Sony is well renowned for their noise cancelling audio line—everybody gushes about the WH-1000XM5 headphones and the WF-1000XM5 wireless earbuds, in spite of their ridiculous names. But what of their other products? Well, the company has a new range of sound devices called the ULT POWER SOUND series, which promises deep and powerful bass. And among the lineup is the Sony ULT FIELD 1 wireless speaker.
The Sony ULT FIELD 1 is one of three speaker devices from the ULT POWER SOUND series, though being a portable wireless speaker, it is the smallest offering in the lineup. But as I’ve come to realise from trying it out, its size is no issue.
As a speaker, it is loud and proud—literally. Add in the fact that it is a sturdy, portable device, the Sony ULT FIELD 1 makes for a great companion piece for the outdoors.
Build and Design
Like most portable speakers, the Sony ULT FIELD 1 comes in a cylindrical shape. The difference here is that it gets a little thinner towards the centre, making it easier to grab. But that’s not the only method to carry the speaker. It comes with a thick carrying strap, of which its length can be adjusted to your liking.
While the strap attachment is greatly appreciated as a means to carry it, I have a nitpick with it. Because it is knotted on one end, it can only be placed standing up on one side. A small inconvenience perhaps, but I would have liked the flexibility of being able to stand it up on either end.
The Sony ULT FIELD 1 itself is robustly built; sturdy like a brick without feeling too weighty. Notably, not only is the device shockproof, it also features a IP67 rating—making it both dustproof and waterproof (even including salt-water resistance). Even after dropping it from table height and dousing it with water, the portable speaker functioned perfectly well.
Part of the appeal of portable speakers is the various colour styles available (looking at you JBL) and Sony has a selection of four colourways for the ULT FIELD 1 – Forest Green, Orange, Off White, and Black.
Our review unit was the Off White variant and as a big fan of the colour on other items, it looks really good here as well. It just brings an understated sleekness to the device, especially against the silver Sony logo at the centre. However, like all things that come in white, it picks up dirt much more easily. If you intend this to be used frequently outdoors, perhaps go for a different colour.
Performance
As with the rest of the devices from the ULT POWER SOUND series, the Sony ULT FIELD 1 has an enhanced bass feature that you can toggle with a press of the ULT button found on the controls.
When it is turned on, the speaker delivers a big punch on the low end. It’s perfect for bass-heavy party tracks, with each beat almost shaking the room – especially if you’ve got the volume dangerously high (and it does get remarkably loud for its size). You can just imagine how songs like Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO and Stay by The Kid LAROI can rock the entire space.
However, the emphasis on the bass isn’t always a good thing. The sound performance on the mids tends to be drowned out a little by the heavy bass, which makes the experience of listening to rock tracks less enjoyable than it should be.
Still, I’d elect to keep the ULT POWER SOUND feature firmly turned on. When switching the ULT button off, the audio performance is mediocre, to say the least. Yes, the mids and highs became sharper, but songs lacked the robustness and weightiness that came with the enhanced bass. Podcasts do however benefit from the clearer mids, so there’s that at least.
You can somewhat alleviate this with the custom EQ settings on the companion Sony Music Center app, but the improvements aren’t noticeably big. As it is, ironically, the most balanced listening experience actually comes with the ULT button flipped on.
The Sony ULT FIELD 1 acts as more than a portable speaker though, the device also comes with a built-in microphone to handle calls. When using it for Zoom calls, it does a commendable enough job—voice quality gets through clearly for users on the other end.
That being said, with a mic included, you would think that there would also be support for smart assistants – but unfortunately, it doesn’t. Instead, you’d have to rely on your smartphone’s own assistant for such voice commands.
Battery
Sony touts the speaker to last 12 hours with the ULT feature turned on, which sounds great until you realise that it is with the caveat of having the volume at 25%. At a higher 50% volume level, the ULT FIELD 1 lasts just 3 to 4 hours.
I will say though that even on the lower volume levels, the device gets plenty loud. With some tweaking and adjustments, it is entirely possible to find a decent balance between volume and battery life. There is also a handy auto-off feature after 15 minutes that helps to preserve more use out of the device.
Verdict
Given Sony’s prowess in the audio space with their other products, there is some disappointment in the sound department. Without the draw of the ULT bass feature, the speaker provides a rather middling audio performance. Battery life is also not as good as I would have liked.
That’s not to say there isn’t any fun to be had with the Sony ULT FIELD 1. The wallop from the bass it brings makes it a great speaker for parties. It’s also a very durable speaker; the device’s ruggedness means it won’t be out of place outdoors.
If you are a bass head, the ULT FIELD 1 is certainly one to consider. However, those who prefer a more balanced performance from their sound might not appreciate the speaker as much.
The Sony ULT FIELD 1 is available to purchase online from Sony’s official Online Store, or from their official Shopee page.
Photos by Leo Chia of the DANAMIC Team.
Sony ULT FIELD 1
Pros
- Thumping bass
- Sturdy and premium build
Cons
- Average audio without ULT mode on
- Disappointing battery life
