top features
Robust design
Decent audio quality
Good battery life
Sony is known for making amazing audio products. These include headphones, home theaters, TWS earbuds, and portable speakers. The company also stock a wide range of portable party speakers, and the latest is the XG300.
Priced at Rs 27,990, this XG300 claims to offer almost everything a user could need from a party speaker. For example, it has a rugged and durable design, IP67 water and dust rating, good battery life, multiple connectivity options, and a companion app for the rest and everything else.
All that remains to be answered here is how good the speaker and audio quality is and whether it is worth the asking price. Read our review to find out:
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Sony XG300 isn’t exactly a portable speaker, but it’s not meant to be that portable. The idea here is to offer solid audio performance or party-level audio output from a relatively portable form factor, and the XG300 manages to do just that. The cylindrical design covered in fabric-like soft-touch material not only gives it a premium look and feel, but also makes it strong and durable. At either end you’ll find the passive radiators with lighting that respond to the music beats and are customizable with presets.
At the top you’ll find controls like power, Bluetooth, and Mega Bass, as well as play/pause and volume buttons. Directly above is a handlebar that automatically retracts when not in use. On the back are USB, AUX, and Type-C ports, as well as buttons for battery care and lighting.
The good thing is that all the ports and buttons are properly covered to protect against water and dust, which also gives this speaker an IP67 rating.
The good thing about this design is that it is easy to carry and relatively portable and the exposed elements make it very easy to use anywhere you want.
Audio quality, setup and software support
Sony’s sound signature is one of the best when it comes to portable speakers. The XG300 is no different. The four speakers – 2 woofers and 2 tweeters – all front-firing with side-firing passive radiators do a good job of offering loud, clear and crisp audio. The front-firing speaker setup throws sound towards the listener and that also means it lacks a bit of surround sound effect. We felt the audio came from a single direction, and that’s not bad if you’re just looking for loud but clear audio output. Fortunately, the speaker supports a multi-speaker setup. That means if you have two of these speakers you can pair them and listen in a stereo setup.
Speaking of features, the vocals are loud and clear and there’s no denying that they’re some of the best we’ve seen on party speakers. The treble level is also good and precise. Bass is also present, but not as pronounced as Sony claims. It wasn’t as impactful and offers a limited bass effect. It also sometimes dampens when Mega Bass mode is on.
Another issue we noticed is that the speaker sometimes overshadowed the mids and highs while listening to heavy bass songs like Pasoori, Tu Jhoom, etc.
However, the Sony Music Center app comes to the rescue by offering a few sound modes. For us, the live sound mode worked best for all kinds of genres. The app also features a dedicated DJ mode, custom equalizer, and lighting presets.
The app also has a number of power options that allow users to get the best possible battery life. Another key feature of the app is the streaming service integration for Spotify, Amazon Music, Fiestable, etc., which is a nice addition.
Speaking of the connection and setup process for the XG300. It’s simple and easy. All you have to do is turn on the speaker, press the Bluetooth button and pair it with the smartphone via the Bluetooth setting or the Music Center app.
The speaker also features a built-in echo-cancelling microphone. We tried it and it works perfectly without any problems.
battery
Sony claims around 25 hours of battery life on a single charge. In our test, the speaker lasted around 20 hours at full volume and with the lights on. Which is good for a battery powered speaker.
Verdict
Sony’s XG300 portable party speaker is priced at Rs 27,990 and it has a lot going for it at this price point. Starting with a portable and sturdy design, good battery life, a capable companion app, and most importantly, decent audio output with vocals loud and clear. Only the surround effect and bass output need to be improved. So if you are looking for a battery powered party speaker with a robust and durable design, then the Sony XG300 is a great choice for you. However, if you’re looking for a speaker that offers best-in-class sound output, you should look elsewhere.
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