Two Similar Party Speakers, With A Very Different Sound Profile
The Sony SRS-XP700 and SRS-XV800 are two popular party speakers that, while loud, are also relatively portable. There are a lot of features that these two models share, but they have distinctly different sounds and controls. If you’re wondering which is right for you, keep reading as we break down the differences between them.
Key Takeaways:
- The XP700 is a better speaker for those wanting bass over all else.
- From a user-experience perspective, the XV800’s controls are a major improvement.
- Karaoke enthusiasts may find the key control on the XV800 a useful feature
Our Top Pick
Sony XP700 vs Sony XV800 Specs
| Model | Sony XP700 | Sony XV800 |
| Water Resistance | IPX4 | IPX4 |
| Output Power | 77W | 110W |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.2 |
| Battery Life | Up to 25 hours | Up to 25 hours |
| Charging Time | 3 hours | 3 hours |
| Woofers | 2x 6.69″ | 2x 6.69″ |
| Tweeters | 3x 2.36″ (front), 1x 1.96″ (rear) | 3x 2.36″ (front), 2x 1.57″ (rear) |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-Speaker Pairing | Yes (Up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Up to 100 speakers) |
| Weight | 37.26 lbs | 40.79 lbs |
| Dimensions | 12.32 x 27.28 x 14.44″ | 12.5 x 28.3 x 14.8″ |
| App Support | Sony Music Center | Sony Music Center |
| Price: | Check Price | Check Price |
Table of Contents
- Design, Build & Durability
- Controls, Connectivity & App Support
- Sound Quality & Volume
- Battery
- Price & Value
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
Differences In Build Quality, Portability & Durability Between The Sony XP700 and XV800
- Both speakers feature IPX4 water resistance.
- Only the XV800 has wheels, but they’re quite small.
- Lighting effects are similar on both models.
Durability & Water Resistance
Winner: Tie
Sony SRS-XP700
Sony SRS-XV800
Like most party speakers, durability is decent but not outstanding. The large grilles that span the fronts of the speakers are prone to scratches and dents if dropped. With careful handling, they can last for years in pristine condition, but neither is particularly well suited to surviving accidental drops or bumps.
They do, however, offer some protection from water in the form of IPX4 water resistance ratings. This protects them from brief exposure to light rain or accidental splashes.
Portability
Winner: SRS-XV800
Sony SRS-XP700
Sony SRS-XV800
The Sony XP700 is a slightly smaller speaker, but only by a few inches, with both speakers being just shy of 30 inches tall. In terms of weight differences between the two models, there’s not much of a gap. The XP700 weighs 37.26 lbs, while the XV800 weighs 40.79 lbs.
They both feature built-in handles, which makes the weight a bit more manageable, but the Sony XV800 has the benefit of wheels, too. However, these wheels are quite small, and using them on rough terrain is challenging, making it just slightly more easily portable than the XP700.
Lighting Effects
Winner: Tied
Sony SRS-XP700
Sony SRS-XV800
Both speakers have the same general lighting style, with a top and bottom LED bar that pulsates with the music. There aren’t any lights around the drivers themselves, though. The lighting effects can be tweaked via Sony’s companion app, allowing changes to both colors and modes.
If you’re looking for something a bit more extravagant, the larger Sony XV900 takes the lighting feature up a level, with effects that span a larger area, including the ground under it.
A New Touch-Panel Control Area Makes The XV800 Feel More Modern And Easier To Use In The Dark
- The SRS-XV800 has significantly better controls.
- Only the SRS-XV800 comes with an optical input..
Inputs & Outputs
Winner: SRS-XV800
Sony SRS-XP700 Inputs & Outputs
Sony SRS-XV800 Inputs & Outputs
The ports are located at the back of each speaker and are a bit different between the two models. The Sony SRS-XP700 has an additional USB-A port, which can be used as a dedicated charging port, while the SRS-XV800 has a single USB port that can be used for playback or charging.
Another noteworthy difference is the inclusion of an optical input on the XV800, a feature that’s not available on the XP700.
Both speakers have two microphone inputs, one of which can also be used as a guitar input. They also have volume controls for each microphone to adjust the levels.
Karaoke enthusiasts may appreciate the key control feature afforded by the XV800, which will change the key of the song you’re singing.
Controls
Winner: SRS-XV800
Sony SRS-XP700 Controls
Sony SRS-XV800 Controls
Despite their similarities, the control panels on these two speakers couldn’t be more different. The Sony SRS-XP700 has a pretty basic array of buttons, reminiscent of those on the JBL PartyBox 310. These buttons aren’t backlit and only cover the essentials, like playback, pairing, and Sony’s bass boost feature called “Extra Bass”.
In contrast, the XV800’s controls are both backlit and built flat into the design of the speaker. These touch controls are significantly easier to use in dark environments and are also more comprehensive, allowing one to toggle between inputs directly from the top of the speaker.
It also has the benefit of being able to turn the light effects on or off without having to go to the back of the speaker, like on the XP700.
TWS & Group Pairing
Winner: Tie
These speakers both support true wireless stereo in pairs of two, or group pairing with up to 100 speakers. Like most other party speakers on the market, in order to establish a stereo pairing, you’ll need to pair two speakers of the same model.
This means that you’d need two XP700s to create a stereo pairing, for example. But group pairing has broader support, and the XP500, XP700, XV800, and XV900 can all be paired together in a standard group pairing. It even supports group pairing with many of the smaller XE and XB models.
App Support
Winner: Tie
Sony’s Music Center app is the standard companion app that works for most of Sony’s recent releases, including the XP700 and XV800. Through the app, one can adjust lighting effects, establish group pairings, and adjust the EQ settings.
Sony XP700 Vs XV800: Which Sounds Better?
- The XP700 features a bass-heavy sound, while the XV800 is more neutral-sounding.
- An additional tweeter improves the quality of sound towards the back of the XV800.
Although these speakers both support Sony’s proprietary high-definition LDAC codec, this codec is only supported by Android devices.
Sony SRS-XP700 Drivers
Sony SRS-XV800 Drivers
Driver Configuration
These speakers have a unique approach to their drivers. Both have two woofers and three tweeters in the front. The XP700 has another single tweeter on the back, while the XV800 has two additional tweeters on the back of the speaker.
What’s cool about these speakers is that the active tweeters change depending on how you position them. When set up vertically like in the images above, only the rear and top tweeters are active, but when you lay the speaker horizontally, the top right tweeter is disabled, and only the two on the left of the speaker become active.
This may sound a little confusing, so here’s an additional graphic showcasing how it works:
Frequency Response
Winner: SRS-XV800
When it comes to sound quality, there are some distinct differences between the Sony XP700 and the XV800. The XP700 has a bass-dominant sound where the lows are extremely powerful, but can drown out some of the clarity in the midrange, causing the vocals to lose some clarity and presence.
The XV800 is more balanced, with vocals and other midrange instruments coming through with more clarity. This helps the XV800 sound better across a broader range of genres, while the XP700 sounds best with electronic music, but isn’t very versatile in other genres.
Using Sony’s Music Center app gives you some control over the sound, meaning you can lower the bass and increase the mids on the XP700 for a more neutral sound, or bump up the lows on the XV800 to give it a more bass-heavy sound.
Soundstage & Dynamics
Winner: SRS-XV800
Both the Sony SRS-XP700 and SRS-XV800 have good soundstage performance. They have stereo sound and can also be positioned horizontally for more width and definition. The rear tweeters also help to produce a wide dispersion. The XV800’s soundstage is slightly better than that of the XP700.
Dynamic range is similar across both speakers, but the XV800 comes out slightly ahead. The difference in frequency response also influences this, as at maximum volume, the XP700’s heavy bass can enhance the loss of clarity across other frequencies. Louder than 85% volume, and there is some quality degradation present.
Volume
Winner: Tied
These speakers reach the same general volume levels, enough to cover a fairly large room with sound and host between 20 and 25 people. They also both get louder when plugged in. Due to the differences in frequency response, the XV800 has a tendency to sound louder because of the more prominent vocal range.
The XP700 has more power output, but the XV800 compensates for this by being more efficient.
How Does The Battery Differ Between The Sony SRS-XP700 and SRS-XV800?
Winner: SRS-XV800
- Both are advertised to produce up to 25 hours of playtime.
- The XV800 is a more efficient speaker, and its battery lasts a bit longer in practice.
Sony SRS-XP700 Drivers
Sony SRS-XV800 Drivers
Both speakers are advertised to have 25 hours of playtime, however, this estimate assumes 30% volume on the XV800 and only 25% volume on the XP700, meaning the Sony SRS-XV800’s battery is better than that of the XP700.
When using these speakers in a party environment, you’re going to be using more than just 25-30% volume, though, and at 80% volume, you’ll get around 7.5 hours of playtime from the SV800, while the XP700 only lasts closer to 5 hours.
Price & Value
Winner: SRS-XV800
The Sony SRS-XP700 retails for $549 on Amazon while the SRS-XV800 has a list price of $649, but both speakers are frequently available on sale for under $500. During these sales, it’s not uncommon to find the XV800 retailing for just $30 to $50 more than the XP700.
However, because these speakers have such distinct approaches to sound, the premise of the value proposition should take a back seat to what you’re actually looking for from a speaker. If you’re after a bass-heavy sound and the older controls don’t bother you on the XP700, then go for that.
If you prefer a more neutral sound and like the additional features of the XV800, even at a slightly higher price, it’s worth paying a bit extra.
Alternatively, if you’re open to other brands, you can consider JBL’s PartyBox 320 [Available on Amazon], an equally capable speaker that is available for a slightly more affordable price tag. You can also read more about the PartyBox 320 in our in-depth review.
Conclusion
Overall, both speakers are capable in their own right. There’s not a lot separating their volume or size, but the controls and sound profile are distinctly different. Given that the XP700 is an older speaker, yet still fairly close in price to the XV800, I’d recommend the Sony XV800 as my top pick between them.
Our Top Pick
