Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

In-Wall Speakers

Sony SLS-1A Powered Line-Array Loudspeaker Unveiled

Sony’s SLS-1A Powered Line-Array Loudspeaker might be ideal for your office, commercial space, or even classroom.

Sony SLS-1A Powered Line Array Speakers In-Wall Around Display

Sony is not only well-known in consumer electronics, but its professional division offers up state-of-article display and audio products for use in movie/TV productions, education, business, retail, and houses of worship.

As part of its continuing presence in this space, Sony has introduced a new Powered Line-Array Speaker (SLS-1A) to complement medium and large video displays and business and large presentation venues.  

This is not a speaker you would put in an average home, but that doesn’t mean that its design and technology might not filter into the home space at some point. Also, some of you may be looking for a speaker system for professional use for a large venue. 

SLS-1A Concept

Sony SLS-1A Powered Line Array Speakers in Office Meeting
Sony SLS-1A Powered Line Array Speakers Inside Hall

The Sony SLS-1A is designed to solve common issues that occur in medium and large venues that use large format video displays such as bad acoustics, visual and sound separation, and the inability to create a listening experience that can be heard by each event attendee or participant.

According to Rich Ventura, Vice President of B2B, Sony Electronics: “This powerful new line-array speaker offers superior, intelligible, localized audio…As a company with a rich history in sound, we’re looking forward to putting the audio back into AV with a solution that prioritizes sonic quality. We did our homework with the launch of the SLS-1A, deliberately developing and designing an immersive product that enhances listeners’ experiences and solves customers’acoustic challenges related to uniform sound distribution, modularity, and installation.”

Sony SLS-1A Core Features

Modular: An important feature of the SLS-1A is that it is modular. This means that several speakers can be added to a system through a single Dante® connection, while flexible fine beam control optimizes audio for multiple space types, including lecture halls and office lobbies. 

Wide Sweet Spot: The SLS-1A’s modular bar-style speaker design allows for a wide sweet spot, which creates a clear sound field in larger spaces. 

Flexible Installation with Compact Size: Packing eight channels of amplification and DSP processing into a rigid aluminum casing, the SLS-1A can be placed vertically or horizontally. This provides installation flexibility for different environments and configurations. 

Sony SLS-1A Powered Line Array Speakers

Center Screen Sound Localization: This feature provides center screen sound localization technology using horizontally placed speaker arrays to create a “phantom” center channel effect, making it well suited to large displays where center channel localization is challenging due to speaker position.  It also creates a uniform sound experience no matter where a viewer is positioned. The SLS-1A is designed to be paired with multiple large format display types, including Crystal LED (aka MicroLED), BRAVIA® 4K Professional Displays, as well as business projectors to create a connected AV ecosystem.

Sony SLS-1A Specification Highlights

Enclosure Type: Bass reflex 

Driver Complement: Each SLS-1A incorporates eight full-range driver units measuring 35 x 35 mm (1.38 x 1.38 in) supported by an integrated multi-channel amplification system. 

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Driver Construction: Flat and square diaphragm driver construction reduces inter-modulation distortion. Magnetic fluid eliminates the voice coil damper found in standard speakers, reducing distortion for clearer sound.

Sony SLS-1A Square Speaker Driver

Line Array: Unlike standard speakers, the drivers in each SLS-1A are arranged in a line array. This minimizes sound reflections from ceilings, walls, and floors allowing for directed sound with less attenuation over long distances, independent of room size or shape.

Sony SLS-1A Powered Line Array Speaker Front

Integrated Class-D Amplifiers: 8 x 10 W (at 6 ohms, 1 kHz, 1% THD) amplification plus integrated 8-channel 96 kHz DSP with separate bass reflex driver for extended low frequencies. The frequency response is 80Hz to 20kHz

Compact Cabinet: The SLS-1A  has a rigid aluminum body measuring 3.62 x 15.12 x 4.33-inches. 

Connectivity: Dante Network and analog inputs are provided for flexible and simple installation.

Sony SLS-1A Powered Line Array Speaker Rear

Paintable:  The speaker enclosure and grill are paintable which allows the blending in with almost any decorative need. 

Control Features: 

  • A Line-Array Speaker Manager PC Application is available for settings control. This provides a lot of flexibility in controlling sound in a large venue.
  • Sound settings can be adjusted using hardware switches, third-party EASE® Focus software, or Sony’s PC app that controls beam steering, spread, and EQ. 96kHz fine beam control with fine beam steering using a 96kHz sampling rate DSP for staircase floors. This limits the poor sound quality that staircase floors present.
  • The SLS-1A can be used in combination with Sony’s MAS-A100 beamforming microphone to improve the performance of its speech reinforcement technology in lecture halls and classrooms.
  • FIRmaker® 3D by AFMG® coverage optimization technology is also supported. The FIR (Finite Impulse Response) filter (1024tap@96KHz) is integrated into each speaker unit and allows fine beam control from low frequency to high frequency. This means better all-around listening quality for presentations, music, and multi-media presentations. 
Sony SLS-1A Powered Line Array Speaker Front Angle

Availability and Pricing

The SLS-1A is expected to be available in January 2023 in North America via Sony’s Professional Dealers (no pricing available yet).

Tip: For more information including detailed specifications, refer to the Official Sony Professional SLS-1A Product Page.

Related: Check out more Architectural Speakers

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement

Latest Products

Zeitgeist Germany Tree Collection IEMs

Earbuds & In-Ear Headphones

At $814, Zeitgeist Germany offers bespoke IEMs carved from 4 different types of wood -- Sequoia, Zebrano, Olive and Redheart.

TCL A1 Portable Lifestyle Projector TCL A1 Portable Lifestyle Projector

New Products

At $499, the TCL A1 is a 1080p portable lifestyle projector that lets you bring big screen entertainment wherever you go.

Bose 901 60th Anniversary Edition Speakers Lifestyle Front Bose 901 60th Anniversary Edition Speakers Lifestyle Front

Bookshelf Speakers

Without any public fanfare, Bose has recreated its legendary 901 Direct Reflecting Loudspeakers that we would like to see and hear in person.

Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl Phono Stage Silver Front Angle Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl Phono Stage Silver Front Angle

New Products

Musical Fidelity's new flagship M8x Vinyl Phono Stage is both fully discrete and fully balanced with improved gain stage and more.

Master & Dynamic ME05 Wired Earphones Master & Dynamic ME05 Wired Earphones

Earbuds & In-Ear Headphones

Are wired earphones coming back? The new $199 Master & Dynamic ME05 in-ear headphones refresh a 10-year old design with added support for hi-res...

McIntosh MSA5500 Integrated Streaming Amplifier (Front) McIntosh MSA5500 Integrated Streaming Amplifier (Front)

Digital Music Systems

At $8,000, the McIntosh MSA5500 streaming integrated amplifier isn't for everybody, but it's hard not to be impressed with its styling and audio technology.

Gift Ideas?

Christmas Gift Guide 2024 for Hi-Fi, Headphones and Home Theater

Gift Guides

From headphones to home theater, these high performance audio gifts will exceed the expectation of any movie or music lover on your list.

You May Also Like

Gift Guides

From headphones to home theater, these high performance audio gifts will exceed the expectation of any movie or music lover on your list.

Articles

If you're looking for a better sounding alternative to Apple AirPods, these are the best true wireless earbuds of 2021 so far.

Daily Deals

Now is the time for great deals on great-looking TVs. Here are our picks for the best Black Friday TV deals from 48 to...

A/V Receivers & Preamp/Processors

Our favorite A/V receivers on sale for Black Friday 2024 that we would actually buy for ourselves or recommend to family and friends.

Daily Deals

Our favorite wireless noise cancelling earbuds on sale for Black Friday 2024 that we would actually buy for ourselves or recommend to family and...

Daily Deals

Our favorite soundbars on sale for Black Friday 2024 that we would actually buy for ourselves or recommend to family and friends.

Daily Deals

Our favorite portable Bluetooth speakers on sale for Cyber Monday 2024 that we would actually buy for ourselves or recommend to family and friends.

Ask an Expert

Before you buy a 4K video projector, you need to understand what Pixel Shift is.

Advertisement

ecoustics is a hi-fi and music magazine offering product reviews, podcasts, news and advice for aspiring audiophiles, home theater enthusiasts and headphone hipsters. Read more

Copyright © 1999-2024 ecoustics | Disclaimer: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.



SVS Bluesound PSB Speakers NAD Cambridge Audio Q Acoustics Denon Marantz Focal Naim Audio RSL Speakers