Sony HT-AX7 hands-on review: Our first look at Sony’s new “portable theatre system”

I’ve seen a lot of speakers during my time at Expert Reviews but none quite like the Sony HT-AX7. While most products in the Bluetooth speaker category tend to be single units, the Sony HT-AX7 uses a main speaker and two detachable rear speakers to create what Sony describes as a “portable home theatre system”.

It’s an interesting concept that seeks to enhance the audio experience of the increasing number of individuals who spend more time consuming content on their phone, tablet, laptop or projector than on their television. And, based on my limited time with it, the HT-AX7 delivers on its promise. Using a clever combination of the company’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology and upmixer algorithm, it successfully creates a bubble of sound around you and transforms stereo audio into virtualised surround sound.

It’s certainly immersive but with a price tag of £499, you’ll have to spend a significant proportion of your time streaming from mobile devices to make it a worthwhile purchase. You also have to position the trio of speakers in a very specific way, which may prove tricky depending on the layout of the rooms you’re using them in.

READ NEXT: The best Sony headphones

Sony HT-AX7 hands-on review: Key specs

• Price: £499
• Release date: August 2023
• Speakers: Main unit plus two up-firing rear satellites
• Bluetooth multipoint: Yes, with up to two devices
• Bluetooth codec support: AAC and SBC
• Battery life: Up to 30 hours
• Fast charging: 2.5 hours from 10 minutes on charge
• App support: Home Entertainment Connect

Sony HT-AX7 hands-on review: Design

The HT-AX7 is a highly unusual Bluetooth speaker. Two detachable puck-shaped rear speakers sit on top of each end of a larger main speaker, creating an overall appearance akin to that of an elegant, fabric-covered set of bongos.

Recycled plastics are used in the construction of the main speaker’s chassis, while the light grey fabric wraparounds are crafted from 100% recycled PET plastic bottles. That’s laudable from a sustainability standpoint but the fabric isn’t water resistant, so you’ll primarily be using the HT-AX7 indoors or in the garden when the weather is set fair.

Each rear speaker houses a single up-firing driver, angled in such a way that it projects sound slightly outwards as well as upwards, while the main unit uses a pair of Sony’s forward-firing “X-Balanced” speaker units in combination with passive radiators at either end of the cabinet. Sony hasn’t revealed specific details about the power output of the setup but it goes more than loud enough for personal use.

Basic physical controls are found in the centre of the main speaker, with raised buttons enabling you to power the device on and off, initiate Bluetooth pairing, skip tracks, control volume and engage the all-important “Sound Field” mode, which I will touch more on later.

In terms of physical connections, there’s one USB-C port located on the rear of the main speaker that’s used exclusively for charging. Battery life is stated at up to 30 hours at moderate volume, and just ten minutes hooked up to the mains will provide around two-and-a-half hours of audio playback.

Sony HT-AX7 hands-on review: Features

The HT-AX7 doesn’t offer a huge amount in the way of features, with the focus instead on the audio wizardry that enables Sound Field mode and helps turn stereo content into virtualised 360-degree audio.

Bluetooth codec support is limited to SBC and AAC; Sony’s high-resolution LDAC codec and support for its 360 Reality Audio format are notably absent. There is Bluetooth multipoint pairing with up to two devices, however, and this should prove very useful given the easiest way to control the HT-AX7 is via a new Sony companion app: Home Entertainment Connect.

Once paired with a mobile and laptop, you’ll be able to use the app to adjust the level of the individual speakers using your phone, while the audio from your laptop plays through the HT-AX7. Switching between sources was seamless during the demo I attended in June 2023 and the inclusion of an integrated microphone means you can use the HT-AX7 as a speakerphone if you receive a phone call while catching up on your favourite series on Netflix.

READ NEXT: Our favourite Sony TVs

Sony HT-AX7 hands-on review: Sound reproduction

What really sets the HT-AX7 apart is its ability to take stereo content and turn it into audio that sounds like it’s coming from all around you.

There are two core enablers of this: Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology and its new upmixer algorithm. The former made its debut on the Sony HT-A9 surround sound speaker system and Sony HT-A7000 soundbar in 2021 and is driven by a process known as “monopole synthesis”. This sees soundwaves from each speaker synthesised and undergo digital signal processing to create new directional wavefronts (or phantom speakers as Sony refers to them) in a sound field around you. There’s no user calibration required; as soon as the speakers are turned on and in position, they’ll automatically work their magic.

The new upmixer algorithm takes things a step further by placing individual audio cues in specific locations within the sound field that’s been created. When you feed the speaker any form of stereo content, the algorithm breaks it down into different spatial elements in real time before redistributing them to what it deems the most appropriate phantom speakers.

For this to work properly, you’ll need to take care of where the speakers are positioned. The main speaker should be a metre or so in front of you, with the rear speakers positioned at a similar distance away but slightly behind you and below ear level. That’s not to say you have to use the HT-AX7 in that manner: if you turn Sound Field mode off, the rears become inactive and the two drivers inside the main unit function in the same way as a typical Bluetooth speaker would.

I got the opportunity to hear the HT-AX7 in action at The Standard Hotel in King’s Cross, London, and was rather impressed by its sonic abilities. With Sound Field mode off, it was able to effectively fill a roomy suite with the sounds of a Spotify playlist, although the forward-firing nature of the main speaker did limit the breadth of the soundstage.

Switching on Sound Field mode and sitting myself down in the middle of the trio of speakers delivered a completely different experience. I was immediately aware of the dome of sound created, with the virtual soundstage both broad and immersive.

The iconic car chase in No Time to Die – so often used by manufacturers to demonstrate surround-sound capabilities – benefited greatly from the virtualisation. I felt as though I was bang in the centre of the action as Bond sped through winding Italian streets with cars in hot pursuit, and the 4×4 smashing into 007’s Aston Martin felt visceral. As the baddies began to spray the vehicle with bullets, I got a strong sense of the directions shots were coming from and could clearly hear church bells tolling above and behind me.

Further demos reinforced the accurate positioning of sound within the virtual sound field. A short clip of a tennis match served to demonstrate the HT-AX7’s ability to handle less bombastic content effectively. Sounds from the crowd appeared to come from high up in the stands to my left and right, while the grunts of the players, squeaks of their shoes on the court and thuds of the ball being hit were tracked precisely.

The final demo took place on the balcony of the suite and was more musical. I was treated to a YouTube video of Harry Styles singing “Falling” at the Brit Awards in 2020 and the HT-AX7 handled the piece adeptly. Vocals came through the main speaker unit cleanly and felt immediate and personal, while the shrieks and applause from Styles’ adoring fans at the song’s conclusion echoed around me through the rear speakers.

It’s worth noting that there was little-to-no latency while watching these clips. Any delay between the onscreen action and associated audio was small enough to have no appreciable effect on my experience.

READ NEXT: The best soundbars for every budget

Sony HT-AX7 hands-on review: Early verdict

I came away from my time with the Sony HT-AX7 very impressed by its sonic sorcery but unconvinced of its practicality and a little put off by the price.

To get the best out of it, you’ll need to adhere to its finicky speaker placement requirements and that may not be possible in some households. I can think of just one spot in my flat where I’d be able to sit comfortably and locate the speakers in such a way that I’d be able to fully enjoy them fully: on the sofa in front of my TV.

But I’m not dismissing the Sony HT-AX7 just yet. It’s well capable of delivering engrossing and immersive audio and, perhaps, some time spent with it at home will allay my concerns over how practical it is. I hope to have a review sample soon, so be sure to check back for the full review in the coming weeks.