Sony's New ULT Speakers and Headphones Pump up the Bass

Sony sells a lot of speakers and headphones, and now the company is introducing a new ‘ULT’ lineup intended to make people “feel like they are front row at a concert.” There’s a massive party speaker, over-ear headphones, and smaller portable speakers.

The first new product is the ULT Tower 10, which seems like a direct competitor to the popular JBL PartyBox 1000 and other tall boombox speakers. It’s a massive 360-degree speaker with omni-directional lighting, sound optimization based on surroundings, and a “TV Sound Booster” for a connected Sony TV playing live performance videos or movies. There’s a Karaoke mode with a built-in wireless microphone, and you can plug in an additional microphone for duets (or plug in a guitar to use the speaker as an amp).

The ULT speakers and headphones have a more unique sound profile than Sony’s existing speakers and headphones, like the popular noise-cancelling Sony WH-1000XM5. The “ULT button” toggles between deeper, lower frequency bass (“ULT1”) and a more powerful, punchier bass (“ULT2”). No matter what you pick, you’re getting more bass instead of balanced audio. That’s perfect for parties and other events where you really want to feel your internal organs shaking, but not as great for clear and crisp audio quality.

Sony also introduced a smaller speaker, the ULT FIELD 7. It still has the same sound profile toggle, along with a carry handle, support for connecting a microphone or guitar, ambient lighting, and an estimated 30-hour battery life. It’s IP67 water and dust resistant, so it should survive the occasional splash of water or dust, as long as it’s not submerged for a while. The even-smaller ULT Field 1 is a typical Bluetooth speaker with a built-in carrying strap, available in four colors.

The final device is the ULT Wear wireless headphones, with noise cancellation support, automatic pause when you take off the headphones, and Bluetooth multi-point. It’s powered by Sony’s Integrated Processor V1, which is also used in the company’s 1000X series headphones.

The ULT Tower 10 is available to pre-order from Amazon, Best Buy, and Sony’s online store for $1,119. The ULT Field 7 will cost $499 when it arrives, and you can get it from Sony, Amazon, and Best Buy. The ULT Field is the most affordable speaker at $129, and pre-orders are live at Amazon, Best Buy, and Sony’s online store. Finally, the ULT Wear is priced at $199.99 (cheaper than the WH-1000XM5) at Sony, Amazon, and Best Buy, and you can check out our ULT Wear review for more information.

Source: Sony