The Sony HT-AX7’s identity crisis plays out in its price. If you think of it as a personal/portable music speaker, its £499 / $500 (around AU$635) asking price makes it a pretty premium affair.

Modern earbuds are great, but they can also be isolating. Enter the new Sony HT-AX7. This sleek, stylish device is perhaps best imagined as a hybrid of both. The base acts like a soundbar ...