The Sony SRS-XB501G is a portable speaker for those who need much more oomph than a UE Boom 2 can provide.

It looks like a miniature PA speaker. And it’s a shame it arrives in October, long after the last BBQs of the year have been rained off in the UK.

The Sony SRS-XB501G stands 228mm tall and weighs 3.1kg. As it has a built-in handle, you can lug it between rooms, no problem.

Sony makes a whole range of loud-looking party speakers, but this is one of the more accessible models.

It still has plenty of “loud” elements, though. A ring of multi-colour LEDs sits around the speaker’s front. They’ll pulse to the beat, although you can control their behaviour in the phone companion app.

A 4.9-inch subwoofer driver and pair of 45mm tweeters should also provide deep bass and more volume than most of us need. Its battery lasts up to 16 hours.

Lots of extra tech is packed-in too. The Sony SRS-XB501G has NFC, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, has Google Assistant baked-in, supports Chromscast, and there’s a Live Sound DSP mode too. This fiddles with the sound to expand the soundstage for a “three-dimensional” experience, according to Sony.

The Sony SRS-XB501G is weather resistant to IP65, meaning its largely dust-proof and can hack water sprays, but not a dunk in a swimming pool.

You’ll be able to get hold of one of these speakers from October, and it costs £300.