I played Saros with the new Pulse Elevate wireless speakers, and was wowed by their three-dimensional audio and noise-crushing mic and I interviewed Sony about why it's releasing speakers in a world of gaming headsets

Date:
Mon, 01 Jun 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Description:
I went hands on with the Sony Pulse Elevate wireless speakers, and their planar magnetic drivers and noise-reducing mics could be a total gamechanger for PS5 players.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Sonys new Pulse Elevate
speakers are aiming to bring lifelike desktop audio to your gaming sessions and beyond, and I travelled over to PlayStations UK headquarters in London to try them for myself.

I got to experience their in-game audio capabilities, music streaming skills, and even talk to PlayStations Vice President of Product Development, Edwin Foo, about the speakers creation process. But just how good are the Pulse Elevate? And what exactly sets them apart from the swathe of competing
desktop stereo speakers? Heres what I think after my time with the upcoming product. Latest Videos From You may like I heard Sony's Sonos-busting new wireless Dolby Atmos home theater system with separate speakers Sony Inzone
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above its predecessor Sonys new speakers: an overview The Pulse Elevate are available in either Midnight Black or White (Image credit: Future / Sony) The moment that Edwin and I sat down with the Pulse Elevate, he responded to a question that he already knew Id ask: Why would we [ Sony ] need to make [desktop] speakers? The answer came in two parts.

First of all, he said, since the release of the PS5 in 2020, Sony has identified a significant and growing portion of the user base that is not playing in front of a TV on a couch, but instead, while sitting at a monitor. We realize that this trend is growing and we really need to acknowledge it, Foo told me.

And the second part of the answer, he revealed, was that Sony felt that the display side of the desktop gaming equation was already well-served. There
are just lots of options out there for monitors, Foo said. But we realized that the audio portion of that experience could use some help.

For many, relying on monitors for audio wont be an option many arent
equipped with speakers in the first place, and when they are, theyre often pretty poor. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me
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But Foo was also keen to highlight how headphones or headsets might not be a great alternative for some gamers, citing issues such as discomfort, ears overheating, and isolation from the rest of the household. Headphone-like immersion on your desktop You can...ahem...elevate the speakers in a raised position, if you prefer (Image credit: Future / Sony) Instead, Sony felt that speakers were the way to go but it wanted to ensure that players could
almost recreate the immersive experience of using headphones. Foos team was responsible for the Pulse Elite headset, released in 2024. And a lot of key tech from that model has been placed within the new Pulse Elevate.

When I said that we hope people view these speakers as a way to enjoy sound from headphones without wearing headphones, we meant it Edwin Foo, VP,
Product Development - PlayStation The first example is PlayStation Link,
Sonys proprietary ultra-low-latency tech, which is ideal for gaming and an important inclusion given that these speakers cannot be used wired; they either sit on charging docks or can run off the dock for 12 hours, according to Foo. What to read next Best PS5 headsets 2026: our top picks for immersive audio for PlayStation 5 Denons new wireless speakers with Dolby Atmos take
aim at Sonos and WiiM rivals The best Sony headphones for all budgets, as tested by our audio experts

The second technology carried over is the Planar magnetic drivers, and this
is the exciting stuff. These studio-inspired drivers offer tremendous
accuracy and directionality, which makes them ideal for gaming, where you
want a precise sense of where specific sounds are emanating from.

Its worth mentioning that both speaker units also have a built-in woofer, which provides punchy, almost cinematic bass. Sony says that with the woofers and planar magnetic drivers combined, users can enjoy a varied soundscape thats perfect for desktop gaming. Sound check The speakers can be used off of their charging dock for up to 12 hours (Image credit: Future / Sony) After getting the lowdown on the Pulse Elevates inception, it was time for me to give them a go. I sat down at a desk, placed the speakers into their raised position, and entered a demo of Ghost of Ytei .

This demo contained a story overview from 2025s State of Play deep dive, and was very dialogue-focused. A narration running throughout the demo came through with exceptional clarity, never getting drowned out by music stirring in the backdrop or impactful bass. But it was in my second demo where I got a real taste of the Pulse Elevates full capabilities.

Yes, I got the chance to play the opening segment of Saros using the Pulse Elevate, and this is where the speakers impressed me most. When running through the environment, I was blown away by the directionality of ambient effects beside me, as well as enemies flying up and overhead. In addition, gunshots sounded agile and concise, rather than muddy or shrill, while dialogue remained well-balanced in the mix.

The planar magnetic drivers go a long way in providing precise stereo
imaging, but theres also Tempest 3D AudioTech on board, which endeavours to conjure up immersive surround sound for games that support it.

As well as gaming, I got to try listening to some music, which you can stream via Bluetooth on the Pulse Elevate for ultimate convenience. We tuned into Stay by The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber, and I was impressed with the bass output of the speakers as well as the energetic percussion.

Well need more time to test the speakers to determine just how good they are especially for music, but they certainly made a good first impression. However, Ive not even mentioned one of the best parts about these speakers yet: their noise-rejecting microphone.

With music turned up to the max, Foo spoke a few words, which were recorded
at a Teams meeting. When we listened back, the music was totally inaudible, and Foos voice came through with spectacular clarity. This really blew me away, as I tested a lot of audio tech with AI algorithms for crystal clear calls and they can often be underwhelming. But this works incredibly well,
and means you can enjoy in-game audio while talking to your pals without any compromise in terms of speech clarity. Talk about a first impression The
Pulse Elevate alongside the FlexStrike Wireless Fight Stick, which I also got to try out (Image credit: Future / Sony) I have to say, I was pretty
impressed by the Sony Pulse Elevate during my time with them. They offered an impressive sense of space while retaining clarity across the frequency range, and their noise-reducing mic feels very well equipped for online gaming.

There are some slight compromises; for example, Foo told me that the speakers dont support LDAC, and with no wired alternative, that means that true hi-res audio is off the table. Still, the AAC codec is supported, and with a good quality signal, that can often be enough to deliver outstanding audio.

The planar magnetic drivers are also a fantastic inclusion, and I felt that they captured the feeling of headphones for desktop gaming to great effect. Again, though, well need to test them for an extended period to get the full picture.

One more thing Ill say is that I like the design of these. They can stand
flat or raised, depending on your preference, and they easily slot on or off their charging docks. Their sloped appearance is also pretty eye-catching,
and they look classy in both of their color variants: Midnight Black or
White.

Some details remain unknown, such as the speakers price which Foo was unable to tell me just yet as well as their release date. However, Sony previously touted them for a 2026 launch, so hopefully we can get our hands on them sooner rather than later. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. The best PS5 controllers for all budgets Our top picks based on hours and hours of testing

Read our full guide to the best PS5 controllers 1. Best overall: DualSense Wireless Controller 2. Best pro: DualSense Edge 3. Best for versatility: Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded 4. Best for remote play: PlayStation Portal 5. Best for accessibility PlayStation Access Controller



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/gaming/sony-pulse-elevate-hands-on


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