Sony ULT Tower Max

Moving 56 kilos to the dance floor requires wheels and strong arms: Sony’s largest party speaker embraces its PA-column dimensions. At the top of the ULT Power Sound range, it replaces the ULT Tower 10 and covers parties, DJ sets and karaoke. Inside, nine speakers and 2150 watts of amplification immediately set the intended standard.

A one-metre column mounted on wheels

The ULT Tower Max stands 106 centimetres tall, 53 centimetres wide and 47 centimetres deep, and weighs 56.3 kilos. At this weight, Sony has fitted the speaker with wide-tread wheels and handles, allowing it to be rolled from room to room rather than lifted. The matte black cabinet with rounded edges borrows the styling of a stage speaker, with RGB lighting running along the inner frame.

One point sets the Max apart from the rest of the range: it operates only from mains power, between 120 and 240 volts. The ULT Tower 5 and 7 include a battery (rated for 20 and 30 hours) and IPX4 certification in the upright position; the Max, on the other hand, requires a power outlet and limits its splash resistance to its upper surface. It is a large-party speaker that stays where there is power, not a poolside model. Sony states that around 35% recycled plastic is used in its manufacture.

Nine speakers distributed across 360 degrees

Nine speakers are distributed throughout the cabinet. Three 280-millimetre woofers (two at the front, one at the rear) handle the bass, two 120-millimetre midrange drivers carry vocals and the body of instruments, and four tweeters complete the upper end of the spectrum: two 25-millimetre units at the front and two 40-millimetre units at the rear. This presence of drivers at the rear as well as the front is what gives the Max its 360-degree sound dispersion, which Sony calls 360° Party Sound: sound travels in every direction and avoids dead zones as you move around the speaker.

Amplification reaches 2150 watts. For bass, Sony relies on new circular woofers, a generous cabinet volume and its ULT DUCT port, which extends low-frequency response. The ULT button, common to the entire range, further enhances this register. Sony tuned the sound signature with hip-hop producers and sound engineers, aiming for deeper bass and clearer vocals at high volume.

Automatic adjustment according to the room

Before playing, the ULT Tower Max analyses its surroundings. Built-in microphones measure its position and ambient noise, detecting, for example, the proximity of a wall, then the speaker adjusts its balance across the entire spectrum. Sony has enhanced this function in this generation under the name sound field optimisation. The calibration takes orientation into account: the Max can remain upright or be placed on its side, and the setting follows this positioning, whether horizontal or vertical.

Four modes and a 10-band equaliser

Sound reproduction can be adjusted to suit your preference. The ULT button switches between ULT1, which boosts the bass, and ULT2, which pushes sound pressure even further. Two other profiles complete the selection: Flat aims for faithful reproduction of the source, while Live opens up the soundstage to recreate the feel of a concert while keeping vocals clear. This Live mode can be assigned to the ULT button from the Sony Sound Connect app.

The app also provides access to a 10-band equaliser to fine-tune the sound band by band. DSEE processing is also included: it restores some of the detail lost in compressed files, useful when the source is a low-resolution stream.

LDAC wireless and wired connectivity

On the wireless side, the connection uses Bluetooth 5.3 with the LDAC codec, offering higher resolution than the also-supported SBC and AAC codecs. Two Max speakers can be paired as a stereo pair, with one handling the left channel and the other the right. The Party Chain function, based on Auracast broadcasting, connects several compatible Sony speakers and synchronises both music and lights; it succeeds the previous Party Connect function.

Wired connectivity is designed for stage and DJ use. It includes an RCA input, an XLR input and output (the output is used to chain another device), a microphone or instrument input with a 6.35-millimetre jack, a USB-A port and a USB-C audio interface. The USB-A port also charges a smartphone.

Karaoke and lights that follow the beat

The 6.35-millimetre microphone jack opens the door to karaoke straight out of the box. To go wireless, the Sony ULTMIC1 wireless microphone connects to the speaker and is sold separately. The Pitch Shift function changes the song’s key to match the singer’s voice.

The RGB lighting, redesigned for this generation, offers three moods: Beat matches energetic effects to the tempo, Wave creates softer, moving light, and Mellow slows the movement for relaxed listening. In Party Chain, these lights are synchronised from one speaker to another.

Technical Specifications

Design

• Type: powered party speaker
• Acoustic configuration: 360° multi-speaker sound system
• Total number of speakers: 9
• Integrated lighting
• Water resistance: splash protection on the top surface
• Dimensions (W × H × D): 534 × 1062 × 472 mm
• Weight: 56.3 kg

Speaker Configuration

• Front woofers: 2 × 280 mm
• Rear woofer: 1 × 280 mm
• Midrange speakers: 2 × 120 mm
• Front tweeters: 2 × 25 mm
• Rear tweeters: 2 × 40 mm

Power and Audio Processing

• Amplifier power: 2150 W
• Sound modes: ULT1, ULT2, Flat, Live
• Audio technologies: DSEE
• Customizable equalizer: 10 bands
• Sound field optimization
  • Horizontal and vertical tuning
• Transmission frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz (44.1 kHz sampling)

Wireless Connectivity

• Bluetooth version: 5.3
• Compatible profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, SPP, PBP
• Supported codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC
• Frequency band: 2.4 GHz
• Wireless functions: Stereo Pair, Party Chain

Wired Connectivity

• RCA input: 1
• XLR input: 1
• XLR output: 1
• 6.35 mm jack microphone input: 1
• USB-A port: 1
• USB-C port: 1

Features

• Multi-speaker sound distribution
• Wireless stereo pairing
• Party Chain function
• Karaoke compatibility
• Compatible with the Sony Sound Connect app
• USB port for charging a smartphone

Power Supply

• Power supply: 120 – 240 V AC, 50 / 60 Hz
• Power consumption in off mode: 0.3 W
• Network standby power consumption: 2 W
• Automatic standby after 15 minutes

Included Accessories

• AC power cord