Sony XB43 Vs JBL Boombox 2 : A Detailed Comparison

The newly launched Sony XB43 has been the talk of the music world for quite some time. Specifications-wise, it is pretty similar to the highly successful JBL Boombox 2, which I would recommend to any music enthusiast any day. But the all-new Sony XB43 is priced lower, features some new technologies, and fares better at least on paper. But technically, is the XB43 more worth than the Boombox 2? Well stick us with for few minutes and in no time you would be able to decide which one is a better choice for you.

Product Image	Product Name	Product Price	Prime Availability	Purchase link
	JBL Boombox 2 - Portable Bluetooth Speaker		PrimeEligible	Buy Now
	Sony SRS-XB43 EXTRA BASS Wireless Portable Speaker		PrimeEligible	Buy Now

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JBL Boombox 2 – Overview

Sony XB43 – Overview

Detailed Comparison

1. Pricing

Kicking off with comparing the prices, the Boombox is usually priced at $350-$399 in online stores and at exclusive retailers. It’s been a while since the speaker was launched, hence it often goes on sale at which you might be able to grab it at as low as $250, which the base price of the Sony XB43. The launch of Boombox 3 is also around the corner which may further decrease the cost o Boombox 2 to some extent. So, pricing should not be given much thought to compare these two amazing speakers unless you are in a hurry, XB43 can save you a few dollars.

Read More – 10 Best Portable Boombox Reviews

2. Design

Moving on, let us have a look at the design and portability of the two as both the speakers are very differently built from one another. Although both the speakers are almost the same size, it is much easier to travel with the Boombox 2 as compared to XB43 because of the additional strap-on built on the top. The handle is lightweight, strong, and provides an overall more comfortable grip compared to the XB43, which you would need to carry by your hands. The JBL Boombox 2 weighs in at 6.5 pounds whereas the Sony XB43 weighs in at 5.3 pounds.

Besides that, everything else is pretty similar between the speakers. Both of these speakers are covered with high-quality polycarbonate which provides protection against occasional scratches, bumps, and falls. The exposed passive radiators of both the speakers are, located on either side which you might want to keep in mind. Additionally, both the speakers are IPX7 rated which prevents any kind of damage from water splashes leaving the speakers safe to use around pools and beaches.

Concluding, overall none of them are bad to travel along with but if you are constantly on move, JBL Boombox 2 has surely an upper hand due to its more distributed weight and shoulder strap.

Both the JBL Boombox and Sony XB43 are quite heavy and not suitable for kids and teenagers especially if they are often on the move. Regarding that, you can visit our detailed review of the best portable Boombox in 2023 for the best of the bunch out there.

3. Battery Life

Now let’s talk about the battery of both the speakers one by one. The XB43 has an advertised battery life of 24 hours which is achievable only when the LEDs are turned off and the volume is set at around 50%. Also, using the power-saver mode may help in extending the battery life further although the speaker might sound a bit stale. Upon turning on the extra bass mode, the battery life further decreases to around 14 hours of continuous playback.

On using the speaker at its full capacity that is at maximum volume with all the LEDs turned on, the battery lasts only 2 hours. Turning down the volume by 80% may give an extra boost of around 5 hours in playback time. So, overall the battery life of the Sony XB43 is good enough but not impressive for long-distance travels.

The Boombox 2 on the other hand has an advertised lifetime of around 15 hours which is achievable at 50% volume. At full volume, the battery provides around 9 hours of playback and on turning on the bass mode, it further reduces to 4 hours of playback. So concluding, Boombox 2 has a slight advantage over XB43 when it comes to battery performance.

4. Sound Quality

Now let’s talk about the most important aspect of any speaker, sound quality. The biggest upgrade in the XB43 is the all-new speaker system that has been completely redesigned from its predecessor. The Sony XB43 has a dual tweeter and dual woofer set in the font and also dual passive radiators on the back shooting from the sides. This is quite similar due to the design of Boombox 2 because it also has a dual tweeter, dual woofer, and dual passive radiators in the back shooting from the sides. Now, let’s move on to our sound test where we will compare the real-life performance of both speakers.

So as you may know, the JBL Boombox 2 gets much louder than XB43 in the default configuration and the bass is also better than the XB43. Playing the Sony Xb43 on the highest volume is around playing Boombox at around 85% volume. So for large parties, the JBL Boombox is a better option. But loudness is not everything, the highs and lows of the Sony XB43 are much better than that of Boombox 2 due to its new technology. The output is much more clear and accurate.

Concluding in a line, if you are looking for a speaker for parties and large gatherings, the sound output of Boombox 2 is better due to its loudness but if you want to use it more personally specifically for singing or practicing dancing, Sony XB43 might just be the speaker for you.

5. Connectivity

In the end, let’s discuss all the wired and wireless options available in the speakers. Both the speakers make use of Bluetooth for wireless connection which is standard for any speaker at this price point. The Sony XB43 however is equipped with Bluetooth 5.2 as compared to 5.1 of Boombox 2 which has slightly better connectivity as well as support for the newer generation of Smart TVs. In the wired connection, none of the speakers have a classic audio jack port but instead a USB A port which performs better and supports a large number of devices ranging from smartphones, USB cards to tablets, etc.

You can use the JBL Connect+ app to connect multiple speakers together for big meetings. The same can be achieved in Sony speakers using the Party Connect app. The download link of both apps is given below for your convenience.

Connect+: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.harman.ble.jbllink

Party Connect: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sony.songpal

These are only a few ways by which you can connect your JBL speakers. For a detailed guide to connecting any of your devices to JBL speakers or multiple JBL speakers together or more than one device to a single speaker, visit our guide on how to connect JBL Boombox TV/ JBL Xtreme / Partybox 300 once for clear insight.

Conclusion

So concluding, we can say that although Boombox technically being the last generation speaker due to its older Bluetooth version and inability to connect with Smart TVs and newer speakers, is still a pretty solid speaker which is more than loud and well-built. Moreover, at discount prices, the cost to performance ratio of Boombox 2 is highly justified.

On the other hand, the XB43 does sound better than the Boombox 2 but it is underwhelmingly loudness and the lower battery lie does mokes the competition between the speakers much tighter. So for longer trips and bigger parties, go for Boombox 2, and for personal use, XB43 without any doubt is a better speaker.

If you like the article, then you would also like to visit our review of the JBL Boombox Vs JBL Xtreme 2 and JBL Xtreme 2 vs Boombox. Bookmark us for more such articles and have a nice day.

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