If you’re thinking about upgrading your TV’s audio and considering a Sony soundbar, but not sure which to get, then you’re in the right place.
Our team of home cinema and audio experts have been hard at work reviewing Sony soundbars since the company first started making them and we plan to continue our work with its latest Theatre Bar 9 and 8 units – which we’re expecting in our viewing rooms very soon.
This experience means we can safely confirm there are a number of excellent options currently available that will elevate your movie watching experience to new heights, especially if you’re upgrading from your TV’s inbuilt speakers.
But be warned, while there are plenty of great options, there are also many lemons, which don’t deliver in key areas including general audio quality, connectivity and virtual surround sound accuracy. Which is why we’ve penned this guide detailing the top Sony soundbars our experts have fully reviewed and recommend.
You can see a detailed guide of how we test Sony soundbars at the bottom of this page, but the short version is every bar is put through a series of listening and comparative checks against key rivals in our controlled viewing and listening rooms.
The quick list
Best overall
An outstanding performer that we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to anyone.
Best cheap Atmos
Impressive sound quality alongside features such as Dolby Atmos and HDMI eARC which are missing from some rivals.
Best step-up Atmos
Looking for cinematic sound on a budget? Look no further than the affordable A3000.
Best mid-range
The middle child in Sony’s soundbar offspring offers plenty of reasons to recommend it.
Best cheap
This wallet-friendly soundbar is the ideal step up from your TV’s built-in speakers.
In 20 years of reviewing and writing about home entertainment tech, I’ve seen more than my fair share of TVs that look brilliant, but sound terrible. Without great sound to immerse you in the experience, you may as well be watching the TV through a shop window. That’s why we always recommend partnering a TV with a decent soundbar, and Sony makes some of the best around…
The best Sony soundbar overall
The Sony HT-A7000 is a stellar soundbar that not only picked up a perfect five-star rating from our reviewers, it also picked up a Product of the Year accolade at the last What Hi-Fi? Awards.
It is about to be superseded by the Sony Theatre Bar 9 as the top dog in the Japanese giant’s soundbar range, but until we get that in for review, it remains our recommended option for most people.
The HT-A7000 is designed in a 7.1.2 channel configuration and has two up-firing speakers and a dual subwoofer. It also offers support for a range of audio formats including Dolby Atmos in both the Digital+ and TrueHD formats, as well as DTS:X, LPCM, hi-res wireless audio and Sony 360 Reality Audio.
It’s also packed with streaming options. Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Chromecast are all supported along with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Google Home. It also offers excellent integration with Bravia TVs if you happen to own one.
In terms of height and precision, the performance is comparable with that of the Sonos Arc, but the width of the soundstage and forward projection of the HT-A7000 is more convincing. There is no lack of musicality, detail or power – which are all controlled expertly.
Regardless of what movie we threw at it the HT-A7000 delivered a surprising amount of low end, excellent Atmos and clear, immersive audio that truly elevated what we were watching. Hence our conclusion:
“The A7000 produces powerful, cinematic audio and an immersive, detailed soundfield from a single soundbar that impresses more than most multi-box systems [...] It’s an incredibly competent, future-proofed performer that enhances everything we watch and sets a new benchmark for Dolby Atmos soundbars at its price.”
Read the full Sony HT-A7000 review
The best cheap Sony soundbar for Atmos
The best step-up Sony soundbar for Atmos
The A3000 is the smallest, cheapest model in the HT-A series. It still has Dolby Atmos, but a few corners have been cut. For example, there are no upward-firing drivers or additional HDMI inputs.
It shares the same core design ideas as the more premium bars in the range, such as a smooth black plastic build with subtle copper accents. There are capacitive touch buttons for power, input, streaming, Bluetooth and volume control, as well as a remote control.
It's fairly large for a mid-range model, easily outsizing the Sonos Beam, and supports a range of audio formats, including DTS:X, Dolby Digital and Sony 360 Reality Audio, alongside Dolby Atmos.
The sound is natural, with well-placed effects. It aims for virtual surround effects and the imitation of height channels despite the lack of upward-firing drivers, though it doesn't project sound as far into the room as we would like. If you’re looking to enhance dialogue, we have a tip – you should turn Sound Field off, which narrows the soundstage and flattens the audio.
Read the full Sony HT-A3000 review
The best mid-range Sony soundbar
Despite being superseded by the new Bravia Theatre Bar 8 and lacking the star factor of the Award-winning A7000, Sony’s A5000 soundbar is still a more impressive sonic performer than many comparable rivals out there.
It has a lot to offer, including an HDMI 2.1 passthrough socket for gamers, a chunky remote and excellent wireless connectivity options including Bluetooth 5.0, AirPlay 2, Chromecast and Spotify Connect.
We find that the A5000 is excellent at clearly presenting finer details, even if the A7000 does a much better job at projecting overhead height effects such as helicopters. The sound is rich, well presented, and retains composure when growing in scale.
This plus its generally powerful, deep, well-measured sound makes it a great mid-range Atmos read Sony soundbar, and led our reviewers to conclude:
“The Sony HT-A5000 has a lot to offer, with a powerful broad soundstage, robust low-end and excellent connectivity [...] As a single-box sound solution, the A5000 is still more impressive than many of its competitors.”
As an all-in-one sound solution, the Sony HT-A5000 is impressive and represents good value, though its underwhelming height drivers leave it trailing class leaders such as the Sonos Arc. We look forward to seeing how the new Bravia Theatre Bar 8 fares in comparison…
Read the full Sony HT-A5000 review
The best cheap Sony soundbar
If you’re looking to improve your TV's sound with the minimum hassle possible, Sony's affordable SF150 soundbar offers an excellent solution for the money; so much so that there is almost no other bar worth considering at this price.
Even though it’s considerably cheaper than the options on this list, the SF150 is still a well-built speaker and wouldn’t look out of place sat beneath a high-end TV. Alongside HDMI ARC, it has an optical input and supports Dolby Digital, Dolby Dual mono and LPCM 2ch. There's also a USB port and Bluetooth 4.2 for streaming music.
The SF150 soundbar includes Sony's S-Force Front Surround technology which is designed to give the impression of a more immersive sound stage. Of course, it’s not a perfect replacement for true surround sound, but it does add a dramatic sense of weight and separation to any audio.
We find that dialogue can sometimes lack clarity and there are more musical soundbars included in our list here, though if you're on a budget, the SF150 is still a quality option.
Read the full Sony HT-SF150 review
Also consider
Sony HT-G700: The G700 isn't the smallest soundbar, but it’s big on sound and value. It’s pricier than the SF-150 but for your extra cash you get a convincing Dolby Atmos soundscape and a chunky subwoofer that adds plenty of heft to big explosions. A slight lack of crispness and the absence of music-streaming features do count against it, though.
How to choose the best Sony soundbar for you
Sony offers a wide selection of different soundbars ranging from budget options to higher-end models, including some that integrate well with newer Bravia TVs. However, there’s more than just money to think about when choosing the right bar for you.
Firstly, you need to consider where your soundbar is going to be placed. Make sure you consider whether there is space for it to sit under your TV, and if not, is there a suitable slot for it in your TV unit? (Although bear in mind that this isn’t an option if you want one that fires some of the sounds upwards to mimic overhead speakers as the drivers will be blocked.) Another option for those with wall-mounted TVs would be to mount the soundbar similarly.
Most of Sony's soundbars use its S-Force Pro Front Surround technology to virtually create the effect of surround sound. More expensive models also add features such as 4K and HDR passthrough, more impressive vertical effects, cutting-edge gaming features, Chromecast for wireless streaming, and voice controls. If you are looking for a soundbar that produces the most immersive experience, make sure you choose one that supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X – multi-directional sound formats that aim to recreate a cinema-style 3D audio experience.
It’s also important to think about how many HDMI ports you will require. Be sure to choose a model that offers enough for your TV, games console, Blu-Ray player, or any other media devices. If you think you might also use the soundbar to listen to music, it’s worth checking that your preferred streaming service (Spotify Connect, Tidal, Deezer, etc) is supported.
Once you've decided on the soundbar that meets your needs, you can take a look at our guide on how to set it up.
How we test Sony soundbars
Every product that passes through the doors of What Hi-Fi? HQ is sent to one of our state-of-the-art facilities in London, Reading or Bath for testing – and Sony soundbars are no different.
As part of a thorough testing process, our in-house reviewers pair each Sony soundbar with an appropriate reference TV and ensure everything is calibrated correctly. After an initial period of running in – a process that allows the components to loosen up – each soundbar is put through its paces using a range of movies and TV shows, from big-budget blockbusters full of action to more intimate dramas packed with dense dialogue. All supported audio formats are fully evaluated, whether that’s expansive 3D sound or just standard stereo decoding, while standard music playback of various genres is also fully tested.
What Hi-Fi? believes in comparative testing, so products are never tested in complete isolation. All of the above Sony soundbars have been compared to their class-leading rivals and the latest What Hi-Fi? Awards winners, so we’re always able to tell you what’s just good and what takes the next step up to being the very best.
The reviews aren’t written in isolation either, with every verdict the result of a team decision. This ensures that no personal preferences are given undue weight and guarantees each review is as thorough as possible. Ratings are decided by the editorial team alone, with no influences from PR representatives or our sales team, so you can be sure all What Hi-Fi? reviews are honest and unbiased.
FAQ
How do I connect a Sony soundbar to my TV?
All soundbars, no matter the manufacturer, come with an optical input, which you can use to connect it directly to your TV, but many also now have HDMI sockets. You don’t always get the corresponding cables included in the box, so you might need to supply your own.
Is ARC or optical better?
Optical cables don’t support the full gamut of audio formats, so if you want to make the most of your Sony soundbar you’ll want to use the ARC (or eARC) connection if your TV has one. This will use up one of its HDMI sockets, so make sure you have enough to plug everything else in. It also allows you to control the soundbar using your main TV remote. You can go in-depth on HDMI ARC and eARC by reading our guide, but in terms of sound quality this is the best way to connect a soundbar.
It’s not without its potential downsides though. Using HMDI ARC/eARC can sometimes introduce a small but noticeable audio lag, which can usually be fixed by either adjusting the delay or limiting the codecs you use, although the latter may negate the point of buying such a capable soundbar in the first place.
Do I need a Sony TV to get the best out of a Sony soundbar?
You don’t need a Sony TV to use a Sony soundbar, but if you connect an HT-A7000, HT-A5000 or HT-A3000 to certain Bravias you’ll be able to use Acoustic Center Sync, which incorporates the TV’s built-in speakers as part of the centre channel to improve dialogue clarity.
Recent updates
- 10th September 2024: Updated intro and HT-A7000 and 5000 entries to reflect the fact we're about to test the Theatre Bar 9.
- 17th June 2024: HT-S2000 added as 'Best Cheap Atmos' model.
- 4th April 2024: Updated with new intro, how to choose, how we test, FAQ, and author sections.
- 8th March 2024: Updated with also consider section.
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