Customer Ratings & Reviews

Sony’s SRS series portable speakers are designed to have powerful sound anywhere you go. They produce a full-range sound and line-shape diffuser for the best wider listening area by spreading the sound further and wider to the sides. Contrary to similar speakers, which transmit the sound mostly when you are in front of the speaker. The sound gets correctly balanced, which produces a high-quality sound without distortion. The bass is acceptable. It is designed to make this truly portable to take anywhere (beach, pool, park, etc.) since it is water, sand, and shock proof. I get many listening hours at medium volume on a single full charge. Not sure how long it will last at total blast volume. It gets fully charged very quickly and comes with its own USB-C type charging cable. Note that it doesn’t come with a wall charger. I feel this is not an issue for most people since you can use a wall charger from your other devices (e.g., mobile phone). Using a standard wall charger for many devices is excellent for reducing production costs and, simultaneously, helping the environment—props to Sony designers for being environmentally responsible. With the Sony SRS series speakers, you can optimize your sound experience with the control Party Connect feature via the Sony Music Center app. If the speakers are of the same models, you can have one speaker play sound on the right side while another plays on the left side. The Music Center app has features to change the setting and play with your music. Overall, this is a good speaker; if you get more than one, you can experience the best sound through party connect.

At first I was pretty confused by the design of this XE300 portable bluetooth speaker from Sony. I couldn't quite figure out why anyone would design a speaker with such a tall and narrow driver. Was this a "directional" speaker? Wouldn't that limit the amount of sound that is output by the speaker to a very limited range? As it turns out, Sony very deliberately designed this speaker with it's new line shape diffuser technology. This would explain why the design choice initially seemed odd. After curiosity got the best of me, I did a bit of research. Sony's design choice was inspired by professional grade audio systems that are used at serious concerts. This design is supposed to help with distributing the sound evenly and wider to fill the empty space around you. After using this in various indoor and outdoor settings, I can attest that it does a phenomenal job of filling any room, or the space around you. The sound feels better dispersed with a greater range of coverage as compared to other current outdoor speakers that I've owned. I'm a big fan of the sound signature on this speaker. The mids are very clear and crisp. Very impressed with the vocals for a bluetooth speaker (listened to a lot of Diana Krall and it sounded amazing!). Even at full volume, the sound signature retains it's sharpness with no distortion. The bass is tight and punchy. Initially, I thought the bass was a bit lacking for an outdoor speaker but as I began to listen to different genres of music, I noticed that it was more than capable of producing a deep and punchy low frequency without sounding muddled. I think it's a very well balanced sound signature. It's not the best sounding outdoor bluetooth speaker I've ever heard, but it is the best sounding outdoor speaker I've heard in it's pricing segment. Also, I realized I could increase the intensity of the bass to my liking via the Sony music center app. In terms of build quality, you can instantly tell it was designed to take a beating. I feel very confident knowing that it will survive multiple rough drops. Most the the body of the speaker is outfitted with a very soft and comfortable rubber lining. Sony made this an IP67 certified speaker. The moment you hold this in your hands, you can tell that it's fully waterproof, shockproof, and dustproof. Sony claims that it maintains it's operability when submerged upto a depth of 1 meter for 30 minutes. I left this floating in our pool for about 15 minutes playing music with no issues. I really like the rubber charging cut-out for the USB type-C port. Very easy to access and it has an outstanding seal. No water is getting through there! There are quite a few features that I found to be incredibly useful while using this speaker. A lot of these features are usually not found in other outdoor bluetooth speakers. I've listed them below: - 70 minutes of music playtime with a quick 10 minute charge - 30 meter bluetooth range (My current outdoor bluetooth speakers do 15M!) - Battery Care function (stops charging the battery just before it reaches 100% in order to increase the life span of the battery) - Incredibly easy setup. Just by my bluetooth being on, my Android device instantly detected the XE300 without having to manually pair it - Bluetooth version 5.2; This allowed for an extremely good bluetooth connection. During my week of testing, not once did I experience any sort of audio interruptions or noise - Physical battery indicator button that audibly tells you how much battery you have left - Phenomenal Audio EQ app; The Sony Music Center mobile app instantly detects the speaker, the app is very stable, and the EQ function is tuned well - "Bluetooth Connection Quality" on Sony Music Center App. Allows you to prioritize the bluetooth connection for sound quality or for a more stable connection if you're in a noisy 2.4Ghz frequency environment Overall, I think this is one of the best bluetooth outdoor speakers on the market in it's pricing segment. There are really only two minor cons I have. First, due to the somewhat large hexagonal shape of the speaker, it's a bit difficult to hold with one hand (for reference, I have medium to large hands). This is also compounded by the fact that it's a relatively heavy speaker. I would have loved to see Sony affix some type of unobtrusive waterproof handle on the back of the speaker where you can just slip your hand into. There's plenty of space on the back of the speaker to implement something like this. Not a huge deal but I think it would improve the portability experience. Secondly, you only get a measly 1.5 ft USB type-C charging cable. Luckily, with USB type-C being the current standard, people are likely to own multiple lengths of USB type-C cables. Other than those minor cons, I think beachgoers, pool junkies, or any outdoor weekend warriors will love this speaker. Not only does it produce some of the best sound in it's segment, but it's built to take heavy abuse. Buy with confidence, there's very little not to like.

Great speaker ! Would recommend getting two if getting this size , to get that full stereo effect.

As one of the best-known Japanese technology brands in the world, Sony’s vast product portfolio encompasses all sorts of highly-renowned electronics from top-of-the-line TVs to $20 corded headphones. It comes as no surprise that Sony was among the earliest to market with bluetooth-compatible boomboxes, later evolving into the ubiquitous bluetooth speakers we see everywhere today. The SRSXE200 Portable Bluetooth Speaker is their latest offering in the segment, acting as the entry level item among multiple new bluetooth speakers in the X-Series range. Despite its diminutive size, the SRSXE200 brings room-filling audio and power that’s as at home on the nightstand as it is next to the pool. As with any review of audio equipment, my impressions of sound quality will be subjective. I’ve tried to present them as objectively as possible, but in any case, I highly recommend demoing the speaker in-person at your nearest Best Buy prior to purchase. - Unboxing and Setup Shipped in recycled cardboard with a cloth covering on the speaker and instruction pamphlets kept to a minimum, I applaud Sony’s choice of eco-conscious packaging here. All items are recyclable, which is a welcome sight to see. The SRSXE200 is covered in soft-touch rubber and a cloth mesh, with the only opening being a small door that covers the USB-C charging port. This helps ensure it survives splashes or brief jaunts into the water, meeting the IP67 water-resistance rating. The speaker is pretty weighty at about 2 pounds - it’s far from the lightest speaker I’ve used but it feels very solid as a result. Buttons are clearly labeled and integrated into the soft-touch rubber - there’s a premium feel to the device overall. Setup is as straightforward as can be - hold the Bluetooth button to pair and locate the speaker from your device’s bluetooth menu. The speaker allows for multiple active pairings, letting you seamlessly switch between devices as you go. It won’t allow for simultaneous playback, however - the most recent play command will take control of the speaker. The speaker also includes a microphone for conference calls, which is very handy. The only thing missing I could possibly ask for is a 3.5mm microphone port for legacy devices, but these are becoming fewer in number, and having an exposed port would likely compromise the speaker’s water resistance rating. - Sound Quality Sony has once again worked its engineering magic to deliver a shocking amount of volume and clarity from such a small device. Optimized for as grand a sound stage as possible to fill a room or patio with audio, the SRSXE200 brings serious audio power to any situation. Dual passive radiators are a major selling point for delivering a surprising amount of bass across a good distance. Overall, the sound profile leans away from deep, boomy bass and compensates with strong response further up the band. Up close, the bass doesn’t get particularly deep and does take on a little bit of muddiness, but at a distance of more than a few feet it becomes clear that punchy bass was the goal. Bass notes are audible and clear at a long distance, which was particularly impressive at a small party. Even as we cranked the volume the audio didn’t distort, though as expected the bass response did fall off a little as the speakers, while strong, just aren’t big enough to deliver heavy bass at high volume. Mids and treble are crisp and clear at any distance, seemingly neutral on frequency response. Of course, one thing you won’t get with a speaker this small is a wide soundstage. While multiple speakers are present, it’s unlikely you’ll experience any sort of stereo effect as there’s little space to recreate decent stereo separation. Again, Sony aimed for room-filling audio from the single device and they’ve done a good job at that. You can, however, pair two identical Sony bluetooth speakers together in “Stereo Pair” to allow the speakers to act as left and right channels independently. The built-in microphone for voice calls works well enough. It doesn’t pick up from a far distance - you’ll need to be within a couple feet of the speaker to be heard clearly - but my callers said my voice was otherwise clear and conversation carried on normally without me raising my voice for the speaker to pickup. No complaints here. - Connectivity and Battery Life The Bluetooth range on the SRSXE200 is quite strong. I didn’t experience a disconnect from my phone until I was nearly past my neighbors’ house, over 100 feet away and through insulating walls. I never experienced a connection drop anywhere in my house or garage as I toted the speaker around with its carrying strap. All my devices with audio support had no issue finding or pairing with the speaker. Battery life and charge times are excellent. 2-3 hours charging on USB-C will yield a full charge, which Sony quotes at 16 hours for this speaker. I haven’t run the battery down fully yet to verify the claim, but with a full weekend of standby and a few hours of audio playback I only dipped to approximately 60% charge (pressing the BATT button will announce current charge state in 20% increments). I can certainly see this going the full 16 hours of playback and then some - in my experience Sony does somewhat underrate their battery life. Sony offers a feature called “Party Connect” which allows compatible speakers to synchronize their audio playback, creating a network of up to 100 speakers that can output the audio from a single device. I wasn’t able to test this as I don’t own any other compatible devices, but the prospect of having these spread about the house or patio for gatherings is a compelling feature I might embrace in the future. - Bottom Line The Sony SRSXE200 Portable Bluetooth Speaker delivers strong audio suitable for any environment. While bass response is on the weaker side, the volume and power on tap bring room-filling audio from a surprisingly compact device. An all-day battery and ubiquitous USB-C charging help keep the music going for hours on end, and the ability to connect multiple devices to the speaker and network said speakers with others for more grand audio setups is a huge boon. At $129 MSRP, Sony’s latest bluetooth speaker offering is priced right and fits pretty much anywhere. Recommended!

The XE200 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker By Sony is a very compact little sound powerhouse. It can provide up to 16 hours of audio entertainment when paired to your android or iPhone. Like some other speakers it can be daisy chained to other compatible speakers to play music through all of them in complete synchronization to provide a genuine party like environment for you and your friends at nearly any type of gathering. The XE200 has a Line-Shape Diffuser speaker system that will pump out music to a full 180 degrees giving full sound even to the sides of the speaker, not just to listeners directly in front of the speaker or speakers as the case may be. And its dual passive radiators at the ends of the speaker add a degree of depth to the bass reproduction you can feel in your bones.! It is very lightweight and easy to take along nearly anywhere.! Don't worry about if you should pack it along on camping trips, hiking expeditions or a day by water. Its IP67 waterproof, dustproof and shockproof design gives it the versatility of coming along on nearly any adventure you have planned. I do wish it had the ability to be used to charge other devices when out and about like some others but it doesn't do that.

I'd like to say that I'm using this new Sony SRS-XE300 for myself - but my Daughter is a Senior on the school dance team and has commandeered the unit to practice dance! Definitely big sounds come from this small package - and she's loving it. It was extremely easy to pair to her iPhone, provide a great deal of sound, battery last forever (up to 24 hours) and since it's rugged and waterproof - you really can't go wrong! She charges it overnight about once a week. The size is great for her duffle bag and light to carry around with no effort at all. When it's at home and charging - she uses it as a speaker phone at her desk. It provide pretty good quality voice audio and appears to cancel and echo of the incoming speaker. The mute button is easy to access in case you need to put yourself on mute quick (like due to the dog, UPS man, etc). Overall - I recommend this bluetooth speaker if you're looking for a rugged and portable device. Download the Sony apps to gain access to addition special effects and sounds too! Lastly - although I only have one - if your friends buy one as well, you can use Party Connect to link up to 100 of these devices together. That would be mind blowing!

I wanted to like this speaker, but the sound quality is just lousy. Size is well enough. Looks slightly more stylish than the competition. But man, that's where yhe compliments end. Downloaded the Sony Music app, updated the software. Only has a 3-slider EQ. Can move bass up, but then everything else gets washed out. Theres no balance. When you lower mids the music sounds underwater. When highs are bumped up, it makes everything sound shrill. This speaker manages to mangle music into noise. It might work for others, but it just sounds hollow. Mediocre effort.

Sony never ceases to amaze me with their audio tech. This latest XE300 bluetooth speaker is no different. First listen and be blown away. Pros: *Big sound in a little package *Competitively priced in this premium segment *Full featured *Battery protect mode that only lets you charge to 90% Cons: *Must use phone app for most of the features *No rubber feet to prevent marring *Limited buttons Don’t be caught off guard at the small-ish form factor. It’s not comically small and not enormously cumbersome. I would consider this to be the best size for both portability and stationary bluetooth speaker. Even with the small-ish form factor, it weighs in at a respectable 3lbs. Out of the box, the speaker came pre-charged for immediate use. Comes with just a USB-C cable. To fully unlock all the features, you will need to download and use the app. It came with a flat EQ and mono. After tinkering around with the semi-intuitive app, tuning your EQ to your liking and enabling “stereo” should be the first two things you do after pairing. What this speaker does well is the sound and connectivity. It pairs with my iphone 13 pro almost immediately and rarely without hiccup. After fine tuning the EQ to my liking, the bass is very respectable for the size and nearly zero distortion on full volume. Full volume is loud for inside the house but can be lacking outside if you’re 20+ feet away. The speaker touts its ability to be water and dust proof. That insinuates that it’s a “go anywhere” speaker but the fit and finish is more for indoor use than outdoors. The soft touch plastics can easily get marred and especially when it doesn’t come with little rubber feet to keep the sides from making contact. The speaker can be placed either vertical or horizontal. The unique shaped woofers lead to a very wide soundstage. This innovative design works great and I hope future iterations include the design. Do note that with a vertical orientation, the side buttons are very hard to press without two hands. The speaker does sound slightly better horizontally. In summary, I do recommend this speaker to anyone in the market for a mid sized bluetooth speaker that sounds and looks great. The long battery life is enough to satisfy most needs but why advertise water and dust proof if the speaker doesn’t have “feet” to keep your speaker looking pristine? I guess just place it on tables and grass and not on concrete or uneven rocks.

It sounds okay, but not as good as the sales person said

The Sony XE200 is one of Sony’s latest Bluetooth portable speakers. This speaker boasts a “line shaped diffuser and X-balanced speakers” to provide a wide sound stage. In addition, this speaker keeps the IP67 rating that many of Sony’s portage speaker provide. After using this speaker, it leaves much to be desired. In The Box: - XE200 Speaker - USB to USB-C Charging Cable - Manuals/Quick Start Guide Setup: Out of the box setup is a breeze if you already have the Sony Music Center App. Open this up with the speaker powered on and the app finds the speaker immediately. Once you go through the few screens to register your speaker, it’s ready to go! If you want to pair this via Bluetooth, you can do this too by going through your devices Bluetooth settings and finding the XE200. Either method is very simple. Since this speaker supports BT 5.2, this allows you to enable faster connecting/pairing with supported devices. I would recommend using the Sony app so you can get the most out of this speaker in terms of setting, EQ, and power options. The speaker has dedicated buttons on the side for most tasks but this doesn’t allow EQ adjustment. Speaking of the buttons, they are very tactile and are easy to read/use. You’ll find buttons for power On/Off, BT Pairing, Play/Pause/Phone, Volume Up/Down, and Battery Saver? and Mute Mic. The speaker design is fairly nice with a flap on the back for USB-C charging. The cloth strap feels robust and the overall build quality seems up to Sony standards. Here is where the disappointment starts. Sound Quality: Given I have had MANY encounters with Sony portable speakers over the years along with headphones of all types, I had an expectation with this speaker. Well, this is the first time that expectation was not met and actually I would go as far to say this has a disappointing sound quality. Now let me preface this with the fact that I understand this is not part of their XB series speakers which offer Extra Bass but even given this fact, the speaker sounds extra flat. I have tried EQ adjustments and different streaming methods with no avail. The speaker holds pretty true to Sony’s claims of very little distortion but as the volume exceeds that 60% threshold or so the speaker loses what little bass it has. The speaker volume is acceptable although I would say it’s not overly loud but because this is their entry level X series product it more than acceptable in that department. Because sound quality did not meet my expectations (and is the primary function of speaker like this) I would highly recommend looking at Sony’s XB series. The XB33 is right around the same price and should offer sound just like my XB31 which is far superior sounding. The only downside is it might be missing a few features this speaker has but offers others that this one doesn’t have. It’s a tradeoff. Features: The XE200 has enhanced microphone technology called “Echo Cancelling Technology”. This allows two people to talk at the same time without cutting one of them off. It also has multipoint connection to allow two devices to connect at the same time. The microphones seemed to perform fine in my testing with the device. The speaker features quick charging capabilities and battery care. There is a setting to limit charging to 90% of capacity in hopes of the battery lasting longer. I turned this on because 90% of the 16hr claimed battery life is plenty for me as I always charge up before 0%. The quick charge gives you 70 minutes of playback in just 10 minutes of charging. The IP67 rating means this speaker is dust and water proof and offers shock resistance. The carrying strap should help with transportation as does the small size. Overall: This was the first Sony product I can recall in many years to not meet my expectations in sound quality. Even though this is the entry level speaker in this lineup, it doesn’t compare to the similarly priced XB33 in terms of sound quality. When you compare those two speakers, the size, weight, and price are so close that I would happily loose one or two features for better low end sound quality. Hopefully this helps anyone looking into the XE200 that might want some low end tones in their portable speaker. The XE200 just doesn’t offer that like the XB series even in the same size speaker. Pros: - Compact, light - Design, Build Quality - Buttons, Carrying Strap - IP67 Rating - Microphones - BT 5.2 Connectivity Cons: - Sounds Extremely Flat (Even for it’s size) - No Reverse Charging (Powerbank function)

This Sony portable speaker is a winner. It easily connects to bluetooth after charging with a USB-C charger. Once it is turned on the quality of the sound is noticeable immediately. Full Bass, clear sound quality are evident. Sony calls it "X-Balanced Technology". I call it supreme clear sound quality. I am no audio expert, but I own other portable speakers and can tell you this one has the best sound quality. You can stand the unit vertically or horizontally. The unit has a solid hand strap. The outer layer case has a solid feel. The coating has a rubber feel. The speaker is waterproof and can accept phone calls as well. The microphone seems to work very well as I tested it. The full charge lasts and lasts. I used it a good part of 2 and a half days before recharging it. They say charge can last up to 24 hours. The unit has a quick charge function that can give you about an hour of use on a 10min charge. The charging technology keeps the charge just under 100% to keep a longer battety life. Again, all great features that Sony put into this speaker. The speaker is also waterproof. If this were not enough the Sony app works great with the speaker. An app is not necessary to use this speaker, but it is another added feature that enhances your listening experience with many features built into the app. Sony did a great job in this product build. I am sure that I will get many years of great use from it.

This is a very nice Bluetooth speaker. I will start out by saying I really thought Sony marketing the Line-Shape Diffuser design would be a gimmick but it turns out that’s it’s best feature. It’s similar to most others in this range sound wise. It definitely is very balanced and I couldn’t detect any distortion even at full volume. The clarity is excellent and the design really does spread out the sound and allows the speaker to be positioned and stable in any position. Bass is adequate for it’s size and portability. They make larger models if you want to thump around. I plan on picking up the SRS-XE300 also for those times where I want something larger with more bump. The case has excellent grip also. It’s a soft plastic and of course there is also a strap. The app is nice to manually adjust the sound and for future software updates but otherwise it really isn’t necessary or anything you will likely use much. I ran it 7 hours and 3/4 volume and it used about 40% battery so Sony’s estimates seem to be right on at 16 hours. I also like that none of the speakers are exposed. Makes for a cool look but more susceptible to damage. This thing looks and feels rock solid. This is a winner but I would recommend purchasing the bigger one if you need more kick. Live life loud out there.

As someone who has had a lot of experience with Sony products across the technology board, including many speakers, headphones, and AVRs, I have to admit, my expectations were not met with the XE200 as far as sound quality OUT OF THE BOX. I say out of the box, because with a little tweaking and knowledge, you can get a better quality, albeit not up to my personal standards but plug and play is barely good. That said, it’s important to remember what this speaker is; the entry level of a series with a rugged, portable, IP67 party speaker design. This isn’t marketed as your high quality full range home speaker, (Sony makes those too and I highly recommend them!) but this speaker is aimed at being a quick grab, easy set up and long lasting pool/beach side speaker. And it’s worth noting it does that very well. The IP67 rating means water or dust doesn’t stand a chance and you can enjoy music on the go in almost any environment. With a very easy pairing setup, you are technically ready to go. But this is where I start to nitpick and have some issues. SETUP The fact that it is advertised and easy on the go means most people won’t bother to do any fine tuning and therefore won’t get the best quality of audio. I myself was actually about to write a more critical review before I realized the Sony app Sony suggests you use IS actually useful. Once I was able to make some EQ adjustments and quality control options, I did notice a better overall sound. However, I still could hear the issues I noticed out of the box. SOUND The sound quality is just too muddy for my taste. Again, some EQ adjustments help here, but overall it sounds like a small speaker they tried hard to get as much low end out of that they could, resulting in a muddy mid range and lack of clarity. One other way to combat this is to actually turn it up, helping the smaller speakers to crank out the mids and highs more and balance out the sound. But it doesn’t change the fact that I opened a Sony branded speaker and had a very specific Sony quality in mind and was disappointed with what I heard. I actually walked away from it for a day because it was so disappointing. But then I saw Sony’s suggestion to use the app and take more control of the sound and it got me past buyers remorse and closer to “this will work in a pinch.” And like I said, I think that’s Sony’s goal here; for a little cheaper price, you can get a darn good speaker, built for any occasion; but it won’t blow away a picky audio ear. (check out their larger XG300 for some serious upgrade in quality …and price) Another note on audio quality that’s a bit odd to me, the speaker is very directional. I assumed it was designed to be placed in a corner of a room and have equal quality sound throughout, but it is definitely most clear sounding right in front but gets more muddy to the sides. This is more noticeable listening up close, if you turn it up and place it in a corner and step back, it does fill the room pretty equal, but that also means don’t expect this to be a great speaker at low levels and close proximity to the listener. OVERALL In the end, like any audio device, my opinion is subjective based on how I prefer my audio to sound. If you really want to know, head to a local best buy and give it a demo listen to know for sure its the quality for you. What I CAN say in this review is that it is very strong build quality, has a convenient carrying strap, easy to set up, an accompanying app that actually is useful, and IP67 rating to last in the elements and battery life to keep the party going. What it lacks in audio quality it gains in build quality. No matter what you’re looking for, Sony has the right one for you, hit up a best buy and give them all a listen. As far as this speaker goes, I would recommend it to my friends I know don’t have as trained an ear as me, but I would not recommend it to friends I know have audio demands like me. In the end, I’m still happy with the speaker and will love using it while working outside or in the garage.

This is my third Sony portable Bluetooth speaker, and I am always impressed. I got a slightly larger version than my previous one. This does come with a rubber type grip so you have hold it when wet or when your hands are greasy from sunscreen etc. I did not throw this in the water, but I believe Sony when they say it is IP67. There is a flap on the back for the power cord, close this of course. Sony suggests their Music Center app and Fiestable. If you have multiples of these you will need the app to sync them. If you have older versions, they will not sync even with the app. If you just have 1 speaker, you can probably skip the apps. I could just sync mine like I would any Bluetooth speaker.There are no longer LED lights to sync to the music. The sound is very good, I liked the bass. It was not overkill. You can direct the sound, lay the speaker flat or have it stand upright. I tossed it in my backpack and took it to the park. It was pretty good and people liked it. It is large but not too heavy to carry around.

I’ve been using the Sony XE2000 for a few weeks now, and it has genuinely exceeded my expectations. For its compact size, the sound quality is surprisingly rich and powerful—clear vocals, punchy bass, and no noticeable distortion even at high volumes. The 360 Reality Audio and X-Balanced Speaker Unit make music feel immersive, especially when used in smaller rooms or outdoor settings. Build-wise, it's sturdy, lightweight, and easy to carry around. The IP67 rating for water and dust resistance makes it ideal for poolside or beach use. Plus, battery life is excellent—easily lasts 15–16 hours on a moderate volume setting, and the quick charge feature is a lifesaver. Bluetooth connectivity is seamless, and the Party Connect feature works flawlessly if you have other Sony speakers.

## Design The Sony SRS-XE200 speaker has a new, unique design where it is not obvious where the actual speakers are located. Instead, Sony is using a new “line-shape diffuser” on this speaker which helps distribute the sound more evenly around the speaker. The speaker has a modern design with a mostly plastic exterior and some fabric accents behind it, that for some reason makes me think of the Cybertruck when I see it. Aside from some small LED indicator lights, there are no “party lights” on the XE200 as compared to something like Sony’s SRS-XB32. There is a carrying strap attached to the speaker that is almost too long as it sometimes gets in the way of setting the speaker down on a flat surface. Towards the back of the speaker, you’ll find the power button, Bluetooth button, play/pause button, volume buttons, battery status button, and (not found on many Bluetooth speaker) a dedicated mute button for the microphone. The USB-C charging port can be found under the flap on the back of the speaker. ## Performance Coming from the Sony SRS-XB32 speaker, I did notice that the bass is not as strong on the XE200 out of the box. However, you can increase (or decrease) the bass (or mids or treble) through the equalizer in Sony’s Music Center app, but there is no dedicated “bass boost” function. Still, sound quality is great and the speaker gets loud enough to fill a medium to large-ish sized room, making it great for indoor or outdoor social gatherings. The new Line-Shape Diffuser does indeed help distribute the sound from the speaker to not only directly in front of the speaker, but to the sides of the speaker as well. So you don’t need to be sitting exactly in front of the speaker to get the best sound. ## Features Line-Shape Diffuser: Looking at the speaker, you’ll see a narrow fabric area on the front between larger plastic panels. If you’re like me, you would think this would limit the sound coming out of the speaker, but it instead helps spread the sound out to about 60-70 degrees on either side. Battery Care feature: This isn’t on by default, but in Sony’s Music Center app, you can enable the Battery Care feature to limit charging to about 90%. This helps prolong the lifespan of the speaker’s battery because, like our smartphones, we should not keep lithium batteries charged to 100% all of the time. You can, of course, disable this feature if you do indeed want the battery at 100% for a long camping trip, for example. IP67 water and dust resistance: This speaker is ideal for travel or using pool-side with its IP67 rating, so you don’t need to worry about splashes, sand, or dust (just make sure to keep the charging port closed tightly). Echo Canceling microphone: You can also use this speaker for work calls as it has an echo canceling microphone. In testing the speaker in an empty room by recording myself, I did indeed notice that the speaker seemed to eliminate any echo from my voice as long as I was facing the front of the speaker directly. ## Battery Life The speaker can achieve up to 16 hours of battery life on a single charge, and uses a common USB-C cable for recharging. A quick 10 minute charge can get you just over an hour of playback time when time is of the essence. As noted above, you can enable the Battery Care feature in the Sony Music Center app to help prolong the lifespan ## Summary The Sony SRS-XE200 speaker is an ideal outdoor musical companion thanks to its great sound quality and IP67 water and dust resistance. The speaker can also be used as a speakerphone for work calls with its echo canceling microphone.

It is a very well made speaker! Durable, battery lasts a good time but it does not sound too good. Volume is not too loud either! I used it at the beach and while battery lasted, the volume at some point was not loud enough, I didn't want to start a party or anything, but with the waves, people around with other speakers and just the noise around us, I really think this speaker could be louder, also, it is on the bigger side, still very portable! But for the size, I was expecting more battery and volume (also quality). This are not game changers! It is an awesome speaker! I am just telling my experience.

The Sony SRS-XE200 Portable Wireless Speaker is the smallest version of Sony’s new line of portable speakers. This one is about 9” tall, 3” wide, and 3” deep. It’s pretty lightweight and can accompany you just about anywhere. That’s aided by the strap attached to it. It’s pretty nice because you can cinch it up to make sure it stays on your wrist or wherever you want to anchor it. From a design perspective, the charcoal gray coloring is sharp and the combination of mesh and rubber adds to it. That combination is not only for appearance as it also plays a role in the new speaker design and audio quality. It’s called a Line-Shape Diffuser and it’s supposed to push the audio out farther and wider for all to enjoy. I can say that I was slightly disappointed out of the box because I thought it was lacking compared to previous Sony models that I own. However, that’s not to say it’s awful either. It definitely carried throughout the room and even down the hallway. I just thought the sound was lacking. That’s where the Music Center App came to my rescue. Coupling that with the speaker, I was really able to thoroughly enjoy what I was listening to. From the calling side, I didn’t experience any issues there either. My callers were able to hear me well and I could hear them clearly. What more could you ask for? One thing that I am looking forward to doing is picking up another to do the Party Connect. I really like that they are allowing us to connect to multiple units to really ramp things up. This was on previous models and I am a big fan of it. From a simpler connectivity standpoint, I found it super easy to connect the SRS-XE200 to my phone and smart devices. I didn’t have any issues at all and certainly appreciate that. The Bluetooth and Google Fast Pair connections helped out greatly there. Lastly, the Sony SRS-XE200 feels like it was built to be easy to work with while being built to last. The control panel is nice, big, and convenient. The charging area is covered to keep things water and dust free. The unit itself is noted as going through extensive shock testing. It’s also built with sustainable efforts and I applaud Sony for that. Ultimately, I think this is a winning speaker once you have it set up with the Music Center app. I look forward to using it for years to come.

Sony brings some impressive, room filling sound in this medium sized portable speaker. Out of the box it works wonderfully but the lows are something left to be desired. Some tweaking with the EQ in Sony’s Music Center app certainly helps but I feel the best use for this speaker is without trying to drive lower notes too much. Although, I suspect that with some breaking in time the drivers will sound better. Regardless of what you are playing, this speaker can fill a room with high-quality low-level sound. The rugged outer shell provides an excellent grip on the unit. Taking it from my desk as a desktop speaker/intercom for meetings to my backyard to either continue a meeting or just to listen to music or news is flawless. And I don’t need to worry about it getting wet from a sprinkler or a hose while I’m out there with its impressive IP67 waterproof rating. Said rating allows for submersion of this speaker under 1 meter of water for 30 minutes. I don’t recommend testing this, but it is nice to know just how much water it can take on without getting damaged. That is well within the operating environment I plan to use this in.

Experience music like never before, wherever you go, with the Sony XE200 Portable Waterproof and Dustproof Bluetooth Speaker. Designed for adventure and built to withstand the elements, this speaker delivers powerful sound and unbeatable durability in a compact, portable package. Let's start with its rugged design. Engineered to be waterproof and dustproof, the XE200 is ready to accompany you on all your outdoor adventures, whether you're hiking, camping, or lounging by the pool. Rain or shine, this speaker can handle it all, ensuring that your music never skips a beat, no matter where life takes you. But don't let its compact size fool you – the XE200 packs a punch when it comes to sound. Featuring advanced audio technology and dual passive radiators, this speaker delivers rich, immersive sound with deep bass and crystal-clear highs. Whether you're listening to your favorite playlists, streaming podcasts, or taking calls, every audio experience is elevated to new heights with the XE200. And thanks to its Bluetooth connectivity, you can easily pair your smartphone, tablet, or other Bluetooth-enabled devices with the XE200, allowing you to stream music wirelessly from anywhere within range. Plus, with its long-lasting battery life, you can enjoy hours of uninterrupted playback on a single charge, so the music never has to stop. But the XE200 isn't just for listening to music – it also doubles as a speakerphone, allowing you to take hands-free calls with ease. Whether you're catching up with friends or participating in conference calls, the built-in microphone ensures clear, distortion-free voice quality, so you can communicate effortlessly, even in noisy environments. In conclusion, the Sony XE200 Portable Bluetooth Speaker is the perfect companion for music lovers on the go. With its rugged design, powerful sound, and versatile features, it's the ultimate solution for bringing your favorite tunes with you wherever life takes you. Say goodbye to bulky, fragile speakers and hello to the freedom and convenience of the Sony XE200 Portable Bluetooth Speaker.