Sony has launched three new pairs of EXTRA
BASS headphones in India, alongside four new EXTRA BASS wireless speakers. The
former will be available in India via Sony Center and other major electronics
stores from Thursday, while the latter will be available from April 25.
Let's start with the new Sony EXTRA BASS headphones. Sony has launched three new models in India - Sony MDR-XB950B1
(Rs. 12,990), MDR-XB550AP (Rs. 3,290), and MDR-XB510AS (Rs. 2,790). The first
is a pair of wireless circum-aural headphones, while the other two are wired,
with the MDR-XB550AP a supra-aural pair and the MDR-XB510AS an in-ear pair with
dust and water resistance meant for sports. All three support voice assist
functions via their built-in microphones.
The Sony MDR-XB950B1 are Bluetooth v4.1-based
wireless headphones that also feature NFC connectivity for past pairing, and
can also be controlled via the Sony Headphones Connect app. It has a separate
Bass Effect toggle button, apart from volume and track control buttons, and a
built-in microphone. The headphones bear 40mm drivers, and the onboard battery
is rated to deliver up to 18 hours of wireless Bluetooth playback - a full
charge requires 4 hours. If the battery runs out, users can utilise the bundled
1.2-metre headphone cable to connect. It weighs in at 280 grams including the
battery. It will be available in Black and Blue colour variants.
Next up, are the Sony MDR-XB550AP supra-aural headphones
with what the company calls a "premium metal headband". These feature
30mm drivers, and come with an in-line remote for volume and track control,
apart from a built-in microphone. They come with a 1.2-metre long cable, and
weigh in at 180 grams excluding the cable. The free Smart Key App for Android
helps customise the controls of the in-line remote. They will be available in
Black, Red, Blue, Green, and White colour variants.
Rounding off the new EXTRA BASS headphones, are the
Sony MDR-XB510AS in-ear sports headphones that come with IP5X/ IPX7 rating for
dust and water resistance. The company says the headphones can be worn while
running in the rain or sitting around the pool - they are also said to be
highly sweat resistant. They feature 12mm drivers, and come with an in-line
remote that bears volume and track controls, apart from a built-in microphone.
They weigh in at 9 grams excluding cable, and ship with a cable adjuster, clip,
four sizes of earbuds, three sizes of arc supporters, and one carrying pouch.
They will be available in Black, Red, Blue, and Green colour variants.
We now come to the new EXTRA BASS portable wireless
speakers. The Japanese consumer electronics giant has launched the Sony
SRS-XB40 (Rs. 13,990), SRS-XB30 (Rs. 9,990), SRS-XB20 (Rs. 6,990), and the
SRS-XB10 (Rs. 3,590). All four speakers come with Bluetooth (v4.2) and NFC
connectivity options, while Sony is also touting their compact size and long
battery life. The first three portable speakers can also be used to form a wireless
party chain, connecting up to 10 speakers via Bluetooth for a truly surround
sound experience. Two speakers of the same model can be paired together for
stereo sound. The SRS-XB40 and SRS-XB30 can also be used as power banks,
allowing users to charge their smartphones on the go. All four speakers are
IPX5 rated for water resistance.
Sony adds that the SRS-XB40, SRS-XB30, and the
SRS-XB10 feature a flexible two-way design that allows them to be placed
horizontally or vertically depending on the user's space requirements. The
SRS-XB40, SRS-XB30, and the SRS-XB20 on the other hand all feature lighting
setups, with the first bearing a LED perimeter line-light, a strobe light, and
a speaker light. The SRS-XB30 has a multi-colour line-light and strobe, while the
SRS-XB20 bears a single colour line-light that's meant to complement the colour
of the speaker. All speakers can be controlled via the Sony Music Center app,
while a separate Fiestable app provides light controls and DJ sound effects.
With their inbuilt microphones, all four speakers can also activate Google Now/
Siri based voice guidance.
Let's start with the Sony SRS-XB40. It bears 61mm
drivers and is powered by a 5400 mAh battery. The company is touting a 24-hour
battery life, and a 4-hour charge time. It comes with its own AC charging
adaptor. The Sony SRS-XB30 on the other hand features 48mm drivers and is
powered by a 4200 mAh battery with the same battery life and charging time
figures. It comes with its own AC charging adaptor.
The Sony SRS-XB20 on the other hand feature 42mm
drivers and a 2100 mAh battery that's rated to deliver up to 12 hours of battery
life, with a 4-hour charging time. It comes with a Micro-USB charging adaptor.
Finally, the SRS-XB10 bears a 46mm driver (mono) and is powered by a 1400 mAh
battery that's rated to deliver up to 16 hours of battery life, and requires
4.5 hours to charge fully. It comes with a Micro-USB charging adaptor. The Sony
SRS-XB10 has already gone up for pre-orders via Amazon India, and will remain
up till Thursday. Pre-order customers can avail a Rs. 1,600 discount.
