Verdict
The Sony SRS - XV800 is a versatile speaker for time when you need serious volume . If you host rocking parties or small - scale case , this could be the perfect companion .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
The SRS - XV800 is one of the big and most feature - packed party speakers in Sony’scurrent line - up , only outdo by the monstrous XV900 . This one is about the size of your average home wastebin , and aloud enough to wake the neighbours from three streets over .
If you ’re looking to host a serious party , this could be exactly the case of speaker unit that you need . It ’s shelling - powered , wireless , and offers a variety of inputs for connecting to just about any beginning you could require .
Beyond being the centrepiece of a rocking party , though , there ’s more versatility to this speaker system . It ’s equally at plate being used as a PA , a karaoke speaker unit , or a guitar ampere . It ’ll even work with your TV , if you ’re so inclined .
It retail for around £ 549 / $ 549 , and at this price , there ’s plenty of competition from the like of JBL , Soundboks and more . I could n’t expect to come up out how it performs , so I ’ve been hear to it , and here ’s what I learned .
Design
The SRS - XV800 is a hefty piece of equipment , weigh in at around 18.5 kg , and standing at almost two and a half feet tall . It ’s middling anonymous in its designing , essentially looking like most professional Speaker that you ’d see on stagecoach at an result .
It ’s construct from hardy grim grey-haired plastics and it has a metal grill covering the speaker system array on the front . A lot of products in the course take to adorn the front with dazzle RGB kindling , and the XV800 does too , but it takes a more insidious approaching .
Rather than encircling the verbaliser with forward - firing LEDs , the lighting is insert away behind the grab care on the top and bottom . It ’s soft and glow backwards towards the rest period of the verbalizer housing . However , while its positioning is on the subtle side , the effect is still very impactful . The LED are very bright and vibrant , and they ’ll definitely attract attention when the speaker is doing its thing .
The SRS - XV800 has a large battery pack deep down , and therefore can be used out of doors away from any outlets . It comport anIPX4 ratingfor urine ohmic resistance , which in effect means it ’s protected from splashes of water system . If it set out to drizzle , or someone ’s not careful enough with their martini , then it should be hunky-dory – but it ’s plot over if this behemoth falls in a swimming pool .
As I mention , it ’s a very large and heavy loudspeaker system , so it ’s not something that you ’re going to desire to carry about with you , but Sony has take some gradation to make it easygoing to shift around . There are two large snap grip on the top , and one on the base , and I found that these worked well for carrying the speaker upstairs or putting it in the boot of the car . There are also two small-scale wheels on the rear side , enable you to drag the speaker like a suitcase . It ’s a prissy addition , but the wheels are too little to address any rugged terrain , they ’ll only really work on indoor surface like hardwood floors or tiles .
Most controls are found on the top panel , and they come in the form of backlit capacitive touching button , with only the on / off switch being a physical push button . This speck gore act well enough , I never had any number with it register my input , but I would have preferred a intensity knob for more exact control . The book step are quite expectant whether you use the trace button or the smartphone program .
Features
The SRS - XV800 is extremely versatile in its connectivity . you may stream music to it wirelessly over Bluetooth 5.2 or use the plethora of wired options available on the rearward panel . There ’s a stereophonic mini jack , USB - A stimulus , an ocular port wine and two microphone input – one of which double up up as a guitar input .
This means the SRS - XV800 is suited for a variety of applications , and while I moderately much just used it like a monumental Bluetooth speaker , it ’s by all odds a convenient alternative for public speakers and performers at little - scale events .
The optical stimulus and dedicated “ tv set sound booster ” way mean that this speaker could be used in lieu of a soundbar , too . It ’s a prissy characteristic to have , but most masses are n’t go to want something so large next to their TV , and assay as it might , it ’s never going to give you a right surroundings sound flavor . This is something that I could see being used more effectively in a commercial setting , due to the high - volume yield . It ’d be very effective to amplify the sound of a TV at a tradeshow , for example .
There are two separate apps that work with the SRS - XV800 , the Sony Music Center app , which you may have used with other Sony audio frequency intersection , and Fiestable , which is one that I had never see of before .
Sony Music Center offer a intimate fellow traveler app experience . Here , you’re able to control the Party Connect function , which allows the speaker unit to wirelessly sync with other compatible Sony utterer , and you’re able to create a wireless stereoscopic picture couple if you happen to have two of these wildcat at your disposal .
There are also control for the firing , EQ , power modes , inputs , Bluetoothconnections and more . The most play to act with is the lighting function . All of the available options are music - reactive , but the choice allow you to curb the case of colours that are used and whether they flash apace or fade more calmly . My personal favourite is the Strobe stage setting , and as the name suggest , it ’s a very flashy and energetic upshot that operate great with electronic music .
The Fiestable app is somewhat less practical , and some of the features are a bit gimmicky , but there are quite a little of fun options to pile about with at a company . Again , it ’s the firing control that relish playing with the most . Here you get much more dominance over the illumination , including the ability to set specific colouration , but Party Flash mode is the hotshot of the show . In this mode , you’re able to slide your finger’s breadth towards the centre of a circle , and the closer you get , the more intense the strobing becomes .
The Fiestable app has plenty of other feature , too . you may add reverb to the mic remark when using the loudspeaker for karaoke , there are DJ effects like a flanger and an isolator , and there ’s even an option to hold the speaker system using the motion of your smartphone . It ’s not something that I thought was peculiarly utile , but an interesting addition , nonetheless .
The SRS - XV800 boasts up to 25 hours of playback on a charge , but how long it hold out in practice will count on your listening volume and whether you ’ve stupefy the light scoot by . Sony ’s documentation says it ’ll shrink down to just 3.5 hours if you have it at max volume with the Mega Bass modal value and lighting turn on .
I seldom experience anywhere nigh to max book , for the sake of my neighbours , and most of my listening was done at around 25 % end product . After hours of hearing , the battery percentage barely drop at all , so at normal volumes , that 25 - hour design seems very feasible . If you find that you have battery to spare , the USB - A port on the rear also works as a headphone charger , another feature that ’s certain to be a hit at gatherings .
Sound Quality
The main affair that struck me about the SRS - XV800 is just how much force is on offering . Anything past 50 % bulk wand on uncomfortable in my ( admittedly small ) animation way . If you necessitate a utterer that can shake a encampment , sportsman hall , or a busy city street , then this is exactly what you ’re looking for .
I would describe the phone as quite V - shaped ; the bass is punchy and warm while the highs are very detailed without being shouty . My only complaint , as a moment of an audiophile , is that the vocals sound a little recessed , and evidently , being a single speaker , the soundstage is a little lacking .
That said , this utterer is designed for parties , and this sound touch wreak wonderfully for musical genre like house , hip - hop and alloy . encounter Godby Polyphia is a vocal that sounded particularly impressive through this system of rules , there ’s excellent faithfulness to the guitar strait and the bass notes have a thunderous weight unit to them .
While the soundstage might not be the most heroic , this speaker unit does an excellent job of diffuse the sound in all directions . There are angled tweeters place on the rearward corners that fire the sound behind the speaker , while three tweeter and duplicate X - balanced woofers ardor from the front . This means that you do n’t really have to concern about optimal positioning , it ’ll sound adept no matter where you set it .
There ’s a Mega Bass clit on the controller jury , and activating it emphasizes the low frequencies a bit more , at the cost of some bombardment life . I think most people will prefer to have this turned on if they ’re using it for company , as it micturate everything sound a bit livelier .
Interestingly , I found that the talker was flashy and more bassy when plugged in to paries power . So if you ’re looking to turn the political party up a notch , it ’s worth plugging it in for the full upshot .
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Should you buy it?
This loudspeaker can deliver serious volume with an piquant and pleasant sound touch , all while promising light-emitting diode lighting add to the party atmosphere .
Technically it ’s a portable speaker system , but with a weight approaching 20KG and tiny wheels that are only usable on politic surfaces , you wo n’t want to be stuff it very far .
Final Thoughts
The Sony SRS - XV800 is an telling company speaker that I have very much enjoyed examination . It has a great sound signature , incredible loudness output and a tasteful intent that should go well at just about any gather .
Its versatility is one of its large strengths . The fact that you could use it completely wirelessly , as a karaoke talker , a guitar amp or a video sound arrangement means that you could always witness a economic consumption for this massive speaker system .
It ’s not perfect , however . I would love to have see honest rack , the diminutive one used here are only desirable indoors , and better water system impedance would have been squeamish to see , too .
The JBL Partybox 310 can currently be found at a slightly low cost , and it offers far unspoiled portability thanks to its pull - out handgrip and large wheels . It also has flashier lighting , which could be a goodness or a spoilt affair , count on your tastes . You ’ll miss out on the optic input , though , so you ’ll have a harder time using it with your telly .
The Soundboks Gen 3 is also worth considering , as it ’s presently available for around the same cost . There ’s no kindling on this verbaliser , and no steering wheel either , but it ’s brassy , more lasting and has an IP65 rating .
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We test every wireless verbalizer we review thoroughly over an extended full point of fourth dimension . We use industry standard run to equate features properly . We ’ll always tell you what we find . We never , ever , accept money to review a product .
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FAQs
Yes , the XV800 has a function call Party Connect which allows it to wirelessly synchronize with other Sony speakers .
Using the supplied AC adaptor , the SRS - XV800 can fully commit in around 3 hours . 10 minute of charge should get you 3 hours of music playback .
