Sony is altering up the technique round its mainstream wi-fi headphones and audio system. Right this moment, the corporate is saying a number of new merchandise and introducing a brand new model, ULT Energy Sound, to go together with them. Any form of precise “identify” is an enchancment from years previous, when Sony would usually simply check with gadgets by their mannequin quantity. And because the branding implies, all of those new merchandise — three audio system and one pair of headphones — deal with energetic, bass-forward sound.
All of them even have an ULT button that may cycle between completely different sound modes relying on how a lot bass emphasis you need. ULT1 will get you “deeper, decrease frequency bass,” whereas ULT2 delivers “highly effective, punchy bass.” And sure, apparently there’s a distinction between these two in relation to the general EQ. You’ll be able to mainly consider ULT as the subsequent technology of Sony’s outdated Further Bass mode.
As for the merchandise themselves, an enormous 64-pound celebration speaker referred to as the ULT Tower 10 leads the best way at $1,199. It’s obtained all the standard celebration speaker tips like lights that sync to your music, an included microphone for karaoke classes, omnidirectional sound, and the aforementioned ULT1 and ULT2 sound modes, for those who actually need to rattle the partitions. There are 34 completely different LED gentle zones on this factor, and Sony describes its sound as “overwhelmingly highly effective.”
Stepping down from there, Sony is saying the ULT Discipline 7, its new flagship Bluetooth speaker that replaces the SRS-XG500. Priced at $499 and measuring over 20 inches broad, this factor is way from small, nevertheless it’s obtained built-in handles that make carrying it round much less burdensome. You’ll be able to anticipate as much as 30 hours of battery life, although that’ll drop to 25 hours for those who’ve obtained the lighting and ULT modes enabled. (There’s additionally a seven-band EQ if you wish to additional customise the audio.) The ULT Discipline 7 is rated IP67 in opposition to mud and water, and Sony says it’s additionally obtained a rustproof design.
Final for the audio system is one that you would be able to really think about transportable. The $129 ULT Discipline 1 is available in a number of completely different colours (black, grey, inexperienced, and orange) and has a compact design that also kicks out robust bass. This one solely has a single ULT sound mode and might final for as much as 12 hours of steady listening. You need to use it as a speakerphone — a characteristic I at all times recognize in Bluetooth audio system — and it’s obtained a built-in strap that may simply be connected to your bag.
After which there’s the ULT Put on, a brand new set of headphones that replaces Sony’s WH-XB910. For $199.99, you’re getting a number of options carried down from the premium 1000XM5, together with on-ear detection, upgraded noise cancellation, head-tracking spatial audio, and sooner fast charging. The M5 nonetheless provide Sony’s finest ANC and sound, however the firm says the driving force in these headphones was particularly designed for deep bass response. I briefly tried out the ULT Put on a couple of weeks in the past, and whereas the ULT1 and ULT2 modes have been somewhat a lot for my style, there are folks on the market who can’t get sufficient bass — and these headphones are for them.
