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Sony SRS-XB01 Review

Enrest Walugembe Avatar
Updated Jan 25, 2024 6:27 PM

True Score

70
70
3

Experts

81
820

Consumers

Product Awards

GR Certified

Customer Favorite

Expert Rankings

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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Table of Contents

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 LifeBattery Life6 hrs
Built In MicrophoneBuilt In MicrophoneYes
Charge TimeCharge Time3 hrs
SizeSize81.5 mm (w) x 57.5 mm (h) x 56.5 mm (d)
Smart AppSmart AppYes
Speaker PairingSpeaker PairingYes
Water ResistantWater ResistantYes
WattageWattage5W
Wireless RangeWireless Range9.8 meter

All Specs

Test Results

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

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100

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260

#

70

/

260

#

40

/

260

#

8

/

260

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…

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.

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

Dig Deeper

Sony SRS-XB12 Review →

JBL Jr Pop Review →

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 Review →

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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

  • Rtings
    100.6

    Category Trust Rating

    55
    The Sony SRS-XB01 is okay for outdoor use. It’s portable, and it even has a… Read More

    By:

    David Carnoy
  • CNET
    36.25

    Category Trust Rating

    80
    The Sony SRS-XB01 is a likable little speaker that’s well designed and sounds decent enough… Read More

    By:

    John Panoryios
  • Choice
    44.8

    Category Trust Rating

    NR
    “No bottom line found for this product” Read More

    By:

    Unknown

Customer Scores