There are smarter and much bigger speakers to choose from, but this tiny little thing offers surprisingly crisp sound for its low price.
Even the smallest of Bluetooth speakers can prove to be a big value. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been testing Sony’s $59.99 XB100, which is the most portable option in the company’s lineup. It’s small enough to fit in a car cup holder. It’s shorter than a soda can and lightweight to the point that it’ll barely add any noticeable heft to your backpack or tote bag. And despite that tiny footprint, the XB100 manages to produce crisp sound that’s rich in bass — exactly where you’d expect it might struggle.
The overall design closely takes after Sony’s prior XB13, but a textured outer finish and intended Sony logo make it easier to grip and look classier than the last model. The removable fabric strap lends some versatility to the speaker and gives you plenty of options for hanging it somewhere, securely hooking it onto bike handlebars, and so on. Sony is offering some striking colors, like the blue unit I reviewed and a bold orange version. You can also opt for black or a light gray if your soul is void of fun. The included USB-C charging cable is on the short side — about a foot long — but by now, you likely have a longer cord around the house for other devices.
The XB100 gets up to 16 hours of continuous battery life, and it’s rated IP67 against dust and water. The USB-C charging port is protected with a rubber flap, and to the left of that flap are five buttons for power, Bluetooth pairing, play / pause, and volume controls. The buttons press in with a nice click, so it’s very unlikely you’ll hit any of them accidentally. Sony also says the speaker has a UV coating to further protect it against the elements (and hopefully prevent these vibrant colors from fading over time). Sony also supports Fast Pair for Android devices, which is a nice little trick to have for the price.
I
nside the speaker is an off-center diaphragm designed to enhance clarity across the volume range. And there’s a “sound diffusion processor” that the company claims can help spread the XB100’s audio beyond its meager dimensions. The internal layout is fairly simple; Sony pairs a passive radiator with a mono speaker. Unlike the company’s more premium Bluetooth devices, you can’t do any EQ customization with the $60 XB100 from the Sony Music mobile app. But it’s such a compact speaker that I’m not sure fiddling with EQ would make much of a difference; you’re either going to like the default sound profile or not.
-Theverge
