It’s one thing for a Bluetooth speaker to sound great but when it puts a light show on for you as well then it’s on another level. And that’s exactly what you get with the Sony Extra Bass SRS-XB31.
This is a speaker with a difference. Yes you get exceptional sound but this provides some eye candy at the same time.
The Sony SRS-XB31 ($229) is the medium size speaker in the Extra Bass family sitting between the XB21 (149) and the XB41 ($269).
The XB31 is 23.1cm long, 8.7cm tall and 8.1cm thick which is a good size to provide solid sound but also small enough to take anywhere.
And the good news is it’s totally washable, dustproof and waterproof thanks to the IP67 rating so there is no limit to where you can take it.
The speaker is also rustproof so you can also drop it in the ocean without an issue.
Onboard are dual 48mm speakers with a mica reinforced cellular speaker cone to control the sound while retaining quality.
Also built-in is a line light that runs around the edge of the speaker and two flashing strobes on each side.
These can be controlled in the Sony Music Centre companion app where the user can choose different light shows including rave, chill and strobe.
In a dark room, it’s quite entertaining just to watch the speaker while listening to music.
On the audio side, users will not be disappointed.
Sony has delivered a nicely balanced speaker that punches out a massive sound.
Listeners can also dive into the Sony Music Centre app and access the equaliser as well as control the level of base so that it sounds exactly to your liking.
We can’t think of any other Bluetooth speaker that offers this much control over how it performs.
Another excellent audio feature is Live Sound which offers an impressive three-dimensional sound experience.
The angled speakers work with the on-board DSP (digital signal processing) technology to fire your music out across a wider area giving you a real festival feel.
Party Booster is another fun add-on which allows you to create different sounds like a scratch, snare, cowbell or kick drum just by tapping different parts of the speaker.
Using this feature allows you to play DJ while streaming your favourite tunes.
The Sony SRS-XB31 as a 24-hour battery on board which means your party can last all day.
There is even a USB port on the back of the speaker to charge your mobile device as well.
There was the odd occasion with the music would cut out for a second or two but it didn’t happen often enough to be a major concern.
And for those concerned they may get sick of the lights on the speaker, you can turn them off in the app if you wanted just to hear the music.
VERDICT
The Sony SRS-XB31 is a fun speaker in every sense of the word with excellent audio quality and a light show that stands it apart from the competition.
Sony SRS-XB31
- Design
