Sony ULT Field 3 REVIEW - There's a CATCH...
Brian MacDuff
[{'start': '0.000', 'end': '5.280', 'text': "This is the new Sony ULT Field 3 Bluetooth speaker and it's a very solid offering,"}, {'start': '6.540', 'end': '7.040', 'text': "but there's a catch!"}, {'start': '7.040', 'end': '23.434', 'text': '[INTRO MUSIC]'}, {'start': '23.450', 'end': '25.530', 'text': "What's up, Internet? I'm Brian MacDuff,"}, {'start': '26.160', 'end': '30.630', 'text': 'aka "BMAC," and welcome to another video! So, yes indeed! Today I do have with me here'}, {'start': '30.690', 'end': '36.900', 'text': 'the Sony ULT Field 3 Bluetooth speaker, the almost-baby of the ULT POWER SOUND'}, {'start': '36.900', 'end': '40.410', 'text': 'lineup - a new portable speaker in that lineup that sits just above the "actual" baby,'}, {'start': '40.410', 'end': '44.910', 'text': 'the Field 1, and the newly introduced Field 5. But with the Field 3 being'}, {'start': '44.910', 'end': '49.680', 'text': 'one of the baby speakers of the ULT lineup, can it actually hold its own and what'}, {'start': '49.680', 'end': '50.670', 'text': "if there's a catch?"}, {'start': '51.790', 'end': '54.720', 'text': "That's what we're going to discuss! But first things first, I do need to give a huge"}, {'start': '54.720', 'end': '58.440', 'text': 'thank and a shout out to Sony for actually sending out an ULT Field 3 for me'}, {'start': '58.440', 'end': '61.920', 'text': 'to be able to check out, use, and enjoy. So, Sony, thank you!'}, {'start': '63.330', 'end': '66.870', 'text': "I appreciate you! But with that having been said, let's break this baby down, starting"}, {'start': '66.870', 'end': '71.220', 'text': 'things out with the design of the Sony ULT Field 3 and what makes this little'}, {'start': '71.220', 'end': '75.450', 'text': 'guy unique in its physical makeup. The ULT Field 3 is about half the size of'}, {'start': '75.450', 'end': '79.770', 'text': 'a loaf of bread and it weighs in at just over two and a half pounds. The inside is'}, {'start': '79.770', 'end': '84.300', 'text': 'composed of a tweeter and a woofer with two passive radiators here on the sides to'}, {'start': '84.300', 'end': '87.570', 'text': "enhance bass performance that we'll be talking about a little bit later on. And on"}, {'start': '87.570', 'end': '91.350', 'text': "the outside it's got a solid rugged feel with this mesh fabric covering that goes"}, {'start': '91.470', 'end': '95.310', 'text': 'all around the outside of the speaker itself with some matte plastic accents wherever'}, {'start': '95.310', 'end': '99.390', 'text': "that mesh fabric material isn't covering. On the top, you do get some dedicated buttons."}, {'start': '99.390', 'end': '103.380', 'text': 'You\'re going to be getting a power button, a "Party Connect" button, a multifunction'}, {'start': '103.380', 'end': '107.520', 'text': 'track control button, volume buttons, and, of course, your ULT button for toggling'}, {'start': '107.520', 'end': '110.880', 'text': 'into the "ULT" mode. On the back, you do get a sealed off compartment, which is going to'}, {'start': '110.880', 'end': '116.190', 'text': 'house the USB-C DC in and out port, as well as a battery and "Battery Care" button. You'}, {'start': '116.190', 'end': '119.520', 'text': 'do also get a carrying strap included with the Field 3, which hooks very nicely'}, {'start': '119.520', 'end': '122.550', 'text': 'into these little hideaway loops that are exposed when you turn over these little'}, {'start': '122.550', 'end': '127.260', 'text': 'tab covers on the top. Awesome design there - nice little subtlety. And all of this is'}, {'start': '127.260', 'end': '132.720', 'text': 'going to be packaged up with an IP66 and IP67 dust and water resistance rating, giving'}, {'start': '132.720', 'end': '137.550', 'text': 'you full dust protection and even full water protection with submersion protection'}, {'start': '137.550', 'end': '141.600', 'text': 'up to a meter deep for up to 30 minutes. And then last, but certainly not least,'}, {'start': '141.600', 'end': '144.960', 'text': 'the Field 3 is available in three different colors, those colors being "Black,"'}, {'start': '145.350', 'end': '150.690', 'text': '"Off-White," and "Forest Gray," all of which I think look pretty nice and premium. However,'}, {'start': '150.690', 'end': '154.980', 'text': 'I do have to admit here that the "Forest Gray" color does look a lot more gray than'}, {'start': '154.980', 'end': '159.450', 'text': 'it does a "forest" green color like it shows in the stock photo. Not something I personally'}, {'start': '159.450', 'end': '162.270', 'text': "care about - I think it's an awesome color - but if you wanted it to be a little bit"}, {'start': '162.270', 'end': '165.690', 'text': "more green, it's definitely a lot more gray than it is green. But now we have to"}, {'start': '165.690', 'end': '169.140', 'text': "talk about the speaker's connectivity capabilities and how you could use this Field 3"}, {'start': '169.140', 'end': '173.340', 'text': 'in your daily life with your audio setup. The ULT Field 3 supports Bluetooth 5.2'}, {'start': '173.340', 'end': '177.510', 'text': 'for some of the latest Bluetooth technology, and I know that this speaker is'}, {'start': '177.510', 'end': '182.350', 'text': 'just one step above the entry level ULT POWER SOUND speaker in the overall lineup, but I'}, {'start': '182.350', 'end': '187.300', 'text': 'was still holding out hope here for some LDAC audio codec support, considering its'}, {'start': '187.300', 'end': '190.300', 'text': 'price point. But you do still have the ability of connecting to two different devices'}, {'start': '190.300', 'end': '193.720', 'text': "simultaneously with the Field 3, which is awesome for if you're with a friend"}, {'start': '193.720', 'end': '196.600', 'text': 'and you both want to connect and take turns DJing, for example, without having to'}, {'start': '196.600', 'end': '200.200', 'text': 'manually connect or disconnect either phone each time. And we do actually have included'}, {'start': '200.200', 'end': '203.380', 'text': 'here with the Field 3 a feature that you see in some other Sony ULT POWER SOUND'}, {'start': '203.380', 'end': '208.240', 'text': 'speakers, that being "Sony Sound Field Optimization." "SFO" is basically a technology'}, {'start': '208.240', 'end': '212.410', 'text': "whereby there's a microphone system built into the Field 3 where it will be utilized"}, {'start': '212.410', 'end': '216.820', 'text': "to actually listen to itself and the ambient noises around you while you're listening"}, {'start': '216.820', 'end': '222.490', 'text': 'to music to adjust the sound balance and optimize sound output on-the-fly, theoretically'}, {'start': '222.490', 'end': '225.640', 'text': 'making it sound the best that it can. Just like with the other ULT POWER SOUND speakers,'}, {'start': '225.640', 'end': '229.900', 'text': "I haven't really noticed a difference with this on or off, but I trust it enough"}, {'start': '229.900', 'end': '232.840', 'text': "to leave it on and I just leave it on and I guess it's doing its job. You do also"}, {'start': '232.840', 'end': '235.660', 'text': 'have the ability of connecting the Field 3 to the Sony companion app, which is'}, {'start': '235.660', 'end': '240.250', 'text': 'now a new Sony companion app, this being the Sony "Sound Connect" app, which is now'}, {'start': '240.250', 'end': '244.240', 'text': "going to combine all the different kind of separate apps you had before into one. It's"}, {'start': '244.240', 'end': '248.290', 'text': 'available for iOS and Android and as it relates to the Field 3, this is really'}, {'start': '248.290', 'end': '252.190', 'text': 'going to apply to the different kind of speaker settings you could set on it as well'}, {'start': '252.190', 'end': '255.700', 'text': "as the DJ controls. There are no party light controls here because there's no party"}, {'start': '255.700', 'end': '259.390', 'text': "lights built into the Field 3, but it's nice now that we have one cohesive app"}, {'start': '259.390', 'end': '262.720', 'text': 'with everything put together rather than having to go into all the separate apps'}, {'start': '262.720', 'end': '266.320', 'text': 'like we had to do before. Within the Sony "Sound Connect" app is also, of course, where'}, {'start': '266.320', 'end': '270.160', 'text': 'you could update the firmware of the Field 3 speaker and even set your own'}, {'start': '270.160', 'end': '274.750', 'text': '10-band EQ preset, but you may end up not wanting to even do that because, like I'}, {'start': '274.750', 'end': '278.890', 'text': 'said earlier, there is an "ULT" mode built in, which we\'ll talk about in just a second.'}, {'start': '278.920', 'end': '282.100', 'text': 'Another somewhat surprising feature that you have here with the Field 3 is the'}, {'start': '282.100', 'end': '285.910', 'text': 'Sony "Party Connect" feature. This is going to give the ability of actually connecting'}, {'start': '285.910', 'end': '289.630', 'text': 'the Field 3 to up to a hundred different "Party Connect"-compatible speakers at'}, {'start': '289.630', 'end': '294.400', 'text': 'once, all synced together, all playing the same music, which is really a cool experience.'}, {'start': '294.400', 'end': '298.180', 'text': "It's especially helpful for if you already have other Sony ULT speakers and you didn't"}, {'start': '298.180', 'end': '301.450', 'text': 'want to have to sacrifice one for the other so you can just basically use them all at'}, {'start': '301.450', 'end': '304.450', 'text': "the same time without having to decide between them. I think it's a really cool feature"}, {'start': '304.450', 'end': '307.810', 'text': 'that allows you to kind of pick and choose different ULT POWER SOUND speakers and'}, {'start': '307.810', 'end': '310.960', 'text': 'use them together. But one feature I was actually pretty surprised to see included'}, {'start': '310.960', 'end': '315.100', 'text': 'on the Field 3, but not the older brother, the Field 5, was actually a built-in'}, {'start': '315.100', 'end': '318.640', 'text': 'microphone system that you could use to take phone calls or even interact with'}, {'start': '318.640', 'end': '321.850', 'text': "your connected device's voice assistant. And I think this is actually a lot more helpful"}, {'start': '321.850', 'end': '324.760', 'text': "than people might realize. If you are by the poolside, for example, and you didn't want to"}, {'start': '325.000', 'end': '331.900', 'text': 'have to go to your connected device and change a playlist or play a certain song,\nyou could do so just at the touch of a button with that track control button - that'}, {'start': '331.900', 'end': '335.320', 'text': 'multifunction track control button here on the Field 3 - which is going to connect'}, {'start': '335.320', 'end': '338.170', 'text': 'you to your voice assistant, allowing you to play pretty much any music you want to.'}, {'start': '338.170', 'end': '342.400', 'text': 'Something you do not have the option of, like I said, on the Field 5. But speaking'}, {'start': '342.400', 'end': '347.110', 'text': "of listening to music, how does the Sony ULT Field 3 actually sound? What's the"}, {'start': '347.110', 'end': '350.980', 'text': 'sound quality like on this little guy and how does it compare? First things first,'}, {'start': '350.980', 'end': '354.250', 'text': 'I just want to say that the Field 3 actually sounded better and got a lot louder'}, {'start': '354.250', 'end': '359.180', 'text': 'than I ever expected it to, but that was when listening with the "ULT" mode turned on and'}, {'start': '359.180', 'end': '363.170', 'text': 'at more moderate volumes. When I moved into a larger room with the Field 3 and'}, {'start': '363.170', 'end': '368.600', 'text': "really started to crank up the volume on this puppy - really put it to the test - that's"}, {'start': '368.600', 'end': '371.450', 'text': 'when things did start to fall apart a little bit. Like its older brother, the Field 5,'}, {'start': '371.450', 'end': '376.610', 'text': 'the Field 3 does offer the same power consumption rating of around 27 watts...'}, {'start': '376.640', 'end': '380.870', 'text': 'Which one could assume it means that the actual sound output wattage is slightly'}, {'start': '380.870', 'end': '386.330', 'text': 'below that, which definitely puts the speaker at the lower end of power output capability'}, {'start': '386.390', 'end': '390.800', 'text': 'at its price point. And why this is important outside of it just being a tech spec'}, {'start': '390.800', 'end': '394.400', 'text': "is because it's leaving less headroom for the speaker at those lower power output"}, {'start': '394.400', 'end': '399.200', 'text': 'ratings, which is going to lead to less expansive sound with potentially more distortion'}, {'start': '399.200', 'end': '403.460', 'text': "and more compression at louder volumes. I don't really have a concern regarding distortion."}, {'start': '403.490', 'end': '408.320', 'text': 'I did not perceive distortion even at those louder volumes, but the compression'}, {'start': '408.350', 'end': '414.230', 'text': "I definitely started to notice past, say, 65 or 70% volume. It's still got some solid"}, {'start': '414.230', 'end': '418.130', 'text': 'sound quality potential, but I think you need to reshape your mind frame around what'}, {'start': '418.130', 'end': '422.120', 'text': 'the speaker is for. If you plan on using it for more intimate, smaller listening'}, {'start': '422.120', 'end': '425.450', 'text': "environments and scenarios, that's where you're probably going to enjoy the sound quality,"}, {'start': '425.810', 'end': '429.200', 'text': "but it is not going to be for scenarios where you're trying to bring the house down"}, {'start': '429.200', 'end': '433.100', 'text': 'and crank this thing up to the max expecting massive party speaker sound that sounds'}, {'start': '433.100', 'end': '433.700', 'text': 'amazing...'}, {'start': '434.330', 'end': '437.690', 'text': "It - it's just not going to deliver that for you. But next up, let's tackle how long"}, {'start': '437.690', 'end': '441.380', 'text': 'you could actually expect the Field 3 to last for and what the battery life is'}, {'start': '441.380', 'end': '445.250', 'text': 'like and how long you could expect to be able to listen to it. Sony is promising'}, {'start': '445.250', 'end': '450.200', 'text': 'up to 24 hours of battery life on a single charge with the Field 3, but those'}, {'start': '450.200', 'end': '453.560', 'text': '24 hours of battery life are going to be when listening with the "ULT" mode on and the'}, {'start': '453.560', 'end': '457.880', 'text': "volume set to only around 44%. If you're listening to the Field 3 at a much"}, {'start': '457.880', 'end': '462.260', 'text': "higher volume, say around 75%, that's when you could probably expect only around"}, {'start': '462.260', 'end': '466.220', 'text': '15 hours of battery life with upwards of only around five hours of battery life'}, {'start': '466.250', 'end': '469.700', 'text': 'if you\'re listening with "ULT" mode on and full volume. Those are numbers I\'m actually'}, {'start': '469.700', 'end': '473.300', 'text': 'pretty happy with with the Field 3. Yes, you have a pretty substantial drop off'}, {'start': '473.300', 'end': '480.200', 'text': "from the advertised 24 hours of battery life when you listen at those louder volumes,\nbut even five to six hours of battery life when you're listening at a 100%"}, {'start': '480.200', 'end': '484.550', 'text': 'volume with "ULT" mode turned on, it\'s pretty commendable, so I\'m happy with the battery'}, {'start': '484.550', 'end': '487.580', 'text': 'life. It is also worth mentioning, like we talked about earlier in this review, that'}, {'start': '487.580', 'end': '491.630', 'text': 'you do have a "Battery Care" mode built into the Field 3, which is whereby the'}, {'start': '491.630', 'end': '496.700', 'text': 'maximum battery capacity is going to be capped at 90%, which is going to help you with'}, {'start': '496.700', 'end': '499.940', 'text': 'long-term battery health, which might be a good idea to use if you plan on using'}, {'start': '499.940', 'end': '503.780', 'text': 'this speaker a lot throughout the next coming years. And when it comes time to charge'}, {'start': '503.810', 'end': '507.710', 'text': 'up the Field 3, you are going to do that once again on the back here with the USB-C'}, {'start': '507.710', 'end': '511.700', 'text': "port, which is serving as a DC in and a DC out port. It's going to take around three and"}, {'start': '511.700', 'end': '515.240', 'text': "a half hours to fully charge the Field 3 from 0 to 100% if you're"}, {'start': '515.240', 'end': '519.350', 'text': 'charging at its potential 27 watts of Power Delivery input. With a quick charging'}, {'start': '519.350', 'end': '523.640', 'text': 'capability here, actually providing up to two hours of audio playback at 44% volume'}, {'start': '523.730', 'end': '527.330', 'text': 'on just a quick 10-minute charge. You do also have the ability of using that USB-C'}, {'start': '527.330', 'end': '531.110', 'text': 'port as a DC out port, thereby using the Field 3 basically as a power bank for'}, {'start': '531.110', 'end': '535.320', 'text': 'a connected device. A helpful feature if you absolutely need to do so to keep the party'}, {'start': '535.320', 'end': '539.460', 'text': 'going. But with all that having been said, here are my final thoughts on the Sony'}, {'start': '539.520', 'end': '543.330', 'text': 'ULT Field 3 Bluetooth speaker, and whether or not this little guy is worth picking'}, {'start': '543.330', 'end': '546.900', 'text': 'up. At the end of the day, the ULT Field 3 serves as a fantastic bridge speaker'}, {'start': '546.900', 'end': '551.400', 'text': 'between what was before the smaller ULT Field 1 and the much larger, much more'}, {'start': '551.400', 'end': '554.580', 'text': 'expensive ULT Field 7 speaker with it offering a lot of the same sound quality and'}, {'start': '554.580', 'end': '558.630', 'text': 'power that the older brother, the ULT Field 5 offers, but in a smaller package'}, {'start': '558.630', 'end': '562.470', 'text': 'and at a smaller price point. The size is great, the portability is helpful, and'}, {'start': '562.470', 'end': '566.220', 'text': "even the sound quality itself is solid when you're listening at those more moderate"}, {'start': '566.220', 'end': '569.160', 'text': 'volumes. The bottom line here is that if you plan on getting the Field 3 so that'}, {'start': '569.160', 'end': '572.520', 'text': 'you could blast it out a 100% and get the loudest biggest sound out of'}, {'start': '572.520', 'end': '576.420', 'text': "it while maintaining the best possible sound quality, the catch is is that it's"}, {'start': '576.420', 'end': '579.960', 'text': "not going to deliver that. It really isn't meant for those kind of listening scenarios,"}, {'start': '579.990', 'end': '583.500', 'text': "or at least it won't sound as impressive at those louder volumes that you otherwise"}, {'start': '583.500', 'end': '585.930', 'text': 'might hope it would. But if you plan on getting the Field 3 as a speaker for'}, {'start': '585.930', 'end': '589.440', 'text': 'your smaller to medium sized gatherings or for just your more intimate listening'}, {'start': '589.440', 'end': '593.700', 'text': "sessions, that's when you probably are going to like what the Field 3 offers with"}, {'start': '593.700', 'end': '597.720', 'text': 'its sound quality, even considering its price point. As always, for the latest deals,'}, {'start': '597.990', 'end': '602.670', 'text': 'prices, promos, and information for the ULT Field 3, you can, of course, always'}, {'start': '602.670', 'end': '606.960', 'text': 'head to my affiliate link, BMAC.link/Field3 or of course, as always,'}, {'start': '606.960', 'end': '610.170', 'text': 'there will be clickable links in the video description box and in the comment section'}, {'start': '610.170', 'end': '611.520', 'text': 'below - so check those out!'}, {'start': '612.000', 'end': '616.500', 'text': "In the meantime, it is time for me to go get to my workout and I'm going to use"}, {'start': '616.500', 'end': '617.000', 'text': 'the Field 3'}, {'start': '617.660', 'end': '621.270', 'text': "to pump the pump! I'll see you guys in my next video."}, {'start': '621.270', 'end': '641.333', 'text': '[OUTRO MUSIC]'}]