Around this time, stay home and telework have spread, and spending a lot of time at home has increased. Among the AV equipment affected by this, earphones and speakers that "make sound at the ear without blocking the ear" are popular these days.
The "Neck Speaker System SC-GN01" (actual price: 22,000 yen) released by Panasonic in late October 2021 is based on speakers laid out in front and back so as to surround the neck. A product that allows you to easily enjoy 4ch surround sound. On top of that, it is characterized by specializing in gaming applications, and the sound team of that "FINAL FANTASY XIV" (Square Enix) also participated in the development. It is a model that pursues the speaker image that gamers really want, as well as making the best sound for game play such as RPG and FPS.
Personally, the time to play the game has increased dramatically since last year, and because I have a pet, I want to play while paying attention to the state of the house (= I do not want to close my ears). The one that was supposed to be. This time I would like to review this "SC-GN01".
Neck speaker connected with a single USB cable
The size (width) of this product is 240mm, and the weight is about 244g. If you look at it in your hand, it's big and heavy enough to have four speakers, but the burden of actually installing it is light. I feel that the silicone rubber pad around the neck and the structure that supports the area around the collarbone at four points on the left and right are devised to prevent the load from being applied.
To use it, just connect it to a Windows PC or game console with a single USB cable. When connected, the power turns on automatically. Since it is a USB connection type, make sure that you do not make a mistake before purchasing the points that are different from general headphones connected with a stereo mini plug.
As a game console, it supports USB connection with PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch (TV mode). For Xbox One / Series S / X and Nintendo Switch table / mobile mode, connect using the included audio connection cord (stereo mini terminal).
Some people may think that the connection is not wireless such as Bluetooth, but "wired nowadays?", But in the case of games, the slight delay in sound due to the wireless connection is often stressful. You don't have to worry about the battery level, so I'm sure you've stuck to wired as a gaming-specific product.
On top of that, if the cable is not long enough, it is a bit tough, but the USB cable of this product is quite long, 3m. It is a good impression that it is okay to stand up from the chair while wearing it or walk a little. However, because the cable is long, it is quite bulky when not in use. Whether you bundle the cables and hang them on a wall, or put them in a box every time you use them ... It may take some effort to clean them up.
Immersive surround effect not only in "FF14" but also in retro games
The volume at which the neck speaker sounds is a point that cannot be understood without actually experiencing it. Since this product is a speaker (not headphones), you can be sure that you will think that the sound you are ringing can be heard almost as it is by people nearby. However, since the sound is produced right next to the ear, even if the volume is turned down, the user can clearly hear the bass.
I think it has the meaning of giving consideration to the volume of the family and the neighborhood, such as at midnight, but at the author's house, there are even more benefits. After all, I usually run the dishwasher when I want to relax and play games. It was difficult to raise the volume of the game while there was a loud noise nearby, so a speaker that was easy to hear in the ear was very effective.
And from here, I will introduce a concrete example of the game that I tried playing on PS4 wearing "SC-GN01" little by little. The first thing you can't miss is "FINAL FANTASY XIV". It is a special title that the developer of this work was directly involved in the design of the product.
In this work, in addition to music and character voices, all the sounds that are particular about all the environmental sounds that sound in all directions, such as the noise of trees, the murmuring of rivers, and the chirping of birds, are important elements. By making the best use of the 4ch surround of "SC-GN01", you can enjoy them with a sense of realism. I could feel the closeness and distance of the surrounding monsters and people with my ears, and I was able to get into the world view quite deeply. I want to immerse myself in this by making the volume as large as possible.
In addition, 6 types of sound modes are preset in "SC-GN01", and you can switch between them by pressing the button on the main unit. It is unique that there are modes such as "RPG" and "FPS" in this, especially the RPG mode is for "FINAL FANTASY XIV" ... It may be an overstatement, but the best match There is no doubt that it is a setting. Compared to the normal stereo mode, I felt that the power and "feeling of being wrapped up" were overwhelmingly improved in the RPG mode.
The other is "VA-11 Hall-A Valhalla" as a title with a completely different direction. This is a unique work with a nostalgic touch of anime-style pixel art and the game of becoming a bartender and serving the perfect cocktail for the customer. There is no character voice, but we have a good reputation for the quality of the in-store BGM that can be selected from dozens of songs prepared in advance, and we decided to enjoy this with the neck speaker.
As for the impression after playing, there is a feeling that the presence at the bar rises sharply, and it goes well with this work that can be enjoyed as a "sake ate". There is also a way to enjoy listening to your favorite songs endlessly, but the speaker mode at this time is still more immersive if you set it to "RPG" rather than normal "stereo" or "music", so personally I like it.
And the other is a genuine retro game, but I play "Darius" as a title that completely changes the impression of the game depending on whether the characteristic bass is properly output (audible). It is a masterpiece that is said to be one of the three side-scrolling shooters along with "Gradius" and "R-TYPE". The PS4 / Nintendo Switch has released the "Darius Cozmic Collection", which is a perfect port of the ultra-wide screen that once operated in arcades in the late 1980s.
The original (arcade version) is a style of playing in a hut-like housing, and the deep bass that surrounds the player is the key to this work. The bass performance and surround effect of "SC-GN01" go well with this, and the presence of sound such as the urban stage where dosdos and inorganic beats echo, and the warning sound of "WARNING!" The feeling is outstanding. As a result, it became one of the most exciting ones I tried this time.
At the end, it's a digression level, but I also watched a TV program while taking a break from the game using the PS4 "torne" app. Good sound is effective in all situations, and it is easy to listen to "listening while listening" news programs. If the human voice is buried and difficult to hear, it is better to change the speaker mode to "Voice".
→ Click here for an article reviewing "torne"
Try compatibility with non-compatible game consoles and "game commentary"
In addition, we will look at a slightly special usage of "SC-GN01". Since this product is a USB connection type speaker, if there is a USB terminal, it seems that it can be used with older generation game machines such as PS3, but unfortunately there is no sound even if it is connected normally. However, as introduced in the first half, it is possible to output sound with an analog connection by using the audio connection cord (stereo mini terminal) that comes with the product. It is necessary to supply power with a USB cable, and it is necessary to separately prepare a cable to convert the red and white audio terminals to a stereo mini plug, which takes time, but it was confirmed that the sound itself can be output in analog.
And what I personally wanted to try with this product is the use of live game distribution. In the game live, the style of "speaking while listening to the sound with a headset" is common, but in the case of the author, I do not want to keep my ears blocked when playing for a long time, "listening to the sound with a normal speaker" The ideal situation was that you could play live.
After that, I tried some equipment, but the sound of the game was picked up by the microphone from the speaker, so the sound of the game turned around. In other words, it is delivered in a state where the sound is doubled like an echo. If it's about BGM, it doesn't bother me that much, but in a game with character voices, unnecessary echoes are attached to every line, so it's a bit tough for practical use.
The "SC-GN01" has a function called "echo cancel microphone" that cancels the game sound output from the speaker in advance with the digital opposite phase so that the sound is not picked up by the microphone. This is appealing as a convenient function for voice chat during game play, but is there a merit in the live game using a microphone as well? This is the part I was secretly expecting.
In conclusion, the effect of the echo cancel microphone is certain, and I was able to completely eliminate the echo of the game sound that would normally be applied. To be honest, that alone is quite epoch-making, but I also get the impression that it is a little inferior to a microphone that assumes live distribution that "it is more important that the voice of the distributor is clear than the volume of the game". By default, the volume of the live audio will be insufficient, so you will need to balance it by increasing the volume on the microphone properties or decreasing the volume on the game side. At this time, if you raise the microphone volume too much, noise will be more likely to get on, so it was a little difficult to set it appropriately.
The sound quality and fit are perfect.A sign of great popularity among gamers
The sound quality and presence for enjoying everyday games are perfect. Although it is heavy, it feels good to wear, and even if you play it for 6 hours in a row while hanging it around your neck, it doesn't feel like a burden. Furthermore, since the echo cancel microphone was also excellent, it is a niche desire to have a desire to release a "model for live broadcasters" that emphasizes the performance of the microphone.
This product is reasonably full-scale for a speaker in the 20,000 yen range, but according to Panasonic's product site, "SC-GN01" has received orders that greatly exceed expectations. Currently, we are strengthening the production system, but it may take time to deliver to customers in the future. "It seems that gamers who are particular about sound already have high expectations. So, if you are interested, we recommend you to check early.
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