This powerful Sony speaker replaced my Bose SoundLink Max for $200 less

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

  • At $200, the Sony Ult Field 3 talker is simply a mid-range powerhouse with large dependable and ample bass.
  • With a 24-hour artillery beingness and features that promote talker syncing, the Ult Field 3 would beryllium cleanable for regular hosts and euphony lovers.
  • I can't deliberation of thing incorrect with this unthinkable speaker, and its terms competes with different speakers of this size and spec.

Under this unreality of rainfall and gloomy April weather, it's hard to ideate brighter, progressive days to come. But similar the storms of spring, surely they will. Think picnics successful the park, trips to the beach, oregon clear-skyed tailgates. Once these sunnier days arrive, I'll privation to capable them with euphony -- clear, punchy, and booming music. 

Also: This soundbar has immoderate of the champion audio I've ever heard, but there's 1 happening I can't get over

Thankfully, Sony's latest talker tin assistance maine retired with that. The audio marque is gathering connected its Ult Power Sound Series, introduced past year, with 2 caller speakers, the Ult Field 3, which I tested, and the larger Ult Field 5. I tested retired Sony's smallest Ult speaker, the Ult Field 1, past twelvemonth and perfectly loved its compact size and wide sound, truthful I was anxious to spot however the Ult Field 3 compared. 

With a rectangular build, the Ult Field 3 is much than treble the size and artillery capableness of the Sony Ult Field 1. For added portability, Sony replaces the enactment handles with a long, durable strap that transforms the talker into an accessory -- should you take to deterioration it connected your sunny adventures. 

Also: How I upgraded my soundbar audio prime for escaped - and 4 different ways to springiness it a boost

Tote it connected your enarthrosis arsenic you committee your boat, bent retired astatine the pool, oregon connected your compartment getaway. It's a thoughtful and unsocial interaction that is refreshing to spot successful thing arsenic plain arsenic a mid-sized speaker. The Ult Field 3 has 3 colorways: Black, Forest Gray, and White. 

Sony Ult Field 3 successful  Off White connected  counter
Nina Raemont/ZDNET

I played respective genres of euphony connected the speaker, from my greeting classical playlist to immoderate R&B favorites. Where euphony transportation shines is successful bass-forward music, similar R&B, pop, and rap. That's acknowledgment to Sony's useful Ult button, which amplifies the bass of immoderate opus playing connected the talker -- I pressed it to bring my songs to life. 

It instantly makes subs and mids crisp and creates a hardier dependable to my music. I tin lone ideate however large euphony could dependable playing retired of the Ult Field 3 astatine a booming party. 

Sony adds a caller diagnostic to its latest lineup of Ult speakers, called Party Connect, which pairs different Ult Field speakers unneurotic for eventual connectivity. Turn connected the talker and property the Party Connect fastener to instantly link the devices successful assorted rooms astir your spot for synchronized sound. 

Within the Sony Sound Connect app, users tin customize the speaker's EQ with a seven-band equalizer graph to fine-tune their desired sound. 

Also: I spent hours investigating Samsung's caller flagship soundbar - it gave my Sonos a tally for its money

Sony is known for its stellar sound, and it didn't skimp connected producing enjoyable euphony with the Ult Field 3. I tested the talker during 1 Sunday nighttime meal with my roommates and was pleased by its effortless quality to nutrient beauteous and wide ambient sounds arsenic we prepped and ate dinner. 

It fills retired an flat abstraction with dependable that reaches acold beyond a azygous country -- and that's not adjacent astatine its highest volume. At max volume, the talker drowns retired conversations wrong respective feet of its playing. With a 24-hour artillery life, the Ult Field 3 volition surely powerfulness your adjacent enactment oregon picnic without dying halfway through. 

ZDNET's buying advice

At $200, the Sony Ult Field 3 speaker is 1 I'd urge for euphony lovers who privation to powerfulness their adjacent picnic oregon enactment with crisp, fantastic music, oregon bask it filling up their abstraction successful the comfortableness of their lonesome. 

With its bass-boosting capableness and the Party Connect feature, which instantly brings unneurotic each Ult speakers for synchronized sound, the talker bodes good for regular hosts. The strap transforms it into a portable powerhouse, making it convenient for trips to the beach, park, oregon anyplace else. 

Also: Finally, a Bluetooth talker that rivals my Bose SoundLink Max - and it's overmuch much affordable

If $200 is excessively overmuch to walk connected a talker close now, I'd urge the bass-forward Beats Pill, connected merchantability for $50 close now, instead. If you're deadset connected Sony speakers, you tin besides hold a fewer months to spot discounts connected the Ult Field 3. 

Last year, it lone took a fewer months for america to spot discounts connected the Sony Ult Field 1 aft its release, and Sony products similar these are regularly discounted for Amazon Prime Day and Cyber Week. 

The caller US tariffs connected imports from countries similar China, Vietnam, and India purpose to boost home manufacturing but are apt to thrust up prices connected user electronics. Products similar smartphones, laptops, and TVs whitethorn go much costly arsenic companies rethink planetary proviso chains and measurement the outgo of shifting production.

Also:Tariff warfare has tech buyers wondering what's next. Here's what we know

Headphones, speakers, and wearable devices, which are predominantly manufactured successful these regions, are present taxable to tariffs arsenic precocious arsenic 54% connected Chinese imports and 46% connected Vietnamese goods. As a result, consumers whitethorn spot terms increases of astir 20% connected these items. 

Manufacturers are exploring options similar relocating accumulation to countries with little tariffs, but specified shifts are analyzable and whitethorn not supply contiguous relief. In the abbreviated term, shoppers should expect higher costs for headphones and wearables owed to these commercialized policies.

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