The ULT FIELD 5 is a substantial portable speaker for buyers who want stereo playback from one box, a wired input and Sony’s bass-focused modes. It is particularly relevant when a laptop, older player or another analog source shares time with a phone.
Its 3.3 kg weight and lighting-dependent battery figures make it better suited to carrying between destinations than adding casually to a walking bag. The connections are a stronger reason to choose it than assuming more size guarantees a more balanced sound.
Sound
- Stereo playback
- ULT1 and ULT2
- Ten-band EQ
The FIELD 5 combines a central woofer with two tweeters and passive radiators. Its stereo reproduction is useful for a fixed listening position, while ULT1 and ULT2 provide different levels of bass emphasis. The custom equalizer gives ten bands of adjustment for someone willing to spend time tuning.
RTINGS found an energetic balance with pronounced bass and treble, and noted compression in the bass at maximum volume. It also found clarity depended on listening angle. 1 Place the speaker toward the main seating area and leave some volume headroom when consistent balance matters. Automatic room correction is available, although that test did not find a meaningful change from it.
Connectivity
- 3.5 mm input
- Bluetooth with LDAC
- Party Connect
The analog input is a practical reason to choose the FIELD 5. It can accept a source with a headphone or line output without relying on wireless pairing. Bluetooth supports LDAC with compatible sources, but that capability depends on the sending device and should not be assumed for every phone.
Stereo Pair connects two matching speakers for greater physical separation, and Party Connect distributes music to compatible Sony speakers. Multipoint is useful when switching between a laptop and phone. The microphone-based call features of the smaller FIELD 3 do not carry over, so a larger model is not automatically a superset of every smaller sibling.
Battery & charging
- 25 hours with lights off
- 10 hours with lights on at the same level
- USB-C PD
With Battery Care disabled, sony rates 25 hours at volume 18 with ULT enabled and lighting off. At that same level, enabling the lights reduces the estimate to ten hours. At maximum volume with lighting, the figure is about two and a half hours. These differences are large enough to affect a purchase intended for long outdoor gatherings.
A compatible 9 V, 3 A USB PD adapter charges it in approximately three and a half hours while switched off. Battery Care caps charging at roughly 90%, useful for a speaker that spends long periods connected at home. USB-C phone charging is convenient outdoors, but it draws from the same battery supporting the music.
Design
The shoulder strap is valuable because the enclosure is a meaningful load. Measure the storage space and think about the distance from the car or house to the listening spot. The FIELD 5 is portable in the sense that it can move with the gathering, while extended carrying deserves more consideration.
The IP67 rating includes dust and temporary immersion protection, and the light effects can be disabled when the setting calls for a quieter appearance. Physical controls remain useful when several people are choosing music and the phone changes hands.
Alternatives
The FIELD 3 is much easier to carry and retains calls and phone charging, but uses mono playback and lacks the FIELD 5’s analog input. Existing SRS-XG300 owners should compare the tuning and actual connections they need before replacing it. RTINGS considered the newer model an optional upgrade for those attracted to its bassier character and design. 1
Verdict
The FIELD 5 is a good fit when analog playback, stereo from one box and party lighting will all be used. Its weight and sharply different battery modes are the price of that package. Keep expectations for maximum-volume bass in check and plan charging around the lighting setting you actually prefer.