Image Credits:<\/strong> Sony<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Unless your place is decked out with Sonos speakers in every room, you likely understand the experience of dragging Bluetooth speakers around your home. HT-AX7 is effectively a trio of speakers. The oblong base serves as the front speaker, while the detachable circular pair up top are the left and right rear. Pair it with a tablet, and suddenly you\u2019ve got an immersive surround sound experience.<\/p>\n

Place the components around you, and the system goes to work, determining the optimal sound footprint based on positioning. These sorts of algorithms are generally a mixed bag, but Sony\u2019s got a solid track record with this stuff.<\/p>\n

\u201c360 Spatial Sound Mapping, our unique 3D audio technology, synthesizes the wavefronts of sound from three speakers and generates multiple phantom speakers (virtual sound sources) to create a three-dimensional sound field that surrounds the viewer,\u201d writes Sony. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to do anything special, such as installing speakers on the ceiling, but you can enjoy 3D sound anywhere just by placing three speakers around you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Indeed, $499 isn\u2019t cheap by any stretch, which means the product is likely to be something of a niche device. Surround sound is great and all, but that\u2019s a significant premium over standard Bluetooth speakers. It\u2019s more competitive with soundbar systems \u2014 take Sony\u2019s own Sony HTA300, which you can currently pick up for the same price. For folks who prefer a little more freedom with their systems however, the HT-AX7 scratches an interesting itch.<\/p>\n

The system starts shipping in a couple of weeks.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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