Portable speakers can be a fun compact accessory to have, but not all of them sound great. The relation between the size of the speaker and the quality of sound can be really tricky. As large speakers have more space, they have bigger drivers, woofers and tweeters, which ultimately produce superior sound quality. However, fitting them all into a portable sized speaker is an engineering feat, which many renowned brands fail to execute.
Sony has always been in the forefront of the sound industry, and with the new XB21 portable speaker, they intend to stay on the top. The new Sony XB21 is a part of Sony’s XB family series, where XB stands for extra bass. The XB21 has an elegant design which easily appeals to audiences. Sony claims the new XB21 is “your own portable music festival”. Here at Reliance Digital, we reviewed the new Sony XB21 to know whether it really stands up to the claims Sony makes.
Design
The Sony XB21 is IP67 certified, it has a protective, all-around mesh design which is washable and dustproof. Sony has also made these speakers uniquely rustproof using mica reinforcement, so you can wash them under a tap can without worrying. The mesh design adds a good grip and weighs just 530g, so it is comfortable in the hands. The top has a power button which when long pressed, starts Bluetooth pairing. It also has volume up/down keys and a play/pause button which can be used to answer calls. The left-top corner can be tapped to instantly connect NFC-enabled devices.
The Sony XB21 has LED stripes that run over the mesh design, from the front to back. The lower-front section holds a small Sony logo giving the speaker its brand identity.
The back of the speaker has a rubberized door which gives access to the auxiliary input and microUSB charging port. There is a battery check button which announces the battery status. Also present, is a button (WPC - Wireless party chain) and Add speaker button which lets users connect multiple Sony speakers together.
Features
Sony offers a bunch of new features which make the XB21 exciting. By using Sony’s Music Centre app, users can easily customize their music listening experiences. There is an option to manually control bass, mid-range and treble, which music enthusiasts will appreciate. Sony has included a feature named ‘Party Booster’ which can be fun to use, as it allows users to tap various sides of the speaker to produce sound effects such as snare, synth-kick or synth snare. This feature can be easily customized with a variety of effects using the app. Using Sony’s digital signal processor, the XB21 can be connected to as many as 100 Sony speakers. Sony offers a list of compatible speakers that work with this feature, most of which belong to the XB series.
The feature that really makes the Sony XB21 unique from the competition is its live sound mode, which allows the device to emulate three dimensional sound. Internally, the position of drivers in the XB21 are kept at an angle which can spread out audio both vertically and horizontally. The throw of sound is fairly wide, and the difference in the music hearing experience can be easily noticed. Sony also offers a standard and an extra bass mode which users can choose, as per their preferences.
Performance
We reviewed the Sony XB21 speaker, and the results were quite impressive. Most portable Bluetooth speakers have a single driver, and listening to them for a long period of time can be tiring. The XB21 has two front-facing 42mm drivers offering a performance which is pleasing, even after hours of use. We played Tom Waits – I hope don’t fall in love with you, to test the mid-range performance of the speaker and the results were satisfying. The song has vocals from the beginning and half-way through, it has guitar notes which were sharp and pleasant to hear.
To test the treble performance of the speaker, we played Max Rocher’s - Lonesome Lover, which has some high vocals at the beginning of the song. They were crisp to ear, even after keeping the XB21 at its maximum volume output. Blending of high vocals and background chorus was beautifully managed by the XB21. We played Hans Zimmer - Coward to test the sound detailing performance of speaker. It does a fair job producing fine details which were included in the track, however we still felt, it lacked the feel a true music enthusiast would expect.
As Sony XB21 has dual drivers, so we played Pink Floyd – Money to check the stereo separation. The track at the very beginning, has melodies that use the two drivers of the XB10 well, delivering a performance which an enthusiast would like. The balance between the left and right drivers is accurately managed by the XB21.
Bass is where the XB10 excels, and of course it should; the XB in its name does stand for extra bass. The XB21 uses a passive radiator to create the bass effect which is noticeable. We played SKBRT - Wildfire to test its performance, and we enjoyed every bit of the song as the thumps created by the XB21 are substantial.
The Sony XB21 supports Bluetooth 4.2. We placed the speaker in different parts of the store, and found out it easily offers a range in excess of 30 ft. Wireless performance in crowded environments might be less. The XB21 also has a built-in microphone which lets you receive calls, however its quality is good only from a distance of around a foot. Sony claims a battery life of 12hrs which we feel is little over exaggerated. During our testing, we noticed that after 2 hours of normal use, the battery level dropped from 100 to 70 per cent. If one were to assume, the battery should last for 6 to 7 hours, or a bit more depending on the usage.
The Sony XB21 is a good package, especially considering the price range it comes in. It has an overall balance of mid-range, highs and bass and by using the Sony Music Centre App, users can have a customisable music experience. Also with fancy features like ‘Party Booster’ it can be a great speaker to have fun with.
Verdict
The Sony XB21 is a mixture of both, performance and build quality. It has features similar to more expensive XB series models, while costing a fraction of their price. The kind of performance it offers is better than its competitors, because of the directional nature of its sound. The party chain feature is handy as it lets you to easily connect with other Sony speaker, so you can play music louder and make the experience more immersive.
If portability is your priority, then the XB21 is a good choice as it comes with a nice design and build quality, and it can fit easily into your backpack. Priced at Rs. 6,999*, the Sony XB21 is a value-for-money speaker that offers good performance. However, if you can compromise on portability and are willing to spend a little more, you should check out the Sony XB31 which offers superior performance than the XB21.
Note: Prices are subject to change. Please refer to the web site for the latest prices and availability.
