The Sony SRS-XP500 is a smaller version of the Sony SRS-XP700 that's ideal for listening to tunes at your next party. It's a big speaker that comes with a lot of party-oriented features, including customizable RGB lights and a microphone input if you're in the mood for karaoke. The built-in handles help you carry the speaker with you to every event, and its IPX4 rating for water resistance protects it in the event of some light exposure to water. With Sony's ClearAudio+ technology, you can enjoy clear sound with your favorite tunes wherever you listen.
Our Verdict
The Sony XP500 is a satisfactory choice for music. Out-of-the-box, it reproduces a punchy bass that's ideal for pumping up the excitement at your next party. Bass-heavy genres like EDM and hip-hop are full of thump and rumble, while voices and other instruments remain clear and present in the mix. It's suitable for listening to different music genres and is loud enough to fill up the space at your next event. Plus, its graphic EQ and presets give you lots of ability to switch up its sound to your liking, and you can customize its RGB lights to match your mood. However, as you turn up the volume, there's more compression and pumping artifacts that distort the sound.
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Extended low-bass.
- Large and heavy build.
- Poor directivity.
The Sony XP500 is mediocre for watching videos and movies, though it isn't designed with this use in mind. You can stream audio to the speaker from a phone or a tablet over Bluetooth, and you can place your tablet or other devices on the groove on top of the speaker to hold them in place. The speaker has a bass-heavy sound that brings action-packed scenes to life. There are some lip-synching issues with Android devices, so it's only suitable for watching with an iOS device.
- Extended low-bass.
- Gets loud.
- Poor directivity.
- Some latency issues with Android devices.
The Sony XP500 is a fair choice for podcasts. It's not designed for this use, but if you want to catch up on your favorite shows in between parties, it can get the job done. Dialogue is reproduced with clarity and accuracy right out of the box, so you don't have trouble following along with the hosts. It's loud enough to fill large rooms in your house with sound. However, it isn't the most portable, which isn't ideal if you want to bring the speaker with you from room to room as you listen.
- Gets loud.
- Large and heavy build.
The Sony XP500 doesn't support voice assistants.
The Sony XP500 is good for outdoor use. It's a solid and sturdy speaker that's battery-powered, so it doesn't need to be plugged into an outlet if you take the party outside. It gets loud enough for outdoor spaces like backyards and patios, and its battery life will last through even your longer days outdoors. It's rated IPX4, so it can withstand some light rain, though it isn't meant to be submerged in water like pools or lakes. That said, it's pretty big and heavy, even with its built-in handles, so you might have some trouble carrying it from place to place.
- Built-in handles.
- IPX4 rating for water resistance.
- Gets loud.
- Large and heavy build.
Changelog
- Updated Apr 17, 2024: We've added a comparison between this speaker and the Sony SRS-XV500 in Bluetooth.
- Updated Dec 08, 2022: Review published.
- Updated Dec 06, 2022: Early access published.
- Updated Dec 01, 2022: Our testers have started testing this product.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Sony SRS-XP500 is available in Black, and you can see the label for the model we tested here.
If you come across another version of this speaker, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The Sony SRS-XP500 is smaller than the Sony SRS-XP700, but it's still a pretty large and bulky party speaker that's designed to pack a punch at your next event. It's pretty similar to its big brother, although it doesn't get quite as loud, and its battery life isn't as long. Still, with many features oriented toward big events, it's a solid pick for bringing up the energy while you listen to your favorite tunes.
You can also check out our recommendations for the best party speakers, the loudest Bluetooth speakers, and the best Bluetooth speakers for bass.
The Sony SRS-XP700 is a larger alternative to the Sony SRS-XP500. Both models are very similar, and they look alike as well. However, the XP700 is bigger and heavier. It gets louder, which is a nice touch. That said, the XP500 still gets plenty loud for most uses, so some users may find it's a better value overall.
The JBL PartyBox 110 is better for music than the Sony SRS-XP500. They're both party-oriented speakers with lots of flashy add-ons, such as customizable RGB lights and mic and guitar inputs. However, the JBL reproduces a touch more bass, and it gets louder overall.
The JBL PartyBox 310 is better than the Sony SRS-XP500. They're both party-oriented speakers with lots of cool add-ons to amp up the energy at your next event; however, the JBL gets louder and brings more thump in the bass. Its battery life lasts a little longer, and its built-in telescopic handle and wheels make it easier to transport.
The Sony SRS-XP500 and the Sony SRS-XV500 are extremely similar portable speakers. They're both decently well-built, have balanced sound profiles, and can get similarly loud, although there's less compression at max volume for the XP500. They also have similar continuous battery life lengths and even share the same companion app. The XV500 has lower AV synchronization error with both iOS and Android devices, so it's a better choice for watching video content.
Test Results
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