Sony pitches its SRS-NB10 wearable neckband speaker as the ideal working-from-home accessory
What the neck?
Sony has never been averse to making strange gadgets, and 2019’s SRS-WS1 was one for the weird hall of fame. But Sony clearly liked its neckband speaker, and has returned to the concept with the SRS-NB10. Designed for the age of home working – which makes a lot of sense as we’re not entirely sure we’d be wearing one in public – the fabric-wrapped SRS-NB10 is, according to its maker, lightweight and comfortable enough to be worn all day, resting gently on the user’s shoulders and keeping out of the way. Its speaker unit is angled upwards so sound is targeted directly at your ears and not into the room, while passive radiators at the back boost bass. Sony says as long as you’re not daft with the volume you should be able to listen to your Phil Collins megamix without distracting anyone around you. When it comes to taking calls, the SRS-NB10 uses a pair of beam-forming mics in conjunction with advanced voice processing to minimise echo and ensure everything you’re saying is clear. All the controls you need are on the neckband speaker itself, which is able to connect to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously, allowing you to take a call in the middle of a song and return to it when you’re done. Battery life is rated at up to 20 hours, a significant improvement on the 7-hour WS1. The SRS-NB10, which comes in either charcoal grey or white will be available to buy from September 2021, priced at approximately €150.
Matt Tate
Contributor 