Sony piles on the boom with expanded Extra Bass speaker and headphone line

By Ryan Waniata January 6, 2016

Sony has been pushing its hi-res audio products hard at CES for the last couple of years. But this year, the electronics giant swung hard the other way, highlighting the product lineup it created nearly four years ago to address modern music trends, called Extra Bass (and that’s trademarked, by the way).

Sony’s expanded Extra Bass line now includes multiple pieces, including the new MDR-XB650BT headphones, a lightweight little on-ear job that’s made of plastic, accented with a thin sheen of aluminum along the outside. I had a listen to the headphones with some hip-hop playing and, whoa Nelly! these things are not kidding around. I literally couldn’t keep them on my head for more than a few seconds due to the swelling tidal waves of low-end groove.

There are also a pair of portable speakers in the Extra Bass party, including the XRS-B2, and XRS-B3. The B2 offers a claimed 12 hours of battery life, while the B3 offers an impressive 24 hours, according to Sony. Both speakers are water resistant with an IXP5 rating and, like all of the products in the Extra Bass family, are offered in a wide variety of loud colors like lime, and neon blue. Additionally, two of the speakers can be connected for pairing the speakers in stereo.

The biggest (literally) addition to Sony’s Extra Bass lineup is the GTK-XB7, which looks a lot more like a PA speaker than one designed for consumer use. The massive speaker is Bluetooth enabled for wireless streaming from your phone and includes a USB input, and an RCA analog input for hardwired connections. Flashing lights bring a “club-like” experience, and you can double down for twice the sound, or pair two of the mono speakers for a stereo pair.

It’s not for everyone, but Sony is clearly looking to attract a certain kind of consumer here. If you’re one of those who just can’t get enough bass, the Extra Bass lineup may be right up your alley.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Ryan Waniata is a multi-year veteran of the digital media industry, a lover of all things tech, audio, and TV, and a…

Audio / Video

Beats Solo 4: the latest on-ear headphones get spatial and lossless audio

Beats Solo 4 in Cloud Pink.

After a nearly eight-year gap, Beats finally has an updated version of its Solo wireless on-ear headphones: the Beats Solo 4. The fourth-gen cans look nearly identical to their predecessors and they sport the same $200 price tag. Under that familiar exterior, however, lies a series of upgrades, including support for spatial and lossless audio, that Beats hopes will keep the Solo 4 as its most popular product. The Solo 4 can be ordered starting April 30 in Matte Black, Slate Blue, and Cloud Pink, with shipping beginning May 2. Beats also debuted its latest wireless earbuds, the Solo Buds.

Physically, very little has changed since the Solo3 Wireless debuted in 2016. The Solo 4 preserves the now-classic Beats lines, with the same folding hinges and a low-profile headband that transitions seamlessly into the earcups. Some of the chrome-finish accents have been retired, but the distinctive lowercase "b" Beats logo is still front and center.

Audio / Video

AirPods won’t connect or pair? Here’s how to fix it

Apple Music's spatial audio collection seen on an iPhone 14, next to Apple AirPods Pro.

Apple AirPods are among the best wireless earbuds in the world. They sound great, their portability makes them perfect for carrying with you wherever you go, and they're easy to set up and use. Until they're not.

Whether you're sporting the latest 2nd-generation AirPods Pro or the 3rd-gen AirPods , there are various reasons your AirPods may not be connecting to your iPhone or any other device. Luckily, there are several steps you can take to fix this. Here is what you can do when your AirPods won’t connect or pair.

Audio / Video

This massive 98-inch Samsung QLED TV is $3,000 off this month

The Samsung Q80C placed in a living room on a TV stand.

If money's no object in your search for the biggest screens among TV deals, you're going to want to check out the 98-inch Samsung Q80C QLED 4K TV. Your budget may be limitless, but you might as well enjoy huge savings with your purchase as Samsung is offering a $3,000 discount that slashes the TV's price from $8,000 to $5,000. It's still not cheap, but this is the display that you want for your home theater setup if you're after a top-tier combination of size and quality. You'll need to complete the transaction quickly though -- the savings may be around for a while, but we're not sure how long stocks will hold.

Why you should buy the 98-inch Samsung Q80C QLED 4K TV
First and foremost, you're going to have to check out our guide on what size TV to buy because the 98-inch Samsung Q80C QLED 4K TV is simply gigantic. However, if you have enough space for it, you'll be getting a truly cinematic experience in your own living room. With 4K Ultra HD resolution, you'll be watching your favorite shows with sharp details and lifelike colors, and with QLED technology, you'll enjoy incredible brightness. The TV's Neural Quantum Processor, which uses AI and 20 neural networks, will further improve picture quality on the massive screen, as well as upscale all content to 4K quality.