You might expect an audiophile or a cinephile to have a surround sound system at home, but not everybody has one owing to space and cost considerations. Sony is looking to change that with its HT-AX7 Portable Theatre System, a novel and somewhat niche portable speaker system.
The Japanese tech giant is no stranger to launching peculiar products. Its recent PlayStation Portal “remote player” is a good example; a beautifully designed handheld that does what it was intended to do very well, but that, by design, is limited in ways (no bluetooth, no built-in web browser) that perhaps limit its potential customer base.
Sony’s HT-AX7 Portable Theatre System would also fall under this category, a portable surround sound system that has a very specific user in mind. The HT-AX7 is a take-me-anywhere surround sound solution that the brand says will help you to “enjoy a captivating audio experience not only in your living room but also in bedrooms, balconies, or any other space you desire.” The system is comprised of three speakers that utilize Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology to create an immersive, cinema-like sound in any room. The main speaker is placed in front of you, while the two smaller speakers are positioned to your left and right sides. This, combined with Sony’s upmixer algorithm, creates the effect of sound coming not only from your front and rear, but from your sides and overhead, too. The upmixer does this by transforming stereo (two-channel) sound sources into 3D audio, creating the illusion of being enveloped in sound from all angles. Spatial sound is something Sony wants its users to be to experience wherever they are and the company says it like having speakers embedded in your ceiling, only without a single screw being driven or a solitary nail being hammered.
It has 30 hour-strong battery for use on the go and can connect to any device via Bluetooth. And, like any decent tech product in 2024, there’s an app for it – the Home Entertainment Connect app (iOS, Android) allows users to not only control volume, but the sound field too, offering further customization options to users searching for the optimum sound.
Sony’s HT-AX7 Portable Theatre System is something we didn’t realize we needed, but something we’re glad to have. It’s available now priced at £499 GBP / $499 USD.
