Inside Sony’s Big Sound Moment: The ULT POWER SOUND Expansion Lands in SA

Sony didn’t just turn up the volume in Edenvale, they shook the room. Literally. The brand unveiled the newest additions to its ULT POWER SOUND range, and if you’re someone who believes bass should be felt in your chest, not just heard through your ears, this was the place to be.

The event took place at SMD Technologies HQ, which already hinted this wasn’t going to be your standard corporate handshake-and-move-along launch. The morning kicked off with a warm welcome from Avi Mishan, Managing Director of SMD Technologies, who set the tone with something quite refreshing: sincerity. He spoke about SMD’s core value of building long-lasting partnerships and how Sony has been part of that story for eight years. With the launch of the Sony World website, he explained, the partnership isn’t just continuing, it’s evolving.

Once the official introductions wrapped, I had a quick chat with Koji Sekiguchi, Head of Marketing at Sony Middle East and Africa. If you’ve never experienced Sony’s ULT button, you really should. It immediately transforms any song to give it just enough bass without disrupting the clarity of the song.

So I had to ask him, why create this at all? He told me the idea came from listening to customers, especially abroad, who wanted deeper, heavier bass. Sony took that seriously and birthed the ULT Series for both speakers and headphones.

And it’s all done through software. Meaning, in theory, even the flagship WH-1000XM6 could have ULT. Koji made it clear that the XM6 line is staying focused on noise cancellation. As for whether we’ll ever see ULT in earbuds, he wouldn’t say. 

The showcase included the ULT FIELD 3, FIELD 5, TOWER 9AC and ULTMIC1; additions that join the already-loved ULT TOWER 10, FIELD 7, FIELD 1 and ULT WEAR. The whole range looks like it was built for anyone whose life has a soundtrack.

Jobin Joejoe, Managing Director for Sony MEA, summed it up pretty well: the South African market is perfect for these products. He spoke about how Sony feels confident this moment will cement them as leaders in the sound space locally.

The event also tied into the bigger move Sony has recently made: the launch of Sony World, their official e-commerce platform for South Africa. It’s sleek, fast and positioned as a true direct-to-consumer bridge. As online retail in SA pushes past the $7 billion mark, Sony is betting big on local tech fans, giving them full-range access and global launch parity.

The timing couldn’t be better: the ULT launch rolled straight into Sony World’s Black Friday season. From flagship headphones to wireless earbuds, speakers and even home entertainment staples like the BRAVIA Theatre Quad, the deals go well beyond the “modest” discounts we usually see this time of year.

And if you want to experience the ULT range yourself, Sony is taking the excitement on tour. Johannesburg shoppers can visit the Sandton City activation (Incredible Connection Court, 1–30 November) or the Mall of Africa activation (Pick n Pay Court, 1–29 December). You can demo the products, join competitions and even win an ULT FIELD 1 speaker. Plus, registering at the stand unlocks a 10% Sony World discount on the entire ULT range until 15 January 2026.