At a press event in New York City last week, Sony unveiled two new Bluetooth speakers, the compact SRS-XB100 and the not-so-compact SRS-XV800 ($649.99). The XV800 is a wireless Bluetooth party speaker that can fill a room with sound. With dual 1/4-inch inputs, it can also double as a portable PA system or a killer Karaoke speaker for those times when the sake is flowing and your vocal chords are just itching to show off.
Weighing in at 45 pounds, with five tweeters and two woofers with MEGA Bass, the SRS-XV800 is kind of a beast. Fortunately the unit comes with an integrated handle and wheels so moving it from party to party (or gig to gig) is easy. Despite its heft and impressive sound output, the unit is relatively compact at 12.4″ x 28.3″ x 14.7″ (WxHxD). You should have no trouble fitting it in your trunk (or your frunk, for you Tesla peeps) or in the overhead baggage compartment of your private jet while traveling to your next venue.
Like any good party guest, the SRS-XV800 plays nicely with others: it can be linked and synched to up to 99 additional Sony speakers in “Wireless Party Chain” mode. 100 of these speakers could fill Bill Gates’ mansion and grounds with party tunes for hours on end. The XV800 even includes built-in mood lighting which can be synchronized to the beat of the music and with other Sony speakers so you can host your own indoor or outdoor Rave. The speaker’s water-resistant IPX4 rating means you won’t have to worry about being rained out.
Sony already offers one party speaker which is even larger than the SRS-XV800, the SRS-XV900, which lists for $899, weighs about 59 pounds and is about 10 inches taller than the XV800. The SRS-XV900 is available from Sony-authorized retailers such as Amazon. But for most purposes, the more compact SRS-XV800 will fill the bill for party tunes.
Like its big brother, the new SRS-XV800 can be used wirelessly (Bluetooth) but it also offers two 1/4-inch inputs so you can plug in a microphone, electric guitar, keyboard or electronic drums for your next karaoke party or open mic night. To demonstrate this, Sony treated a few folks to a live performance by local singer/songwriter Jem Blue. Jem plugged his mic and guitar into a single SRS-XV800 and performed a collection of original songs and covers through the speaker. Vocals came through clearly and naturally, as did the gentle strums on his guitar.
The XV800 also includes an optical digital jack in case you want to hook your TV or projector up to it. To this end, the speaker includes Sony’s “TV Sound Booster” to optimize the sound for movies or TV shows. The SRS-VX800 would make an excellent choice for an outdoor movie night. With up to 25 hours of playback time on a single charge, you could watch Peter Jackson’s entire “Hobbit” and “Lord of the Rings” series – even the extended versions. The popcorn will run out before this speaker does. And if you forget to charge it, a quick 10-minute charge will get you up to 3 hours of non-stop wireless sound playback.
The SRS-XV800 is compatible with Sony’s Music Center and Fiestable mobile apps. With Sony Music Center you can select playlists, change lighting patterns, and sound modes from your phone or tablet. Sony’s Fiestable app is where the real party happens, with access to features like Karaoke voice enhancements (Voice Changer, reverb and echo), plus a DJ control function to add sound effects to the mix.
The SRS-XV800 includes sound adjustments and line level controls on its hidden back panel. Flip down the rubber cover to access the unit’s line level, USB and digital inputs. In addition to app control, the top of the unit features touch-sensitive playback and volume controls. In case your phone is not handy, these controls allow you to adjust volume, pause or skip songs or switch inputs on the unit.
The Sony SRS-XV800 can be ordered via Sony-authorized retailers today (May 8, 2023) with shipments expected to begin later this month.
> Buy or Find Out More About the New Sony SRS-XV800 on Amazon
Related Reading:
Sony’s New SRS-XB100 Compact Bluetooth Speaker Packs a Punch for Under $60
Asa
May 8, 2023 at 6:10 pm
We’ve had the Sony SRS-XP700 (2) for about a year and they sound great, are easy to use/pair, and while used in our workout room, could easily be taken to any part of the house or outside to provide music at higher listening levels. The “MEGA BASS” isn’t needed and tends to muddy the sound. The app Sony provides works well and has an EQ built in to adjust the sound to your desires as well as assisting the pairing for stereo output.
It’s slightly overkill for our workout room, but we wanted something versatile that could be used anywhere and easily overpower the sound of the machines in our room. This latest model also looks similar to ours but with a few updated menu/UI changes, lower port mod and added wheels.
Recommend if you need something like this.
Chris Boylan
May 8, 2023 at 8:43 pm
Cool. Thanks for sharing. The new V800 model looks a lot like that P700. Just a little bigger and it has the wheels and handle which I believe the P700 did not have.