The Sony SRS-RA5000 is a mid-range portable wireless speaker released in 2021, promising ambient room-filling sound for indoor use. This device uses Bluetooth 4.2, covering a space of up to 334.6-foot. Find devices with a comparable range on our list of the top-ranked speakers today. This speaker can also connect to Wi-Fi, supporting Google Chromecast. Browse up to the end of this Sony SRS-RA5000 review and check out the finest Bluetooth speakers today.
108
out of
109
Speakers
Sony SRS-RA5000 Review
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Updated Jan 25, 2024 6:27 PM
Published
True Score
True Score is an AI-powered algorithm of product tests and customer reviews.
56
Total dud
56
12
Experts
67
98
Consumers
Expert Rankings
(
12
)
Top product researchers hailed the Sony SRS-RA5000, endorsing it for indoor music and podcasts. They praised its good soundstage, Chromecast support, and loud output. They also liked its well-balanced soundscape. However, they disliked its bulky design and lack of voice assistant features.
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Product Snapshot
Overview
The Sony SRS-RA5000 is a mid-range portable wireless speaker released in 2021, promising ambient room-filling sound for indoor use. This device uses Bluetooth 4.2, covering a space of up to 334.6-foot. Find devices with a comparable range on our list of the top-ranked speakers today. This speaker can also connect to Wi-Fi, supporting Google Chromecast. Browse up to the end of this Sony SRS-RA5000 review and check out the finest Bluetooth speakers today.
Consensus
our Verdict
Reviewers loved the Sony SRS-RA5000 during their testing, endorsing it for indoor music and podcasts. Experts at Engadget hailed its accurate sound profile. The device has a 55.0Hz to 17.2kHz frequency response range and a good 3.71 dB standard error. Testers at TechRadar adored its app-based graphic EQ and presets. The speaker has an 85 ms Android Bluetooth latency and 63 ms iOS latency. It also supports Google Chromecast via Wi-Fi, although the 955 ms Chromecast latency is very high, and it doesn’t support Apple AirPlay. Check out the Philips Fidelio SoundAvia AD7000W37 review for an AirPlay-compatible device. The SRS-RA5000 has an excellent 2.78 dB directivity index, offering a wide soundstage. However, it does not support stereo music. Reaching a 92.0 dB SPL, this device gets really loud, but the 3.06 dB DRC indicates some sound-quality deterioration at the maximum volume. The speaker lacks battery power, however, and it doesn’t have voice assistant and speakerphone features. See our Sony SRS-XB01 review for an IPX5-rated water-resistant Bluetooth speaker.
ReasonS to Buy
- Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Chromecast support
- Excellent soundstage
- Well balanced music
- Speaker gets really loud
- App-based graphic EQ and presets
Reason to Avoid
- So-so low bass will not appeal to some movie buffs
- No speakerphone or voice assistant functionality
- Bulky construction
- Not battery-powered
- Doesn’t support multi-device Bluetooth pairing or stereo
Sony SRS-RA5000 Specs
 | Battery Life | n/a |
 | Built In Microphone | Yes |
 | Charge Time | n/a |
 | Size | 235 mm (w) x 329 mm (h) x 225 mm (d) |
 | Smart App | Yes |
 | Speaker Pairing | Yes |
 | Water Resistant | n/a |
 | Wattage | 55W |
 | Wireless Range | 30 m |
All Specs
Test Results
These are the most important criteria to test for Speakers based on our comprehensive Testing Methodology.
| Battery Life (Hours) | 0 |
| Volume Output (dB) | 92 |
| Low End Roll Off (Hz) | 63.496 |
| High End Roll Off (Hz) | 4,902.929 |
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Product Comparison
 Sony SRS-RA5000 Review | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
True Score | 56 | 69 | 78 | 84 |
Ranking | # 108 / 109 | # 103 / 109 | # 77 / 109 | # 5 / 109 |
Market Context |
The Sony SRS-RA5000 is a mid-range portable wireless speaker released in 2021, promising ambient room-filling sound for indoor use. This device uses Bluetooth 4.2, covering… |
While the Sony SRS-RA5000 doesn’t support stereo, the Sony SRS-RA3000 supports stereo music. This RA3000 also has a better 1.60 dB directivity index, offering a… While the Sony SRS-RA5000 doesn’t support stereo, the Sony SRS-RA3000 supports stereo music. This RA3000 also has a better 1.60 dB directivity index, offering a more immersive soundstage than the Sony SRS-RA5000, which has a 2.78 dB directivity index. Our Sony SRS-RA3000 review offers details about the RA3000 portable speaker. |
Featuring a better 2.78 dB directivity index, the Sony SRS-RA5000 provides a more immersive music soundstage than the Sony SRS-XB43, which has a 7.34 dB… Featuring a better 2.78 dB directivity index, the Sony SRS-RA5000 provides a more immersive music soundstage than the Sony SRS-XB43, which has a 7.34 dB directivity index. However, the 6.4-lbs SRS-XB43 wireless speaker is battery-powered, so it’s more portable than the 11.6-lb Sony SRS-RA5000, which is not battery-powered. |
Unlike the JBL Charge 5, which only connects via Bluetooth, the Sony SRS-RA5000 connects via Bluetooth and Google Chromecast (Wi-Fi). The Sony SRS-RA5000 speaker also… Unlike the JBL Charge 5, which only connects via Bluetooth, the Sony SRS-RA5000 connects via Bluetooth and Google Chromecast (Wi-Fi). The Sony SRS-RA5000 speaker also has a better 2.78 dB directivity index, providing a wider soundstage than the Charge 5 portable speaker. However, the Charge 5 has IP67-rated waterproof construction and is battery-powered, unlike the Sony SRS-RA5000, which is not waterproof and lacks a battery. |
Battery Life | n/a | n/a | 24 hrs | 20+ hrs |
Built In Microphone | Yes | n/a | Yes | No |
Charge Time | n/a | n/a | 5 hrs | 4 hrs |
Size | 235 mm (w) x 329 mm (h) x 225 mm (d) | 9.75" (h) x 6.12" (w) x 5.75" (d) | 4.84" (h) x 12.8" (w) x 4.61" (d) | – |
Smart App | Yes | n/a | n/a | JBL Portable |
Speaker Pairing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Water Resistant | n/a | n/a | Yes | Yes |
Wattage | 55W | 20W | 32W | 30W |
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Score Card
E
Expert Score
56
*.75
We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores
C
Customer Score
67
*.25
We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores
True Score
56
Any product with a True Score above 60 is a Meh
Expert Scores
Publications with higher Trust Ratings are given more weight.
100.6Category Trust Rating
50The Sony SRS-RA5000 is alright for music. With its room correction feature turned on, it… Read MoreBy:
Scott Wilkinson
43.6Category Trust Rating
40Sony’s SRS-RA5000 wireless speaker offers a number of intriguing audio modes that simply don’t sound… Read MoreBy:
Tim Gideon
43Category Trust Rating
NRThe Sony SRS-RA5000 is one of the first 360 Reality Audio speakers on the market,… Read MoreBy:
Brad Moon
48.7Category Trust Rating
NR“No bottom line found for this product” Read MoreBy:
William Goodman
53.1Category Trust Rating
40The RA5000 does a decent job of rendering 360 RA tracks with their signature open-air,… Read MoreBy:
Chris Davies
44.2Category Trust Rating
25Fortunately, the SRS RA-5000 is well-equipped to play music in general, and when used as… Read MoreBy:
Billy Steele
Customer Scores
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