At CEDIA Expo 2026, Sonance announced the all-new James Natural Collection, a design-forward line of on-wall speakers that set a new standard in both audio and visual performance. Utilizing high-quality premium natural materials, the Natural Collection delivers a truly superior performance that looks as though it was literally designed for that home.
Learn more about the James by Sonance Natural Collection on-wall speakers…
One thing I found really cool when I learned about the James Natural Collection is that it is part of Sonance’s premium product line crafted in Minden, Nevada. Back in 2019, I toured this facility just before Sonance acquired it. At that time, it was a completely new manufacturing plant to which James had moved from its original facility in California.
Oh, and here’s a fun fact: I had also toured the original James Loudspeaker factory in Napa, California back in 2016 as part of an organized press gaggle. And for those of you who would like to dig a little deeper into James’ history, that tour is still available on Strata-gee at this link. In both of those tours, you will find a separate link to an even more extensive slideshow of photos of my visits.
The Natural Collection is ‘Designed for the Room’
In the formal announcement of this new series of speakers, the company pointed out that its Sonance-branded line of in-ceiling and in-wall speakers is “designed to disappear” into the architecture of the space where they are installed. But the Natural Collection by James, the company says, is designed for the room – intentionally visible by design and built with “material specificity” and an expanded range of finishes “that design-forward rooms require.”
Utilizing handcrafted wood and natural woven fabrics in a variety of finishes, the Natural Collection finds its footing in almost any home design. Add to all of this a “display-matched” sizing scheme and the inclusion of premium driver designs, and these speakers look as good as they sound, and sound so good that clients will love them nonstop.
Every Speaker Hand-Built With Premium Wood Finish
The company says that every speaker in the collection is hand-built with a premium wood finish that delivers warmth and texture as well as structural stability for long-term performance that just doesn’t degrade over time. Modern Brown and Modern Teak feature “genuine real-wood veneer” for that wood look that clients will love. Modern White, Black, and Sand Gold are finished in painted wood with a consistent look that integrates into any design environment.
Says Sonance, “The result is a collection of five finishes chosen not for breadth, but for relevance: each option maps to the way architects and interior designers actually build rooms.”
Comes in Two Dimensional Versions
The James Natural Collection comes in two different versions: HTL (Horizontal Thin-Line) and VTL (Vertical Thin-Line). Each is sized in a standard speaker footprint, or to align precisely with the dimensions of 55″, 65″, 75″, and 85″ 2026 Samsung Frame TV displays.
HTL models match display width, creating a seamless horizontal strip of audio below the screen. VTL models match display height, flanking the screen with a clean vertical presence that almost seems to augment the display…and the wall.
By the way, if screen matching isn’t a necessity, both models are available in a minimum dimension: 19.75″ for the NC3 and 23.25 for the NC5QT.
Available in Two Performance Levels
In addition to two different dimensional designs, the Natural Collection also offers two available performance levels. NC3 is based on a 3.5″ shallow-depth thin-line waveguide driver and an aluminum tweeter. Thanks to James’ engineering, an aesthetically thin speaker design can still deliver fat speaker performance.
The step-up performance level is known as the NC5QT, which employs a 5.25″shallow-depth driver paired with James’ popular Quadratech tweeter. The NC5QT delivers a noticably expanded performance suitable for larger spaces. Both versions are just 2″ deep to offer high-performance in a low profile for a pleasing, less obtrusive profile when mounted by hanging artwork or sleek TV displays.
The NC10-SUB Rounds Out the System
Also available: a 10″ subwoofer known as the NC10-SUB. As you might imagine, the NC10-SUB delivers deeper bass extension, smoother low-to-mid-bass performance, and an overall richer listening experience with either an NC3 or NC5QT system. The NC10-SUB can be mounted on a wall, placed on a pedestal, or positioned under furniture to meet the needs of the specific space.
The Natural Collection represents something we have been building toward for years. On-wall audio has always been visible, but it has rarely been designed with the room in mind. We built the Natural Collection specifically to change that: premium wood finishes, materials chosen for the way rooms are actually designed, and sizing that aligns precisely with the displays our clients are already specifying. This is the Sonance answer to what design-forward audio looks like when it stops hiding and starts belonging.
Jason Sloan, Sonance Chief Revenue Officer – Residential Sales
HTL Offered in Multiple Channel Configurations
HTL soundbar models are available in single-channel, 2-channel, or 3-channel configurations. VTL models are single-channel only. Both HTL and VTL, as well as both performance levels, are available across the full range of dimension-matched sizes to complement Samsung Frame TV or any other similarly sized TV model.
The Natural Collection offers a wide variety of grille options, including nine fabric color options to complement any room palette. There is also a Designer Grille Frame, which is a fabric-ready grille to add your own fabric to match any room’s unique design exactly.
Availability and For More Information
James by Sonance Natural Collection speakers and subwoofers are available to preorder now to all authorized Sonance Dealers located in the Americas. Shipping in the U.S. will begin in October.
The Natural Collection is expected to launch to global Sonance customers in Q1 2027.
For more information, visit sonance.com/collections/natural-collection or contact your Sonance sales representative.
To learn more about Sonance and all of its products, be sure to visit: sonance.com.
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