The Sony SRS-XB01 is a mid-range wireless portable speaker released in 2018, promising deep bass and punchy music for smartphone users. Like the top-ranked speakers today, the Sony SRS-XB01 is remarkably portable. Connecting via Bluetooth 4.2, it has an impressive 326.4-foot Bluetooth range. This device has a good battery life and has a water-resistant IPX5-rated construction. Examine the specs of the Sony SRS-XB01 below and see how it stacks up against the highest-ranked Bluetooth speakers today.
100
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109
Speakers
Sony SRS-XB01 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.
70
Mixed Reviews
70
3
Experts
81
820
Consumers
Expert Rankings
(
3
)
Critics were delighted by the Sony SRS-XB01, and they approved it for music, podcasts, and the outdoors. They like its neutral music, low Bluetooth latency, and low sound compression at the maximum volume. However, they were disappointed that it didn’t get very loud.
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Product Snapshot
Overview
The Sony SRS-XB01 is a mid-range wireless portable speaker released in 2018, promising deep bass and punchy music for smartphone users. Like the top-ranked speakers today, the Sony SRS-XB01 is remarkably portable. Connecting via Bluetooth 4.2, it has an impressive 326.4-foot Bluetooth range. This device has a good battery life and has a water-resistant IPX5-rated construction. Examine the specs of the Sony SRS-XB01 below and see how it stacks up against the highest-ranked Bluetooth speakers today.
Consensus
our Verdict
Top experts lauded the Sony SRS-XB01, endorsing it for music, podcasts, and outdoor enthusiasts. Tests as CNET hailed its remarkably portable 0.2-lb design. Testers at Which? Confirmed that it has speakerphone features, and they praised its 142.5Hz to 14.3 kHz frequency response range. It has a low 2.44 dB standard error, producing well-balanced music, although the mediocre low bass is unlikely to appeal to hardcore movie lovers. It also lacks EQ or presets. Check out our Sony SRS-RA5000 review if you need an EQ. During testing, it ran for 11.5 hours on a single charge. This portable speaker supports Siri and Google Assistant via a smartphone, and it has a good 46 ms Android Bluetooth latency and 45 ms iOS latency. However, it has a poor 5.17 dB directivity index, equating to a narrow soundstage, and it doesn’t support stereo. With a 78.1 dB peak SPL, this device doesn’t get very loud, although it has a great0 .3 dB DRC sound compression rate at the maximum volume.
ReasonS to Buy
- Supports smartphone voice assistants
- Low Bluetooth latency
- Maintains good audio quality at the maximum volume
- Decent 11.5-hour battery life
- Speakerphone functions
Reason to Avoid
- Poor low-bass
- Speaker doesn’t get very loud
- Narrow soundstage
- Downmixes stereo to mono
Sony SRS-XB01 Specs
 | Battery Life | 6 hrs |
 | Built In Microphone | Yes |
 | Charge Time | 3 hrs |
 | Size | 81.5 mm (w) x 57.5 mm (h) x 56.5 mm (d) |
 | Smart App | Yes |
 | Speaker Pairing | Yes |
 | Water Resistant | Yes |
 | Wattage | 5W |
 | Wireless Range | 9.8 meter |
All Specs
Test Results
These are the most important criteria to test for Speakers based on our comprehensive Testing Methodology.
| Battery Life (Hours) | 11.5 |
| Volume Output (dB) | 78.1 |
| Low End Roll Off (Hz) | 201.587 |
| High End Roll Off (Hz) | 12,002.895 |
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Product Comparison
 Sony SRS-XB01 Review | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
True Score | 70 | 78 | 82 | 84 |
Ranking | # 100 / 109 | # 70 / 109 | # 40 / 109 | # 8 / 109 |
Market Context |
The Sony SRS-XB01 is a mid-range wireless portable speaker released in 2018, promising deep bass and punchy music for smartphone users. Like the top-ranked speakers… |
Featuring a graphic EQ, the Sony SRS-XB12 is more customizable than the Sony SRS-XB01 (this review), which lacks an EQ. The XB12 speaker offers deeper… Featuring a graphic EQ, the Sony SRS-XB12 is more customizable than the Sony SRS-XB01 (this review), which lacks an EQ. The XB12 speaker offers deeper low-bass and a better 0.97 dB directivity index, translating into a wider soundstage than the XB01 with its 5.17 dB directivity index. However, the Sony SRS-XB01 has a 13.3-hour battery life, running for longer than the 11.5-hour runtime of the XB12 speaker. Check out our Sony SRS-XB12 review for details. |
Compared to the 5.6-hour battery life of the JBL JR POP speaker, the 11.5-hour runtime of the Sony SRS-XB01 is much better. This Sony device… Compared to the 5.6-hour battery life of the JBL JR POP speaker, the 11.5-hour runtime of the Sony SRS-XB01 is much better. This Sony device also supports smartphone-based voice assistants, unlike the JBL model. However, the JBL portable speaker has a much better 0.73 dB directivity index, delivering a more immersive soundstage than the Sony SRS-XB01, which has a 5.17 dB directivity index. See our JBL JR POP review for details about the JBL device. |
Producing deeper extended low-bass and a better 1.66 dB directivity index, the Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 is better for music than the Sony SRS-XB01, which… Producing deeper extended low-bass and a better 1.66 dB directivity index, the Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 is better for music than the Sony SRS-XB01, which has a 5.17 dB directivity index. However, the Sony speaker supports voice assistants, unlike the WONDERBOOM device. |
Battery Life | 6 hrs | 16 hrs | 5 hrs | 13 hrs |
Built In Microphone | Yes | Yes | Yes | n/a |
Charge Time | 3 hrs | 4 hrs and 30 meters | 2 hrs | 2.6 hrs |
Size | 81.5 mm (w) x 57.5 mm (h) x 56.5 mm (d) | 74 mm (d) x 92 mm (h) | 5.5" (w) x 3.54" (h) x 8.07" (d) | 4.1" (h) x 3.8" (w) x 3.8" (d) |
Smart App | Yes | Yes | Yes | n/a |
Speaker Pairing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Water Resistant | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Wattage | 5W | 10W | 30W | 100W |
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Score Card
E
Expert Score
70
*.75
We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores
C
Customer Score
81
*.25
We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores
True Score
70
Any product with a True Score above 70 is a Mixed Reviews
Expert Scores
Publications with higher Trust Ratings are given more weight.
100.6Category Trust Rating
55The Sony SRS-XB01 is okay for outdoor use. It’s portable, and it even has a… Read MoreBy:
David Carnoy
36.25Category Trust Rating
80The Sony SRS-XB01 is a likable little speaker that’s well designed and sounds decent enough… Read MoreBy:
John Panoryios
44.8Category Trust Rating
NR“No bottom line found for this product” Read MoreBy:
Unknown
Customer Scores
- 86
(
4.3/5
)
820Ratings
- NR
(
NR/5
)
Ratings
- NR
(
NR/5
)
Ratings
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