Sony is one of the earliest and most well-established manufacturers of inexpensive wireless speakers on the market. Despite their expensive nature, the company’s Bluetooth personal audio products, such as headphones, earphones, and wireless speakers, are among the finest available. Are Sony’s brand value and reputation adequate to warrant such pricing in a competitive market niche?
Portable Bluetooth speakers are useful for users who desire to listen to music or take calls while on the move or in the great outdoors. Here, the Sony SRS-XB13 is an appropriate choice. This speaker is rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, so it can withstand moderate exposure to the elements and can even be rinsed under a running faucet or submerged for brief periods.
[content-egg-block template=offers_logo hide=price]Specifications
- Brand Sony
- Model Name SRSXB13/L
- Connectivity Technology Version 4.2
- Special Feature 1.8″ Mono Driver with DSP and Extra Bass; Up to 16 Hours of Battery Life; IP67 Water and Dust Resistance; Built-In Mic;
- Integrated Playback and Volume Controls1.8″ Mono Driver with DSP and Extra Bass; Up to 16 Hours of Battery Life; IP67 Water and Dust Resistance; Built-In Mic; Integrated Playback and Volume Controls
- Recommended Uses For Product For Smartphones or Tablets
Where to get Sony SRS-XB13 EXTRA BASS?
It is somewhat broad, ovoid, and short, resembling a corpulent soda can. It may fit in a car’s cup holder, but the strap also allows it to be affixed to a backpack. A grille protects a typical 1.5-inch driver on the speaker’s top, while a passive radiator enhances bass response on the bottom. Along with the controls, the hidden USB-C connector for charging the speaker is located on the speaker’s side.
The bottom of the speaker features a rubber bass and tiny slots in the plastic base to enable sound to permeate — a design element directly borrowed from Sony’s 2020 speaker series. Two additional notable design features are the ability to connect two XB13s by pressing and holding the Bluetooth pairing button and the capability to pair Android devices quickly. The former will set the speaker to a left-right channel configuration for stereo sound, which can significantly enhance the speaker’s sound quality, whereas the latter makes it incredibly easy and quick to connect with any contemporary Android smartphone or tablet.
The vast majority of wireless speakers of this size produce sound that is calibrated and focused for compact settings, typically just two people seated close to the device. In comparison to other similarly-sized wireless speakers, the Sony SRS-XB13 is powerful and has a decent sound quality. The battery life is considerably longer than the 16 hours listed on the packaging, which we presume is at higher volumes. This is the kind of battery life you need for hikes, but since it won’t be on continuously, it’s safe to presume that this speaker won’t need to be recharged until Monday. Although we believe the battery life will degrade over time, it appears to be indestructible out of the box, which is precisely what consumers want from outdoor equipment. On the side of the device are indicators for limited battery life.