SONY SRS-NB10 REVIEW: CALLS GO OFF YOUR EARS.

Sony SRS-NB10 and Sony SRS-NS7 wireless neckband speakers along with Sony WLA-NS7 wireless transmitter were launched in India on Wednesday.

The audio products are aimed at providing an enhanced work-from-home and cinema-at-home experience. Sony SRS-NB10 allows users to take calls, and listen to music on-the-go.

Sony SRS-NB10 features a full-range speaker unit that is angled upwards, so sound is optimized for your ears alone. It is equipped with Precise Voice Pickup Technology that offers clear audio quality for the calls.

However good an earphone or headphone is, after a point our ears do get tired of them. But the way we are working, and unwinding, these days, we might have something on our ears, connected or otherwise, for hours on end. Sony might have a solution to this problem: its new SRS-NB10 wireless neckband speaker.

Sony SRS-NB10--

The Sony SRS-NB10 is like a collar that you wear around our next. It’s a band, but thicker and wider than neckband earphones that have been in vogue for a few years now. But this is actually a Bluetooth speaker and that explains the size.

So the two sides that come around our neck to the sides of our cheeks hold the left and right speakers. This means the audio is actually next to your ears and not in your ears as we are used to.

There is a power and mute button on the right side and volume controls on the right flanking a pause/play button. The band is not that heavy and this ensures it does not become a pain on the next, literally.

The device is said to have a battery life of up to 20 hours and features an IPX4 splash-proof design. It comes with a USB Type-C port and offers 10-minute quick charge feature as quell.

How do you use this?

Well, the set-up is like any wireless earphone. The music plays around your head and you even get a decent stereo effect.

On calls, I got the sense that the volume tends to be a bit lower when the NB10 is playing music. This is good as calls need more privacy and you don’t need everyone at home hearing everything. Remember, this is like putting your call on speakerphone.

To use the wireless neckband speaker at its full potential, a user can connect the Sony WLA-NS7 wireless transmitter (sold separately) to the TV with an optical cable and USB cable, and then pair the Sony SRS-NS7 neckband speaker with the transmitter via Bluetooth.

Apart from Dolby Atmos, the speakers also come with an upward facing X-Balanced Speaker Unit to deliver “ultimate personal cinema experience,” and a passive radiator for clear bass.

"YES, EVEN WHEN YOU ARE PLAYING MUSIC OTHERS CAN HEAR IT."

Sony SRS-NB10, SRS-NS7, and WLA-NS7 price in India.

Sony SRS-NB10 wireless neckband speakers are priced at Rs. 11,990, Sony SRS-NS7 wireless neckband speakers price in India is set at Rs. 22,990, and Sony WLA-NS7 wireless transmitter can be purchased at a price of Rs. Rs.5,690 via Sony Center, e-commerce portals such as Amazon, ShopAtSC, and major electronic stores across India starting January 24, Sony says.

Sony SRS-NB10 wireless neckband speakers specifications--

Sony SRS-NB10 speakers are equipped with a full-range speaker unit that features embedded passive radiators to produce boosted bass. As per Sony, the speakers are designed for online conferences when working from home or office.

They feature Precise Voice Pickup Technology which is essentially two high-quality directional microphones combined with advanced audio signal processing. The technology facilitates clear calls by minimising echo.

Sony SRS-NB10 neckband speakers come with a microphone mute button, touch-sensitive volume rocker and play/ pause button. Sony claims that the speakers offer up to 20 hours of playtime on a single charge, and they can be charged via a USB Type-C port. The speakers also have quick charging technology, and as per the company, a quick 10-minute charge can give up to an hour of playtime. Sony SRS-NB10 are IPX4 rated for water resistance.

Is this good for music too?

Well, you can listen to music using the NB10. But somehow that will not be a good reason for me to buy this, unless I have some issue that prevents me from using headphones. Something on the ear to listen to music is a feeling I am used to since childhood and it will be hard to adjust to having music emanating from my ears.

That does not mean the audio quality is bad or anything, it just feels a bit unnatural for me. On the other hand, this is a more natural experience when listening to podcasts for instance.

The battery lasts about 20 hours on a full charge, or let’s say two full working days if you are connected all the time. There is a quick charge here to juice back up in about 10 minutes to complete the last hour of that important zoom call.

Should you buy the Sony SRS-NB10?

Yes, if you are constantly on calls and what to get rid of that constant pain on your ears. But remember this is a new experience and it does take some getting used to, especially with the aspect of privacy.

But this is something you can get used to, especially for your working hours. At ₹ 13,990, the Sony SRS-NB10 is a good accessory to have for work from home. Just consider the music as an add-on.