Its soundstage isn't as wide as the HT-A7000, so you don't quite get the same immersive feel, and it comes with one less HDMI port-otherwise, the bars perform very similarly. It's a mid-range option released in 2021 as a more affordable alternative to the Sony HT-A7000. If you're looking for a more affordable alternative, consider the Sony HT-A5000. Given its balanced sound out-of-the-box, you might have an issue-but if you love to control your bar's sound, you can check out more customizable setups like the Samsung HW-Q990B or the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 with Speakers + Bass Module instead. It's a really good choice, but it doesn't have a lot of options to customize its sound. There's Dolby Atmos support, too, so you can take advantage of more immersive object-based formats commonly found on streaming services. You can enjoy 5.1 surround sound content like Dolby Digital, and the included rear speakers bring a clear and real feel to your audio, so sound effects seem like they're coming from the space around you.

This soundbar supports lots of common audio formats. The sub brings the rumble in the bass, too, so you feel the excitement in bass-heavy genres like EDM and action-heavy movies, just like you would at a movie theater. With it on, the bar's sound is fairly balanced, meaning everything from dialogue in your favorite movies to instruments in your favorite music are clear and accurate in the mix. As with most premium soundbars, there's a room correction feature to optimize the bar's audio reproduction based on the unique acoustics of your living space-it's called Sound Field Optimization. This 7.1.2 setup gives you a versatile overall performance with everything from music to movies to TV shows, with lots of features on hand to make the most of its sound. The best Sony soundbar we've tested is the Sony HT-A7000 with Speakers + Bass Module.

Sony sound bar