So this is the Sony XB100, this is Sony’s super compact speaker that you can use while at home or you can attach it to your back pack or bike and take it on the go with you. Overall, the XB100 is a very incremental upgrade over its predecessor, but today lets see what the XB100 is all about.

Regarding pricing, the XB100 has a retail price of $60, not bad given its size. Now this isn’t the loudest of the most capable speaker, but its a good option if you need something super small and super portable. Nonetheless, if you want to pick this speaker up it’ll be linked down below.

Now first lets talk about the design of this speaker. Size wise the XB100 is a little larger than the XB12 but its basically the same size and shape as the XB13. The main deference here is that the XB100 now has a textured design and it has gone back to have a soft touch feel to it… so this speaker is a lot easier to handle than then XB13 which is comparatively slippery cause it has a slate plastic body. But nonetheless, the XB100 is rocking the same XP67 rating as the XB13, meaning that its dust and water proof. And the XB100 has the same built in carrying strap as the XB13, so you can easily attach this speaker to what ever you’d like.

Regarding battery life… there is a slight downgrade here over the XB13. The XB100 has an advertised battery life of 16 hours… but that’s with this speaker playing at 72% volume… which is a decent listening volume for this speaker, where as the XB13 also has an advertised battery life of 16 hours… but that’s with this speaker playing at 83% volume.

But real world use with both of these speakers playing at max volume… which I feel most people are going to be doing if they’re trying to use these speakers in the shower or while they’re on their bike… they’re both good for about 5 hours of play back time.

And when it comes to charging both the XB100 and XB13, they both charge via a USB C port are they should… where as with the XB12, this speaker charges via a micro USB port. But something the XB12 has that these newer speakers don’t is an audio jack… so with the XB100, you can only use it with a wireless connection.

But with the XB100, it can only be connected to one device at a time and this speaker only has support for SBC and AAC. Unfortunately there’s no LDAC here like with Sony’s other speakers. But this speaker doesn’t have an latency issues, so you can use it to watch videos on your phone.

But now lets talk about sound. Regarding speaker set ups, all of these speakers have an upwards firing driver and a passive radiator on the bottom… but the really interesting thing here is that the XB100 has a new off center diaphragm driver… now sony claims that this new off center diaphragm driver helps with better clarity, specifically in the highs when this speaker is playing at louder volumes… but I also think that it helps keep this speaker in place when its playing music. Where as with the XB13, this speaker loves to move around the table. But nonetheless, we’re going to jump into the sound test where all of these speakers are playing at max volume.

So regarding sound… I feel the difference here is super nuanced. I feel the XB100 has a slightly more balanced sound signature to it and it sounds a little fuller with a little more bass. Where as these other speakers the highs are just a little more emphasized… and they don’t sound as full, so they may sound a little tinyer. Regardless, the sound quality difference between these speakers is very small but tecnincally yes, the XB100 does sound alight more balanced and fuller than these other two speakers.

But when it comes to max volume performance, the XB100 and XB13 get equally as loud and they both get a little louder than the XB12. But like I alluded to earlier, the XB100 is a speaker that you’re most likely going to want to use at max volume if you’re going to use these soaker while you’re in the shower or if you have it attached to your bike. And since this speaker is an upwards firing speaker, this speaker is going to sound better while in doors cause its going to have a ceiling to bounce its sound off of… or if you’re going to use this speaker while you’re outdoors… you want to try to aim this speaker at you for the best sound.

But finally lets talk about pairing this speaker with other speakers. Unfortunately, you can not pair an XB100 to any of Sony’s larger speakers that are using party connect. So if you get an XB100… you still can’t pair it to lets say an XG500, XG300, XE300, XE200, or an XB43, XB33, or XB23.

But when you can do is you can pair your XB100 to one other XB100 and you can get them to play in left and right stereo mode. And paring your two speakers together it very easy, you just press and hold the bluetooth button and they pair up and skipping isn’t an issue. But also, if you have your two speakers paired together and if you turn them off, the next time that you power both of them back on they’ll automatically get paired in stereo mode again.

And in general, having two XB100’s playing together at the same time is rather impressive. The only thing to keep in mind here is that you can only pair your XB100 to another XB100, you can’t pair an XB100 to an XB13.

But finally here’s the microphone test, now this microphone sounds decent enough but personally I wouldn’t take phone calls with a speaker… but the option is there is you want it.

But with all of that being said, the Sony XB100 is a very incremental upgrade over its predecessors. From a sound quality standpoint, it sounds a little more balanced and a little fuller than the XB13. But the difference here is very nuanced. The only real upgrade to speak of here is that this speaker has a slightly longer battery life if you use it at lower volumes and its new more texturized body is easier to handle. But sides that, there aren’t any major changes here. But regardless the Sony XB100 is a decent little speaker if you need something for the shower, if you need something small around the house while you do chores, its great to take on the go with you, and its a good option if you need something for your bike.