Sony SRS-XP500 speaker review: mega-hit

 

This is not the first year that Sony has been offering wireless speakers in a semi-stationary form factor. This year’s XP series includes three models, the middle of which was tested by us.

 

Design

 

Despite the fact that the Sony SRS-XP500 is a medium-sized model, in reality it is not small at all. It weighs just over 11 kg and is over half a meter in height. But appropriately sized components allow for much more powerful sound.

 

 

On the front side, the speakers are protected by a metal mesh. Under it you can see two high-frequency speakers with a diameter of 50 mm and two mid-frequency speakers of a square shape measuring 140×140 mm.

 

 

There are three buttons on the back, a hatch underneath which hides the connection connectors and an air outlet.

 

 

The first button on the left is responsible for pairing with other wireless speakers. Medium – activates voice acting on the charge level of the built-in battery. Right – turns the backlight on and off.

 

 

Among the connectors there are two USB Type-A, 2.5 mm jacks for microphone and guitar, 3.5 mm Mini Jack and a connector for the power cable. To adjust the volume of the microphone and guitar, corresponding knobs are installed. The power supply is built-in, so when carrying it with you, you will only need to remember a one and a half meter long cable.

 

On the top surface there are buttons for power, Bluetooth pairing, playback start/pause, volume control and Mega Bass mode activation.

 

 

The speaker body as a whole is designed for use not only in a quiet home environment, but also at concerts, clubs, and open-air events. For this purpose, it has been certified to IPX4 standard. You can’t drop the speaker into the pool, but accidentally spilling a drink or leaving it in the rain for a while is not a big deal. Of course, such protection is provided when the hatch in the rear of the column is closed.

 

The column can be installed both vertically and horizontally. In the second case, you should place it on the floor with the right side when looking at the speaker from the front, because there are four footrests on only one side. When placed vertically, the speaker is even more stable and does not resonate thanks to the rubber feet.

 

 

This device is as portable as a 20-liter water bottle. But it’s actually convenient to carry the speaker thanks to two handles on top and bottom or to the left and right of the grille, depending on how you take it. They are strong, form part of the body and can be used to safely carry the speaker from place to place.

 

 

Equipment and operation

 

Sony SRS-XP500 can be either a wired or wireless speaker. To connect wirelessly, Bluetooth is used with support for SBC, AAC, LDAC codecs.

 

The speaker can also sound the playing of an electric guitar, as well as broadcasting through a microphone. To do this, it has microphone and guitar inputs for 6.5 mm plugs, a 3.5 mm stereo mini-jack, and a USB Type-A port for digital media. It turns out to be a kind of music center for outputting sound from almost any source. USB ports will allow you not only to stream audio from storage devices, but also to recharge mobile devices from which music is played.

 

 

One of the features was the shape of the speakers, which the company called the X-Balanced Speaker Unit. Their non-circular diffuser formed a larger area compared to classic form factors, increasing saturation and sound pressure. Of course, excellent sound can be achieved with the classic round shape, but in the XP500 a different approach certainly didn’t hurt. Sound assessment in general is a rather subjective and unrewarding undertaking. In our humble opinion, in this column, the configuration of drivers and their organization in the case is well implemented.

 

The speaker has a rich and clear sound, and this can be noted for almost any genre of music. The excess of low frequencies, of course, is not in keeping with classical music and other music with analog instruments. And electronic, hip-hop, rock and in general, everything that is suitable for loud parties sounds great. The sound is relatively narrowly focused, so all the details are heard only while you are in front of it. Moving to the side, some frequencies are less distinguishable. Therefore, when using a speaker, it should be placed away from people so that the voice sector is optimal. It has just enough power to cover the distance.

 

The manufacturer claims up to 20 hours of battery life with the volume set to ¾ and the backlight turned off. There aren’t many light bulbs here, so the decorations won’t have too much of an impact on the battery charge. Volume control with Android devices is pass-through. In fact, we just got about 25 hours at medium volume and the backlight on. By the way, there is a fast charging function, in which you can get 80 minutes of work in 10 minutes.

 

It is worth noting that the line also includes an older model with an additional HF tweeter, which has 25 hours of autonomy, and the younger one, being already really compact, has up to 30 hours, but with sound corresponding to its small dimensions.

 

Impression

 

The Sony SRS-XP500 speaker has become a good and interesting continuation of the company’s line of wireless semi-stationary acoustics. It has an excellent anti-vandal housing and protection against external factors. There are ergonomic arms for carrying. The sound corresponds to the cost of the audio solution and is suitable for both home and sometimes apartment use, and will fit seamlessly into the territory of a private home, on a picnic or at the beach. It’s a pity that summer has already passed and the next time the popularity of such models will peak is in about six months.

Rating:

+ quality of audio components

+ protection

+ variety of interfaces for connection