Released last summer, the Sony ULT Field 1 has been my go-to recommendation for anybody in the market for an affordable portable Bluetooth speaker. It checks all the right boxes — durable, compact, good sound quality and not overly complicated to use — and costs just $100.
Now, nearly a year later, Sony is releasing two new portable Bluetooth speakers, the ULT Field 3 and ULT Field 5, which are essentially bigger, better-sounding and, naturally, more expensive versions of its ULT Field 1.
Sony ULT Field 3
The Sony ULT Field 3 is the middle-sized portable Bluetooth speaker in the company’s burgeoning “Field” series—and it replaces Sony’s 2022-released SRS-XE300. The speaker has a similar rectangular design to the Sony ULT Field 1, allowing it to rest horizontally or stand vertically, but the ULT Field 3 is roughly twice the size and promises to get considerably louder.
Other than size and power, Sony’s ULT Field 3 shares a lot in common with its ULT Field 1. It pairs a woofer-and-tweeter combo with two passive radiators (one located on either side), so this is very much a front-firing speaker. On the top, there’s an ULT button that bumps up the bass. And the speaker has a 24-hour battery life, just like its smaller sibling.
One thing that is different is that Sony ULT Field 3 comes with an optional shoulder strap that you can detach, while the smaller ULT Field 1 has a built-in lanyard that can be adjusted but not removed.
