Verdict
The Bravia Theatre U is not a new concept but it is an interesting way of approach TV / personal audio . It sounds good , is well-to-do to wear , and the invention means you ’re aware of what ’s around you . It ’s not for everyone and is n’t stand for to be , and the price is rather prominent - tag for what is in the main a TV talker .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
The Sony Bravia Theatre U is a wireless neckband talker , and it ’s more interesting than you might reckon .
It sits atop shoulders and lives in some in - between human race of a headphone and a speaker . This situation reviewed a late model from Sony before but it was n’t as ripe as skip .
So here ’s desire the Bravia Theatre U can run a concept that ’s becoming more commonplace . Not everyone desire to be cut off from the mankind around them , and the Theatre U purpose to keep you engaged with what you ’re view without losing that contact .
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It is a contradiction in terms , to be plunge in one thing but still want consciousness of where you are , but let ’s see how well the Bravia Theatre U navigates it .
Availability
The Bravia Theatre U is available now and count on where you are it ’ll be £ 279 / $ 299 / € 249 / CA$399 / AUD$399 .
That ’s more than theWH-1000XM4 , though less expensive than the WH-1000XM5 presently is . And if theWH-1000XM6launch this year , the Theatre U will be less expensive than that headphone too . But the Theatre U deport few lineament and is n’t as convenient . It ’s a speaker for the home – you wo n’t be select it outdoors .
It’smuchless expensive than theHT - AX7that I reviewed , though that ’s stand for more for mobile devices than being geminate with a tv set .
Design
It take a short while to get use to the Bravia Theatre U. At first it finger not unlike those braces / clamps that hail down on your berm at a report park drive . Despite know the audio is come from around my neck , I ’m still surprised the first time audio frequency blares from around my neck .
Weirdly though , wearing this verbalizer is a comfy experience . I do n’t feel its mien much after I put it on , at least not in the same way you would with a pair of over - capitulum headphones . At about 268 gram , it weighs around the same as theWH-1000XM5 .
I also realise that I lean when learn television receiver , and of course the verbaliser slant as your organic structure moves . Despite the promotional shot on Sony ’s website record the speaker utterly draw up , the Theatre U does move about . It wo n’t fall off but it does n’t last out exactly where it is either .
The placement of the control ( might , playback , book , mike ) are not the easiest to get at considering you’re able to’tseethe speaker , which guide to a few fumbles to encounter the playback and bulk buttons .
Nevertheless , the build quality of the Theatre U is racy and , the material used , including the fabric covering , are of good tone . The band that connect the two speakers has some flex to it , whileIPX4 ratingprotects against splashes of water supply .
Could you seat for hour with this speaker on your neck opening ? I have , and I ’ve not found it arduous , and you ’re not detach from what ’s around you like you would with an over - capitulum pair of headphones such as theSonos Ace .
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Features
get in touch to your smartphone and the Theatre Bravia U synchronize up with the Sound Connect app .
There ’s not much as far as features go . you’re able to supervise the bombardment lifetime , there ’s an EQ section , you’re able to set Bluetooth to prioritise sound or the connection , aerate Bluetooth multipoint , and determine - up the360 Reality Audiofunction – luckily I ’ve already analysed my ears so I do n’t have to go through that uneasy process again .
I connected the Theatre uranium to aBravia 8andSony A80LOLED , as well as an Android smartphone , and you could stick out between the two seamlessly . The primary connection seems to useLDAC(the other settle for SBC ) and that shift depending on which is the primary equipment . The wireless performance is strong , the signal only started to cut out when I kick the bucket upstairs .
You ’ll require to turn your smartphone ( or mobile machine ) to dumb as messages or telling cause the Theatre U to switch to the smartphone and pause the other twist . It ’s distracting and I ca n’t see a setting in the Sound Connect app to stop this .
you could also connect two Theatre U speakers to a single idiot box , so you could share the phone between them . There ’s also a simultaneous playback option , so if someone is view the TV , you may find out the same phone through the Theatre U.
There ’s 360 Spatial Sound financial backing , which arrogate to create a bubble of sound around your head . There is also a cable provide in the loge , which you may plug into a gaming restrainer to melt off latency . you could even take calls with the Theatre U as it uses an AI algorithm that focuses on your voice , making it a convenient selection for the WFH gang .
Sony say the battery life is approximately 12 hours before it ’s use up . I ’m less sure of that design , or at least , I think it depends on what you ’re doing .
12 60 minutes is around the ballpark for TV usage . A three hour session resulted in the speaker still at 100 % shelling and it often take a while for the ‘ low assault and battery ’ notice to pour down up . On the other hand , an hour of mind to music and the Theatre U dropped to 80 % . Overall , 12 hours is less than theSRS - NB10 ’s 20 .
Sound Quality
There are positive and there are drawback but overall the Bravia Theatre U surprised me – with some caveats .
It ca n’t do bass .
And to be fairish to the Theatre U , I do n’t intend there ’s a universe where it would be able to . Perched on your shoulders , a big blast of basso might make the Theatre U climb up around or give you a massage , which might be nice …
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The sea bass operation of the Theatre U is a light , mild rippling at best . But what that mean is there ’s a deficiency of energy and attempt to the Theatre U ’s low absolute frequency carrying into action that , when required for action and scares in Alien : Romulus , means the loudspeaker system falls flat .
There ’s no real sentiency of shell – the speaker is around your neck after all and despite Sony ’s telling processing , there ’s so only so far the loudspeaker can push sound forth from you . Sony ’s promotional photos propose sounds come along above your head but that is n’t the showcase . If you ’re after for a true spatial cinematic experience , the Theatre U is n’t for you .
It does n’t boast outright clarity and detail either . The heat of the speaker ’s sound mean it ’s not the sharp or the clearest . In scenes where a lot is go on , like several in Civil War , it sounds like there ’s a hubbub of thing happen rather than being able-bodied to break up out single sounds .
But as long as these compromises are acceptable , the Theatre U is likable . With quiet scenes it sets the ambiance very well – even subtle cue that could be lost in the background knowledge are picked up nicely by the loudspeaker .
Its replication of talks is imposingly rude . Dialogue is always the priority , sound open and has n’t once amount across as fragile or weedy . You lose out on dialog being attach to the concealment , naturally , but the synchronizing between the speaker and boob tube entail that , for me at least , voices never felt dislocated from what was go on .
I ’ve mentioned there is n’t much scale and that the soundstage is n’t as wide or as grandiloquent as a surround system , but watching Romulus and the Theatre U does a good job in places of ‘ throwing ’ sounds away from the talker to set up a human relationship between sound near and far , quiet and loud . euphony scores inflate the breadth of the soundstage and there is some elevation too – sound do n’t mill about around the neck but make my capitulum withDolby Atmostracks .
With music the Theatre U sports the warm , smooth sound reminiscent of Sony ’s headphones but without that rich freshwater bass functioning . bass voice tickle in College and Electric Youth ’s A substantial Hero but neither Maye ’s La Cancion or Easy Life ’s skeletons feature much weightiness or depth .
Like with TV role , it ’s the vocal clarity and naturalism of vocals that stands out . The soundstage does n’t feel compact or engorged as the Theatre U ’s processing does a good chore of making you trust that vocals are in the heart ( despite there being no centre speaker unit ) with instruments sprayed out wide .
senior high school are exonerated enough , and point of particular and definition are decent depending on the track . What treble lacks is sparkle and luminance , and with a call require that , those highs can sound dulled .
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start into the app and the EQ preferences have little issue – the tone exchange slightly but boosting the double or basso is neither here nor there . Another niggle about the Theatre U is that it ’s louder than you think . The idea that someone next to you could n’t try what you ’re watching or listen to is notional .
Should you buy it?
We do n’t live in an age where citizenry watch TV and are n’t disturb or distracted by something , whether it ’s another someone or your smartphone , or something else . The Theatre U is prime for ‘ short tending goggle box era ’ where people like to focus on multiple thing at once . It sounds adequate , and the portability means you are n’t stock-still to your couch ( or bed ) .
Make no mistake , the Theatre U is n’t for home plate movie theatre partisan and wo n’t ever be . The bass is flat and it wo n’t bring home the bacon the same level of immersion as a surround system or even a pair of phone can . And for a loudspeaker system it ’s not the most featured . Stick with a soundbar .
Final Thoughts
The Bravia Theatre U is the eccentric of mathematical product that will split citizenry ’s opinions – some will love it , others will marvel what the stage of it is . At £ 270 / $ 299 it is rather expensive for what it can do .
I enjoyed my time with the Theatre U though – as you get more and more used to it , you accept the negative and warm up to the positives .
In terms of performance , it ’s convenience overoutrightperformance . like to open - spike headphones like Sony ’s ownLinkBuds , there ’s a via media made .
The Bravia Theatre U sounds dear but does n’t detach you from your surround . If that ’s what you ’re after , I ’d recommend it . If that is n’t you , and you require privacy , there are thebest Sony headphonesavailable to have a look at .
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How we test
We test every wireless loudspeaker system we review thoroughly over an extended flow of time . We apply industry - standard tests to equate feature of speech right . We ’ll always tell you what we find . We never , ever , accept money to review a product .
Find out more about how we test in ourethics insurance policy .
FAQs
The Bravia Theatre U is a wireless neckband speaker that connects to a television set ( or any other equipment ) over Bluetooth .
Full Specs
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