Panasonic - SoundSlayer Wearable Gaming Speaker Wired 4 Channel Surround Sound - Charcoal

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The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.

• Rated 3 out of 5 stars

  Passable with a PC. Abysmal with a Console.

  • Tech Insider Network Member
  • Top 50 Contributor

  Sadly, I have found the Panasonic SoundSlayer to be quite disappointing. Initially, I was excited to experience immersive sound without the need for headphones, or a more expensive surround sound set-up, but the audio quality of this wearable speaker is a let down. Surprisingly there is virtually no bass and also no vibration effect that would simulate bass. As the speakers typically hang around the neck, all audio comes from in front of the ears - which limits the surround sound effect. The immersion can be improved by balancing the device on the shoulders (with the rear speakers behind the ears and the front two forward of the ears), but this balancing act is less comfortable and not realistic for any significant amount of time. Using the SoundSlayer with a game console is a flat out lousy experience. Not only are the two cables a nuisance, but the speakers do not get loud enough and chat volume is extremely difficult to hear. Sadly, there is not a separate option to control chat volume (only the option to mute the microphones). The USB cable (which is required to power the device) has plenty of length, but it does not have any breakaway feature that would prevent damage should someone trip on the cable. The power cable is not removable or replaceable - if the connection breaks, the whole device is destroyed. Using the SoundSlayer with a computer is a better experience, but the audio quality still leaves a lot to be desired. In my opinion, even lower cost headsets sound more robust. I can appreciate the general comfort of having speakers around the neck - as opposed to headphones which often become uncomfortable after long gaming sessions, but the SoundSlayer is simply not as cool (or useful) as its name suggests. The whole experience is as generic as the packaging. Using with a PC is passable, but using with a console is abysmal. Unfortunately, I would not recommend the Soundwave.

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  Posted 3 years ago by TheDuke

• Rated 4 out of 5 stars

  Portable Surround Sound On A Leash

  • Tech Insider Network Member

  I was really excited to discover the Panasonic SoundSlayer Wearable surround sound speakers, imagining early or late hour gaming sessions with premium sound at minimum volume. Online the image made it appear to be a speaker you wear like an airplane pillow, surrounding your head with speakers that connect to your game controller or PC. An elegant solution to small space surround sound. Upon arriving they are both exactly that and completely unwieldy. In the box you get the speaker band, an audio cable (male to male) to connect your speaker to your control or PC, and a bare bones multi-language setup guide. Immediately my concerns about this product grew when I saw a USB-A cable stretching from the SoundSlayer speaker band. Obviously you need power to run a speaker but in 2022 it makes more sense to have a built in battery that requires a USB to charge it, however the SoundSlayer requires a continuous power connection to work. The UBS-A is hardwired into the speaker band and there is no plug included that will provide power from your outlet to your speaker. Once I had the speaker out of the box I began to set it up. There are several modes you can use to get different built in audio profiles: cinema, FPS, RPG, Stereo, Voice, and Music. There is a volume rocker, a Mic Mute, the Mode Select (multipress to cycle through them), and a Mute button. The speaker band itself is plastic and cloth with a rubberized section that goes in back with rubber pads on the bottom to keep it from slipping around. Overall it feels lightweight but not cheap with a real solid quality impression. Wearing it is actually pretty comfortable and the sound quality is amazing! I have been replaying Horizon: Zero Dawn and reached a part where I was wandering through underground metal caverns. The SoundSlayer speakers had characters speaking behind me and the audio played from rear speakers but would travel around the speakers as I swung the camera around to face where the sound was coming from in game. It's a really neat and smooth use of the concept! I watched a bit of The Mandalorian to test the cinema mode and while it's not as dramatic given the lack of camera control (duh) the sound is awesome and space battles will rage all around you! If I could rate this based on only the sound quality and how it works as a surround sound system I would give it a perfect rating. This speaker is super cool! However to use it you require two wires running from the speaker around your neck, which is a tangled mess and really inconvenient. While I’ve grown accustomed to the audio cable going into the controller and whatever headset I’ve been using, the power cable here is just so lame! It is very long, so there isn’t likely to be a situation where you have to rearrange your seating to be near an outlet but extra wires and having a spare outlet may or may not be an issue for you. Personally I hate the extra wire but after a couple experimental attempts I was able to angle my chair to be facing the TV and allow the cable to run behind me into the outlet without getting in the way. It's annoying but I suppose it's not a deal breaker. One other note is that while I had imagined it would be a personal system the truth is that since the speakers have some “Oomph” to them anyone in the room will still hear your speakers. Overall a great surround sound system on a budget as long as you don’t mind the archaic use of wires over rechargeable batteries to keep the sound going. Excellent for games, especially if the game has scenes in wild jungles full of life or echoing halls where your sounds bounce around all around you. I’d give this a recommendation with a serious “BUT” attached to the USB-A hardwired power cable and lack of AC Adapter in the box.

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  Posted 3 years ago by NinjaTard

• Rated 4 out of 5 stars

  True immersive gaming neckband speaker

  • Tech Insider Network Member
  • Top 50 Contributor

  I have been waiting too long to get my hands on this neckband speaker. First of all, I'm a headset-style guy, but I have to admit that this speaker is sleek and very comfortable, and its features are what make it unique. It has four buttons, two on each speaker's side, volume control, mute, sound mode, and mic mute. It is incredibly lightweight to the extent I don't feel it is sitting around my neck. I have used it on multiple devices, PC, PS5, and Xbox One X. I like the fact that I don't have to charge or do any other software downloading; it is plug and play via USB. It was great to use on PC while I do my work; the second I plugged it in, the sound came out, and it did sound clear and crisp. On my PS5, the experience was less blessing as the wire was not long enough to reach my console. Therefore, I had to use my extended USB cable. Personally, I'm not too fond of cables, even though this does not compromise the sound quality and the immersive experience through its three different modes; cinema, music, gaming, and noise-canceling chatting. However, my big disappointment is with Xbox, I had to use the USB cable and the 3.5 audio wire, and here I feel tangled by cables. I wish it is wireless, but the comfort and sound quality make it great to use. For gaming, I was shocked by how this speaker sounded on the Forza game. I was able to hear the cars coming from my back and sides; it is genuinely immersive but being wired is my only drawback, primarily when being used on Xbox One, that I have to use two cables.

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  Posted 3 years ago by Zaid