As wireless speakers go, Sony’s ULT line has a bit of a reputation, of delivering big, powerful bass and a "live music" or "club feel", particularly when you hit the aptly named ULT button. The portable lineup expended recently with the Field 3 and the Field 5, but which one is for you?
The Field 3 is the lighter of the two, and at 1.2kg, is easy to toss into a backpack and carry on a daily basis, whereas the Field 5 (3.3kg) gets larger and louder, with deeper bass response and cool customizable lights for that instant party vibe. Both are IP67 rated for use at the beach or near the pool (and not actually in it!), have rubberized control panels on the top to operate with less than clean hands, and ship with a removable shoulder strap. The Field 3 is also rated to handle shocks from the occasional fall, for times when the party gets a little too...wild.
Setup is via the Sound Connect app, which pairs over Bluetooth 5.2 and lets you pick the right audio codec (the Field 5 supports LDAC for higher quality streaming from Android devices) for your connected devices, up to two at a time. If you want the option of wired connectivity, the Field 5 adds in a 3.5mm AUX input. On the app, you can also pick your own custom equalizer preset, from a 7-band EQ on the Field 3 to a 10-band on the 5.
By now, you’d have figured that the two would sound rather different, owing to the larger size/power and bigger driver setup on the Field 5. Think of it this way – the Field 3 is a smaller mono speaker ideal for casual, smaller sessions with a few friends, while the Field 5 amps it up with a stereo setup, dual drivers and boosted power that works better in outdoor venues and mid-sized parties…or if you want your music loud and bassy (pro tip: hit that ULT 2 mode on the Field 5 instantly for that deep, deep bass). No microphone on either, so they aren’t good for taking calls. The good bit is whichever you pick, you’ll get nearly 24 hours of listening time on a single charge, with a 10-minute quick charge feature for up to 2 hours of playtime.
Rating: 8/10
Price: ₹17,990 (Field 3) / ₹24,990 (Field 5)