In the audio segment, there are plenty of brands that are rising day by day and ruling the audio space, but you know the two names that are pretty much prominent in this game and are in a head-to-head competition with each other are – JBL vs Sony!
JBL vs Sony: Company Profile Overview
| Name of the company | JBL (James Bullough Lansing) | Sony |
| Founded | 1946 | 1946 |
| Founders | James Bullough Lansing | Masura Ibuka & Akio Morita |
| Base of the company | Los Angeles, California, United States | Tokyo, Japan |
| Parent Company | Harman International, which is a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics | Sony Group Corporation |
| Product categories | Speakers, Headphones, JBL Premium, Home Audios, Microphone, Party Speakers, Bluetooth Speakers, Soundbars, etc. | Headphones, Bluetooth Speakers, Wireless Systems, Audio Systems, Home Theaters, Soundbars, Television, Audio sets, etc. |
| Target audience | From millennials to the working class, majorly targets the age group of 25-55 years. | From tech enthusiast to intellectually curious, primarily between the age group of 18-40 years. |
| Market share | 8% | 78% |
| Revenue (2023) | $279.9 million | $10.35 billion |
Both the brands which are operating globally have been established in the same year, i.e. 1946. JBL primarily deals in audio products like headphones, speakers, different audio gadgets, and more of audio products, whereas, Sony deals in various electronic items like television, refrigerator, etc. and for audio space it has a different category named Sony Audio products.
Looking at the market share of both the brands in India, here Sony seems to lead the game, as it has a market share of 78%, whereas on the other hand, JBL has a market share of 8%, a much lesser than that of Sony’s audio market share.
Talking about the revenue earned by both the companies, Sony for the current fiscal year, i.e. 2023, recorded a revenue of $10.35 billion, a higher number as compared to JBL’s revenue numbers, which are $279.9 million estimated for the year (as the numbers weren’t disclosed yet).
Products range offered by both the brands are somewhat similar but differ at base, like in JBL it caters the market with all its products specific to audio space only, whereas Sony provides audio as well as other electronic products along with it.
Audio gadgets are used by everyone nowadays, isn’t it correct? The age group set by both the brands are somewhat similar and only have a slight difference.
JBL targets millennials to the working class, majorly targeting the age group of 25-55 years. On the other hand Sony targets from tech enthusiast to intellectually curious, primarily between the age group of 18-40 years.
(A) JBL vs Sony: Revenue Generation
| Year | Sony | JBL |
| 2023 | $10.35 billion | $279.9 million |
| 2022 | $9.15 billion | NA |
| 2021 | $7.33 billion | NA |
| 2020 | $7.95 billion | NA |
Looking at the revenue comparison of both for the latest FY23, Sony seems to have an upper hand than that of JBL, as it has recorded a revenue of $10.35 billion, while JBL stood at $279.9 million (estimated by the sources).
For the years before 2023, the revenue numbers for JBL weren’t available , while Sony has very well managed to increase its revenue for its audio segments by selling more of its audio products.
(B) JBL vs Sony: Sales and Revenue Analysis
For JBL
Net sales of JBL were reported to be around $120.1 million in 2022, while it registered its name as one of the leaders in the audio segment in 2019, where it sold around 100 million of portable speakers worldwide.
For Sony
Sony has registered different numbers for its sales of products in each electronic segment. Tailoring to music segments, let’s see its numbers over the years!
- In 2022, Sony made a revenue of $9.84 billion by the sales of its audio products.
- In 2021, Sony made a revenue number of $9.95 billion from the sales of its music products.
- In 2020, Sony turned in $8.86 as its operating revenue from the sales of its music products.
While for other segments like Games and Network, Sony generated $25.96 billion from its sales of gaming and network products.
(C) JBL vs Sony: Headphones Comparison Analysis
| Aspects | JBL | Sony |
| Sound & Technology | Offers clear and good audio. | Provides high resolution audio for clear and detailed sound. |
| Battery Life | Different models have different battery life, usually providing upto 40+ hours battery. | Varies by model, primarily has upto 50+ hours on high end products. |
| Design & Material used | Durable and easy material recommended for all activities. | Majorly high end design and materials used. |
| Pricing | Varies according to the product range and model. | Different products have varied price ranges and also offer high-end pricing. |
| Additional Features | Provides a corresponding JBL app for a good listening experience. | Offers features like speak to chat, more connectivity options. |
| Best for | Best for daily users. | Best for those who love premium sound and build quality, and also a good audio resolution. |
(D) JBL vs Sony: Speakers Comparison Analysis
| Aspects | JBL | Sony |
| Home Speakers | JBL offers a limited line of home theater speakers along with the soundbars and bookshelf options. | Has a wide range of products to select from for home theater speakers with soundbars and bookshelf options. |
| Studio Speakers | Offers recording studio speakers but the monitors along with are not of professional level. | Sony also has a range for its recording studio speakers, but also the monitors that come with it are not very impressive. |
| Portable Speakers | Has an impressive line up of its portable speakers with amazon design quality. | Also provide portable speakers but its line of products is less than that of JBL’s. |
| Looks | Offers rugged and impressive looks for the products, but are not as stylish as that of Sony’s. | Sony offers impressive as well as aesthetic design and looks for its products. |
| Customer Service | Provides supportive customer care and warranty periods on its every product. | A good customer care service along with varied warranty periods. |
| Pricing | Pricing varies according to the product range. | Different products have different prices. |
(E) Pros & Cons of JBL Audio Products
| Pros | Cons |
| JBL offers products which offer clear and high quality sound with great inputs. | Speakers are bass heavy. |
| JBL products are made up of durable and easy material which are recommended for all activities. | High price range. |
| Offers a wide range of product line which includes speakers, headphones, home systems, etc. | Not much impressive designs. |
| The speakers offered by JBL are known for their connectivity. It’s easy to connect multiple JBL speakers together and multiple devices in your home. | Less battery life as that of Sony’s. |
(F) Pros & Cons of Sony Audio Products
| Pros | Cons |
| Offers a better and high quality of sound. | Different price range, sometimes too expensive. |
| Sony has an upper hand and a long time innovator in the audio industry. It introduced a number of innovative features in its products over time, like advanced technology, more connectivity options, better noise-canceling feature. | Sometimes users find Sony audio products complex to use. |
| Great designs and look of the product. | Less range of audio products as that of JBL’s. |
Note: Also, visit our article, “Sony vs Canon: Which one is winning in cameras business?“
Summing Up: JBL vs Sony
Between the two, Sony boasts a higher market share of 78%, as compared to JBL’s share which is only 8% of the market in India, revealing the different aspects of their hold and growth of business in the market.
Looking at the revenue figures of both the brands, Sony here too leads the stage with a number of $10.35 billion, while JBL recorded a slightly less number than it.
The battle between JBL vs Sony in the audio segment has a fine distinction as each of the brands appeals to different preferences and priorities. While looking at the market share revenue numbers, Sony seems to be leading the game, on the other hand for more product range, then JBL surely has a mark on it with more offerings!
