CES 2022: Panasonic’s Wearable Gaming Speakers Bag Innovation Award

Wearable speakers aren’t new but there are very few (if any at all) that can provide the same level of immersion that Panasonic’s SC-GN01 SoundSlayer can. While it may look weird and completely unorthodox at first sight, this speaker’s clever design has taken home a CES Innovation Award for 2022.

SC-GN01 SoundSlayer Speaker Breakdown

As mentioned, neck speakers aren’t exactly novel; early models have existed since 2018. Panasonic’s SC-GN01 SoundSlayer uses these old designs and takes them a few steps further by going all-out on surround sound capability that’s perfect for gamers who are sick of wearing headphones but want a deeper level of immersion that ordinary speakers and soundbars can’t provide.

Unlike older models of wearable speakers, the SC-GN01 is a wired speaker that comes with four full-range speakers that are meant to provide gamers with realistic, accurate and high-quality audio whenever they’re playing their favorite games. Anyone who has used virtual surround sound will be familiar with this idea, except that the SoundSlayer is designed to physically simulate locational audio relative to the game being played.

This means that the speaker is creating a 360-degree soundscape around the wearer’s head. Panasonic calls this MAGESS or the Majestic Augmented Gaming Environment Sound System. Each speaker is capable of outputting high-quality 5.1-channel audio despite the peculiar design of the speaker.

The SC-GN01 is capable of replicating the same soundscape that a 5-point home theater can, including coverage for in-game audio that’s coming from above and behind.

Made With Gamers In Mind

Technical jargon aside, the SC-GN01 was designed to help users at home enjoy their favorite games without sacrificing comfort and audio quality. Since the speaker is worn around the neck, gamers won’t have to worry about the usual ear chaff or added weight that the typical gaming headset provides.

Despite being a speaker, it still comes with a built-in, high-performance microphone with noise and echo cancellation, which allows players to comfortably communicate with others in multiplayer games.

To double down on the emphasis on gaming, the SC-GN01 sports six dedicated sound modes that alter the speakers’ functionality to match certain game genres. Setting the speakers to FPS mode allows players to easily pick up important audio cues like gunshots, footsteps and call-outs while Role-Playing mode accentuates the fancy and flashy sound effects to make the experience more immersive.

Other sound modes include Voice, Music, Cinema and Stereo for casual use outside of gaming sessions.

The Verdict

The SC-GN01 is a great innovation of the wearable speaker that takes the unique design of the devices to new heights. Though it remains limited to indoor use and faces stiff competition from many traditional gaming headset brands, this speaker can stand on its own as a worthy alternative for gamers who are looking for a different experience.

Along with the CES Innovation Award, we’re happy to recognize Panasonic’s SC-GN01 as one of the convention’s best.