In our Best Portable Bluetooth Wireless Speakers On A Budget article we detailed and stated that the Sony SRS-XB23 was our best overall wireless Bluetooth speaker on a budget.
I, personally, really like the design of the speaker, and at such a low cost you can’t really go wrong with this speaker.
The Sony SRS-XB23 had the most appeal to us based on its features, design and price. The lightweight device (0.58kg) with 12 hours of battery life and has a 4.7 out of 5 rating.
Setup
The Bluetooth setup was super easy, and it actually actually arrived already charged. I connected it via Bluetooth to my phone, and we were good to go. The device is charged via a fast charging USB-C cable.
Design, functions, and how to use
It comes in black, blue, coral red, green, and cream. I decided to get the coral red color and it looks just beautiful in the living room. I was personally really impressed with the quality of the sound. The SRS-XB23 is cylindrical with two speakers either side to help push out more bass — 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz (44.1 kHz sampling).
The IP67 rating is also what makes this great as a portable speaker — as it means the device can withstand dust, water and rain (so as long as you have the charging flap closed). The SRS-XB23 is also good for usage as the beach as it is also resistant to salt water.
At the back of the back of the device you have the options to:
- Turn on / off the device
- Connect to Bluetooth
- Play / Stop
- Sound up & down
- Battery status
- Party Mode
- ST PAIR (Stereo Pair)
“To use the Stereo Pair function, 2 SRS-XB33 speakers are required. By connecting 2 speakers via BLUETOOTH connection, you can enjoy more powerful sound.
One speaker plays the sound on the right channel (right side), while the other speaker plays the sound on the left channel (left side) for stereo playback between the speakers.”
You are able to connect two of these devices together to give you more volume and bass. You can read more on Sony’s website on how to set up stereo pairing if you’ve bought two of these devices.
Unboxing
Conclusions
For the price that this device costs, the Sony SRS-XB23 is a steal and really does deliver. The rich bass, and high-frequency clarity provides what you’d expect from more expensive devices. With the IP67 rating too, this device is durable and portable for day to day use and for trips away. The design is elegant, and compared to the later SRS-XB33 model, the XB23 is much more stylish in my opinion and for a much cheaper cost. Only downfall, really, is that the XB33 provides a much more powerful sound but the sound from the XB23 is more than adequate.
