Design & Construction

The Sony SRS-XB10 is the successor to the 2015 version SRS-X11. It is crafted with aluminium grilles on top covering the drivers and silicone wrapped around its body. The front of the speaker bears the Sony logo. It also offers water resistance of IPX5. The speaker driver is positioned to fire sound upwards and passive radiator positioned to the fire bass downwards. An included silicon loop strap will not only allow the speaker to hook on but also doubles as a stand to lay the speaker on to fire sound towards the front. The side houses all buttons: (From Front-Back): On-Off Switch, Vol + button, Vol = button, Add button and play/pause button. The speaker also has NFC for easy pairing. There is a LED for Bluetooth connection, another LED to show charge status of the speaker and other 2 LEDs to indicate stereo connectivity. The speaker also have a mic to pick up phone calls. The silicon surface is proven to be scratch & fingerprint free from my usage. At the back, it has an audio in port,a reset button and Micro USB port covered by a flap.

Sound Quality

At 80% volume, it can fill a small room. The bass response is fantastic. Highs and mids sound bright. It is also worth knowing that it does not distort even at full volume. Another SRS-XB10 can be linked to form a 2.0 channel via add button. One speaker will work as the left channel and the other, the right channel. There is one driver which delivers the highs & mids, while the passive radiator delivers the bass.

 

Connectivity & Portability

The speaker specifications include Bluetooth Ver 4.2, NFC and support for AAC/SBC codecs. Of course, it also offers an audio In port for wired usage. Its battery life peaks at 16 hrs, one of the longest-lasting mini speakers in the market. However, the speaker does not show us the battery status until it is low on battery. The orange LED on the back of the speaker will show that and it may be pretty hard to notice at times. The sound quality unfortunately drops as the speaker goes low on battery.

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PROS

• Durable Construction

• Great Sound

• Bluetooth & NFC Enabled

• Compact Design

• 2 Way Usage (Bluetooth & Audio In)

• A Range Of Colours

• Water-resistant (IPX5)

• Wireless Stereo Mode *Requires 2 SRS-XB10

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CONS

• Sound Quality Drops When Battery Is Low

• Not Drop-proof & Fully Waterproof

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The Bottom Line

The Sony SRS-XB10 is the definitely addresses the flaws of its predecessor(SRS-X11). It has a foothold in the list of mini speakers on the market. Housing a 16 hrs battery, Bluetooth Ver 4.2 & NFC together with modern design and great sound. It is one speaker that should be considered if you are considering to get one. A pair will offer better sound and a range of colours also suit every type and gender of users.