Sony ULT Tower 7 review
The Sony ULT Tower 7 is another strong entry in Sony’s refreshed ULT line, coming in with newly developed, rounded woofers for enhanced deep bass, a swathe of connectivity options for personal or professional use, and customizable lighting for highly immersive listening. This model is the mid-sized option in Sony’s new ULT Tower lineup, sitting above the Tower 5 and below the ULT Max. It has a seven driver setup, with a single 280mm woofer, two mid-ranges, and four tweeters — including two rear-facing tweeters for Sony’s 360-degree Party Sound. It also has an impressive 420W of power meaning that it can get unbelievably loud — honestly I had to test this one outdoors for the most part, as it shook the foundations of our music testing space to its very core. How good is the Sony ULT Tower 7? I’ve tested it for hours on end, listening to countless tunes, playing around with the light settings, and assessing its various features and functions available through Sony’s Sound Connect app. Here’s why I think it can compete with some of the very best Bluetooth speakers . (Image credit: Future) Let’s start with the most important thing of all: sound quality. The ULT Tower 7 is an excellent-sounding model, providing clarity and insight right across the frequency range, but the clear standout is the bass. It can extend all the way down to 20Hz with confidence, plating up regimented, meaty bass and even rippling sub-bass. When tuning into First Summer by H. K. , the deep, pounding bass was replicated fantastically, sounding just as dynamic, full-bodied and agile as I’d hoped. But still, vocals were textured and clear in the build up, keys and vocals were brilliantly balanced in the mid-range, and higher-pitched drums had a highly energetic, rhythmic quality. A lot of these positive qualities were mirrored when listening to Rocking Chair by Mr. Scruff. Rich, deep bass was mesmerizing and phenomenally full-sounding, with tonally accurate keys in the mid-range and expressive drums up top adding plenty of color. In addition, guitars had a great sense of width to them, sounding as if they were playing from the corners of our testing room during my indoor assessment. When blasting tunes from the ULT Tower 7 outdoors, I was astonished by its raw, uncompromised power. It has a maximum power output of 420W, and sound can fill large open spaces confidently, without losing low-end impact or clarity in the mids and treble. One of my colleagues could hear the speaker clearly from the other side of the parking lot in which I was testing the speaker, and let me tell you, this thing is borderline deafening (in a good way) at top volumes. My only criticism, sonically speaking, is that the 360-degree sound on this speaker is a bit underwhelming. When listening at less favorable angles, like the side and rear of the speaker, the experience was noticeably worse. The overall sound of my tracks just wasn’t as cohesive and balanced as I’d hoped for, and while the larger ULT Tower Max may remedy this issue, the Tower 7 is certainly outclassed for 360-degree sound by rivals like the Marshall Bromley 450. Still, this is a fantastic sounding speaker that handles dynamics beautifully, and plates up emphatic deep bass, clear mids and highs, and a whole lot of power. The ULT Tower 7’s Sound Field Optimization — which analyzes speaker placement and background noise and accordingly adjusts sound balance across the frequency range — also means that you’re getting consistent quality in any environment. (Image credit: Future) Something else I love about the ULT Tower 7 is how easy it is to customize its audio output, thanks to its top-tier EQ options. ULT 1 is best for huge outdoor spaces, and places additional emphasis on deep bass, while ULT 2 provides a more rounded sound that focuses on delivering the most energetic, powerful sound. There’s also a Live mode if you want to replicate live recordings more faithfully, a Flat signature for a more balanced sound, and a custom 10-band equalizer which gives you more granular control over the speaker’s output. What’s more, this speaker supports the higher-res Bluetooth codec LDAC, enabling you to get a surprisingly detailed, insightful listen from the speaker. If you’re after true lossless audio, you’re in luck too — there’s USB-C, 3. 5mm, and RCA connectivity on board. This flexibility is great for professionals who want to hook up a DJ controller via RCA or casual listeners who just want to run with Bluetooth or USB-C. In addition, there’s a pair of mic ports so you can dabble in a bit of karaoke from time to time. If you’re using the ULT Tower 7 for karaoke, there are some effects available to you in Sony’s Sound Connect app, including a voice changer, echo, and so on. There’s also a party pad for effects like a flanger and sampler, as well as playing drum sounds and robotic noises when DJing. These are easy to access, and more generally, I found the SoundConnect app to be highly user-friendly and reliable — it wasn’t filled with bugs like some rivals’ apps are. While we’re talking about features, it only seems right to talk about battery life. The ULT Tower 7 can offer up to 30 hours of playback with the LEDs turned off, and for a party speaker in this size-category, that’s very strong indeed. That’s almost double of a rival like the JBL PartyBox 330, and means you can keep the party going well into the early hours. There’s also a Stamina mode for extended playtime, or you can use the speaker while hooked up to the mains. Let’s move onto design now, an area where the ULT Tower 7 largely excels. It looks fantastic, with eye-catching yet tasteful lighting, an attractive rounded aesthetic, and well-sized, illuminated buttons. Even the ULT logo impressed me because it enables you to adjust volume and cycle through EQ modes swiftly — adding a functional layer here is a very nice touch. While it’s not made of the most premium materials, it’s still built to a great standard, and has a rugged yet refined appearance. My issue with the overall build, however, is that this speaker is not as practical as it could be. At 50. 3lbs / 22. 8kg, it’s very heavy, and will take a fair bit of effort to move around. Yes, there are a couple of handles built-in alongside some wheels, but a model this hefty really could’ve done with a pull-out handle for easier transportation. When using the main handle on the reverse side of the speaker, I found the ULT Tower 7 to be awkward to maneuver, something that you won’t find with a lot of the JBL PartyBoxes, for instance. I also would’ve liked to have seen slightly better waterproofing on the ULT Tower 7. IPX4 means it’s safe against splashes of water, and this is essentially the standard for party speakers of this size…