to the graphic EQ featured in its companion app. Its soundstage is still perceived as narrow, and it doesn't get very loud.
- Very portable design.
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Doesn't get very loud.
- Struggles to reproduce low-bass.
The Sony XB33 is sub-par for videos and movies. It struggles to produce a thumpy low-bass commonly found in action-packed movies. It also doesn't get very loud, and its soundstage seems narrow. That said, its companion app has a basic graphic EQ so that you can tweak its sound. It also has low latency on iOS and Android, although some apps compensate for latency differently.
- Very portable design.
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Doesn't get very loud.
- Struggles to reproduce low-bass.
- Doesn't support Apple AirPlay, Chromecast, or Wi-Fi.
The Sony XB33 is not bad for podcasts. It has a neutral mid-range, so vocals reproduce clearly. However, the dip in the treble range dulls and veils the upper harmonics of speech. This speaker also has a narrow soundstage and doesn't get very loud. That said, it's very portable, and you can pair it with up to two devices at the same time.
- Supports NFC and multi-device pairing.
- Very portable design.
- Doesn't get very loud.
- Doesn't support multi-room mode.
The Sony XB33 is compatible with the voice assistants on your smartphone. However, while this speaker couldn't recognize recorded commands during our tests, it can still register regular human voices just fine, so this can vary depending on your real-world usage.
- Very portable design.
- Doesn't get very loud.
The Sony SRS-XB33 is good for outdoor use. It feels sturdy and durable, with 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. It's also fairly small and very portable as it's battery operated. It has over 12 hours of continuous playback time, which is excellent. Unfortunately, it doesn't get that loud, and there are some compression artifacts at max volume.
- Supports NFC and multi-device pairing.
- Very portable design.
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Doesn't get very loud.
- Struggles to reproduce low-bass.
Changelog
- Updated Jul 10, 2024: We've added a comparison between this speaker and the Sony ULT FIELD 1 in Battery.
- Updated Sep 21, 2022: Minor updates to the review's text for consistency and accuracy.
- Updated Aug 23, 2022: Changed the test result for 'EQ' from 'Graphic' to 'Graphic + Presets' in the App box.
- Updated Aug 09, 2022: Added a comparison with the Sony SRS-XE200 in the 'Portability' box.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Sony SRS-XB33 comes in several color variants: 'Black', 'Light Blue', 'Taupe', 'Coral Red', and 'Orange'. This review represents the test results for the Taupe variant, you can see its label here.
If you come across another variant of the Sony SRS-XB33, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The Sony XB33 is a small and portable speaker with customizable lighting and a similar design to the larger Sony SRS-XB43. Just like the Sony SRS-XB43 and the Sony SRS-XB23, you can place it either horizontally or vertically. It's similarly well-built with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, meaning it's certified to be fully dust-tight and immersible in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. However, it struggles to reproduce low-bass, even when using its 'EXTRA BASS' feature, and it doesn't get very loud. Fortunately, there's a graphic EQ and presets you can use to customize its sound to your liking.
See also our recommendations for the best Bluetooth speakers, the best portable Bluetooth speakers, and the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers.
The Bose SoundLink Flex is a better speaker than the Sony SRS-XB33, though they have different strengths. The Flex is smaller, making it more portable. It has a better-balanced sound profile out of the box and has better directivity, so its soundstage sounds wider than that of the Sony. The Sony's sound profile is more customizable thanks to the graphic EQ in its companion app. It can also play stereo content without downmixing it to mono and has a longer-lasting battery life, though this can vary depending on your usage.
The Sony SRS-XB43 is better for most uses than the Sony SRS-XB33. Though both speakers have an uneven sound profile out-of-the-box, the XB43's are better balanced. It can also get louder. While the XB33 lists an IK rating for impact resistance, there isn't an IK rating specified for the XB43. Also, the XB33 has lower latency via Bluetooth with Android and iOS devices, though some apps compensate for latency, so your experience may vary.
The Sony SRS-XB33 is a slightly better speaker than JBL Charge 5. The JBL has a better-balanced sound profile and slightly longer battery life, though battery life can vary depending on usage, so your experience may differ. However, the Sony comes with a ClearAudio+ feature advertised to automatically adjust its sound according to your audio. It also supports voice assistants through your smartphone, though its performance isn't very good.
The Sony SRS-XB33 is a better speaker than the JBL Charge 4. Unlike the JBL, the Sony has a graphic EQ in its companion app, which lets you adjust the sound profile to your liking. It has voice assistant features, though it relies on your smartphone's voice assistant. The Sony can also play stereo content without downmixing it to mono, which creates a more immersive sound.
Test Results
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