JBL vs Sony Speakers: which portable speaker actually earns its spot in your bag

Both brands make genuinely good waterproof portables. The real differences show up in battery life once you turn the bass up, and in what happens after the first year of sand and sunscreen.

The short version

JBL and Sony both make excellent portable and party speakers, and picking between them mostly comes down to what you're doing with it: taking it to the beach, running a backyard party, or wanting something that doubles as a phone charger. Entry-level portables like the JBL Flip 7 and Sony ULT Field 1 both sit around $150-$200 NZD, while the step-up party speakers — JBL Charge 6 and Sony ULT Field 3 — land closer to $260-$320 NZD.

Durability and waterproofing

This one's basically a tie at the spec-sheet level. The JBL Flip 7 and Sony ULT Field 1 both carry an IP67 rating — dust-tight and submersible in up to a metre of water for 30 minutes. In practice, Sony's build feels slightly more considered: a rubber flap seals the USB-C charging port more securely than JBL's, which matters if you're regularly dunking it at the beach or leaving it poolside. Neither will let you down at a barbecue in the rain, and both survive the odd drop onto concrete better than you'd expect from something this size.

Sound quality and party features

Sony's ULT line is built around bass — that's literally what the ULT branding means, and the dedicated ULT button boosts low end for genuinely thumping output from a speaker this size. JBL's Flip and Charge lines are more balanced out of the box but offer a 7-band customisable EQ in the JBL Portable app, so you can dial in your own bass-heavy profile if you want it. If you're comparing them side by side at max volume with bass boost engaged, both can sound a little fuzzy compared to pricier rivals like Bose's SoundLink Plus — these are party speakers first, audiophile gear a distant second.

Party features favour JBL at the higher end: JBL's PartyBoost lets you pair multiple compatible speakers together for bigger stereo or multi-room setups, and the Charge series doubles as a genuine power bank for topping up your phone mid-party — a small but very real practical win.

Price tiers and what to actually buy

• Under $200 NZD: JBL Flip 7 or Sony ULT Field 1 — both great for one person's backyard, beach bag or shower speaker duty.
• $250-$350 NZD: JBL Charge 6 or Sony ULT Field 3 — bigger sound, longer battery, and enough volume to fill a backyard party without distorting.
• Home/indoor use: if it's mostly staying on a kitchen bench or living room shelf rather than travelling to the beach, put the waterproofing budget toward a proper bookshelf speaker or soundbar instead — you're paying for ruggedness you won't use.

The verdict

If battery life and party longevity matter most — you're the one bringing the speaker to other people's gatherings and it needs to run all afternoon into the evening — get the JBL. Flip 7 for solo or small groups, Charge 6 if you want bigger sound and phone-charging duty.

If bass-forward sound is the priority and you don't mind charging more often when you use it — get the Sony ULT line. The dedicated bass button is genuinely satisfying for outdoor gatherings and the build quality edges out JBL slightly for beach and pool use.