Wireless portable speakers like the Sony XB43 are made for pool parties and playing music during social gatherings. However, there may come a time when you’d wonder, ‘why is my Sony XB43 so quiet?’
More often than not, the reason why a Sony Bluetooth speaker’s sound gets so low is due to insufficient charge. Barring physical obstructions and dust covering the speaker openings, you may also want to check and see if the device you’re streaming music from has a volume limiter.
The good news is that there are several ways to make a Sony XB43 louder. The same goes for its predecessors, the SRS XB23 and the XB33 Bluetooth speaker models. We’ll also cover tips to fix a ‘too quiet’ XB43 speaker.
How Can I Make My Sony XB43 Louder?
The most straightforward way to make the music on your XB43 louder is to press and hold the “+” button on the speaker until you hear a beep. This tells the Bluetooth speaker to crank it up to the maximum volume at 100%.
Give your SRS-XB43 a once-over and locate the physical buttons at the top. Assuming it’s turned on and connected to your device, the action should make the audio more noticeable than before. You can do the same for a Sony XB23 or XB33 speaker model.
If this doesn’t work, then you’ll probably need to do more digging to get to the root cause. In this case, you’d want to get your charging cable ready and your smartphone or streaming device on hand.
- Below, we will also discuss volume limiters and source device volume — two other factors that could be keeping your speaker quieter than you want.
Why Is My Sony Speaker So Quiet?
Not getting the loudness you want in a speaker that’s playing your favorite music can be frustrating. However, simply pressing the plus volume button repeatedly won’t do you any good.
In this case, it’s time to do a bit of troubleshooting.
Possible reasons why your Sony XB43 is not loud enough include a low battery, a sound limiter enabled, an unstable Bluetooth connection, and interference from the device or streaming app, among others.
Let’s take a look at these possible reasons one by one.
Your Sony XB43 Bluetooth Speaker Has a Low Charge
Was your XB43 Bluetooth speaker blasting out tunes just fine half an hour ago, but then you noticed that the volume kept getting lower and lower? This is a clear sign that you’ll need to plug in your unit soon to a wall charger or power bank to continue using the speaker.
Portable Bluetooth speakers like the XB43 will have an internal battery that powers the speaker. Although the model itself has a 24-hour rated battery life, its rate can be affected by its volume and if there are any extra features enabled, such as Extra Bass and RGB lighting.
A slowly flashing indicator light, as well as a 3x flashing when you turn on the XB43 tells you to charge your wireless speaker immediately. Use the included adapter in the package and leave it until the indicator light turns off.
Since a louder volume naturally draws more power, this could be the reason why your XB43 is not producing a loud enough sound.
Device Sound Limiter is Turned On
Most smartphones, tablets, and mobile devices will have built-in safety measures to protect the user’s ears from being exposed to deafening sound or music.
These protective features are turned on by default until you decide to go to your device’s settings and turn them off manually. There are two ways to disable Sound Limiter – either by pressing the device’s volume rocker button until you see a prompt, or going to Settings and finding it there.
Before all this, you’ll want to establish a Bluetooth connection between the XB43 and the device and have music streaming through the speaker. A ‘volume limit’, high volume warning, or media volume limiter can be disabled by going to Settings, then Audio or Sound, and going through the options until you find it.
Make sure to toggle the button or set it to ‘off’ before you resume streaming music on the XB43.
Device Volume is Not the Same as the SRS-XB43 Speaker
There’s a misconception that all the volume is handed over to the speaker. Tech-savvy individuals know this isn’t the case, as you can still control the volume from the device you’re streaming music from.
The sound coming from your XB43 will not be loud enough if the device’s volume is turned way down. Even when the Bluetooth speaker is at ‘max volume’, or the plus button is pressed and emitting a ‘limit reached’ sound, you should also press the streaming device’s volume buttons to hear the improvement.
And if that’s not enough, you should also check the software volume of the playback or streaming app. Set your device’s volume and streaming app relatively high, and you’d just need to lower or increase the volume in your XB43 Bluetooth speaker as needed.
Streaming or Playback App Setting Interference
Sometimes a low sound XB43 problem is caused by the device and streaming app not playing nice with each other.
First, check the Sound or Audio settings on the device and disable anything that could interfere with maxing out the volume on your Bluetooth speaker. Then, get into the streaming app’s settings and check for possible audio volume interference. Disable what you think is causing your Bluetooth speakers to play low sound, then exit and try again.
It would be helpful if you’d play lively music or a song where you can easily gauge how loud or soft the audio is. Don’t close the streaming app or playback media- just hit pause, then resume if you want to test its volume.
Re-Pair the Bluetooth Connection
If you or your guests don’t mind getting a few minutes of no sound (while in a party, for example), then we’d recommend you complete a Bluetooth reconnection.
Unpair your Sony XB43 speaker by going to the device’s Bluetooth settings, then either pressing or long-holding the XB43 in the list. A new option to ‘unpair’ or ‘remove this device’ will appear, to which you’ll press ‘yes’ or ‘ok’.
Wait a few seconds until your unpair request is completed, then go back and this time, you’ll pair up the XB43 again with the streaming device. Call up the Bluetooth menu again, then accept the XB43 pairing on both ends. The connection will have been reset, and hopefully, it should be enough to restore a loud speaker volume.
It’s worth noting that both devices should be in a reasonable Bluetooth range to establish a successful connection.
Restart and Reset Your Sony Portable Bluetooth Speaker
A device restart can be useful in clearing out glitches and minor anomalies, and the same rule applies to Bluetooth speakers.
It’s easy enough to restart your Sony XB43 – simply press and hold the power button for around 8 seconds or so until it powers down, then wait approximately 10 seconds until you power it back up. Do the same with the XB23 and XB33 and you’ll have refreshed the device.
A reset is more complicated since it’s similar to a factory reset in a smartphone or tablet. All your settings will revert to default, and you’ll have to pair it again to your devices.
To do a reset, first turn off the XB43 Bluetooth speaker off. Then, turn it on and press and hold both the Bluetooth and Volume Down button for about 5-8 seconds. The Sony speaker should do an audible and shut down.
Wait for around 5-10 seconds before powering the XB43 back on. Pair it via Bluetooth and test the volume again.
Check for Firmware Updates
To update your Sony XB43’s firmware and fix known hardware issues, including too low of sound, you’ll need both the speaker and smartphone plugged in to a wall charger. On your smartphone, download and open the Sony Music Center app.
Step 1.
Connect your mobile device and the XB43 to a power supply. Ensure that both are charging – the XB43 puts out a light to indicate its status. Pair the XB43 to the mobile via Bluetooth connection.
Step 2.
Open the Sony Music Center app and locate the XB43. Tap the wireless speaker and you’ll enter a sub-menu. Scan the information at the bottom section and check if you see a ‘speaker update available’ with a button that says ‘more info’ beside it.
Step 3.
Tap the ‘More Info’ and you’ll be taken to a new screen, with update details and a confirmation button to install the new firmware. To agree, all you need to do is press the ‘OK’ button; the app will do the rest.
Step 4.
The Sony Music Center app will start downloading the firmware update, then apply it to the XB43. This can take anywhere between 15-30 minutes depending on your internet connection.
Step 5.
Wait for the SRS XB43 to shut itself off, then manually power the Bluetooth speaker. You’ll see the message ‘software update complete’, which means you can test the speaker again.
Can I Clean My Sony XB43 Wireless Speakers?
The Sony SRS XB43 has a waterproof rating of IP67, which means that it can survive a dunk in saltwater or freshwater.
Sony recommends giving the surface a wipe using a damp cloth or a soft brush to dislodge the debris. However, you shouldn’t use alcohol, detergent, or any harsh chemicals on your XB43, XB33, or XB23 unit.
Clearing and removing physical dust/dirt/debris will also help keep your speaker functioning — but again, you should be careful not to damage the speaker during cleaning.
Is The XB43 Speaker Cover Removable?
You can remove the cover of your XB43 model to try and clean or remove debris in the speakers and radiator. However, this will require special tools, and there’s a chance that you might end up with a broken product.
A metal tool or screwdriver can be lodged into the lower part of the mesh area to remove it; you will also have to remove the factory tamper seal and remove a screw. From here, you’ll be able to clean the speakers and internal components.
Use only a clean and damp cloth, and not soapy water or alcohol. Once you’re satisfied, return the screws and mesh to their places and try the XB43’s volume again.
If your device is under warranty, please don’t attempt anything that will void your warranty. Instead, reach out to Sony for assistance.
Can I Use Third-Party Apps to Make XB43 Louder?
There are third-party apps you can use to artificially raise speaker device volume levels, although it may end up sounding blown up and distorted. If you choose one of these apps, try to increase the volume slowly, rather than all at once. Slowly increasing volume will minimize the risk of damage to your speaker.
As a tip, you can activate Extra Bass Sound or use the Party Connection function with compatible Bluetooth speakers to make the music louder.
Final Thoughts
Follow our guide to make your Sony SRS XB43 wireless speaker loud enough to satisfy your thirst for good music.
The XB43, as well as the XB33 and XB23, are quality Bluetooth speakers that can really churn out those catchy tunes. Don’t give up on your Bluetooth speaker just yet — instead, try our recommended fixes.
