Sony ULT Field 1 test: our full opinion –

Sony is one of the brands at the forefront of audio technologies and has delivered excellent portable speakers in the past, such as the Sony SRS-XB32, XB33 or XB43 in particular. These speakers had quite a cabinet and amazing sound quality considering their price and even in absolute terms. These Xtra Bass speakers were ideal for listening to music outside without being bothered by surrounding noise. Strangely, the manufacturer made a 180° turn in 2022 with the XE and XG speakers, which focused more on design than acoustic performance; less bass, less punch, less breadth… less pleasure. In 2024, Sony seems to be returning to its first love since the Sony ULT Field 1 uses the recipe for Xtra Bass speakers – ULT means Ultra Bass – while improving certain acoustic aspects. The ULT Field 1 thus poses as a direct competitor to the excellent JBL Flip 6.

Sony ULT Field 1 Technical sheet

The enclosure used for this test was loaned by the manufacturer

Sony ULT Field 1 Waterproof and solid

The Sony ULT Field 1 Bluetooth speaker inherits a now classic design for portable models. Its shape is cylindrical and its ends slightly flared, with flat silicone reinforcements, which protect its side transducers from shocks and allow the speaker to be positioned vertically.

The speaker is equipped with a double knotted cord, which makes it easy to transport. With 20 cm in length and almost 8 cm in diameter, the ULT Field 1 can be easily grasped and carried by hand. It weighs only 650 grams.

Its dress is sober, entirely covered in nylon mesh, with the Sony logo on the front. At the top, we find a control panel with integrated buttons made of grippy silicone. They are all in relief and easily recognizable by touch, which eliminates the need to raise your head to check the speaker. There is a power button, Bluetooth pairing, play/pause/call answer and two volume buttons. Finally, a backlit button gives access to ULTra bass mode. On the other hand, the multi-colored lighting of previous generations of Xtra Bass speakers has not been carried over.

On the back is the waterproof hatch for the USB-C charging port. No charger is provided and you can use a classic or 15 W Power Delivery model.

Internal design of the Sony ULT Field 1

Inside the Sony ULT Field 1, there are changes compared to previous generations. Sony has abandoned the stereo configuration with two full-range transducers in favor of a mono setup, with a main transducer and a tweeter. In this respect, the acoustic solution adopted is the same as that of the JBL Flip 6. This is good news, because a tweeter broadcasts high frequencies much more precisely than a conventional transducer, for the benefit of a softer and more realistic.

The main transducer (approximately 8×4 cm) is associated with two passive radiators, housed on the sides of the enclosure. They are what increase the volume of low frequencies and provide foundation to the reproduction.

Sony ULT Field 1 A welcome hands-free function

The Sony ULT Field 1 speaker is very easy to use. Although there is a control application (Sony Music Center), you can do without it. Its only benefit is that it offers a three-band equalizer to adjust the volume of low, mid and high frequencies, which most users should do without as the speaker is well tuned by default.

To move from one track to another, simply press the play button twice (for the next track) or three times (for the previous track).

Phone calls and single point Bluetooth

Having become very rare on portable speakers, the hands-free function is offered by the Sony ULT Field 1. You can therefore make phone calls with the speaker, provided you do not move too far from it, because the microphone is set to capture the listener’s voice optimally within a radius of a good meter.

The Bluetooth 5.3 controller is not compatible with dual connection and you will necessarily have to manually disconnect and connect the speaker from one source to another. Throughout this test, carried out indoors and outdoors, the radio connection proved solid in all circumstances up to 10 meters, even through thin partitions or a wooden floor. Audio latency is noticeable and a sound delay on the image is noticeable with video games, but not when watching films or series. In the latter case, the synchronization is perfect.

On the codec side, the Sony ULT Field 1 speaker supports SBC and AAC compression technologies. Finally, stereo listening is possible with two ULT Field 1 speakers and they must be combined using the Sony Music Center application.

Sony ULT Field 1 Powerful and precise sound

The Sony ULT Field 1 shines with its acoustic performance. As advertised, the low frequency volume is generous when ULT mode is engaged. Deactivating it is only useful indoors and at low volume, to slightly increase the autonomy of the speaker. When listening outside or rather loudly, the ULT mode provides an appreciable balance. The sound is simply robust. The contribution of the tweeter is undeniable, the sound always being fine and delicate in the treble. There is no obvious coloring and the differences in mixing between two titles are clearly perceptible. Other good news is that despite the mono configuration, the speaker is not very directive.

Passed to the measurement microphone, the speaker reveals a slightly descending response curve at low volume in ULT mode (blue curve). The higher the volume, the less the ULT mode emphasizes low frequencies and, in fact, the curve flattens out. The voices are correctly embodied, thanks to a beautiful presence in the low-midrange. The high-midrange is slightly recessed and that’s good, because our ears are very sensitive to it. In short, the curve of the Sony ULT Field 1 is intelligently designed and no harshness or inconsistency is noticeable.

The only (small) downside concerns the maximum sound volume, which is around 83 dB at a distance of 1 meter. This is sufficient for a speaker of this size, but below a JBL Flip 6 which, although smaller, pushes up to 86 dB, or twice the intensity.

• Bass: generous up to mid-volume with ULT mode engaged
• Midrange: flattering presence of the low-midrange which benefits vocals
• Treble: fluid and delicate

Decent dynamic headroom and soundstage

With a small 8×4 cm transducer, you shouldn’t expect big dynamic differences, but there is a certain weight in the low frequencies, which is enough to give authority to the sound. There’s no question of partying on the beach with the Field 1, but adding sound to an aperitif and playing above conversations is within the realm of possibility. As mentioned above, the sound is not very directive and the soundstage is not narrow. However, the dimensions of the speaker and the mono configuration prevent it from producing a large stage.

Sony ULT Field 1 Very variable autonomy

Sony announces around 12 hours of battery life for the Sony ULT Field 1, which is standard for speakers of this size. In practice, at 50% volume on my iPhone and with ULT mode engaged, I measured a little over 11:30 playing a playlist of pop, jazz and classical. Allow two hours with a 20 W PD charger to replenish your energy.

Sony ULT Field 1 Price and release date

The Sony ULT Field 1 Bluetooth speaker is available in black, white, gray or orange at a price of 139 euros. Its main competitor is the JBL Flip 6, offered at 119 euros, a little more powerful and expressive, but lacking the hands-free function for phone calls.