Sony ULT FIELD 3 review

Summer is well under way, the weather is slowly improving, and most weekends turn into a good excuse to head out and enjoy yourself. It’s no secret that we’re very active in summer, so we like meeting friends and family, singing and dancing. Portable speakers are perfect for that, and there’s an enormous choice — across both manufacturers and price brackets. This summer I had a great opportunity to try Sony’s newest product, the ULT FIELD 3 speaker. It’s part of the new ULT POWER SOUND range, and you’ll soon find out what makes that special. The good news is that Sony has finally given this range memorable names, which will genuinely make them easier to talk about.

Design

Let's start with the design, because this is one area where Sony surprised me. Unboxing the speaker, I was pleasantly surprised by its size — it fits neatly in one hand. It isn't heavy either, at just 1.2 kg, which makes carrying it easy. It's comfortable to carry by hand or to throw in a backpack, since it doesn't take up much room.

The included shoulder strap helps too, and it attaches in a genuinely unusual way. Normally the mounting points are hidden and barely noticeable. Here you can pull them out and fasten the strap firmly to them. The chance of the strap coming loose by accident is very small. Its length adjusts easily, so there are plenty of ways to carry or hang the speaker.

Sony has thought through every possible way you might use this speaker, so the ULT FIELD 3 resists both dust and water. It carries IP66 and IP67 ratings, so it isn't bothered by sand or pool water. If you accidentally splash it or it briefly falls into water (up to 1 m deep for 30 minutes), you really shouldn't run into problems.

The speaker is resistant not only to dust and water but to impacts. The ULT FIELD 3 is made from sturdy plastic, and the rubber around it absorbs drops and knocks. The metal grille is solid and doesn’t flex when pressed. The speaker feels substantial in the hands, so I have no doubts about its toughness or longevity.

It genuinely matters that the speaker can be placed either horizontally or vertically. In either position the ULT FIELD 3 delivers optimal sound, so you can stand it however you like.

The buttons on top make playing music and adjusting the volume easy. The speaker powers on with the power button, and Bluetooth pairing has its own button marked with the Bluetooth logo. Next comes the Connect button, which links the ULT FIELD 3 to other Sony audio devices. There's also a play/pause and call answer button, plus volume down and up. Finally there's the distinctive ULT button, which glows in various colours depending on the angle you view it from. The ULT FIELD 3 comes in three colours: classic black (the one I tested), off-white and greyish green, so there should be something for most tastes. Prices (July 2025) start from €122.

Sound quality

I knew Sony is held in high regard for sound quality. But looking at the size of this speaker, I really didn't think it would surprise me with volume. I was badly wrong, because the ULT FIELD 3 packs powerful drivers into a small body. It's a mono speaker, so it has just one pair of tweeter and woofer. This two-way driver arrangement delivers powerful sound and clear vocals. Passive radiators on the sides improve bass output.

We’re living in 2025, so this speaker has smart technology too, such as sound field optimisation, which adapts the output to ambient noise. Even in a noisy environment or outdoors the sound should stay clear. The ULT FIELD 3 also supports a 7-band equaliser, so you can dial in your preferred sound precisely.

This speaker stands out for its special ULT button, which boosts the bass. Normally the speaker plays a well-balanced sound, but if you want to feel like you're at a concert, ULT POWER SOUND mode absolutely delivers. The difference is night and day, and the sound stays sharp and detailed even at maximum volume. ULT POWER SOUND is best suited to electronic and dance music, where there's more bass. No other speaker of a similar size matches this quality.

Connectivity and extra features

Like most portable speakers, the ULT FIELD 3 supports Bluetooth. It’s version 5.2, which ensures a stable connection and good audio transmission. The speaker supports the common SBC and AAC codecs, but not the newer LDAC, which may put off fans of high-resolution audio. If you aren’t a serious audiophile you won’t notice the difference — the sound is clean and smooth.

The ULT FIELD 3 lets you connect up to two devices at once, which is very convenient if you’re not listening alone, or if you’re playing music from a computer but don’t want to miss an important call on your phone.

It's worth mentioning that this speaker pairs easily with Android devices, because it supports the Fast Pair standard. The moment I switched the ULT FIELD 3 on, a notification about the new device appeared on my Android phone. Windows computers also spot it easily as soon as the speaker is in pairing mode, so there's no need to dig through Bluetooth settings.

With Party Connect you can link up to 100 compatible Sony speakers. It’s hard to say who has 100 speakers in one place, but there’s no limit. You can enjoy powerful, high-quality sound, which comes in especially handy at parties. The feature needs no extra app — pairing uses the Connect button, and pressing it makes the speaker automatically find other Sony audio products.

I mentioned the ULT FIELD 3 is a mono speaker, but if you have two you can create proper stereo. Linking two speakers over Bluetooth with the Stereo Pair feature produces a spatial sound you’ll enjoy. Sony itself warns that audio may lag slightly when watching films.

The speaker has a built-in microphone, so you can use it as a hands-free kit. The microphone has echo cancellation, but it won't match a phone or headset for quality. As a bonus feature during conference calls it's genuinely useful, but don't expect high fidelity.

The ULT FIELD 3 has a flap hiding a USB-C port. It’s a universal charging connector, so any phone charger will charge this speaker. A full charge to 100% takes about 3.5 hours. Just 10 minutes of charging gives you up to 120 minutes of playback. The ULT FIELD 3 can also be used as a power bank, since the USB-C port supports two-way power delivery.

Battery

I have no doubt battery life matters enormously for an outdoor speaker. Sony says that at maximum volume in ULT POWER SOUND mode the ULT FIELD 3 will run for up to five hours. It's refreshing when a manufacturer quotes a realistic figure. If you listen at up to half volume, the speaker runs for up to 24 hours, which is a great deal. The battery will comfortably cover an entire party, and at worst it also runs from mains power, so you can keep the music going without interruption.

Since I often worry about my phone’s battery life and health, I’m glad the ULT FIELD 3 offers a battery protection mode — Battery Care. It stops the charge reaching 90%, protecting the battery from prolonged charging, particularly if you leave the device charging overnight. Battery Care is enabled by holding the button next to the USB-C port. A short press has a pleasant voice announce the charge level, which is handy when you don’t have your phone to hand.

The app

Sound Connect lets you shape the sound with an equaliser. You can tailor it to your own taste or to a particular music genre. It’s worth noting that the custom equaliser doesn’t work with ULT POWER SOUND mode, which boosts the bass. In the app you can choose between standard, ULT POWER SOUND and custom modes.

The app shows the exact remaining battery percentage in real time. You can check the level either in the app or through a dedicated widget on your phone’s home screen.

Sound Connect is also the only way to update the speaker’s firmware. Sony releases updates periodically that can improve sound quality, fix bugs or add features. One recent update, for example, added a DJ mode that lets you play along with various effects and extra sounds. I can’t quite picture using this at a party, but if you want to feel like a DJ, build remixes and improvise with sounds, it’s a decent feature.

Verdict: pros and cons

The Sony ULT FIELD 3 is one of the best choices for anyone after a portable, durable and powerful speaker. It has an excellent size-to-sound ratio, and ULT POWER SOUND mode makes it a great pick for parties, or simply for music fans who appreciate powerful bass.

It isn’t the best choice for audiophiles, given the missing LDAC codec and the mono sound, but for the vast majority of users those drawbacks will be insignificant. If you’re looking for a speaker that can keep up with an active lifestyle and deliver a great listening experience, the ULT FIELD 3 is well worth your attention.