The soundbar market can be a tricky one to navigate at the best of times. You've got a huge breadth of choice out there across a wide range of prices. But if you've already narrowed down your choice to one brand, in this case, Sony, then this page should help you narrow down your choice quite quickly.
Sony makes some of the best soundbars on the market, including some seriously good Dolby Atmos models. We know, because we've tested a vast array of Sony soundbars to ensure that we only recommend the cream of Sony's crop.
Below, you will find a full list of the very best Sony soundbars, tested and ranked by our expert reviewers, including many five-star and Award-winning models. We've even listed today's lowest prices, to help you save as your spend.
How to choose the best Sony soundbar for you
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.
Want to achieve an immersive cinema experience without peppering your living space with tiny speakers? A soundbar could be just the job. Sony offers a decent choice of budget, mid-range and premium options – including some that integrate with the firm's newer Bravia TVs.
Most of Sony's soundbars use its S-Force Pro Front Surround wizardry to create a virtual surround-sound effect. More expensive models add features such as 4K and HDR passthrough, more convincing vertical effects, cutting-edge gaming features, Chromecast for wireless streaming, and voice controls.
You'll also find that some of the best Sony soundbars support Dolby Atmos and DTS:X – multi-directional sound formats that aim to recreate the kind of 3D audio experience you would expect at your local cinema. Top-end Atmos soundbars usually have upward-firing drivers that disperse sound vertically, reflecting it off the ceiling to mimic overhead speakers.
You should also consider where your soundbar will live (is it slim enough to fit under your TV?), the number of HDMI ports (are there enough for your TV, games console, etc?) and compatibility with your favourite music streaming service (does it play nicely with Spotify Connect, Tidal, Deezer, etc).
Once you've taken a look at our list and bought the soundbar that meets your needs, you can take a look at how to choose and set up a soundbar. Right, enough chatter, let's dive in...
The 2022 What Hi-Fi? Award-winning HT-A7000 is one of the best Sony soundbars we have tested.
You get 7.1.2 channels – including two up-firing speakers and a dual subwoofer – plus support for a wide range of audio formats including Dolby Atmos (in both the Digital+ and TrueHD formats), DTS:X, LPCM, hi-res wireless audio and Sony 360 Reality Audio.
The HT-A7000 is packed with streaming smarts too. Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Chromecast are all on board, along with support for Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Google Home. Already own a newer Bravia TV? You will find that this premium soundbar offers excellent integration.
In terms of height and precision, the performance is similar to that of the Sonos Arc, but the width of the soundstage and its forward projection is more convincing. There is no lack of musicality, detail or power – all of which are expertly controlled.
It's not the cheapest option, but the Sony HT-A7000 is an outstanding, future-proofed, all-in-one performer. Buy with confidence.
Read the full Sony HT-A7000 review
It doesn’t have the wow factor of Sony's What Hi-Fi? Award-winning A7000 soundbar (above), but the A5000 Dolby Atmos soundbar is still a more substantial sonic performer than much of the competition.
It has a lot to offer, including an HDMI 2.1 passthrough socket for gamers, a chunky little remote and excellent wireless connectivity (Bluetooth 5.0, AirPlay 2, Chromecast and Spotify Connect).
Sound is rich and well presented, growing in scale to a suitably epic room-filling sound. We find that the A5000 is excellent at digging out fine detail, even if the pricier A7000 does a much better job at projecting overhead height effects such as helicopters.
As a single-box sound solution, the Sony HT-A5000 is impressive and represents good value for money. That said, its underwhelming height drivers leave it lagging in direct comparison with class-leaders such as the Sonos Arc.
Read the full Sony HT-A5000 review
Looking to level up your TV's sound without too much fuss or outlay? Sony's affordable SF150 soundbar offers a significant sonic enhancement for the money. Indeed, there is almost no other competition worth considering at this price – whether it be from Sony or a rival brand.
Despite the bargain price, the SF150 is a well-built speaker and wouldn’t look out of place perched beneath a high-end TV. Alongside HDMI ARC, it has an optical input supporting Dolby Digital, Dolby Dual mono and LPCM 2ch. There's also a USB port and Bluetooth 4.2 for music streaming.
The SF150 boasts Sony's S-Force Front Surround technology, which applies processing to give the acoustic impression of a more encompassing sound stage. It's not a patch on 'proper' surround sound, but it does add a dramatic sense of weight and separation.
Dialogue can sometimes feel a touch muffled, and anyone wanting a more musical, finely detailed speaker should aim for the HT-A7000 (above). Still, if you're on a budget, the SF150 is a cracking option.
Read the full Sony HT-SF150 review
The A3000 is the smallest, cheapest model in the HT-A series – you can see the two pricier models further up this list. It still has Dolby Atmos, but a few corners have been cut: there are no upward-firing drivers or additional HDMI inputs.
It shares the same design DNA as its more premium range mates, namely a smooth black plastic build with subtle copper accents. There's a selection of capacitive touch buttons for power, input, streaming, Bluetooth and volume control, as well as a remote control, of course, so you don't have to get off the sofa to operate these functions.
It's big for a mid-ranger, dwarfing the Sonos Beam, and plays nice with plenty of formats, including DTS:X, Dolby Digital and Sony 360 Reality Audio, alongside Dolby Atmos.
The sound is natural, with well-placed effects, but if you want to enhance the dialogue, you'll need to turn Sound Field off, which also narrows the soundstage and flattens the audio. It aims for virtual surround effects and the imitation of height channels (despite the lack of upward-firing drivers), yet doesn't project sound as far into the room as we would like.
Still, for the money, it's a decent offering.
Read the full Sony HT-A3000 review
The HT-G700 isn't the smallest soundbar, but it is big on sound and value, and it comes with a wireless subwoofer, HDMI input and support for both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
Sony’s Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround technologies combine to produce a convincing Dolby Atmos soundscape, while a chunky subwoofer adds plenty of heft to big explosions. Sonos's Arc delivers an even more convincing Atmos experience – but it is twice the price.
The things in the 'against column' here are a slight lack of crispness, the absence of music-streaming features and the lack of voice control. But if you are after a dedicated piece of home cinema kit on a budget, the powerful-sounding HT-G700 Sony soundbar produces a cinematic performance without breaking the bank.
Read the full Sony HT-G700 review
The HT-X8500 was released in 2019 but is still worth considering. Mainly because it simulates 7.1.2 surround sound and supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X (via either single HDMI input or the eARC feature of the HDMI output).
Build quality is solid, the bundled remote control is a simple affair, and Bluetooth 5.0 makes it easy to send music to your soundbar. On the downside, the lack of a display is disappointing.
Sound quality is a mixed bag too. There's no denying that the HT-X8500 is a huge sonic improvement over most flatscreen TVs in terms of cinematic weight and spaciousness, but the bass from the dual subwoofer can overpower the midrange, resulting in slightly muffled dialogue.
The X8500 is slim and powerful. But if you're not wedded to Sony, and aren't that bothered about Dolby Atmos support, you should also consider the What Hi-Fi? Award-winning Sonos Beam (2nd Gen).
Read the full Sony HT-X8500 review
How we test Sony soundbars
We have state-of-the-art testing facilities in London, Reading and Bath, where our team of experienced, in-house reviewers test the majority of hi-fi and AV kit that passes through our door.
Each soundbar we test is paired with an appropriate reference TV and is directly compared with the best in its price and features class – whether that's the current What Hi-Fi? Award winner or a few of the latest models we have been impressed by in recent reviews. What Hi-Fi? is all about comparative testing, and we keep class-leading products in our stockrooms so we can easily compare new products with ones we know and love.
We are always impartial and do our best to make sure we are hearing every product at its very best. Before testing, we calibrate the sound of the bar to make sure it's working to the best of its abilities and also run it in. When reviewing we use plenty of different styles of films and TV shows to show what each soundbar is capable of. This includes the use of both advanced and standard audio formats. We test all the features onboard, including music playback, with a variety of genres and allow for plenty of listening time.
All review verdicts are agreed upon by the team rather than an individual reviewer to eliminate any personal preference and to make sure we are being as thorough as possible, too. There is no input from PR companies or our sales team when it comes to the verdict, with What Hi-Fi? proud of having delivered honest, unbiased reviews for decades.
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