Sony has announced the HT-AX7, and intriguing new portable speaker that promises home theatre-like surround sound anywhere in your home.
The HT-AX7 is essentially a very small and wireless three speaker home cinema set-up, which breaks down into an extremely compact soundbar and two puck-shaped ‘rear’ speakers. Said rear speakers, when not in use, slot neatly onto the soundbar element for charging and storage.
The idea, as you might well have guessed, is to position the soundbar element in front of you and the smaller speakers behind and either side of you in classic home theatre fashion. They can be used to elevate those bedroom-bound iPad Netflix sessions no end, while that secondary TV stashed away in the kitchen will probably thank you for hooking the Sony HT-AX7 up too.
On top of these three speakers, Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology provides additional phantom speakers that provide full spatial sound. In addition, Sony’s Upmixer Algorithm can analyse and redistribute a stereo signal into a truly immersive output.
Sony is promising up to 30 hours of battery life from a single charge. There’s Bluetooth connectivity for hooking up your devices.
It all comes in a stylish, rounded design made using 100% organic and recycled materials.
The Sony HT-AX7 will be available from August, and will be priced at around £499 / €550.
All in all, whether it’s successful in its aims or not, the Sony HT-AX7 looks to be an interesting product, and a genuine attempt to offer something new in the vast gap between Bluetooth speakers and home theatre set-ups. It might not end up topping out best soundbar list, but this is something different.
