Sony - SRS-XB23 Portable Bluetooth Speaker - Olive Green

The packaging is pretty straight forward, no frills, cardboard surrounds inside to hold the speaker in place inside the box. Hey it just had to get to the store and then home with no damage. First impression: Overall the speaker has a good look and feel. Powering it up. I was able to easily pair it to my iPhone and checking the battery I found it was at half charge. Pulling up my favorite play list produced a nice clean sound with solid bass at the initial setting. One place I plan on using this is at work, so I tried turning the volume down to a level I'd use there and found it still retained some good bass and I could still make out the vocals. Next I tried making a Skype call and the person on the other end couldn't hear the music, but the level was still acceptable for me. The controls are what you'd expect: Power, volume up and down, play(call)/pause, Battery and Bluetooth Pairing. There's also a Party button for playing across multiple compatible speakers. I tried pressing the Party button with only this one speaker and that resulted in the loss of the connection with my phone. Not sure there's any use for this with a single speaker but will have to check the instructions. I also downloaded the Sony Music Center app which gave me access to the Extra Bass settings, a small equalizer (bass/mid/treb), and the ability to change between mono and stereo. There are also some Power Options available (Bluetooth Standby, Stamina and Battery Voice Levels). My preference was with the mid boosted slightly to bring the vocals out a little more with the Extra Bass on. There are three ports on the bottom end of the speaker which act as a bass port at the bottom end while the speaker is standing up. The bottom also has a rubberized coating, which should help keep it from "walking" across a surface while playing. It says you can also lay it down, but this speaker is a round tube. If the surface you're placing it on isn't level, the only thing that will keep it from rolling is the lanyard/hanging loop at the top if you initially place it in this manner. If the surface gets bumped hard enough or shifts I can see this rolling right off the edge. This is the only knock I have on the speaker. I didn't really notice much of a difference in the sound standing up or on the side and it will take up less space standing so that's how I expect to use it most of the time, unless its hanging in my tent. Overall the sound for the size of the speaker is pretty good. If you're looking for a party/dance speaker it may not be quite big enough, but for a small group sitting around a fire pit or hanging out at the beach/pool the Sony XB23 will fit the bill nicely. By day it will be on my desk at the office and I can see it travelling with me on camping trips and tailgating with friends.

I have had the Sony SRS-XB23 for a little over a week now. The speaker performs way above the level that you expect at this price point. One of the great features is the richness of tones that the XB23 puts out. Sony has ventured out of the old school diaphragm and has developed a non-circular shape, which increases the diaphragm area and gives the richer tones and deeper bass. Another great feature is the Party Connect, connect up to 100 speakers to the same input device and be able to control the party from your phone. Battery life is about what you would expect, I drain mine a little faster than the 12 hour battery life at normal or 10 hours for Extra Bass that it states, but I usually have it turned all the way up and all the bass I can get. I really like the music app that comes with the device, I wish it had some preset equalizers to match what your listening to, not just the standard Treble/Mid/Bass that it comes with. I do really like that when you set-up the app you include all the different apps that you would use with the speaker, whether it be Amazon Music, Tidal or Pandora, and you quick launch to each of those apps as you use them. I take my music with me everywhere, when I am remodeling a house, when we are at the pool, when we are working in the garden or when I am in the shop. I always have to think of what will get in my speaker and try to protect it, Now I don’t have to worry with the Sony XB23 anymore. If it gets sawdust in it, just hose it off, if it gets wet, just dry it off. Anything you can throw at it, it can take, with it being rated IP67 and being rust-proof, dust-proof waterproof and shockproof. This speaker is also the perfect size to carry with you, it even comes with a leash so you can hang it up where ever you go.

I currently have a smaller portable bluetooth speaker that I use outdoors when doing yard work or washing my truck. While this speaker sounds pretty good, I wanted something bigger that would offer better sound both in the high end, but especially in the bass area where my smaller really lacked in the bass department. Enter the new Sony SRS-XB23 portable bluetooth speaker. This speaker is twice the size as my older speaker unit. The Sony measures 8 1/2 inches high by 2 7/8 wide. It's lightweight at 1.3 pounds, so it's very easy to carry with you if on a walk or hiking using the attached lanyard which you can attach to your belt, back pack, or hanging from say a tree branch in your yard. And for someone like me who loves lots of bass in their music, this Sony SRS-XB23 offers an extra bass mode. The speaker comes in 5 different colors. Other features are dual full range speakers and dual passive radiators work in tandem to provide full rich bass sound. As mentioned above, there is also an attached lanyard, so you can hang if from about anywhere. While I have not run out of battery capacity, Sony claims the battery will last about 12 hours when fully charged. In the extra bass mode, Sony says the battery life drops to about 10 hours on a full charge. Sony says that it will take about 4 hours to charge the speaker with the included 18 inch USB type C cable. The cable does not have an adapter, so if you plug it into your computer to charge, it may take 4 hours to fully charge. I used an adapter to plug the USB type C cable into the wall, and it took 90 minutes to fully charge. I highly recommend that you download the Sony music center app to your phone (Android or Apple). By default, the Sony SRS-XB23 audio is in mono, even though you have two speakers. When you go into the Sony app, you can switch it to stereo mode, and when placing your speaker horizontally, your music will be in stereo. If you place your speaker standing vertically, it automatically goes back to mono. Other controls in the Sony app let you turn on the extra bass feature. A 3 band (bass, mid, treble) type equalizer. Select stereo or mono and feature called ClearAudio+. But if you use the ClearAudio+ feature, it will put your equalizer back to the factory specifications of flat. For my taste, I have the equalizer on with the extra bass enabled. The Sony SRS-XB23 comes with the lanyard attached, but easily removed if you wish and a short (18 inches) USB type C charging cable that you'll need to plug into a computer or using an adapter to plug it into the wall for faster charging. Overall, I highly recommend the Sony SRS-XB23 speaker for it audio qualities, especially when you use the Sony music center app to tweak the sound.

This is my 4th Sony Bluetooth speaker I've used over the last several years and all have been terrific, including this one. Pros: - As with nearly every Sony product you get the terrific sound quality that they are known for. The bass is especially solid in this unit and the design allows you to see and feel the subs pulsing out both ends. - Its got excellent design with portability in mind. Place it in the cup holder of a camping chair during a gathering or hang it from a pole or tree branch with the included strap. - Fast charging via USB-C and long battery life (up to 12 hours) - You can press a button on the speaker to get a verbal readout of the remaining battery life. I love this underrated feature that lets you prepare before you head out for the day (do I need to charge it?). - It's designed to be waterproof so it is safe to have near the pool or beach. Just keep the charging port compartment closed. - You can expand your speaker set-up easily by adding a second one for stereo sound, or even connect countless speakers in party mode to sync music in multiple locations. - The Sony Music Center app allows for additional customization, but my favorite feature is that it lets you turn your speaker off remotely. Cons: - None. This speaker has a great price/value!

I love my new XB23 speaker. The size is perfect for toting around with me while I'm doing my yard work. The fact that it's dustproof, shockproof and waterproof is helpful since yard work is a dirty job. It paired to my phone without issue. The fact that these speakers are small and that you can connect them to have more than one playing the same music means that they would be good to set up throughout the house for whole-house music. There's a microphone on there somewhere because you can use it as a speakerphone as well. Battery life has been great and it even came with a charge for immediate listening. The green colored speaker is not the same as the shade of green shown on the website. The actual speaker is more of an Army green. It's quite harmonious with nature when using outdoors. You can use the speaker without the need for any apps, but if you want equalizer control or some additional features, you need to download the Sony Music Center app. This will fit in a camping chair or a backpack water bottle pouch, so it's really convenient to take on the go. The sound is very pleasing, with highs, mid-range and bass sounding solid, so I would highly recommend this speaker to anyone.

Better speaker quality than other similar products twice its size. Plus the streaming is first rate.

This speaker is amazing super loud & really clear. When charging you do need a larger volt plug to charge faster

Sony’s punchy new XB23 EXTRA BASS portable Bluetooth (BT) sound tube is a worthy competitor in the jungle of similar products, and at about $100 from Best Buy, it is priced right. Compact and lightweight, default settings provide the EXTRA BASS function. It can operate with simplicity when connected to a BT music source. There is much more to this sound blaster than simple operation for those who wish to go deep. GETTING STARTED – Unboxing reveals simplicity of design. Other than the XB23 itself, the only other hardware in the box is the USB charging cable, with one end USB-C and the other end standard USB Type A. This arrangement is what my experience suggests is now standard on current Sony products. The charging port is USB-C. Plug the USB-A end into almost any charger, though best charging performance will come from charger output of 1.5 A and above. Charging time at this rate is about four hours. At about 3” in diameter by about 9” long and weighing in at just under 1.3lbs, it travels well with a battery life up to 12 hours, down to about 10 hours in EXTRA BASS mode. Small, yet powerful. Its small footprint should let it fit into most cupholders. Or, use the included strap to hang the XB23 in a tent or on a tree branch. It’s party time! Powering on with a press of the power button, then pressing the BATT button XB23 speaks up with its approximate state of charge. THE SOUND – Let’s face it, this is why you’d buy one of these or a similar product. Fortunately, the powerful output is as stated above – CRISP and CLEAR. No muddiness or distortion here. XB23 is stereo capable, too, through smartphone settings using the free Sony Music Center app. Twin drivers provide reasonable stereo imaging and L/R channel separation. In stereo mode, position the speaker on its side with the Sony logo on the left. That’s the L channel speaker location. In the event users have other products in the same Sony line, currently SRS-XB43, SRS-XB33, use the Party Connect feature to BT connect and sync with up to 100 compatible speakers. I cannot even imagine what this might sound like. Over the past couple of weeks, I have enjoyed using the XB23. WASHABLE – Let’s call it waterproof to the IP67 rating, meaning the unit is waterproof, dustproof, rustproof and shockproof, and can be accidentally dropped into a body of water up to a meter deep for half an hour without harm. So, let it rain. Let it splash. Let it get accidentally dropped in water. If needed, wash it off with a gentle stream, please. Be sure to keep the rubberized cover in place over the charging port to maintain waterproof integrity. TAKE THE CALL – As if good and strong stereo sound was not enough, another nice touch is the on-board microphone that enables users to seamlessly answer incoming calls from a connected smartphone with a press of the Play/Call button. MORE – As indicated above, users can go deep into features, functions and settings above and beyond the basics. How? Scroll down the listing on the Best Buy product page for additional details. Sony is to be commended for providing consistency with available online product information. Covered by a standard Sony one-year warranty. Yes, I recommend this Sony XB23. Available in five colors! Nicely done, Sony.