Portable wireless Bluetooth speakers have become one of the breakout products in the electronic device industry over the past few years. Everyone who takes their digital music listening experience seriously needs a good quality wireless speaker. However, there are so many potential banana skins when buying such a product. So, you don’t want to slip and break your proverbial behind.
In these situations, I like to opt for branded products from Bose, JBL, Panasonic, and Sony. And that’s why I decided to write this in-depth Sony SRS-XG300 review because I recently tested the speaker and was very impressed right across the board.
So, let’s find out if this Sony wireless speaker lives up to the brand name or if it’s just another pretender to the throne.
Sony SRS-XG300 Wireless Speaker – The Basics
Our rating: [usr 4.4]
My relationship with Sony started way back in the early 1990s when I bought my first-ever Sony Walkman. Around that time, Sony became the market-leading electronics manufacturer if you wanted top-notch products that were both reliable and innovative. This Sony SRS-XG300 is another product from their X-Series line of speakers.
Any time you see an ‘X’ preface on a popular Sony wireless speaker, it means they are party-friendly and are an X-balanced speaker unit. They work just as effectively outdoors as indoors, which is a difficult dance for wireless speakers to make.
It’s also the perfect moment to point out that this model is a slightly smaller version of the SRS-XG500 but doesn’t come with guitar and mic inputs. Apart from that, this speaker impressed me right off the bat, even though it might not have some features of the new versions.
What Features Does It Have?
For over 70 years, Sony has been perfecting their electronic devices. And thankfully, they have so much dedication and take pride in their products. This Sony SRS-XG300 wireless speaker has a bunch of cool features, but not too many that it gets complicated. Sometimes less is more. Here are some of the best features that made this speaker very easy to use in virtually all conditions and circumstances.
Bluetooth and Wireless Connection Options
Connecting your SRS-XG300 speaker wherever you are is very important. Wireless speakers depend upon their connection options. That’s because without them, or using inferior ones, can massively impact your listening experience in the worse possible way.
You can use this speaker in tandem with both open-source Android devices and Apple devices that use an iOS system. So, you do get the best of both worlds. This Sony wireless speaker supports Bluetooth codecs like AAC, SBC, and even LDAC. The wireless range is also solid. I connected the speaker in the corner of my garden to the device in my living room, and it worked fantastically.
Another thing to remember is this is a party speaker. Therefore, it can be wirelessly connected to up to 100 other Sony X-series speakers with the Party Connect App to create an audio daisy chain of your dreams.
Use the App to Customize the EQ
Customizing your audio is very important. Especially if you are an avid music streamer. Different musical genres need different EQ setups to get the best from the sound. Thankfully, you can connect this speaker to the Sony Music Center App to get all the customization features you need. I like to tinker with this type of stuff, and if you do, too, this is a great feature.
The app comes equipped with some cool EQ features like Live Sound, Custom, and Mega Bass. It also has Sony’s ClearAudio+ feature that can help to optimize bass, toggle DJ effects such as the isolator and Flanger, and also adjust the quality of your Bluetooth connection. In this app, you can manage the battery operations, illumination features, and sound quality and also manage updates.
Using the Fiestable app…
This Sony speaker can also connect to the Fiestable App, which is more of a party-style app that gives you the same control over your music like a pro DJ would get. You can use the DJ effects, customize the lighting effects, and control playback and volume in a way you can’t with the standard Sony Music Center app.
Long-Lasting Battery Life
Don’t get me started on wireless speaker battery life issues. There’s nothing more disappointing than buying a wireless speaker that seemingly sounds great only to realize that the battery life is virtually non-existent. You don’t get these issues with the Sony SRS-XG300. It’s one of the best battery-life wireless speakers you can buy.
Sony states that you get a battery life of 25 hours on a full charge, which is pretty impressive. And my experience is they are right about the lifespan. Similar speakers only have eight hours of battery, so this is very substantial.
Likewise, you can take advantage of the Battery Care feature. This can help you to preserve the battery life and can stop it from overcharging. After just ten minutes of charging with a USB-C connector, you can get 70 minutes of playback.
How Does the Sony SRS-XG300 Sound?
Wireless speakers can have all the features, apps, whistles and bells, and RGB lighting. But, if the sound quality doesn’t hit the mark, all those features are essentially useless.
Fortunately, this Sony SRS-XG300 not only has great features but also has great audio and sound quality. It has a very warm and rich sound with excellent bass depth. The richness in sound is what you get with other high-end Sony headphones like the WF-1000XM4 and the WH-1000XM5.
These speakers have more emphasis on bass…
So, if you are looking for a more neutral sound, this is not your speaker. The sound is more for those who want to party and like to listen to bass-heavy music.
I suggest placing the speaker in the direction you need the music to play. It’s a very directional speaker, so you won’t get much joy sitting directly behind it. However, you do get a very good sound balance across all frequency ranges because of the X-Balanced speaker driver setup.
Design and Build
This is a big party speaker that is great for the outdoors. It’s almost like a mini boom box that you might see in the 1980s in terms of dimensions. The speaker is 318mm wide and weighs around 6.6 lbs (around 3kg), so you don’t want to be carrying it around too much. Because of the design and shape, I wouldn’t use it in a vertical position for playback.
It enjoys quite an elegant and stylish look for something so big and cumbersome. It’s got a slight hourglass shape (like my wife), and even though it’s loud, it doesn’t make as much noise as her. Joking aside, the narrow middle and wider ends, all of which are covered by knitted fabric, give it a nice appearance and feel.
Durable and reliable…
This is a heavy-duty wireless party speaker. Cheap and nasty portable wireless speakers can stop working after a simple bump, but not this beast. It can take a real beating and keep working.
It’s rugged, reliable, and durable and comes with an IP67 rating that makes it both waterproof and dust-resistant. Party speakers like this need to be made to last, and that’s what makes this one such a viable purchase.
Other cool design features
One cool little design feature I like is the retractable handle. It’s so useful in so many ways. Because the speaker is so heavy, sometimes you need some real leverage to carry it around safely. That’s why I love the handle. The in-built control features are also easy to use and make it a cinch to quickly change the volume and pair the speakers to your device of choice.
There are ports for USB-C and USB-A options, and a stereo mini-jack port for external devices. There are a bunch of Light and Ambient Illumination features that pulse and change with the beat to create a great vibe in a party environment.
Sony SRS-XG300 Review – Pros and Cons
Pros
- Large party speaker.
- Portable and easy to move.
- Rich and bass-heavy audio quality.
- Supports two apps.
- Supports several Bluetooth codecs.
- Very long battery life.
- Lots of fun audio settings and effects.
- Can connect to up to 100 Sony X-series speakers.
Cons
- Quite large and bulky.
- Not easy to carry.
In the Market for Incredible Wireless Speakers?
Well, check out our in-depth reviews of the Loudest Portable Bluetooth Speakers, the Best Waterproof Speakers, the Best Party Speakers, the Best Tailgate Speakers, the Best Bluetooth Speakers with Light Show, and the Best Solar Powered Bluetooth Speakers you can buy in 2024.
Also, have a look at our comprehensive Sony SRS-XB01 Review, our Sony SRS-XE300 Review, our Sony SRS-RA5000 Review, and our Sony SRS-XB41 Review for more awesome speakers currently available.
Sony SRS-XG300 Review – Final Thoughts
If you are looking for the best wireless party speaker that enjoys bass-heavy playback with a durable and reliable design, you should buy Sony SRS-XG300 speakers. Sony is an amazing electronics brand, and this is one of their best Bluetooth speakers. It might not be quite as feature-heavy as Sony’s XG500 model, but it’s more than enough for most people.
It has a bunch of features, works with a load of Bluetooth codecs, and can be connected to two apps to take advantage of some amazing effects and EQ customization features. And let’s not even talk about the gargantuan 25-hour battery life. This is right up there, and for the price, it’s pretty much an unbeatable deal.
Until next time, happy listening.
