7/13/2023 0 Comments Sony soundbar with subwooferIt filled our medium-size den with precise sound…even if that sound was lacking in the low-end. To end on a positive note, though, we were impressed with the soundstage on the soundbar. The soundbar fails to reach the heights of its older siblings, the HT-A5000 and HT-A7000, when it comes to Dolby Atmos audio, so we’d recommend checking those out if you’re keen for a full Atmos experience. Because it has built-in woofers rather than a discreet sub, the bass response was almost anaemic and the upper trebles that should have sparkled, blended into the mix.Īs for spatial audio, we couldn’t hear much verticality in the mix - that’s because audio has to be played on a 3.1 system rather than a full 5.1.2-channel setup. Without a Bravia TV to test it with, however, we were stuck using the HT-A3000 as a basic soundbar - and we can’t say that the dynamic response of the soundbar really blew us away. If you own a Bravia TV, like the Sony X95K or Sony A80J OLED, you can take advantage of a few other features like Acoustic Center Sync that gets the TV’s speakers to play at the same time as the soundbar to offer an expanded sound range. Even shows that have particularly tough-to-hear audio (*cough* House of the Dragon) see an improvement when played through the soundbar, and it’s a huge step up from a TV’s built-in speakers. While some soundbars bring booming bass and sparkling trebles, the Sony HT-A3000 really focuses on enhancing the mid-range for clearer dialogue. Having plenty of control options is great, though you’ll likely just want to stick to the remote when possible. Should you misplace the remote, the soundbar has touch-capacitive buttons along the top of the main unit or you can use the Sony Music Connect app on your phone. You’ll have a hard time seeing it from far away, and it’s hard to tell when a Dolby Atmos audio signal is being received by the soundbar. Ultimately, it's nice to have options in the soundbar space, and for that reason we're welcoming Sony's new soundbar with open arms.That said, while the LED screen is better than nothing - it’s not as helpful as a full graphical interface. The difference in power might result in hard-to-hear dialogue on the less expensive system or underwhelming stereo sound. The other reason is that the main bar on 5.1 systems - the one responsible for driving the center, left and right channels - is underpowered compared to a more expensive 2.1 soundbar. In the case of Vizio's 5.1 system, you have to run cables from the subwoofer to the rear speakers, and that could be problematic for some. So why buy any 2.1-channel system when you can buy a 5.1-channel system for even less? Well, you might not have the room for - or like the look of - satellite speakers. Vizio in particular offers the V-Series 5.1 Sound Bar (V51X-J6) with satellite speakers that sells for $219 in the US - or $80 less than what Sony plans on charging for the HT-S400. While the HT-S400 is selling at a great price for a proper soundbar, Sony faces some steep competition from the likes of Vizio and Samsung, who offer cheaper systems. Analysis: Why buy a 2.1 system when you can buy a 5.1 system instead?
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