A new king of summer speakers has been crowned. Sony just revealed the new ULT Field 1 portable speaker and I’ve been using it for the past few weeks. It packs everything that I can ask for from a Bluetooth offering while including some features I wasn’t even sure I should be asking for. All in a colorful package that makes the most of its $129 price tag.
Hands-on with Sony’s new ULT Field 1
For years, 9to5Toys has been saying that Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM is our favorite speaker of the summer. Even before I found that out for myself with the newest version, other writers at the site have come to that same conclusion. But now Sony is providing a real challenger that improves on everything we liked about the previous champion – the Sony ULT Field 1 has booming sound and a design that’s just as fun as it is actually useful.
If you haven’t already caught up on our launch coverage for Sony’s all-new ULT lineup, you should go do that to get yourself familiar with the tech.
Sony’s newest lineup is all about giving music lovers different ways to hear their favorite tracks, and the ULT Field 1 is no exception. It does only include a single one of the ULT modes (other releases have two) that gives the audio gear its name. But the spoiler from my testing is that it’s good enough. The focus of this speaker is on deep bass, and this new release certainly delivers that.
What’s new with the speaker?
The Field 1 is the smallest of Sony’s new ULT speakers. It comes in four different colorways, including the Orange I’m taking a look at in this review as well as Black, Forest Gray, and Off White. So if you’re not sold on the vibrant built of the design I’m photographing for this coverage, there’s some other options for you.
Sony is really leaning into how versatile the speaker is with the design itself, offering an adjustable strap on the top that lets you hang it practically anywhere. The ULT Field 1 can be listened to just laid down flat on a surface, but it also has cut-outs over the speakers on either end that let you prop it up on the speaker’s side, too. Through my time talking with Sony about the new release, I can they that the company put extra thought into how it sounds in a myriad of different scenarios and use cases. So, to see the company actually pull that off and keep the audio sounding great in different orientations is a wonderful followthrough.
Another aspect of the design that I just need to gush about is how rugged it is. The whole design is covered in a mix of fabric and durable rubber, which gives it a premium feel while also cluing you in right from the getgo that this is a speaker that can take on more than just typical wear and tear. Sony backs the ULT Field 1 with an IP67 resistance rating, meaning it can handle encounters with water and dust, as well as the ground.
But the company then takes it a little bit further by slapping a rustproof badge on the product. I’m someone who keeps a Bluetooth speaker in my bathroom for serenading me through showers, and to know that Sony is not just saying it’s okay to do that, but that it’s actively encouraged is just music to my ears. It also means that any of you who enjoy poolside listening shouldn’t have to worry about degrading quality over time, either.
Other notable features for the Sony ULT Field 1 are up to 12 hour battery life on a single charge. I’ve found that stat to be entirely true myself from my own usage so far. There’s also a built-in microphone for doubling as a speakerphone, although the quality is nothing too groundbreaking. It certainly gets the job done, but you’ll be hearing the person on the other line in far better quality than they’ll be hearing you.
9to5Toys’ Take
I’ve been using the Sony ULT Field 1 speaker as my everyday driver for the past several weeks. I specifically asked for the orange colorway and I am certainly glad I did. It’s such a loud design, which is so fitting for the actual sound features of the new speaker.
The biggest takeaway I have is that the new ULT sound mode isn’t a joke. Through all of the marketing materials and in-person talks with Sony, the company made it clear that it was really leaning into the technology. So to be able to check it out for myself and hear with my own ears that the ULT Field 1 is actually living up to all the hype is just lovely.
Even without the bass-boosted audio settings enabled, the speaker has a very nice sound to it. The clarity is great around half volume, but retains the punchy vocals and clear high notes even when you begin to max out the sound. I really never found myself needing to do that, but knowing that I have the option to fully serenade a larger crowd only makes the ULT Field 1 a more versatile speaker. It manages to fill rooms quite well for the smaller size, too.
However, the reason I have been falling in love with the Sony ULT Field 1 speaker is its bass. I don’t want to say that it’s a surprise, but to see Sony implement a new feature like its ULT mode tech so well is just great. I suppose I should say to hear it, in this case, but you get my point. The deep sound produced by a speaker that I can hold in my hand is incredibly impressive, ultimately making the speaker an even better option for all things portable listening.
I also love that the speaker is tested to be rustproof. I know I said earlier about my own specific shower use case, but I wanted to circle back to say just how much I love the peace of mind. I haven’t had other speakers stop working because of any water-related issues, but speakers aren’t something that most people aren’t going to be upgrading on any regular basis. So being able to recommend the Sony ULT Field 1 as something you can reliably use for years down the line is great.
All of that just goes to further justify the $129 price tag. It’s easily my new favorite speaker, and with summer on the horizon it couldn’t be launching at a better time to bring to the beach or keep you company while lounging at your pool. I’d easily recommend it – especially in the vibrant orange colorway. But if you’re looking for something less in your face, the other designs are pretty swell, too. After all, it really is all about the bass and sound quality – the design is just the cherry on top.
You can now pre-order the Sony ULT Field 1 at Amazon ahead of its April 22 release date.
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