Sony isn’t selling a speaker so much as it’s selling a bass machine. The ULT Field 5 offers two distinct bass modes for either punchy or deep and low sound. And, for a relatively compact product that trades on bass, it delivers.

Sony ULT Field 5

Choose from two types of powerful bass sound on the ULT Field 5 to feel every beat more and set your pulse racing with lower frequencies than you thought possible from such a compact speaker.

Pros & Cons

• Big bass sound
• Aux input
• Lights are fun but can be turned off

• Shoulder strap is ugly
• No mic for calls

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Price and Availability

The Sony ULT Field 5 is available now for $329.99. It comes in two colors, either black or off-white. It comes with a USB-C cable and shoulder strap in the box.

The ULT 5 is a new entry in Sony’s Bluetooth speaker line and sits below the ULT Field 7 in size, power, and price.

The ULT 5 Can Kind of Do It All

There are plenty of Bluetooth speakers to choose from. (I really like the Bose SoundLink Max, for example.) But the reason you’re looking at the ULT 5 is because you want a healthy amount of volume and bass without completely sacrificing portability.

The ULT 5 finds a good mix of power and size. You won’t want to pack the seven-plus-pound speaker for air travel. For that, the ULT Field 1 or ULT Field 3 would be more suitable. But the ULT 5 is easy to throw in the car to take to the beach or move around the backyard without even thinking twice.

The ULT 5 is a great do-it-all speaker. It’s a little sporty-looking, but I consider it generic enough that it could be your home speaker and not stick out like a sore thumb too much. But it can also pull double duty and go nearly anywhere you’re willing to haul it.

It comes with a shoulder strap and an IP67 water and dust rating that helps with that. Plus, it packs in party lights with several flashing modes if you want to add some flair to your sound. It can connect to other Sony speakers for an even bigger punch.

The Sound Is Suitable For Outdoor Use

If you do carry it around, the ULT 5 is more of a two-handed device. But the reason you’d be willing to put up with that is for its sound.

Paired with its tweeters is a 79mm by 107mm non-circular woofer. I found the driver to be substantial in volume and clarity. The total package was also capable of producing impressive bass. Inside and outdoors, songs sounded full and well-balanced.

Even when the volume is pushed to its limits, it sounds strong and full. Often, Bluetooth speakers sound much weaker when they’re outdoors, without walls to reflect the sound. In this case, the ULT 5 completely covered my backyard with music.

Taking it to a public park also showed that it was capable of handling a small to mid-sized gathering of people.

In terms of bass, there are two distinct ULT modes that you can toggle between using the onboard button.

The ULT1 mode accentuates deeper, lower-frequency bass while the ULT2 mode is a little punchier. Both sound good on their own, but when paired with the right types of songs they make the music hit that much harder.

For example, I found electronic and orchestral songs to benefit from the deep, resonant bass. Whereas the tighter, punchier mode worked great with rock and hip-hop songs.

The most annoying aspect of the different modes is switching between them. There’s a distracting and unsettling sound effect that tries to indicate which ULT mode you’re in. I found it hard to distinguish the tones and just tried to keep track in my mind where I was in the progression when cycling through ULT1, ULT2, and bass boost off.

On the back of the ULT 5 is an aux in for a wired connection. There’s also a USB-C port for in and out charging. Meaning the speaker will work as a power bank to charge your phone if it gets low.

The speaker is capable of 25 hours of battery life and two hours of play time with a 10-minute quick charge. I couldn’t test the straight 25 hours for obvious reasons, but the speaker did last for several days of playing music for hours at a time. I kept the lights on and the bass mode going the entire stretch too. I was satisfied with its power consumption results.

Should You Buy the Sony Field ULT 5?

Size comparison between the ULT Field 5 (bottom) and the ULT Field 3 (top).

It’s hard not to see the Sony ULT Field 5 as an all-around, do-it-all speaker. It can be moved around, handle unfortunate weather conditions, and get loud enough to carry a party.

The speaker’s multicolored reflective Sony logo and rubber end caps don’t necessarily match most people’s home decor if you want to set it on a bookshelf for sedentary use, but it can handle nearly any situation you throw at it.

Most importantly, the mid-range speaker sounds great. Its bass response and volume level are in line with its $329.99 retail price. If you need a speaker, but aren’t sure about all the places it will be used, then I would consider the ULT 5. It’s a good place to start.

Sony ULT Field 5

Choose from two types of powerful bass sound on the ULT Field 5 to feel every beat more and set your pulse racing with lower frequencies than you thought possible from such a compact speaker.