Sony looks to differentiate its take on the smart speaker with a spot of cuteness-- the Xperia Hello is an Alexa-compatible number featuring a 4.55-inch display and a round, animated face.
First presented in concept form back at MWC 2016, the Xperia Hello is an Android-based device able to recognise facial expressions and gestures as well as voice through a camera on top of the swivelling "face." The camera is paired with 7 microphones and 4 motion sensors, allowing the Hello to detect people approaching within a 3m radius.
The MA5300 measures 44 x 15 x 56cm, and offers 6 analogue inputs (x4 unbalanced, x1 balanced, x1 moving magnet) and x6 digital inputs (including x2 each for coax and optical). A USB port is also included, together with a special port for McIntosh MCT series SACD/CD players. Installers can re-name all inputs for simpler system control and configuration.
The accessories are "precision engineered" to fit the Sonos One, and as such address a key design change-- the removal of the fixing-screw recess found on the PLAY:1.
The package consists of x2 Sib Evo Dolby Atmos speakers (both featuring integrated Dolby-enabled upfiring drivers and front-firing speakers), x3 Sib Evo satellites (2 for rears, 1 horizontally aligned as centre speaker) and a Cub Evo subwoofer (floating below). The Atmos drivers are angled to bounce channel information off the ceiling for an overhead effect.
The One is essentially a refresh of the Play:1 for the smart speaker era. It features a cuboid design with rounded edges in either black or white, and acts as either a standalone speaker or paired with other Sonos audio products as part of a multi-speaker setup. Setup and management come through Sonos mobile app, and the speaker handles a number of streaming services, including including Amazon Music, Pandora, IHeartRadio, TuneIn and SiriusXm.
