27 April 2017

Sony and Eurostar launch first ever ‘Sound Menu’

Helping passengers get the most out of their journey, with carefully curated, music psychologist-led playlist

• On average, business travellers spend four hours per week commuting, this is on top of an average 42.9 hour* working week. Ahead of meetings 14% confess to generally feeling tense and stressed
• With 47% of Brits stating music helps lift their mood, a carefully crafted ‘Sound Menu’ has been added to Eurostar’s on board entertainment platform, helping travellers get more from their journey with a specially selected playlist to improve productivity, concentration or relaxation whilst travelling
• The ‘Sony Sound Menu’ has been devised with Senior Lecturer in Psychology of Music at Keele University, Dr Alexandra Lamont

Sony and Eurostar have partnered to offer passengers the most relaxing journey yet, courtesy of the new ‘Sound Menu’, optimised for use with Sony’s 1000X wireless headphones with industry leading noise cancelling technology.

The partnership has been developed following UK research that looked into the music listening habits of business and lifestyle travellers. Over a quarter (27%) of travellers state they can never fully relax on a journey and 23% complain that they are unable to ‘switch off’ ahead of important meetings.

39% of travellers blamed the noise made by other travellers as being one of the biggest stress factors with 66% highlighting that music helps them relax; there has never been a better time to offer this bespoke service.

The Sony Sound Menu, on trial for a month initially, has been developed in partnership with Senior Lecturer in Music Psychology at Keele University, Dr Alexandra Lamont, who has drawn on a number of studies conducted on music and mood regulation to recommend five playlists to help travelers prepare, relax and focus on route to their destination.

The playlists include varying styles and tempos of music to evoke different emotions;

• Getting the job done: helping you focus on work – music which has fast high medium-high levels of sound, not too much pitch variability, and motivating but unobtrusive patterns has been recommended to keep focused and limit procrastination
• Psyching up for a long day: giving you a bit of a boost - fast tempo, high pitch, building rhythms, rising melodic contours serve as inspiration for the day ahead
• Being in the moment: music to calm and centre you - slow beats with simple textures, scenic and inspirational music and sounds with gentle rhythms and slow tempos, mixed in with some sounds of nature are perfect to help provide a moment of focus
• Getting from A to B: simply enjoying the journey - to relax and enjoy the ride, expansive music with some movement behind it that will help the miles whizz by
• A job well done: relaxing after a busy day - What better way to unwind at the end of a busy day than to calming music that takes some of the energy out of the journey and takes you to a calmer place, with slow beats and relaxing tracks

Matt Coupe, Head of Sound, UK&Ireland at Sony comments, “We know that music, if listened to in the right way, can be a form of escapism or can help focus the mind. We saw from research many are unable to relax or fully immerse themselves in music. Our 1000X headphones give travellers the opportunity to experience our best in noise cancelling headphones to be able to cut out the chaos around them. Plus, with our ‘Quick Attention Mode’, travellers can simply touch the side of their headphones so they’re still able to hear announcements or order a coffee on board.”

Senior Lecturer in Music Psychology at Keele University, Dr Alexandra Lamont comments, “Creating an ‘auditory bubble’ while travelling, such as through the use of noise cancellation technology, can allow passengers to get more from their journey, helps people block out environmental noise and allows them to focus on the moment or the task at hand. We know that different music creates different moods, and the traveller can immerse themselves in music that suits or changes their mood to make the journey pass more pleasantly. Being able to eliminate these noises and replacing them entirely with the sound of your choice leads to an all-round more relaxed experience”.

Neil Roberts, Head of Digital, Eurostar says, “Our onboard entertainment system gives travellers more than 300 hours of free content, all available through their own device. We’re always looking for ways to improve our passengers’ journeys, and the new Sound Menu created by Sony offers our travellers a way to get more out of their time on board, whether it’s focusing on work, or relaxing after a busy day.”

The Sony Sound Menu will be available on Eurostar’s onboard entertainment system on all e320 and e300 trains from Thursday 27th April for one month.  
About the survey
A survey of 2,000 UK adults was conducted by One Poll on behalf of Sony’s 1000X noise cancelling headphones in April 2017.
 
About the MDR 1000X headphones
With industry-leading noise cancellation, Sony’s MDR-1000X headphones allow the listener to enjoy music free of distractions. Listen in super silence or tailor sound to your environment.
 
Key features:

• Digital Noise Cancelling technology
• High quality wireless audio
• High-Resolution Audio compatible
• 40mm HD driver unit for dynamic range
• Aluminium-coated LCP diaphragm minimises distortion
• Luxury leather for comfort, swivel and fold to pack away in the case whilst travelling
• Tap the gesture control panel to turn the volume up/down or skip track
• Key modes include ‘Quick Attention’ which allows listeners to talk without taking headphones off. Place one hand over the housing to instantly hear what’s going on around you.
• Making the most of noise cancelling, the ‘Ambient Sound Mode’ setting changes the sound condition so that you can enjoy listening to music while catching the ambient sound outside, this lets you stay engrossed yet aware, catching every word being said around you.

 
About Sony Corporation
Sony Corporation is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, game, communications, key device and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, computer entertainment and online businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to be the leading electronics and entertainment company in the world.  Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of approximately $72 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016.  Sony Global Web Site: http://www.sony.net/
 
About Eurostar

1. Eurostar is the high-speed train service linking St Pancras International, Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International, Paris, Brussels, Lille, Calais, Disneyland Resort Paris, Lyon, Avignon, Marseille and the French Alps.
2. The current Eurostar train was first introduced into service in 1994 carrying 750 passengers and operating at speeds of up to 300kph.  Since then, the fleet of 28 trains has carried more than 150 million passengers between London and the Continent.  Following their refurbishment these trains will continue to form a core part of the Eurostar fleet. The new e320 will carry around 900 passengers at speeds of up to 320kph.
3. Eurostar was established in 1994 as a partnership between three railway companies: SNCF, SNCB and LCR (London and Continental Railways). On 1 September 2010, Eurostar became a single, unified corporate entity owned by three shareholders: SNCF, SNCB and LCR. LCR’s holding was transferred to the Treasury in 2014, and sold by the UK government to a consortium comprising Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec (CDPQ) and Hermes Infrastructure on 28th May 2015.
4. Eurostar is a founder member of Railteam, a partnership between Europe’s leading high-speed train operators that is developing simpler ways to book and travel on the fast-expanding, European high-speed rail network.
5. Eurostar and Eurotunnel are entirely separate companies.  Eurostar operates high-speed passenger trains, while Eurotunnel operates vehicle shuttle services and the Channel Tunnel itself. Eurostar is Eurotunnel’s biggest customer.

 
About the Sony Sound Menu
The Sony Sound Menu has been curated courtesy of Sony’s award winning 1000X noise cancelling headphones. The menu has been designed to aid concentration and relaxation on your journey; creating the perfect environment for business and leisure travellers alike. The playlists have been devised in conjunction with Senior Lecturer in Psychology of Music at Keele University, Dr Alexandra Lamont, ensuring listeners are able to prepare, relax and become focused en route to their destination.
Source: https://yougov.co.uk/news/2015/10/14/british-people-say-7-hour-work-day-most-productive/