The Bravia Theater U is every little thing I really like in a tech product. IT’s bizarre (and a bit phallic) wanting, a bit janky, and nonetheless produces good-quality sound. IT additionally has a naming scheme that jogs my memory of the Nintendo Wii. In Amidst Sony’s new product scheme—combining its sound and TV line underneath the Bravia identify—certainly one of its most fascinating merchandise this 12 months is a neck collar that Sony claims is sweet for gaming. How good? Properly, maybe not that good since Sony expects you to make use of a wired controller to get the most effective sound high quality.
The $300 Bravia Theater U is a 360-degree audio setup that goes across the neck, making you are feeling like half canine and half cyborg. IT’s designed so that you just, the person, are imagined to get the complete bass and audio from the TV, however individuals round you received’t. I do know your subsequent query will likely be, “So why don’t I simply use headphones?” IT’s a good ask, however the thought behind the neck speaker is which you could nonetheless keep current in your setting whereas not disturbing your loved ones or roommates in one other room when you attempt to entry the complete encompass sound expertise.
The Theater U is technically an replace to Sony’s present neck audio system just like the NS7, although now with up to date connectivity. IT’s akin to different neck audio system, such because the Panasonic SoundSlayer, a gaming-specific rig that also appears to be like far an excessive amount of like an airplane neck pillow. The thought is you should use IT along side the sound from a soundbar or the TV itself, and you may even join two to a TV at one time should you and a accomplice are okay with wanting a little bit bizarre on the sofa collectively. IT has a claimed 12-hour battery life, which is a good time for any common pair of wi-fi headphones.
Gizmodo demoed the Theater U and the corporate’s different residence audio merchandise final month. The Bravia Bar 9 is now 30% smaller than final 12 months’s A2000, and IT’s not shiny on prime, so IT received’t replicate your TV anymore. There’s additionally the Bravia Quad for individuals who desire a encompass sound setup, even in an irregularly formed room. The sound high quality on all of those is fairly rattling good, with some wonderful bass and actual 3D audio expertise, although, in fact, we’d love to do a bit extra testing than a brief 30-minute demo.
As for the Theater U, not like headphones, you’ll be able to nonetheless hear the audio from the neck speaker from just a few ft away. IT’s not loud, however IT’s there, even when IT doesn’t have the identical 3D sound high quality. The wall of sound coming out of your neck speaker doesn’t do sufficient to drown out the entire audio from a separate Theater U, so IT can’t and received’t be a very isolating expertise.
Past all that, the renewed neck speaker is meant to supply new compatibility with Sony’s gaming model. Sony demoed the system working with a PlayStation 5, and simply as earlier than, the audio high quality of gunshots and footsteps was fairly rattling good. However that’s the place issues get bizarre. Sony desires you to make use of a wired connection to your PlayStation 5 controller. Truthful sufficient, however then the corporate expects gamers to make use of a wired connection from their controller to their PlayStation. I don’t really feel alone saying I don’t personal an extended sufficient USB-C cable to get from my sofa to my PS5.
And that is additional unusual contemplating Sony’s PlayStation model already has certainly one of its low-latency connectivity manufacturers underneath PlayStation Hyperlink. This was used for the current PlayStation Pulse earbuds and PlayStation Pulse Elite headset, although each might join by way of Bluetooth. The PlayStation 5 doesn’t have this connectivity natively (possibly IT will include the PS5 Professional), however each headphones got here with their dongle to activate the Hyperlink service. Theater U lacks Hyperlink connectivity, which looks like a missed alternative.
We thought the Pulse Elite headset had nice audio, and with the PlayStation 5’s present 3D audio settings, you’ll be able to nab some efficient audio. We felt that the pair of headphones was let down by its uncomfortable and restricted headphones, making IT really feel like an empty void between your ears and the pads. The Theater U is perhaps a top quality alternative for players who don’t take pleasure in having a headset clamped to their noggin, however Sony is perhaps slicing itself off on the knees, and we’d all be higher served if the PlayStation and Bravia of us might work a little bit extra intently.