Sky Soundbox Is An Affordable Sonos Playbase Competitor From Devialet

Sky and Devialet have teamed up to create a Sonos Playbase competitor, albeit one that’s extremely affordable, as long as you’re a Sky customer.

Dubbed the Sky Soundbox, this base speaker promises a powerful and immersive sound utilising some of Devialet’s most famous audio technologies; including those developed for the Expert Pro amplifier and Phantom wireless speaker.

While the Sky Soundbox will be unlikely to rival a dedicated system with an array of speakers dotted around the room, the company’s offering should far outdo what the majority of consumers currently have in their home. That includes basic soundbars and TV speakers, as well as cheaper 5.1 surround sound systems.

This is the first time Devialet has partnered with another brand, making its unique sound available to millions of Sky customers across the UK and Ireland at a rock bottom price. Together the two companies are hoping to reimagine what consumers can expect from their home TV sound experience.

Combining six woofers and three full-range speakers into a single compact device, Sky Soundbox uses the walls in the home to reflect ambient sound around the room. Devialet’s engineering also enables Sky Soundbox to deliver outstanding power and bass depth. The result is spatial surround sound, offering the immersive, 360° experience normally expected from a full home cinema system, without the need for a subwoofer or extra speakers.

Stephen van Rooyen, CEO, Sky UK and Ireland, comments: “Sound is a vital part of visual storytelling – whether you’re watching the season finale of your favourite drama, or an epic Premier League clash. That’s why we’ve partnered with audio industry leaders Devialet to launch Sky Soundbox and take the TV experience to the next level for our customers. Great TV deserves great audio – we believe Sky Soundbox is the Ultra HD of home audio.”

While the Sky Soundbox promises to be an immersive, enveloping experience, the speaker lacks one feature that many users will be asking for – Dolby Atmos. Considering Sky officially announced Dolby Atmos support for Sky Q today, it seems like an odd omission.

Despite that, Sky has included some interesting technology inside the Sky Q software to ensure that its customers get the most out of the Soundbox. When paired with Sky Q, users can enjoy Sky Q Sound – exclusive sound modes designed by Devialet, to automatically refine the audio for a range of Sky’s entertainment and sports. Each mode adjusts and tailors Sky Soundbox’s audio settings so entertainment can be enjoyed at its best.

In addition, Sky Soundbox offers dynamic volume management, analysing incoming audio in real time, and adjusting volume levels to ensure clarity – from quiet dialogue to explosive action. Sky Soundbox users will also be able to select a number of manual modes that best suit their needs, including:

• Dialogue Enhance mode: ensuring speech is clear and defined
• Late Night mode: decreasing bass and further enhancing quiet whispers

• Kids mode: giving parents control over the maximum volume levels to protect vulnerable ears.

Quentin Sannié, chief executive, Devialet, concludes: “Sound is the future of television. We are very proud to be partnering with Sky, to help them to unleash the full emotional impact of their content, through powerful, immersive, fully integrated sound. This first partnership illustrates our ability to pursue Devialet’s vision to enable revolutionary experiences through audio, and bring them to the widest number of people through partnerships with like-minded companies who are looking to challenge the status quo.”

Sky Soundbox will go on sale this autumn priced for non-Sky customers at £799. Current and new Sky customers will be able to pick one up for £299, while new and existing Sky Q Multiscreen customers will have the cheapest price at £249.