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.
Check Price
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 Sonos Roam/Roam SL is a better speaker than the Sony SRS-XB33. The Sonos has a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box, and the Roam variant supports voice assistants. While it comes with bass and treble adjustments, the Sony has a graphic EQ for sound customization. Also, the Sony supports stereo content and has a longer battery life.
The Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3 is a better speaker than the Sony SRS-XB33. The Ultimate Ears offers a more natural-sounding soundstage thanks to its 360-degree design. It can also get louder with less compression at max volume, so your audio sounds cleaner during louder listening sessions. That said, the Sony supports voice assistants through your smartphone, though its performance isn't great. It can also be paired to two devices at once, which can come in handy if you need to switch between audio sources.
The Sony SRS-XB33 and the Sony ULT FIELD 1 are both portable, wireless speakers that are marketed around having enhanced bass frequencies. That said, neither has a particularly punchy or rumbly bass response. The ULT FIELD 1 does have a more balanced mid and treble response, which makes it a great choice for podcasts. Perhaps the main point of departure between the two is the difference in battery life, as the SRS-XB33 has almost double the continuous battery life, making it a solid choice for weekend camping trips. That said, there's not much to split the two beyond this. Both speakers can get similarly loud, but the ULT FIELD 1 has more compression at max volume.
The Sony SRS-XE200 is a slightly better speaker than the Sony SRS-XB33. Overall, the speakers perform fairly similarly at a similar price point, only the XE200 is smaller, making it more portable. It has a slightly longer-lasting battery life too. Also, while both speakers support voice assistants through your smartphone, the XE200 is significantly better at registering your commands from far away and in noisier environments. That said, while the XB33 gets a touch less loud than the XE200, it has less compression present at max volume, so audio quality doesn't degrade as much as you increase the volume.
Test Results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
