Sony’s new Atmos speaker promises a neck-gen audio experience

If you don't like headphones and a soundbar's too loud, Sony has an unusual audio alternative

A man in a chair watching an aeroplane landong on TV. He's dressed in beige and is listening to a Sony Bravia Theatre U neck-worn speaker while another person sleeps on the sofa.
(Image credit: Sony)
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Sony's new Dolby Atmos speaker may be the most unusual home cinema speaker option around – instead of putting it on a surface or a stand, you wear it.

The Sony Bravia Theatre U is a "wireless neckband speaker" that promises to immerse you in audio without annoying the neighbours – and if you're watching with a partner or family member you can have two Theatre U devices running simultaneously from the same signal.

While not new as such (this is Sony's third neckband speaker, after all) the inclusion of Atmos makes it an interesting alternative to a conventional surround system.

It features two lozenge-shaped speaker sections joined by a flexible rubberised headband, and the speaker sections are gently curved so they don't sit weirdly on your shoulders.

Sony Theatre U speaker on man's shoulders

(Image credit: Sony)

Sony Bravia Theatre U: key features and pricing

The Theatre U connects over Bluetooth 5.2 and charges via USB-C, with a battery life of roughly 12 hours.

There's an audio input for wired listening and for gaming, as the wired connection reduces the latency that's inevitable with standard Bluetooth setups. There's also a built-in mic.

The twin speakers feature full range 44 x 32mm drivers featuring Sony's X-Balanced technology and virtual speaker processing to deliver Dolby Atmos and Sony's own 360 Reality Audio. And, in addition to using the Theatre U as a solo sound setup, you can also use it alongside the speakers in a Bravia TV, effectively placing the centre dialogue speaker around your neck.

Although this is being marketed primarily as a home cinema product, I suspect it's better suited to gamers – the speakers aren't going to be bassy enough for serious home cinema fans, for whom one of the best soundbars would be a better investment.

However, the prospect of surround sound that won't give you hot ears during a long gaming session is attractive. You could say that it's a neck-generation speaker for next-generation gaming.

The Sony Bravia Theatre U is £239 / $199 / €229 / AU$499 and available now.

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Carrie Marshall
Carrie Marshall

Writer, musician and broadcaster Carrie Marshall has been covering technology since 1998 and is particularly interested in how tech can help us live our best lives. Her CV is a who’s who of magazines, newspapers, websites and radio programmes ranging from T3, Techradar and MacFormat to the BBC, Sunday Post and People’s Friend. Carrie has written more than a dozen books, ghost-wrote two more and co-wrote seven more books and a Radio 2 documentary series; her memoir, Carrie Kills A Man, was shortlisted for the British Book Awards. When she’s not scribbling, Carrie is the singer in Glaswegian rock band Unquiet Mind (unquietmindmusic).

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