Every time Sony launches a Bluetooth speaker, I’m just generally more excited than most people here. That’s partly because I absolutely love listening to music on speakers, and mostly because I’ve found Sony’s Bluetooth speakers to offer better sound quality when compared to what other brands have in the market. So naturally, when the nice people over at Sony sent us the SRS-XB32 for a review, I was hyped. After all, I’ve been a fan of the SRS-XB20 that I purchased around a year or so ago, and I loved the SRS-XB12 that I reviewed a while back, and I expected the XB32 to do just that — and it did. All of that, and way more. So if you’re wondering what the new Sony SRS-XB32 is like, and if it’s worth the asking price of Rs. 10,990, here’s my review:
Still, Sony has managed to design it almost to perfection. Like I said, it’s really easy to hold this speaker, and that really surprised me in all the best ways. Also, Sony seems to realise that a party speaker will most likely be used in pool parties, and that someone will inevitably drop it inside the pool (you know it’s true), which is probably why there’s an IP67 rating here, and Sony explicitly mentions that the speaker can be washed with water if you want to — you can bet I did just that, and I’m happy to report, it’s working fine and dandy.
It’s also shock proof, and apparently conforms to the MIL-STD 801 F Method 516.5-Shock tests, so you can probably drop it from 1.22 m height on plywood of 5cm thickness, but I did not. Jokes apart though, it’s nice that the speaker will be able to tolerate random bumps and the occasional drop.
Coming to the aesthetics and material choices made here, the speaker, like I mentioned above has a rubberised finish on most of its body, and the buttons feel like they are in fact, made out of rubber. The LED light strip that goes around the entire face of the speaker is covered in a clear plastic as well, and shines brightly through it, which is great for setting a party mood.
There’s a mesh design on the back for the passive bass radiator to thump the beats out of; after all, this is an XB branded speaker and that means Extra Bass. Plus, sitting right beside the bass radiator grill are the ports and buttons, covered with a rubber flap to prevent water and dust from getting inside the ports.I’m pretty impressed by the design and build of these speakers, and I wish more brands would go this route with their designs. You know, give me IP rated, bass radiating speakers which are big but easy to hold and with rubberised finishes for better grip. I love this.
Sound from the XB32 hits all the right spots. It’s loud, and can get extremely loud at max volume and still not distort audio. True to its name, the speaker brings loud, thumping bass, without being obnoxiously bass-heavy and drowning out the mids and highs. Basically, the XB32 is a well balanced speaker when it comes to audio. Plus, you can always turn off the Extra Bass setting if you want a more natural sound.
Speaking of turning off the Extra Bass setting by the way, there’s no Extra Bass button on this speaker. Instead, there’s a button called “LIVE” which switches the audio modes between Extra Bass and Live Audio, and then there’s a third audio mode called “Standard” audio mode, and to enable that you’ll have to rely on a combination of buttons, LED indicators, and patience.
If you’re confused right now about the sheer number of sound modes on this speaker, don’t worry, I was too. Sony is offering just way too much in this tiny package, not that I’m complaining. However, to make it easier for you to understand the different sound modes you get here, let me break it down:
Sony SRS-XB32: Specifications before we jump into the review, let’s take a look at the specifications of the Sony SRS-XB32.
| Dimensions | 238 x 84 x 83 mm |
| Weight | ~900g |
| Speaker Size | 2x 48mm units |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth v4.2; NFC |
| Supported Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Frequency Range | 20Hz - 20kHz |
| Battery | ~24 hrs in standard mode with light off; ~14 hrs with lights and Extra Bass on |
| Ports | microUSB; AUX-in; USB-A |
| Price | Rs. 9,990 |
Design and Build
Sony’s Bluetooth speakers have always had amazing build quality, and the XB32 is no different. It comes in a rubberised finish that adds to the grip, it features a design that makes the speaker handy, even though it’s a pretty big Bluetooth speaker, and also, at around 900 grams, a heavy one.Still, Sony has managed to design it almost to perfection. Like I said, it’s really easy to hold this speaker, and that really surprised me in all the best ways. Also, Sony seems to realise that a party speaker will most likely be used in pool parties, and that someone will inevitably drop it inside the pool (you know it’s true), which is probably why there’s an IP67 rating here, and Sony explicitly mentions that the speaker can be washed with water if you want to — you can bet I did just that, and I’m happy to report, it’s working fine and dandy.
It’s also shock proof, and apparently conforms to the MIL-STD 801 F Method 516.5-Shock tests, so you can probably drop it from 1.22 m height on plywood of 5cm thickness, but I did not. Jokes apart though, it’s nice that the speaker will be able to tolerate random bumps and the occasional drop.
Coming to the aesthetics and material choices made here, the speaker, like I mentioned above has a rubberised finish on most of its body, and the buttons feel like they are in fact, made out of rubber. The LED light strip that goes around the entire face of the speaker is covered in a clear plastic as well, and shines brightly through it, which is great for setting a party mood.
Audio Quality
Speaking of things I want more brands to do — the Sony SRS-XB32 have amazing sound quality. Just dead on-point, especially considering the price they’re coming in at. Now I know, at Rs. 10,990 these aren’t exactly ‘budget’ Bluetooth speakers, but they aren’t that expensive, either, and the sound quality that these will bring along can justify the price tag pretty well. That, and the features, but we’ll talk more about them in a different section.Sound from the XB32 hits all the right spots. It’s loud, and can get extremely loud at max volume and still not distort audio. True to its name, the speaker brings loud, thumping bass, without being obnoxiously bass-heavy and drowning out the mids and highs. Basically, the XB32 is a well balanced speaker when it comes to audio. Plus, you can always turn off the Extra Bass setting if you want a more natural sound.
Speaking of turning off the Extra Bass setting by the way, there’s no Extra Bass button on this speaker. Instead, there’s a button called “LIVE” which switches the audio modes between Extra Bass and Live Audio, and then there’s a third audio mode called “Standard” audio mode, and to enable that you’ll have to rely on a combination of buttons, LED indicators, and patience.
If you’re confused right now about the sheer number of sound modes on this speaker, don’t worry, I was too. Sony is offering just way too much in this tiny package, not that I’m complaining. However, to make it easier for you to understand the different sound modes you get here, let me break it down:
- Live Audio: With this mode, the speaker tries to create a concert like feel with a wider soundstage so you get a more natural sound. When this mode is on, the Live button LED is also on.
- Extra Bass: This mode is meant to be used when you need the thumping bass for your EDM playlist. When this mode is on, the Live button LED is off, and the power button LED is white.
- Standard Mode: In standard mode, you basically get neither the extra bass, nor the wider soundstage, but you do get a huge bump in battery life, which is great. When this mode is on, the Live button LED is off, and the power button LED is green.
Alright, so that’s a lot of sound modes. However, from using this speaker for a while, I’ve come to realise that the Extra Bass setting is where this speaker is the most fun, so I’d recommend keeping it set to that, unless you’re camping out and need longer battery life, in which case, switch to the Standard mode instead.
Whatever mode you choose, though, this speaker sounds great, and I don’t have any complaints with the sound quality here. It’s amazing.
Detail Source: www.beebom.com
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