Sony SRS-NS7 Wireless Neckband Speaker Delivers Dolby Atmos

If the Sony SRS-NS7 Wireless Neckband Speaker actually works as advertised, this could be huge for sports fans or people who want to watch movies in Dolby Atmos but without the high volume levels that disturb their family.

The 30 meter range would also appeal to those of us who hate having to get up and answer the door or run to the base of the stairs to scream at our kids to do their homework when the game goes into overtime.

I’m not sure how odd it would be to listen to a movie while walking across the house into another room but I’m willing to find out.

Setting up a home theater with a lot of speakers can be a hassle, a soundbar is simpler, but you would rather have a more personalized listening experience. Headphones and earphones are more personalized, but wearing them for long periods of time may be uncomfortable. If you fall within any of those categories, then Sony’s SRS-NS7 Wireless Neckband Speaker might be the solution for you.

The Neckband Speaker

Instead of speakers or a soundbar, you have to set up in a room, earphones or headphones you place in or over your ear, the SRS-NS7 rests comfortably where your neck meets your collar, thus it is referred to as “neckband speaker”. The sound comes from speaker drivers embedded in the neckband.

The SRS-NS7 creates a soundfield around your head via a set of speaker drivers that are mounted vertically and a set of passive radiators for improved low-frequency/bass response.

The Transmitter

For convenience, the SRS-NS7 connects wirelessly to the included WLA-NS7 wireless transmitter. The wireless transmitter connects to a TV via digital optical audio output and transmits the audio signals to the neckband speaker wirelessly over Bluetooth (ver 5.0). 

Although the transmitter can be connected to most TVs, to take advantage of its Dolby Atmos and 360 Spatial Sound capabilities, it must be connected to a select Sony Bravia XR TV. A firmware update available by January 2022 is required to enjoy 360 Spatial Sound on 2021 BRAVIA XR (models A80J, A90J, X90J, X95J, Z9J).

Core Features

The SRS-NS7 isn’t the first neckband speaker, but what makes it different is that it is the first one to provide compatibility with Doby Atmos via Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound, providing the listener with a more immersive listening experience for both music and movies. 

To optimize the Dolby Atmos performance, the 360 Spatial Sound Personalizer Smartphone App (iOS, Android) allows you to take a photo of your ear and analyze the ear’s 3D shape and hearing characteristics. 

In addition to movies and TV shows, you can use the SRS-NS7 to listen to the music including music files encoded with Sony’s 360 Reality Audio format. Music selections can be found on Deezer, Tidal, and Nuggs.net.

You can also pair the SRS-NS7 directly with Bluetooth-enabled PCs, Laptops, Tablets, and Smartphones.

With smartphones, you can use the NS7 to listen to music or use it as a microphone/speaker for receiving or making phone calls. 

Official Product Video

How Sony Does Dolby Atmos on the NS7

Dolby Atmos is becoming the big buzzword feature in audio products these days. However, it is important to note that in order to get the full Dolby Atmos experience, you need a full home theater or commercial cinema audio system with vertically firing or ceiling-mounted speakers. For example, some movie theaters employ up to 64 channels and 128 speakers to deliver the Dolby Atmos experience.  

With products as the SRS-NS7, the listener is getting a much more scaled-down experience. Sony is using virtual audio processing within its 360 Spatial Audio system to place the sounds in 3D space using the speakers embedded in the neckband.

Specifications

• Speaker Type: Full Range

• Speaker Size:  32 x 33 mm (x2)

• Output Power: 3 WPC

• DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine):  Yes

• Preset EQ: Yes

• Custom EQ: 5 Band

• Bluetooth 5.0: Compatible profiles include A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP, SPP

• Bluetooth Multipoint: Yes

• Codec Support: SBC, AAC, LADC

• Frequency Response: 20 Hz-20,000 Hz

• Sampling Rate: 44.1 kHz (CD Quality)

• Transmission Range: 30 meters/98 feet

• Compatible Smartphone Apps: Music Center, Headphone Connect, 360 Spatial Sound Personalizer (iOS, Android)

• Splash-proof: IPX4 rating

What’s In The Box

Here is what you get when you purchase the SRS-NS7 package.

• SRS-NS7 Wireless Neckband Speaker

• WLA-NS7 Transmitter

• Digital Optical Cable for connecting TV audio to transmitter.

• 2 USB Cables for Power (1 for Transmitter Power, 1 for Neckband speaker charging). 

NOTE: USB AC power adapter (1.5 amps) for Neckband charging requires a separate purchase. 

Price & Availability

The SRS-NS7 wireless neckband speaker has a suggested retail price of $299.99 and is available to pre-order at Sony Electronics, Best Buy, and Amazon. 

The WLA-NS7 wireless TV transmitter can also be purchased separately for use with other compatible Sony Wireless Headphones. It has a suggested retail price of $59.99 and is available to pre-order at Sony Electronics, Best Buy, and Amazon. 

More detailed information is available in the Sony SRS-NS7 user guide (pdf).