Sound quality: Sony's SRS-XV900 had Fair overall sound quality - this model has sonic shortcomings that leave a lot to be desired when listening to music but don't rule it out for dialog. With the tone controls of the Sony Music Center app set for the most even tonal balance, the bass has good impact and goes fairly deep but is a bit prominent and somewhat boomy. Midrange is even but is somewhat hazy, grainy, and a bit muffled. Treble is fairly extended but is somewhat subdued and a bit sizzly and smeared. Does a decent job of recovering room ambience, and is somewhat congested. There is no significant difference between Bluetooth, optical, USB, and aux inputs. It can play very loudly, but sounds strained at higher volumes; without sounding strained can provide a decent volume level in a large sized room. When used as a stereo pair the overall sound becomes a bit echoey and the bass becomes somewhat boomy. As a two speaker set the sound stage width and focus depends on how it is placed; when it is well placed there is good stereo separation and stereo imaging between the speakers, however the sound field does not extend much beyond the outer edges of the speaker enclosures and still lacks depth. As a stereo pair the score improves a bit but still remains in the Fair range.
