Sony SRS-XB100 – Review

When it comes to delivering company Bluetooth speakers, Sony appears to have an excellent track record. The name SRS-XB100 may not be very catchy, but it does not mean that the Bluetooth speaker is not worth a closer look.

Design and build

First off, the SRS-XB100 is non-plastic, which is undoubtedly a great change. But, the most surprising detail that you discover about the Bluetooth speaker right after taking it out of the packaging is its weight; weighing just 274g, the speaker is very light. In fact, it does not weigh more than some smartphones and this makes it very appealing for those who want to be able to carry it around easily.

The speaker also has a cylindrical shape that measures 75 x 95mm, which makes it easy for anyone to hold it in their hand. The use of the textured plastic makes gripping very easy. A detachable wrist strap has also been included by Sony, so you do not need to worry about dropping it. It also has an IP67 waterproof rating, which is also very reassuring.

The speaker unit and grill can be found on top of the XB100, while there are cutouts in the lower section for the radiator to emit sounds. There is also a series of controls, including volume, play/pause, Bluetooth pairing and power on/off. All of the symbols are raised and have a clicky response. Plus, they are big enough for you to be able to find them easily.

There is a covered panel at the end of the controls for housing the USB-C charging port. There is a cable included in the box, but no adapter. As far as the design is concerned, it is utilitarian and simple, but manages to look tidy and modern. It is available in multiple colors, including black, light grey, blue and orange. Sony has also said that the speaker is partially made from sustainable materials, which is also a good thing.

Sound quality and features

Considering that it is a light and small device, you would expect the XB100 to deliver thin sound, but this does not seem to be the case. The design of the speaker is such that the sound fires out of the top and there is also a sound diffusion processor for balancing the output frequencies. There is also a passive radiator at the bottom that reverberates to the sounds coming out of the speaker. Therefore, it is able to amplify the sound by transferring the energy into the surface below.

While the design is not a new one, the tones that come out of the speaker depend on where you keep it. This means that you can tame, or fine-tune the frequencies simply by changing the surface on which you have placed the speaker. This is good because there are no sound profiles, or EQ controls available. It comes with a built-in microphone and does not need to be charged too often because it has a 16-hour battery.