Acoustic system sony srs. Review of the Sony SRS-XB3 audio system. Features and design: works in any position

The speaker is splash-proof, works for about 24 hours on a single charge, supports LDAC, good sound quality - at a cost of 11,990 rubles, this is a very interesting offer...

Scope of delivery

• Column
• power unit
• Documentation

Design, construction

For many years now, I have been responsibly declaring in my reviews that Sony has very good compact speakers, especially in terms of price-quality ratio; you are buying a harmonious device that combines functionality and sound well. Naturally, there are some drawbacks, but overall these are quite high-quality and interesting things. In addition, everyone will find a speaker in size and price, from the huge and expensive SRS-X99 to the small SRS-X11. The difference between them is almost 40,000 rubles, and the functionality is also orders of magnitude different. This year, the company decided to add a couple of devices with splash protection to the line, so to speak, in the wake of public interest in similar decisions. I said in “Things” and the podcast that the SRS-XB3 turned out to be good, personal acquaintance only confirmed the impressions.

The speaker is available in six colors, the most boring one is the one in the review, I would call it “faceless black”; it is better to choose “lime” or a blue device.

The speakers are covered by a metal grill, the main part of the body is made of plastic with an interesting texture, there are rubber inserts, like other speakers of the company. On the top there is a scattering of buttons, volume control, answering calls, activating Extra Bass, turning on, activating pairing mode and adding another speaker - it’s easy to combine two SRS-XB3s into a stereo pair. At the top is the NFC area, with devices connected to Android problems did not arise.

On the back there is a passive radiator, covered with a metal grille, next to it is a plug, it sits in place very tightly, you may even need a coin or a table knife. Under the plug there is a 3.5 mm jack for connecting an audio cable, a reset button, an input for the power supply and a USB connector, you can charge other gadgets. Similar in functionality to JBL Charge, and in general, Sony probably looked at its well-known competitor - the Sony SRS-XB3 is a little larger, a little heavier, maybe a little more strict in design, “Sonystyle” is present here, especially in color versions.

On the bottom there is a rubber pad and there are legs. The assembly is good, dimensions - 211 x 80 x 83 mm, weight - 0.93 kg. If you are planning to take the speaker with you on the road, keep in mind that there is also a rather large power supply.

The speaker is stated to be splash-proof (IPX5), but not submersion-proof, so you'll need to keep that in mind. Under no circumstances should you throw it into the water; you can and should lie near the pool or on the beach.

And I repeat once again, do not throw the speaker into the water!

Additional features

There is something interesting here, the LDAC codec is supported, Sony's proprietary codec that works with the company's smartphones - you can get better sound if both devices have support. There is also a good microphone here, it is quite possible to talk in a quiet room or even answer a call in the bathroom where the shower is running; the interlocutors did not complain about the quality of speech transmission. Once again I will praise the creators for the abundance of buttons on top panel– and it’s very good that the buttons here are simple, no sensors. By the way, there are small indicator lights on each button; when a second device is connected to the chain, the channel, left or right, is displayed.

Opening hours

The stated operating time is 24 hours, a very good result for portable device, in reality the speaker works less, about 20 hours at almost full volume. It uses its own power supply for charging, so it’s better not to lose it.

Sound

Two speakers and two passive radiators are used, unlike the JBL Charge, where they are on the sides and vibrate beautifully in the rhythm of the bass; here you won’t see the work, but you will hear it, that’s for sure. Frequency response 20–20,000 Hz (sampling frequency 44.1 kHz), supports Sony proprietary technologies, such as Clear Audio+, DSEE - the first is responsible for optimizing the frequency balance, the second stands for Digital Sound Enhancement Engine, is responsible for improving the quality of tracks in MP3 . There is also Extra Bass, but I personally liked using the speaker without such an enhancer; there is already enough bass here.

About the operating range, in the apartment there are no interruptions in sound at any distance from the speaker. This is very good, you can count on normal communication ten meters from the device. Sony has made the connection process as easy as possible, there is a Bluetooth button, it’s easy to switch between devices and connect a new one.

I used a column with Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, iPhone 6S Plus, Sony Xperia X – in the latter case, LDAC worked, loaded FLAC and tried to listen, to be honest, I didn’t notice a strong difference with MP3. Of course, there would be other speakers, but it’s gratifying that Sony is trying to promote sound good quality in all of your decisions.

Overall, I really liked the sound. There is a huge volume reserve, there is volume, when compared with the JBL Charge, the latter does better with low frequencies, while the Sony ones are not so prominent - let’s say, it’s nice to listen to blues, but for techno it’s better to choose the Charge.

Conclusions

In retail the speaker costs 11,990 rubles, comparable to JBL Charge 3, which one should you choose? The third “Charge” has complete moisture protection, the sound is more interesting for those who love electronic music (purely personal opinion), the design is not so conservative, it is possible to combine several JBL devices in a chain... In general, there are many advantages, why is it worth paying attention to Sony SRS-XB3?

Firstly, this is a long time battery life, secondly, the sound is more interesting for lovers of quiet genres, thirdly, this is Sony for Sony lovers, LDAC support is still exotic. When the price drops, the column will become even more interesting for all experimenters.

A few months ago, Sony introduced a whole line of portable speaker systems aimed at a youth audience. In today's review I will look at two older models: Sony SRS-XB30 and SRS-XB40. Do these devices create a wow effect? Definitely.

Equipment

Seeing the size of the boxes, I immediately dreamed of a giant Sony SRS-XB30 and SRS-XB40 speaker configurations. After all, these devices are not the cheapest class, so the manufacturer must justify the cost by maximizing the satisfaction of its customers. But no. The delivery package is extremely minimalist and identical.

• the column itself
• charger (power supply SRS-XB30 has 5V parameters<–>3A, and SRS-XB40 – 9.5V<–>2.2A)
• instructions (which had to, for the first time in for a long time, take advantage)

In general, Sony could not surprise me in terms of configuration. Everything is just very high quality and tightly packed, nothing more.

Design

Frankly speaking, when I was waiting for these speakers, I was more concerned about the design issue than the sound quality. I wasn't worried about the latter at all, knowing who the manufacturer was. Sony is one of the few companies that still continues to produce its branded audio players under the Walkman brand. This means, thanks to many years of experience and the availability of technology, they have every opportunity to create best devices in the acoustic systems market.

A characteristic design feature of the entire line is a rectangle with rounded edges. And the older the model, the more similar it is to brick. This is probably due to the fact that each subsequent model increases in size and weight. Here's a size comparison with the Creative D100.

If the Sony SRS-XB30 can still be called portable and portable sound system, then its older brother - Sony SRS-XB40 is a stretch. This is due to the weight of the device (1.5 kg), and not to its dimensions. But I believe that both devices are designed for stationary use at home or at a party.

Depending on Sony models offers several variations color solutions. Of course, these are the most popular colors: black, red and blue (Sony SRS-XB30 also has green and white versions). But the black version seems to me the coolest and most brutal.

By the way, I’ll tell you right away about the case. The material of both speakers is very easily soiled and gets dirty literally from everything! Even for photographs, I could not bring them to perfect condition.

Initially, I thought that the body was made of metal, the devices lie so confidently and heavily in the hands, but in fact it is plastic, which is very reminiscent of rubber in tactile sensations. This also provides moisture protection, because both models have an IPx5 standard.

Otherwise design Sony SRS-XB30 and SRS-XB40 excellent! I’ll tell you separately about each side.

The front side is covered with a metal mesh that protects two speakers and a passive radiator. Along the perimeter of this grid, on the outside, there is one of the lighting elements.

On the top side there are all the buttons and the NFC tag (I wonder if it’s possible to pay for purchases in a store?):

1. Extra Bass – a regular press activates an additional bass effect, and a long press turns on the backlight.
2. A set of standard buttons: volume, start / pause, answering a call (holding this button will allow you to find out the percentage of battery charge), single operation mode / creating a pair from another speaker.
3. The main button turns the speaker on or off with a regular press. A long hold turns on Bluetooth to connect to your mobile device.

The rear passive radiator is also covered with a metal mesh. Next to it is a cover with rubberized seals, under which are the following ports: 3.5 mm audio input, charging input and USB port.

Now the speakers can not only play music, but also charge mobile devices. Enough convenient function, if you often go on a picnic.

By the way, here is an example of how the backlight works: the Sony SRS-XB40 is shown on the left, the Sony SRS-XB30 is shown on the right.

Surely everyone immediately noticed the difference. Unfortunately, the Sony SRS-XB30 does not have backlighting for the speakers themselves. Although this element occupies the largest area of ​​the older model and looks more impressive than a strobe light and a neon strip around the perimeter.

What also makes it special is that the light passes through a metal mesh. The walls of a dark room are immediately painted with characteristic patterns.

Specifications

The differences between the two speakers are minimal: mainly in size, weight and amount of backlighting. Although Sony claimed a smaller battery for the SRS-XB30, the official documentation talks about up to 24 hours of continuous operation for both models.

I think that, due to the lack of speaker backlighting, the operating time of the younger model is on par with the older one.

Sony SRS-XB30

• rated power 64 W (but this is not exact, I’ll explain why later)
• Bluetooth 4.2 and NFC support
• IPx5 water protection
• hands-free mode support
• 2 lighting elements: along the perimeter of the metal mesh and with a strobe function
• dimensions: 228 x 82 x 86 mm
• weight 980 grams

Sony SRS-XB40

• Frequency range: 20–20,000 Hz (44.1 kHz sampling)
• rated power 64 W (that's accurate)
• Bluetooth 4.2 and NFC support
• there is a 3.5 mm audio port and 1 USB input
• battery up to 24 hours of continuous operation
• IPx5 water protection
• hands-free mode support
• 3 lighting elements: around the perimeter, strobe function and speaker backlight
• dimensions: 279 x 100 x 105 mm
• weight 1500 grams

Sound quality

I've been using a Creative D100 portable speaker system for the past few years. We must admit that the device is morally and technically outdated. True, I didn’t think about it that often before.

After listening to just a couple of tracks on Sony speakers, I realized that it was time to change my device. Wireless audio technology has come a long way in just a few years. The difference in sound is felt instantly.

But we must remember that first of all sound Sony SRS-XB30 and SRS-XB 40 created for electronic music. After all, the manufacturer itself positions its own line as a replacement for nightclubs. Therefore, I received almost no pleasure from listening to rock music. Only if the composition contains a powerful bass guitar.

In terms of sound quality or volume, I didn't notice any difference at all between the two models.

Firstly, I never turned the volume up to maximum volume, because there was a risk of simply going deaf, and the neighbors would immediately run to the door of my apartment. However, I never experienced any wheezing from the speakers.

Secondly, Sony has officially revealed the power of only the older model SRS-XB40. She also added that the SRS-XB30 differs only in size and smaller battery. Therefore, using the usual logical chain, I came to the conclusion that the power of the speakers of the two models is at the same level.
Speaker systems have a really large volume reserve. A little less than half the filled scale on the smartphone was enough to hear music clearly in the most remote parts of the apartment.

So Sony SRS-XB30 and SRS-XB40 speakers They will definitely not let even the most passive partygoers fall asleep and they can easily be used in large rooms or in nature.

Sony has its own application for operating systems iOS systems and Android. The application acts as a kind of “hub” responsible for synchronizing, setting up and managing all multimedia devices own production.

In general, there is nothing innovative in the application. But there were enough problems:

1. I still consider myself a geek and usually figure things out without the help of instructions. But, I was never able to connect two speakers into a single synchronous audio system. It seems that according to the instructions there is nothing complicated, but the application itself really likes to freeze and show a regular black screen when something doesn’t work out. Only restarting the application helps.
2. I also failed to connect via NFC. Neither on the iPhone 7 Plus, nor on the . If in the first case there is a limitation of iOS itself, then on Android there is some kind of flaw or an overly complicated connection that few people will understand. But the Bluetooth connection works just great! The speaker calmly plays music even at a distance of 15-20 meters from the smartphone.

I really want the manufacturer to be able to improve their application and simplify all processes. Still, this is not a device from a third-tier company that requires you to “shamanize” the whole evening to get results.

The speaker system is from a great Japanese company with the price of an average smartphone from , and Plug & Play is not implemented at the proper level. Well, how so?

There is also separate application Fiestable. Somewhat reminiscent of the stock program for controlling the backlight. There are just a few more possibilities - there are a huge number of built-in templates. The backlight already tries to keep up with the music, but Sony additionally offers us other settings with priority for a certain color. Or configure everything with my own hands. The last option is much cooler.

Bottom line

Has Sony managed to make a quality product? Definitely. With the Sony SRS-XB30 and SRS-XB40 speakers, anyone can become the center of attention at a noisy party, thanks to excellent sound and an original lighting system.

At the same time, these devices are perfect for equipping your own room with stationary speaker systems.

It’s better to overpay a couple thousand at once, but enjoy a full-fledged light show throughout the entire life cycle of the device. I can assure all readers that the backlight function is not a one- or two-time feature. Everyone can find a use for it.

• 1. Rating
• 2. Specifications
• 3. Equipment and design: works in any position
• 4. Wireless communication: three connection methods
• 5. Sound quality: specially designed for modern music
• 6. Autonomy: all day without recharging
• 7. Bottom line: small but mighty
• 8. Pros and cons

The SRS-XB10 occupies a special place in Sony's Extra Bass line. Although it is the most compact and lightweight, its capabilities are in no way inferior to other gadgets in the series and gives excellent bases. But can a miniature audio system offer anything other than strong low frequencies?

Information about Sony SRS-XB10

8.4 Evaluation

Specifications

Features and design: works in any position

Traditionally, Sony speakers come with nothing superfluous. In addition to the SRS-XB10, the package contains all the necessary documentation, a charging cable (a regular micro-USB cable is used here) and a stand strap.

The device is made in the shape of a cylinder, on the upper edge of which there is a speaker grille. If desired, you can install the speaker vertically and then the sound will be directed upwards or lay it horizontally. This is exactly what the strap is for. With its help you can hang the device on a hook.

The speaker material is rubberized: this turns out to be quite practical to use, because the body is not afraid of dust and moisture. In accordance with the IPX5 standard, the model is treated with protection against splashing water - the speaker can be safely placed next to a pool or pond and not worry about its safety.

All control elements are placed on the side face. Using the available buttons, you can turn on or off the device itself, an individual track, and also change the music volume. There is a button to combine two columns into unified system. A little further away are the charging connectors and the audio input. In addition to the keys, there are several indicators that allow you to find out about the state of the gadget - the battery charge level, the NFC status.

Wireless: Three ways to connect

The case does not have a slot for memory cards, so all played tracks must be stored in a smartphone, tablet or other device. To start playing songs, you need to create a pair with one of the gadgets.

The developers offer a choice of regular Bluetooth technology(version 4.2 is used here), NFC or audio input (although you will have to buy the cable separately).

When using Bluetooth or NFC, the connection is almost instantaneous. On outdoors 10 meters is enough for synchronization, further there may be interference. In an ordinary apartment building, where the signal path is blocked by walls, you should count on a maximum range of 7 meters.

Sound quality: tailored for modern music

Although the speaker cannot boast of large dimensions, it is capable of reproducing good quality sound. There are two speakers inside, but the device still reproduces only mono sound - one of the speakers is aimed only at low frequencies.

The device is part of the Extra Bass series, which means you don’t have to worry about high-quality reproduction of low and mid frequencies. The 46 mm driver perceives frequencies from 20 Hz. Sony developers have found that genres such as house, trance and techno are becoming more and more popular. Therefore, the SRS Extra Bass speakers are aimed at fans of electronic dance music. Indeed, the accessory literally pumps up low frequencies - an attentive user may even notice how the surface on which the gadget is installed vibrates.

At an average volume level, words and other sounds are perfectly understood, so poor quality The model also cannot be faulted for its reproduction of high frequencies.

But don’t think that the column will be useful only for those who like to party and dance until they drop! If you connect the device to home laptop, then it will be possible to create an acoustic stereo system for a more comfortable viewing of movies.

When the volume is increased to the maximum level, the SRS-XB10 not only begins to vibrate, but also loses sound quality. Excellent bass can lose its richness, and the music as a whole can become out of tune.

This problem is easily solved: just keep the volume in the range of 70-80% of the maximum. The volume reserve of this model is quite enough to fill a small room with music. And outdoors, one speaker can serve as a background. Need it louder? Then pay attention to the older model.

Autonomy: all day without recharging

The portable speaker is powered by a built-in lithium-ion battery. Its capacity is not the largest, but it is enough for a decent run time. If you listen to music at maximum volume, the charge will last for 16 hours. If you need to extend the work time, you just need to reduce the volume of the music.

Charging is carried out either from a standard micro-USB cable or from POWERBANK. This requires little time - only 3.5 hours.

Package

Wireless speaker Sony SRS-XB10 lies in a small cardboard box in protective polyethylene. The box is very compact, so much so that even paper with warranty obligations attached to the outside, and not lying inside, as usual.

Equipment

The Sony SRS-XB10 speaker's equipment is very modest:

• Column
• Operating instructions
• USB cable for charging the battery
• Warranty card

Design

The entire top of the speaker is covered with a neat metal grille that protects the main speaker.

The side edge is entirely covered with a rubberized soft coating, which at the same time protects the speaker from damage when dropped or from breakage when water splashes on it.

At the bottom of the side there are control buttons:

1. Enable/disable
2. Volume control
3. Button to add a second Sony SRS-XB10 speaker to create stereo sound
4. Play/Stop

Under the buttons there are light indicators that can indicate the following activities:

1. Battery charging
2. The microphone is working
3. If two Sony SRS-XB10 speakers are working simultaneously, each of them will have a light indicator for the channel that the speaker is playing (left, right)
4. Bluetooth

The bottom edge of the speaker is a stand, in which there are slots on the sides in order to pass low frequencies generated by the second speaker located below.

On the side of the column there is a mount for a hook that is held on a rope. This hook is very convenient; it can be used to attach the speaker to a backpack strap, to a jeans belt, or simply to make it more convenient to hold the speaker in your hand.

The same hook serves as a stand for the speaker if you need to place it horizontally rather than vertically.

The standard position of the speaker is considered vertical and this is the position that engineers had in mind when calculating the location of the speakers and their power. It is in the vertical position that the speaker creates more effective low frequencies, and it is in the vertical position that the sound as a whole seems more capacious.

If you place the speaker horizontally, with the top speaker facing you, you will be able to hear the mids and mids better. high frequencies, but the audibility and depth of low frequencies will deteriorate. For listening to talk programs or podcasts, this arrangement may be even more convenient than the vertical one, because You will perceive human speech more easily and naturally, but for music, vertical positioning of the speaker is preferable.

Water protection

Battery life

The Sony SRS-XB10 model lasts up to 16 hours on a single charge at medium volume levels. At maximum volume, battery life can drop to 10 hours.

During testing, the speaker showed a battery life of about 14 hours. The volume varied constantly depending on the type of music being listened to and the level of ambient noise.

Fully charging the battery takes 3.5 hours, functions fast charging No.

Management and capabilities

Through the column, you can easily control music playback: start/stop and turn on the next music track. You can't switch the track back, only forward.

It is possible to adjust the volume.

There is an interesting function for creating stereo sound using two Sony SRS-XB10 speakers. One column always works in mono mode, because... it only has one speaker. More precisely, there are two speakers, but one of them is low-frequency, so the speaker reproduces only mono sound.

But if you have two speakers, they can be combined into one system, so you get stereo sound.

The button for adding a second column is located on the side of the row of all buttons; just press it and hold it for about 3 seconds, after which the second column should automatically connect. The signal from the phone will go to the first speaker, and only then from the first to the second.

It is possible to connect the speaker via wire to a sound source; the speaker has a standard jack for connecting a 3.5 mm jack. There is no audio cable included, you need to purchase it separately.

If a phone is connected to the speaker and you receive an incoming voice call, the speaker can act as a loudspeaker and microphone at the same time. It’s very convenient if you’re on a picnic and they call you, you don’t have to look for a phone, you can talk using the Sony SRS-XB10.

Wireless communication

I tested the speaker with two phones on operating systems Android 8 and Windows Mobile 10, as well as with a laptop with Windows 10. In all cases, pairing occurred within a few seconds, and subsequent connections from the powered state took place within a second.

The stability of the wireless signal is good; outdoors the speaker worked without failures at a distance of up to 15 meters from the source; with further distance, slight interference began. The speaker stopped working completely at a distance of about 25 meters from the phone.

In an apartment, the distance of stable operation decreased to 7 meters; it must be taken into account that there were 2 load-bearing concrete walls between the speaker and the telephone. At a distance of about 12 meters, the speaker stopped working.

During testing, I encountered a couple of times that, even though the speaker was next to the phone, when switching a music track, the sound in the speaker disappeared, even though it was clear on the phone screen that playback was continuing. Switching the track again eliminated the problem and the speaker started working again. This error did not occur often, only a couple of times during the week of testing, but it cannot be attributed to an accident either.