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Sony has announced the SRS-NS7 Bluetooth portable wireless speaker, a product aimed at home use that differs from more classic wireless Bluetooth speakers due to the way it is used. It is a wearable neckband speaker, the first in the world to be compatible with Dolby Atmos, Sony’s 360 Reality Audio technology, and BRAVIA XR televisions.
Sony SRS-NS7 is positioned around the neck and rests on the shoulders. The headband is made of silicone with a soft back coating that is easy to clean and designed for maximum comfort. The front instead has a fabric finish, a material chosen because it is pleasant to touch, to wear, and also pleases the eye.
The wireless Bluetooth speaker measures 244 (W) x 53 (H) x 185 (D) millimeters and weighs approximately 319 grams. The IPX4 certification is present, which guarantees resistance against water splashes (therefore modest quantities). Inside it, there are two X-Balanced Speaker Unit loudspeakers facing upwards, in order to direct the sound towards the ears of the wearer. The aforementioned elements measure 32 x 33 millimeters and are of the full range type. The low frequencies are entrusted to two passive radiators placed next to the speakers. To these elements are also added microphones to capture the voice clearly and with a system that eliminates echo.
The connection with the sources can take place in two ways. Via the Sony WLA-NS7 transmitter, supplied, or by relying on Bluetooth 5.0 with SBC, AAC, LDAC and A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP, and SPP profiles. The NS7 home audio system can be used as a speakerphone for smartphone calls or to entertain with music, movies, TV series, etc. In all these cases, the listening experience is similar to that of a two-channel system.
The multi-point allows you to pair two devices simultaneously, so you can answer an incoming call, while listening to music, with just one press of the Play / Call button on the left side of the headband. Once the call is over, the speaker returns to the playlist without having to reconnect.
Another option available is the one that goes through the 360 Reality Audio format. In this case, you need a smartphone with Sony | installed Headphones Connect App is a streaming service that provides songs with spatial audio, such as Deezer, nugs.net, or Tidal. Owners of BRAVIA XR TVs can instead take advantage of the aforementioned transmitter to enable dedicated functions. The connection requires an optical cable and a USB cable for power, while the communication between speaker and transmitter is obviously wireless.
The benefits of using the NS7 Bluetooth portable wireless speaker in combination with Sony TVs are improved virtualization of Dolby Atmos; in essence, we are talking about a more enveloping effect thanks to a better reconstruction of the virtual speakers. It also mentions perfect synchrony between images and audio. To optimize the acoustic performance, you can use the 360 Spatial Sound Personalizer app. The hearing profile of the wearer is analyzed starting from a photo of the user’s auricle; the data thus obtained are integrated into the SRS-NS7 and allow you to calibrate the sound output to measure.
The internal battery offers power that reaches 12 hours with the volume set to 16, approximately at half scale; with the volume at 31, that is the maximum, you get to 5 hours. The USB-C port allows you to perform a quick charge that earns 60 minutes of operation (with volume at 22) in just 10 minutes.
The WLA-NS7 transmitter will also be offered individually, separate from the speaker. The reason is obvious: even owners of some Sony headphones will be able to use it in combination with BRAVIA XR TVs to listen to audio in the 360 Spatial Sound format. Compatible models are WH-1000XM3, WF-1000XM3, WI-1000XM2, WH-1000XM4, WF-1000XM4, WH-XB900N, WH-XB700, WH-H910N, WH-H810, WF-C500 and WH-XB910N.
It should be noted that to take advantage of the connection with televisions, either by using the speaker or by using one of the compatible headphones, it will be necessary to install a firmware update for the televisions that will arrive by January 2022.
Price and availability
- Sony SRS-NS7 Bluetooth neckband wireless speaker is priced at $299.99 and is already available to pre-order via Amazon.com and Bestbuy.com online retailers.
- Sony WLA-NS7 wireless TV adapter for TV is priced at $59.99 and is also available to pre-order via Amazon.com and Bestbuy.com online retailers. Both items will be released on November 1, 2021.
Recently, Sony has also introduced a new SRS-NB10 neckband loud Bluetooth speaker that is said to be perfect for those who are constantly in video conferences or phone calls at home but who do not want to wear headphones all day long.
