The Sony XG300 is an additional X-Series Bluetooth speaker from the business that created the original Walkman. It was given this name since all of its X-prefixed speakers come equipped with Sony’s non-circular and socially-friendly X-Balanced Speaker Unit. There is a new, slightly larger XG500 as well, but today we’re concentrating on the XG300. While Sony, Ultimate Ears, JBL, and Bose have been the front-runners in our top portable Bluetooth speaker roundups for quite a few years, recently a few novelties and newcomers hit gold names like as Tribit and Earfun are gaining steam they could pose a problem for the Sony XG300.
Has the tech behemoth with headquarters in Tokyo been too enamored with its own achievements to see that others are benefiting? The answer is no, categorically, this speaker outperforms the competition across the board. However, its offers now stand out for another reason, and the XG300 is no exception. Given the abundance of talented new humble, more affordable, best party speaker competition, the Sony X-Series SRS-XG300 debuts looking especially costly.
What we can tell you is that this speaker is a skilled beast, brimming with extra capabilities you may or may not need. Thanks to a few easy clicks in Sony’s comprehensive Music Center app, it can play the party card one minute and yet look classy in your living room the next. LDAC support, Sony’s own “hi-res” codec, is certainly the most impressive name on the spec sheet.
Better-than-CD high-resolution music up to 32-bit/96kHz may be streamed via Bluetooth at up to 990kbps thanks to LDAC. A threefold increase in the quantity of data that can be broadcast over Bluetooth is also possible, according to Sony, because of improved packetization and more effective coding. To put those numbers in perspective, Qualcomm’s aptX HD can only stream at 576kbps, compared to SBC’s (the basic “vanilla” Bluetooth codec) maximum data rate of just 328kbps.
Sony SRS-XG300 review: Design
The 6.6-pound SRS-XG300 is available in dark or light gray and is 12.5 by 5.4 by 5.4 inches. Due in part to the waterproof material’s heather-like appearance, the cylindrical speaker offers a sporty appeal. The button panels and the built-in handle both have matte silicone surfaces and slide down completely when not in use. Strong feet on the base prevent the speaker from shifting because of vibrations.
Large, circular passive radiators with LEDs around their circumference (each measuring 2.8 inches in diameter) are housed in the SRS-ends. XG300’s Two 2.4 by 2.7-inch front-facing woofers and tweeters are located behind the grille (0.8-inch wide). According to Sony, the woofers’ rounded rectangular design minimizes driver excursion and guards against distortion. In any event, the total output of all the parts is a frequency range of 20Hz to 20KHz.
The front left and right control panels are positioned. There are buttons for power, Bluetooth, and Mega Bass on the left panel. The Charge (which indicates an active power connection) and Stamina (which extends battery life) functionalities, as well as each button, have individual LED indicators. A multifunction button on the right panel controls track navigation, call management, and playing. To skip to the next or previous track, press twice or three times, respectively.
Sony SRS-XG300 review: Features
For a speaker the size of the XG300, the 25-hour battery life is impressive. The SRS-XG300 statistic outperforms the Beolit 20 and Move speakers, whose battery life is 8 and 11 hours, respectively. The earlier-mentioned Battery Care feature prolongs battery life. Although there is a feature for that as well, it doesn’t preserve and extend battery life; rather, it prevents the speaker from overcharging so that the battery unit lasts longer. There is quick charging capabilities as well, providing an additional 70 minutes of playing in just 10 minutes.
Google Fast Pair is supported for quick pairing with Android devices; an equivalent feature is not offered for iOS. The speaker’s unusual degree of adaptability for what is described as a “party” speaker includes the ability to function as a speaker phone for calls. The Echo Cancelling technology built in is intended to stop lag or echoes during calls. The only portable Bluetooth speaker I’ve found with voice help is the B&O Beosound A1 2nd Gen, therefore you won’t find it here. Google and Alexa control is uncommon for portable Bluetooth speakers.
The app offers DJ effects Sony’s ClearAudio+ (which seems to enable Mega Bass anyway), EQ sound options Sony’s ClearAudio+ (which offers EQ sound options), Bluetooth connection quality — enable priority on Sound Quality to enable LDAC Bluetooth playback on the XG300 if a mobile device supports it (iOS doesn’t). If not, there are Bluetooth codecs for SBC and AAC. Additionally, the wireless range is reliable; when I moved from the speaker to the other end of a sizable backyard, I experienced no signal loss.
Sony SRS-XG300 review: Sound Quality
The SRS-presentation XG300’s is consistent with Sony’s most current headphones, the WH-1000XM5 and WF-1000XM4: rich and smooth with a focus on bass. Although this is a “party” speaker, if neutrality and accuracy are what you seek, you won’t get as much of that here as you would with the Sonos speakers Move. The XG300 is a very directional speaker with a large soundstage because to its design, but there is no 360-degree spread of sound. Since the speaker doesn’t distribute its sound out to the sides, I discovered that it is better to stand or sit close to it. I can hear music while seated behind it, but it seems rather masked.
When listening to songs like Katy B’s Katy On a Mission, Nas’ If I Ruled the World, and 112’s Peaches & Cream, the Mega Bass option does give the bassline a little more body. However, I wouldn’t say that the Mega Bass feature visibly affects the midrange and treble performance.
Given that the X-Balanced speaker driver arrangement maintains a good balance throughout the frequency range, I’d say Mega Bass is applied with taste rather than being overpowering and distracting. While listening to The Beatles’ Hey Jude with the volume turned up loud, I didn’t notice any distortion; perhaps surprisingly, the smaller JBL Charge 5 produces louder loudness.
The speaker’s rich persona has endearing advantages. Nelly Furtado’s Maneater exhibits a more assertive low-frequency performance with more energy and drive than the Move can produce, though the Beolit 20’s bass is greater than both, I might add. The bass is more textured than you’ll get on more costly speakers like the Move.
Sony SRS-XG300 review: Battery Life
Another issue is battery life. The Sony XG300’s battery life is rated at 25 hours, however in our tests, it only lasts for 14 hours. It’s typical for a product’s battery life to occasionally overshoot and occasionally fall just short of expectations. However, such a large shortage is quite important. You might have better outcomes if you keep the stamina mode on while listening at modest volumes. However, you shouldn’t anticipate spending the entire day with this speaker. The battery cannot be changed. After 500 charge/discharge cycles, the battery should give 80% of its initial capacity, according to the manufacturer. Through USB, the firmware can be updated.
Sony SRS-XG300 review: Price and availability
The Sony SRS-XG300 will cost you $269 in the UK and $479 AUD in Australia when it becomes available in July 2022. Regarding availability in the US, nothing has been announced as of yet. To find out where to buy one, check at the amazon or the ecommerce platform like Best Buy, Walmart.
Final words
The Sony SRS-XG300 appears to have many advantages: Bluetooth 5.2 and LDAC, multipoint, IP67 certification, a convenient grip, and large, powerful speakers, to name a few. The fact that this is pricey and doesn’t feel noticeably better than its smaller sibling, the XE300, doesn’t negate the reality that all of the aforementioned statements are accurate in practice. The XG300 is undoubtedly louder, but if you’re on a limited budget, an increase in volume certainly isn’t sufficient to justify a $150 USD price rise. There are many excellent Bluetooth speakers available, and the most of them are not quite as expensive as the XG300.