Sony SRS-NS7 Review: Takes personal entertainment seriously – HT Tech

Sony makes some of the most impressive Bluetooth headphones and speakers. Therefore, when we got the SRS-NS7 before launch, the mind took a while to process this – WHAT IS IT? It looks like a horseshoe to some, a boomerang to others, and even a split toilet seat to the weirdos! It is, however, a brilliant solution for someone who said – “I wish I had a speaker hanging around my neck but not stuffing it in my ear”!

Inside this clunky form factor hides a powerful speaker system which, when paired with a great TV, delivers a unique audio experience. At Rs. 24,990, it positions itself as serious audio gear for discerning enthusiasts who want the home theater experience without piling multiple odd boxes around the TV.

But does it work in reality? I spent a few days with the SRS-NS7 to find out.

Sony SRS-NS7 design

Wearables are a tricky thing to design. Get the lines and surfaces correct, and it will become one with your physical being; get one aspect wrong and you want to put it away forever. The SRS-NS7 sits in a strange space between these aspects. Put it around your neck and it hugs your skin like nothing else. The soft-touch plastic surface is comfortable, although sweating may cause irritation.

In 5 minutes or less, this design begins to restrict your body’s natural movement. Because there’s nothing to hold it in place, the thing’s odd balance of weight keeps it moving around the neck. Tilt your head up and it slips behind; tilt it down and it tries to go up the next one. This is more pronounced if you do not wear winter clothes (jackets, sweaters). Perhaps a strap (as in a helmet) could have been reassuring. After all, 318 grams of unsecured hanging weights are very uncomfortable.

As a result, I didn’t find it half as comfortable and reassuring as a headset. Then the controls are placed on the inner side – this means changing volume levels or turning off the mic using the built-in buttons is such an unpleasant task that you’d rather pick up your phone or the laptop to do the same .

On the plus side, the neckband is rated IPX4 splash resistant. Therefore, I was not worried when I accidentally dropped a few water droplets while drinking from a bottle. The fabric mesh on the top is easy to clean. And thanks to the USB-C port, recharging it is easy with the same charger that I use to power my smartphone.

Sony SRS-NS7 audio performance

The odd form factor of the SRS-NS7 neckband limits the size of speakers one can fit into. Sony stuffed a full-range driver on each side, accompanied by a passive bass radiator. These speakers radiate sound upward in a direction where your ears are. As a result, beamforming allows Sony to play around with surround effects in a way that a Bluetooth speaker doesn’t.

Pair it with a smartphone, tune your tunes, and get ready for a stunning audio performance. It sounds like you’re sitting right in the middle of a 7.1 channel speaker system, with similar levels of surround sound effect. The speakers themselves are loud and good in terms of audio fidelity. The soundstage is quite wide, with a major emphasis on the mids. The bass is clear and I didn’t notice any distortion in the treble. Therefore, Bollywood numbers as well as indie pop sound good, but not great. A similarly priced TWS headset or earbuds will provide a better audio experience.

However, it’s that weird surround sound effect that justifies the price. For example, in Rockstar’s Kun Faya Kun, the instrumental background score is no different to listen to than a live performance. It’s as if the musicians were playing right next to you. The passive radiator does a good job of boosting the bass and even adds to the experience with its haptics. And it never gets too much for the ears. And that’s with Dolby Atmos and other fancy surround effects turned off!

This is ideal when watching movies while wearing the SRS-NS7. I watched a single episode of The Big Bang Theory while wearing it and could no longer watch it on my TV speakers. The audio setting is for watching a movie or TV, and so everything starts to make sense. The SRS-NS7 doesn’t even try to compete with similarly priced headphones, where the emphasis is on sublime, private audio quality all the time. This neckband is a pleasant listening experience, in which it wants to bring the joy of good speakers closer to your ears.

This does not mean that the SRS-NS7 is not suitable for headphone functions. There’s a mic that lets you take calls just like you would with a pair of neckband headphones. Mic reception is decent and for you the call experience is unreal – the sound of your phone call seems to be coming from around you. Nice way to make those late night phone calls with your immersive better half!

Disadvantages? It’s still a speaker and that means everything is audible to the people around you. Forget about the privacy that only headphones can provide.

Sony SRS-NS7 Smart Features

On paper, the SRS-NS7 packs a lot of smart stuff. Most important is support for Dolby Atmos audio, which paints a promising premise for movie buffs. Then there’s Sony’s 360 Reality Audio, which works with a limited music streaming service for the ultimate spatial surround sound effect.

Plus, you can have most of these effects for your TV viewing sessions if you connect it via the supplied WLA-NS7 wireless transmitter. You need to connect it to the TV’s optical port, pair the neckband via Bluetooth to the transmitter, then switch your TV’s audio output to PCM.

Unfortunately, it’s not as convenient in reality as it looks on paper. Turns out you need to have Sony’s Bravia XR TVs to pair it seamlessly. My non-Sony TV did not have the required optical port and as a result I was unable to pair it with the TV. Note that the transmitter is required for Dolby Atmos audio. The tech barrier is too high for a non-Bravia XR TV, so check compatibility with your TV before buying.

Fortunately, you can pair it with your smart TV via Bluetooth for the 2.1 channel effect. The benefits of Dolby Atmos aren’t there, but it still makes for a surreal TV viewing experience.

When you need to pair it with your smartphone, the Sony Headphones app offers the ability to change equalizer settings, use 360 ​​Reality Audio features, change Bluetooth connection quality, and even download updates. firmware update. The app also logs usage activity, much like Digital Wellbeing does for Android phones.

Battery Sony SRS-NS7

Although Sony claims up to 12 hours of battery life, I was able to max out the SRS-NS7 for up to 6 hours. Note that this usage includes an average of 2 hours of phone calls and four hours of music streaming, all at 40-50% volume. Charging is painfully slow, with the neckband taking up to four hours to fully charge.

Verdict

The Sony SRS-NS7 targets a niche category of enthusiasts looking for a personal home cinema experience without opting for headphones or a home cinema speaker system. If you’re looking for that in your next audio gear, then the Sony SRS-NS7 is a good buy. It certainly transforms movie nights with its unique surround sound effect; if you have a Bravia XR TV or a TV that supports Dolby Atmos output, it might turn out even better. And for a 3-hour cinema session, the battery life is more than enough.

That said, I’m not sure about the weird design – I wonder how many of you would like this heavy “boomerang-like” thing to swing around your neck all the time while restricting your natural head movements .

How about a headphone replacement? Nope ! The audio isn’t that good and the experience is far from intimate; I would recommend getting the Sony WH-1000XM4 instead. What about as a Bluetooth speaker? Believe me, there are much better Bluetooth speakers out there that sell for much less in the market right now. Is it good as a hands-free kit? Maybe, but only if you’re happy with this thing’s odd shape and weight.