With the summer mood at its peak and the scent of barbecue food seeping into your nostrils, only the summer rhythms are missing to really set the mood. Sony has launched the SRS-XG300 just in time for the party, with a battery life of up to 25 hours and external dimensions that both allow a little sound pressure, but without being so big that it becomes a chore to take the speaker on a tent trip or down to the beach.
It even has a practical carrying handle that makes it all easier. The only thing you need to worry about is what the neighbors think about noise pollution…
Square basses – and two slave basses
Sony has made the best use of space with square midrange basses instead of round or oval, for the best possible use of space. At each end of the cabinet is a passive radiator bass, which expands the effective cabinet volume. Each radiator bass is surrounded by a ring of light, for a little extra life.
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Dedicated tweeters
Two dedicated tweeter elements, one on each side of the two square speaker elements, sit well hidden under the impregnated speaker cover. With separate trebles, it is easier to create airy harmonics without increasing the distortion or reducing the dynamics, and considering that the speaker is waterproof and dustproof (IP67), this is extra important so that the harmonics do not drown.
The carrying handle is elegantly recessed in the speaker when not in use, and comes out easily by sliding your thumb underneath. It then slides a little to the side, and is not completely centered. Design-wise nice, but maybe not quite ideal to hang on the handlebars.
Bluetooth 5.2
The SRS-XG300 has multipoint, for connecting two devices simultaneously. For example, PC and mobile phone. When the mobile phone rings, you can actually talk through the loudspeaker, and the microphone is equipped with echo reduction for the cleanest possible call.
Good call quality
I have tried the call function, and must say the speaker has surprisingly clear speech. The other party has no problem hearing me, and even some background noise goes well. It will not be quite as good as with a pair of good headphones, but it is still much better than an afterthought. This is a feature that can actually be used, even for digital video conferencing.
100 speakers can be connected
If you think there is little gunpowder in one speaker, you can connect several together. Either two in stereo, or many who play in tandem (party mode). In fact, you should be able to connect up to 100 speakers wirelessly with Bluetooth, which should be very interesting to hear…
App controlled
You can connect the SRS-XG300 easily to Android phones with pairing, or in the usual way with iPhone, Mac and Windows PC. Once done, feel free to download the Music Center app. You can use the speaker without, but it is with this that several can be connected, and there you also get access to a simple 3-band EQ.
The sound of the Sony SRS-XG300
Right out of the box, the XG300 sounds full-bodied and quite engaging. Both with my fast iPhonebut especially with Android mobile (Samsung Galaxy S21 FE). The latter provides access to the LDAC codec, which provides superior Bluetooth sound.
It is clear that Sony has lined up the bass to impress with more fullness than one would think could come from such a speaker. Pop music is reproduced with juicy drum rhythms, and there is also a surprising amount of air in the overtones. With the twice as expensive JBL Boomblaster 2 in mind, I was expecting a more stuffy treble sound. Brilliant.
What is not quite so brilliant is the midrange, which is too restrained for me. Therefore, I take out the app and set up the midrange three notches. I also follow up with two notches on the treble.
Suddenly the voice register comes to life, and both light and darker singing voices come out well – without being masked by the bass area. Electronic rhythms may not be as juicy, but it sounds more balanced and works better over time – after the importer factor has settled. Okay, party speakers are party speakers, and then you want bass. Then you can rather call my EQ settings after playback mode. The nice thing is that it does not take much to get a very good sound out of this little speaker.
Not the most dynamic
Although you can get surprisingly large – and quite good – bass sound from the XG300, there is a limit to how loud you can play before it flattens out. There is no dynamic bomb this, and it is among other things on sound pressure that this speaker must give lost for the more expensive JBL Boombox 2 and Ultimate Ears Hyperboom. But at three thousand kroner, and in this fast-paced laptop format, I have to say Sony has hit the mark well.
Conclusion
The Sony SRS-XG300 is a portable and touchy speaker, which lets you take your party wherever you are. On the beach, in the park, on a tent trip, or out in the garden. The sound is surprisingly large and rich, and with a little adjustment it also works well on acoustic music. Then you just have to pull up the midrange a little.
Functionally, the speaker also hits the blink, not least by being both waterproof and dustproof. A completely safe purchase in its class.
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