Sony's SRS-XV500 Review: Party-Ready Sound

Key Highlights:

• With a loud sound, the Sony SRS-XV500 is a party speaker.

• Because of its IPX4 rating, it is resistant to spills and splashes.

• It features an integrated light display that you can personalize using a Sony app.

Sony SRS-XV500: Elevate Your Party

Leading party speaker producer Sony just tested the Sony SRS-XV500, the tiniest and least expensive speaker in its XV lineup. At Rs 31,990, the Sony SRS-XV500 is a robust party speaker featuring dual microphone input, strong bass output, and extended battery life. Even with a budget of about Rs 30,000, it is well worth the money.

Also Read: Infinix Note 40 Pro Review

Build and Design

Compared to its predecessor, the Sony SRS-XV500 party speaker has a more rounded look, a solid construction, and a streamlined design. It has LED strips for a fun look and capacitive touch buttons for simple control. Through the Music Centre app, users may personalize light settings, giving the party atmosphere a unique feel.

The Sony SRS-XV500 is a skillfully designed speaker that can be used in a variety of settings thanks to its sturdy build and IPX4 classification. Despite its 11.2 kg weight, its handy grip makes it portable. The speaker is appropriate for party situations since, despite its mobility, it is not usually made for continuous usage.

Due to its rubber legs that allow for horizontal orientation, the Sony SRS-XV500 speaker is prone to scratches, particularly when used outside or when being transported. Its top phone-holding groove is not lined, leaving phones open to scratching. Its usefulness might be improved and users' gadgets could be protected with little changes like the addition of a soft lining.

A little rubber cap on the rear of the Sony SRS-XV500 speakers is intended to provide a solid seal, but it can come loose and deteriorate with time, limiting the speakers' ability to withstand water and perhaps inflicting long-term damage.

Functionality and Interconnectivity

For an immersive stereo experience, customers may connect two speakers to a single source device using the Sony SRS-XV500 Bluetooth 5.2 speaker with Stereo Pair feature. It is compatible with SBC, AAC, and LDAC Bluetooth codecs; however, in order to enjoy music, an LDAC-capable smartphone is needed. But there was just one device available for evaluation.

Perfect for karaoke sessions, the Sony SRS-XV500 boasts two mic input ports, a 3.5mm audio connector, and USB Type-A. But it's missing an optical connection that would have allowed it to be used as a TV soundbar. TV setup users may find the absence of the speaker to be a disadvantage. The Fiestable app lets users customize LED light patterns and colors, while the Sony Music Centre app improves user experience with light and sound management.

Sound Quality and Battery

Bass lovers are impressed by the Sony SRS-XV500 party speaker because of its exceptional bass performance. However, people who are sensitive to strong bass tracks could find its "Mega Bass" sound effect option to be too much. Still, the speaker stays clear and doesn't distort, so it's good for people who like music with a lot of bass.

Turning off the Mega Bass setting greatly improves the sound quality of the Sony SRS-XV500 speaker, producing music that is bright, clear, and well-balanced. This is particularly apparent in songs like Marian Hill's "Down" that have powerful basslines. Even though the speaker can only reproduce stereo sound due to its small size, its overall sound quality is rather good for a portable gadget.

Up to 25 hours of playback, according to Sony, are possible with the SRS-XV500, but only if light features are turned off and the volume is kept below 40%. While not meeting Sony's guarantee, testing yielded 7-8 hours of playback with light features and Mega Bass mode.

Should you Buy it or Not?

The Sony SRS-XV500 is a robust party speaker that can withstand splashes thanks to its IPX4 classification. It has an integrated light display that can be customised using the Sony Music Centre app, but as it doesn't have an optical connector, TV soundbars can't use it. It is nonetheless a well-liked option for portable speakers with good sound quality in spite of this.

Conclusion:

A well-liked party speaker with strong sound quality, a long battery life, an IPX4 rating, and a customisable light show option is the Sony SRS-XV500, according to Comparos. It is an attractive option for portable speakers, but the lack of an optical connector may restrict its adaptability for TV use.