STEREO GUIDE verdict
The Sony ULT Tower 9AC offers a lot of speaker for the money - features, app, connectivity and volume are top. However, the lack of a rechargeable battery, problematic sound tuning and high space requirement severely limit the possible uses.
Pros
- For all those who can't get enough of bass and sound pressure
- Microphone and instrument inputs
- Can also be used as an XXL TV speaker via Toslink
- Transport rollers
Cons
- Bass tends to boom in normal indoor spaces
- Very high weight
- Battery operation reserved for more expensive sister model
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Tonal balance / transparency7.9
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Bass / Dynamics9.3
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Usability / Connectivity9
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Price/Performance8.7
The Sony ULT Tower 9AC was unveiled in conjunction with the announcement of the Japanese electronics company’s partnership with superstar Post Malone. It fills the gap between the ULT Field 7, which was reviewed last year, and the huge, 29-kilo ULT Tower 10, which was also reviewed by STEREO GUIDE. And it enters the stage with its twin, which does not have the suffix “AC” in its name. But in this case, less is more: while the Sony ULT Tower 9AC can only be operated with its integrated power supply unit, its sister model from the ULT Power series also has a battery for flexible outdoor operation.
It should be borne in mind that the party box, which weighs over 28 kilograms and is 82 centimetres high, has natural limits despite the carrying handle and battery. It is so heavy and unwieldy that without the castors on the back, you would be pretty much at a loss when using it within the house or, in our case, within the editorial office.
The heavy weight and sheer size are not just a sign of proper workmanship. They also testify to the aspiration to really rock the house. Remarkable: Although the Sony ULT Tower 9AC only weighs half a kilo less than the larger ULT Tower 10 according to the data sheet, you can get it for almost half the price. It makes me think of the Japanese company’s former slogan: “It’s not a Trick, it’s a Sony.”
Features: Seven drivers and an angular bass giant
The heavy weight of the ULT Tower 9AC is no coincidence. It is packed with a total of seven speaker chassis, five of which are located under a metal grille on the front. Most of the space is taken up by the square woofer with an impressive edge length of 32 centimeters. There are also two 12-centimeter mid-range drivers and two 5-cm cone tweeters. Two further tweeters, each 4 centimeters in diameter, are located at the rear. According to Sony, they should enable 360-degree sound. This is very rose-tinted, but since conventional speakers focus high tones more strongly with increasing frequency, like the beam of a flashlight, it definitely improves the high-frequency reproduction for those behind the speaker at the party.
Toslink, Stereo and Party Connect
But there is another reason for the tweeters installed at an angle to the two sides. If you use the optical Toslink digital input and activate the “TV sound booster” mode, the rear tweeters should generate a wider sound field via reflections from the side walls than with a normal mono speaker. Wait, of course we know that Sony controls the mid/high section in stereo.
However, we also know that a proper stereo effect requires a greater distance between the two channels. However, this is only possible if two ULT Tower 9ACs are coupled to form a stereo speaker pair. This works in the same way as the party mode. With “Party Connect”, up to 100 compatible speakers can be wirelessly connected to form a small PA. In addition to the new ULT Power series or the SRS-XV800 party speaker, this also includes small Bluetooth speakers such as the SRS-XB23 or the SRS-XB43.
As far as the manufacturer’s technical specifications are concerned, it should also be noted that the Sony ULT Tower 9AC is actually a 2.1 system, as there is only one bass speaker for both channels.
Connections: USB, S/PDIF, jack
The normal audio connections are located under a protective flap on the back of the bass reflex housing. The USB-A port supports the playback of memory sticks and turns the party speaker into a power bank for charging smart devices if required. There is also the aforementioned S/PDIF digital input for PCM audio with sampling frequencies of 32/44.1/48/96 kHz as well as an analog 3.5 mm jack input.
Karaoke & control: everything on board
The two 6.35 mm inputs for microphone and guitar are easily accessible under a flap on the top of the party speaker. The level and echo effect controls are also located there. For the second input, the Bluetooth speaker also has a switch between microphone or guitar mode. The pitch of the playback can be adjusted using “Key Control”. Incidentally, Sony recommends using the Sony ULTMIC1 wireless microphone, which is available separately. Conveniently, Sony has provided the party speaker with two fold-out microphone holders on both sides of the plastic housing.
The control panel of the ULT Tower 9AC takes up almost the entire top side. The design is very clearly laid out. A proximity sensor even illuminates the function buttons when accessed. The largest of these bears the lettering “ULT”, which lights up in a different color depending on the operating status. It is intended to ignite the sound turbos and, above all, help the bass and impulsiveness in two stages. You can control the playback of a device connected via Bluetooth (version 5.3 with the codecs SBC, AAC and LDAC) or the volume directly on the party speaker just as easily as you can change the lighting effects there. You don’t usually need to call up the app for frequently used functions.
Versatile app with DJ effects
The Sony Sound Connect app for iOS and Android not only offers user-friendly DJ sound effects. It also does a good job with special settings, such as the 10-band equalizer. While its use is more of a gimmick, especially with small Bluetooth speakers, I tend to regard this tool as essential for using the Sony ULT Tower 9AC. This brings us straight to the sound test.
Sound test: What a boom!
What a bass! The sound pressure Sony generates in the lowest octaves with its square woofer is impressive. You can feel that it makes better use of the space in the baffle for more cone area than would be possible with a round counterpart. Impressive on the one hand, yes. But also frightening at the same time. Because in the editorial offices of the F.A.Z. Kaufkompass, where I also oversee the “Best Party Speakers” section, the bass monster was booming without end. Even the younger colleagues who had rushed over, who like electronic beats at least as much as I do, rolled their eyes in horror. In the end, the mid-range sounded harsh and pale, while the highs flashed brightly. Voices remained thin and were unable to develop any charm. Even at medium volumes, you wanted to leave the room in a hurry.
It is very likely that this tuning sounds less aggressive in the mid-high range and less boomy in the bass range when used outdoors, i.e. acoustically under free-field conditions. But the bulky speaker, which you can’t let out without a lead to the nearest power socket, is not really suitable for this. The only solution is to use the 10-band equalizer in the Sony Sound Connect app. However, this requires a skilled hand to somewhat alleviate the problem with the richly contoured, thickened, boomy bass.
Bass boost to the max
Pressing the ULT button made the problem even worse in our rooms because the low bass, which was inflated as a result, developed a life of its own that simply didn’t match the timing of the rest. And somehow voices screamed even more with the “ULT 1” preset. With “ULT 2”, the rumbling at the very bottom of the frequency range decreased somewhat, but the enthusiasm did not increase to the same extent. If you wanted to say something positive about the bass performance, then it would be the feeling of sheer size and dynamic range with acoustic drums, as with Foreigner’s “Urgent” in the live version. So the potential is basically there, but the overall result didn’t really convince us – perhaps also because the developers simply went about their work a little overambitiously?
Conclusion and alternatives to the Sony ULT Tower 9AC
Sometimes the only thing missing is a little bit here and there. The Sony ULT Tower 9AC offers a lot of value for money in terms of “price-performance weight” alone, not to say kilo price. Unfortunately, some weaknesses at key points don’t make the verdict easy. The features, app and power play speak in favor of the Sony. The handle and castors are also well thought out. But a speaker with a tuning that only works reasonably well outdoors without wall reflections, but which does not allow battery operation, somehow misses the point.
However, the obvious alternative cannot be recommended without reservations. With the ULT Tower 9, Sony offers a version of the party box with a rechargeable battery without the “AC” suffix, which increases the practicality of the heavyweight to a certain extent. However, the Japanese company charges an extra 300 euros for this plus point – at first I thought I had made a mistake. That’s not just a princely price for a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Especially in this case, because according to the manufacturer’s RRP, it corresponds to a surcharge of over 40 percent. According to our evaluation criteria, this would probably increase the practicality, but at the same time negatively affect the price/performance ratio. Too bad, because it’s not due to a lack of effort.
Technical specifications Sony ULT Tower 9AC
- Manufacturer’s suggested retail price: 700 euros
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 41 × 91 × 45.6 cm
- Weight: 28.5 kg
- Special features: Bluetooth 5.3, analog inputs (line, microphone/instrument), stereo pairing, party mode, app control, LED party light
- More at: www.sony.com
