Sony announces two compact soundbars to sit under your sofa

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Shown at CES 2017, the HT-MT300 and the MT500 are Bluetooth and NFC connected - but the MT500 also has Spotify and Google Chromecast built-in.

Sony has announced a couple of compact soundbars at CES 2017 - the HT-MT300 and the HT-MT500.

Superficially, there isn't much that distinguishes the two, but the £300 difference in price between the £550 MT500 and the £250 MT300 is down to connectivity, both wired and wireless.

MORE: CES 2017 – news, highlights, best new products

The MT300 connects to your devices via Bluetooth and NFC, while the MT500 also has Spotify Connect and Google's Chromecast functionality built-in.

The MT500 has a 'Music Service' button that accesses the last song you were playing from your Spotify Premium account, without the need to connect to your mobile phone or tablet.

Both the soundbars have USB, analog, and optical connections, but the MT500 also has a HDMI output and an ethernet port.

There's also a 'Sofa Mode', which Sony says means that you'll be able to feel the low frequency effects when the subwoofer is placed horizontally underneath the sofa.

The MT300 will be available in charcoal black or 'crèmewhite' from February, while the MT500 is only available in charcoal black, available from March.

MORE: Sony at CES 2017: 5 key highlights

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Adam Smith

Adam was a staff writer for What Hi-Fi?, reviewing consumer gadgets for online and print publication, as well as researching and producing features and advice pieces on new technology in the hi-fi industry. He has since worked for PC Mag as a contributing editor and is now a science and technology reporter for The Independent.