My Favorite New Sony Bluetooth Speaker Is $80 Off For Memorial Day
If you were to ask me what my favorite new portable Bluetooth speaker of 2025 is so far, I'd have to say Sony's ULT Field 5 speaker. When it launched back in April, I called it one of the best-sounding Bluetooth speakers I've tested in its size class. However, it cost $330, which is pretty pricey, though I suspected we'd see it discounted in due time. Well, that time is now, as the speaker is on sale for $250 or $80 off its list price for Memorial Day.
Read more: Best Memorial Day 2025 Deals
In fact, a few other Sony Bluetooth speakers are on sale for good prices, including the new ULT Field 3 ($150 or $50 off) and the very compact ULT Field 1 ($88 or $42 off). They're all very good portable speakers, but the ULT Field 5 has the best sound of the bunch and is arguably the best overall.
As a reminder, ULT is short for ultimate or, as Sony says, "The ultimate step into the evolution of its portable audio products." Power represents "dynamic sound pressure and deep bass." Sound translates to "as if you were in the front row at a concert."
Enlarge Image
The Sony ULT Field 5 (left) compared to the ULT Field 3 (right).
Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNET
In the past, I thought Sony's Bluetooth speakers were decent enough but not great. However, with the ULT series, Sony's significantly improved the sound quality of its Bluetooth speakers.
I also like the new designs of the ULT Field 3 and ULT Field 5, which can stand vertically or lay horizontally. Both speakers are fully waterproof, dust-proof, and rust-proof, with an IP67 certification. Both include a new removable shoulder strap, which I ended up using more with the heftier ULT Field 5 than the lighter ULT Field 3. The ULT Field 5 weights 7.27 pounds while the ULT Field 3 weighs 2.65 pounds -- a big difference. (Read my hands-on first take review of both speakers).
Enlarge Image
The ULT Field 5 with its removable shoulder strap installed.
David Carnoy/CNET
The ULT Field 3 delivers more bass and volume than you'd expect, given its relatively compact size (and it offers better clarity and bass performance than its predecessor, the SRS-XE300). But the ULT Field 5's soundstage is noticeably wider and the speaker plays louder with noticeably fuller, richer sound. It also has built-in party lighting with a USB-C charge in/out port so the speaker can be used as a power bank to charge your devices (battery life is rated at up to 25 hours at moderate volume levels or 10 hours with the party lighting activated).
Read more: Best Bluetooth speakers of 2025
Don't expect real stereo separation from either the ULT Field 5 or ULT Field 3. To get true stereo separation, you'll need to link two of them together, creating a stereo pair (Sony has made it easier to link its ULT speakers in both Party Connect mode and stereo mode). Of course, not everybody can afford one of these speakers, let alone two, but it helps that they're now on sale.
ULT Field 5 key specs
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Verge
an hour ago
- The Verge
Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune are headed to streaming
Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune are coming to streaming for the first time. The two game shows will arrive on Hulu and Peacock in September, according to a report from The New York Times. Under the multi-year deal, new episodes of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune will appear on both streaming services one day after they air on linear TV. The agreement will include older episodes of each show, too. For decades, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune have been staples on linear TV, and their expansion to Peacock and Hulu is part of a broader pattern that's bringing key series, like WWE's Monday Night Raw, to streaming. As pointed out by The Hollywood Reporter, this streaming deal isn't directly connected to the legal battle involving Sony — the producer of Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! — and its distributor, CBS. Last year, Sony sued CBS over claims it breached their agreement by not doing enough to boost revenue from licensing the shows. A judge granted Sony the rights to distribute Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! in April, but an appellate court ruled last week that CBS can keep distributing the shows during the legal battle.
Engadget
2 hours ago
- Engadget
How to watch Sony's PlayStation State of Play at Summer Game Fest
To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so. Summer Game Fest week just got even busier. Sony is throwing its own party on Wednesday, June 4 at 5PM ET in the form of a State of Play. The stream will showcase "must-play" PS5 games from developers based around the world and you can watch it on on YouTube or Twitch. To make things even easier, you can watch it right here by clicking the big red button above when the time is right. (English subtitled and Japanese versions of the State of Play will be available too.) The State of Play will run for over 40 minutes, so there should be a bunch of games included. Sony hasn't given any hints as to what it will show off as yet, but it'll surely be worth checking out the stream. Wednesday's event will be Sony's third State of Play of the year. The first was in February, which included the reveal of the very tasty-sounding Soros from Returnal studio Housemarque, a PS5 remaster of Days Gone and a release date for Borderlands 4 . In April, the company hosted a brief State of Play entirely focused on Borderlands 4 where it showed off gameplay and some new multiplayer mechanics. With this State of Play, Sony is padding out a packed SGF schedule that includes what is routinely Xbox's biggest showcase of the year on Sunday, June 8. And then there's also the little matter of the Nintendo Switch 2's arrival on June 5. It's shaping up to be a fun, if very busy, week.
CNET
3 hours ago
- CNET
Act Fast to Save Up to 56% on Philips Hue Smart Lights
Whether you need an outdoor or indoor lighting solution, Philips' Hue smart lighting is some of the best and most beautiful on the market. They provide color control, allowing you to change the ambiance of any space on a whim for the right mood at any time. Hue lights can be expensive, but Woot is currently offering a wide variety of these lights at up to 56% off until June 16. An ample selection of refurbished Philips Hue lights is also available for additional savings. Refurbished devices are those that previous buyers have returned, but they've been inspected and restored to fully working condition. This makes them a solid way to spend less money compared to buying new. Some of the discounts are "open box," but items are still in new condition. Regardless, your purchase is backed by a 90-day Woot limited warranty, just in case. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. Highlight your TV set, office monitor or gaming rig with the Philips Hue Play 65-inch light strip for just $140. It can change into millions of colors, includes everything needed for mounting, and lets you use voice control through the Hue app, Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Note that this light strip requires a Philips Hue Smart Bridge that's on sale for only $30 -- a 50% discount -- in open-box condition. Snag a two-pack of brand-new Philips Hue white A19 smart light bulbs that will turn on or off with Alexa voice controls for $36, a $9 savings. Additionally, the 65-foot weatherproof outdoor string lights are reduced to $176, a $44 savings over their usual asking price. You can also score a beautiful smart spotlight, the Philips Hue Perifo cylinder light, at a $60 discount for a final price of $60. Additional deals on Hue products are available, including lighting strips, outdoor lighting and more Take a look at our roundup of smart home deals for even more options like speakers, plugs and small appliances. Why these deals matter Buying refurbished and open-box products is one way to get deep discounts on things that typically cost a fair amount, and Woot often hosts sales like this with solid offers. This sale includes tons of Philips Hue items, ranging from light bulbs to switches to floor lamps. Some of the items in this sale are also new in the box, too, so it's worth browsing through. These products are usually quite expensive, so it's worth taking advantage of sales when they come around. However, products on Woot tend to sell out quickly, and we expect the same in this case. So, if you see something you want, grab it now.
