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Bluetooth Speakers

True Score Methodology v1.0

Sony SRS-XG500 Review

November 16, 2023

True Score

Mixed Reviews

Experts

844

Consumers

Expert Rankings

(

)

Top analysts praised the Sony SRS-XG500 for its overwhelming bass output, water and dust resistance, and long playback time. They were pleased that it had a wide range of inputs and that its Bluetooth latency was also short. Still, they didn’t appreciate its lack of voice assistant and speakerphone functionality or its bulky size.

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Table of Contents

Overview
What Is Not on the Box
Product Comparison
All Stores
Score Card
Expert Score Breakdown
Customer Score Breakdown
Learn More About Bluetooth Speakers

Overview

The Sony SRS-XG500 is a top-tier Bluetooth speaker that was first announced in mid-2021. As is standard with the top speakers in the industry, the XG-500 is capable of day-long use, as its battery lasts up to 30 hours after a single charge. It is also designed for outdoor use since it offers both dust and water resistance, and on both sides, it has an LED ring that lights up to provide ambient lighting. The speaker’s Bluetooth connectivity is also at par with that of the highest-rated Bluetooth speakers on the market. The speaker can maintain connectivity with a device up to 334 ft away and be paired with two devices simultaneously. The XG500 also has an AUX port for connecting devices directly to the speaker and two USB ports that can also be used to charge other devices.

What Is Not on the Box

What the brand doesn’t always tell you…

our Verdict

Product reviewers hailed the Sony SRS-XG500 for its deep bass response, sturdy build, and long battery life. Experts from T3 were impressed with its wide port selection, as they noted that it had a 3.5mm audio input, a USB input for device charging, a guitar/microphone input, and another USB port to play music from a storage device. They also commended its 30-hour battery life, and during their sound tests, they were blown away by its outstanding bass response. They also liked how loud it could get, while testers from Rtings appreciated its low iOS and Bluetooth latency. They agreed that this made it ideal for streaming music and videos without lag.

However, analysts were disappointed with its lack of voice assistant and speakerphone functionality. These features can be found on the Sony XB72 or the Sony XB90, which we’ve covered in our Sony XB72 review and our Sony XB90 review. They also felt that the speaker’s large size did not make it portable.

True Score

Reasons to Buy

Great bass response
Loud max volume
Wide range of inputs
Water and dust resistant
Long battery life

Reasons to Avoid

No voice assistant or speakerphone functionality
Bulky size

Specifications

	Battery Life	3 hrs
	Built In Microphone	Yes
	Charge Time	110 watts
	Size	Yes
	Smart App	Yes
	Speaker Pairing	n/a
	Water Resistant	n/a
	Wattage	–
	Wireless Range	30 hours

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Product Comparison

	Sony SRS-XG500 Review	Sony SRS-XB43 Review	JBL Boombox 2 Review
True Score	74	71	77	NR
Ranking	# 37 / 81	# 50 / 81	# 22 / 81	# /
Market Context	The Sony SRS-XG500 is a top-tier Bluetooth speaker that was first announced in mid-2021. As is standard with the top speakers in the industry, the… The Sony SRS-XG500 is a top-tier Bluetooth speaker that was first announced in mid-2021. As is standard with the top speakers in the industry, the XG-500 is capable of day-long use, as its battery lasts up to 30 hours after a single charge. It is also designed for outdoor use since it offers both dust and water resistance, and on both sides, it has an LED ring that lights up to provide ambient lighting. The speaker’s Bluetooth connectivity is also at par with that of the highest-rated Bluetooth speakers on the market. The speaker can maintain connectivity with a device up to 334 ft away and be paired with two devices simultaneously. The XG500 also has an AUX port for connecting devices directly to the speaker and two USB ports that can also be used to charge other devices.	The Sony SRS-XG500 has a much longer 25.8-hour battery life than the Sony SRS-XB43, which lasts up to 15 hours. The XG500 also charges much… The Sony SRS-XG500 has a much longer 25.8-hour battery life than the Sony SRS-XB43, which lasts up to 15 hours. The XG500 also charges much faster, requiring only 2.6 hours compared to the XB43, which takes up to 4.5 hours. However, the XB43 is compatible with voice assistants such as Google Assistant and Siri, while the XG500 is not. Go ahead and check out our Sony SRS-XB43 review to see what else its got to offer.	The Sony SRS-XG500 has RGB lighting, while the JBL Boombox 2 does not. The XG500 also takes a slightly shorter time to charge, requiring only… The Sony SRS-XG500 has RGB lighting, while the JBL Boombox 2 does not. The XG500 also takes a slightly shorter time to charge, requiring only 2.6 hours to get to full capacity compared to the Boombox 2, which takes a longer 3.9 hours.	The first difference buyers will notice between the Sony SRS-XG500 and the Sony SRS-XG300 is that the XG500 is twice as large as the XG300…. The first difference buyers will notice between the Sony SRS-XG500 and the Sony SRS-XG300 is that the XG500 is twice as large as the XG300. However, the XG300 has support for both speakerphone and voice assistant functionality. The XG500 offers a longer battery life between the two, with a battery life of up to 25.8 hours compared to the 14.2 hours provided by the XG-300.
Battery Life	3 hrs	24 hrs	24 hrs	–
Built In Microphone	Yes	Yes	Yes	–
Charge Time	110 watts	5 hrs	6.5 hrs	–
Size	Yes	4.84" (h) x 12.8" (w) x 4.61" (d)	19.1" (w) x 7.9" (h) x 10.1" (d)	–
Smart App	Yes	n/a	Yes	–
Speaker Pairing	n/a	Yes	Yes	–
Dig Deeper		Read review →: Sony SRS-XB43 Review	Read review →: JBL Boombox 2 Review

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$298.00
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Score Card

Expert Score

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

Customer Score

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

Any product with a True Score above 70 is a Mixed Reviews

Expert Score Breakdown

Publications with higher Trust Scores are given more weight

A
Trust Score
71
“No bottom line found for this product” read more
By:
Tim Gideon
D
Trust Score
80
The Sony SRS-XG500 is part of the Wireless & Bluetooth Speakers test program at Consumer… read more
By:
Yasmine Crossland
D
Trust Score
NR
Sony SRS-XG500 Sony’s latest portable Bluetooth speaker is built for big spaces and loud parties… read more
By:
Unknown
F
Trust Score
NR
Whether you need to make sure you’ve got something that can truly fill an outdoor… read more
By:
Unknown
F
Trust Score
NR
The Sony SRS-XG500 is alright for music. With its ‘MEGA BASS’ preset enabled and its… read more
By:
Unknown
F
Trust Score
80
The Sony SRS-XG500 speaker provides massive sound in a large, water-resistant boombox-style design. read more
By:
John Panoryios