Panasonic SC-GNW10 Sound Slayer

Wearing comfort

The Panasonic SoundSlayer SC-GNW10E is impeccably finished and gives an impression of high quality. It has four pads on the underside, which enables a stable wearing position. The weight of 401 grams is primarily felt by your neck, which takes some getting used to. The flexible contact surface has a rubber-like feel that is non-slip, but this restricts your head’s range of movement somewhat and can pull on the hairs on the back of your neck. Even though these neck speakers don’t score that badly in terms of wearing comfort, it is possible that they might be improved with the addition of padding.

Operation

This wireless speaker system can be switched on via a power button, which, like the other controls, is easily accessible on the left-hand side. This includes volume control, which enables fine adjustment, and a microphone button for muting the implemented microphone technology. A practical feature is that the neck speaker and the USB transmitter both signal the deactivation of voice transmission with red LEDs. A third button is used to switch between the sound modes, which include a preconfigured selection for gaming “RPG”, “FPS” and “Voice”, as well as settings for everyday use such as “Cinema”, “Music” and “Stereo”. Three customised pre-sets can also be created via connection with an app on your PC.

A good feature is the fact that the volume of voice transmission and the intensity of bass reproduction can be adjusted directly on the neck speaker. While chat volume can be adjusted through seven levels, there are five setting options for the bass range, and this can be accessed via a combination of microphone buttons and volume control.

In practice

According to the manufacturer, the Panasonic SoundSlayer SC-GNW10E supports the PS4 and PS5 as well as the Nintendo Switch in TV mode and Windows 10/11. However, this neck speaker also works perfectly with macOS or an Android smartphone, but the SoundSlayer Engine app, which can be used on a PC, is not available for Mac and Android systems.

Two USB-C to USB-A cables are supplied in short and longer versions. It should be noted that the 1-metre version is used to connect the transmitter, which automatically connects to the speaker system when it is switched on. The small USB box also has a 3.5mm audio output, which makes it possible to operate an active subwoofer. The neck speaker can be charged using the short USB-C to USB-A cable, although this takes a good three and a half hours when the battery is empty. After this, the battery life of around seven hours does not necessarily seem all that long, but it is sufficient. On a positive note, the 2.4 GHz wireless connection had an above-average range and could easily bridge several rooms.

SoundSlayer Engine app

In addition to an EQ section for personalised sound settings, the app (for Windows) offers balance control for the four 38mm speakers, allowing you to set the ratio between the sound from the front (left/right) and rear (left/right). It is also possible to control the intensity of the bass reproduction as well as the overall and chat volumes via the app, and the microphone technology can be tested using a short voice recording. In addition, it displays the status of the battery, and you can activate or deactivate functions such as the illumination of the SoundSlayer SC-GNW10E, automatic switch-off after five minutes of inactivity or surround sound. Firmware updates can also be carried out via connection with the app.

Voice intelligibility

Communicating works very well with this neck speaker, as the clear voice reproduction was extremely authentic. It was also impressive how effectively the microphone’s AI algorithm technology filtered all noise sources so that only your own voice was transmitted. Background noise and even wind noise outside were completely suppressed. There was also no need to worry about feedback, as the loudspeaker reproduction was not perceived by the other person. There was also excellent speech intelligibility on your own side, as the automatic lowering of the media playback brought the other person’s voice to the fore.

Sound

The sound reproduction of the Panasonic SoundSlayer SC-GNW10E was appealingly precise and conveyed an open, spacious listening impression. However, these neck speakers are not bass-tuned like many gaming headsets. On the contrary, the bass reproduction appeared lean rather than rich and did not reach very far down, so in music mode; it could feel like the low bass was missing. In RPG and FPS mode, the bass range for video games such as “Resident Evil 4” or “Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze” should have a little more substance, which is why we recommend the use of an active subwoofer for action-packed games.

On the other hand, the orchestral soundtrack of “Ori and the Blind Forest” sounded enchanting and inevitably cast a spell over the listener. The reproduction was extremely spacious, skilfully illuminated and rich in detail, and conveyed a lot of atmosphere. The high level of clarity of the presentation was also remarkable; it felt soft and light-footed and harmonised perfectly with the sound of the protagonist.

This mobile speaker system also offered a great gaming experience when taking part in Link’s new adventure in “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom”. When exploring, collecting and solving puzzles, the open-world character was reinforced by spatial perception, which increased the fun factor. The simple categorisation and traceability of sounds were particularly helpful when tracking down enemy camps or evading combat. My hearing did not tire quickly, thanks to the balanced presentation. However, if you are someone who loses themselves in space and time during an extended gaming marathon, you should bear in mind that those around you can also hear what’s going on.

Conclusion

The Panasonic SoundSlayer SC-GNW10E (€299 RRP) is particularly recommended for atmospheric soundtracks and open gaming worlds thanks to its precise, spatial presentation. However, this neck speaker lacks depth with bass-orientated media, although this could be supplemented with the use of an active subwoofer. It has many practical functions, such as the selection of sound modes and the ability to set the volume of the microphone technology directly on the device. The wireless speaker system also offers excellent speech intelligibility when communicating as it filters all noise sources using AI algorithms.