Soundbars have come a long way over the years, now offering effective Dolby Atmos and surround effects all from a single bar.
But there’s one element where soundbars struggle the most: bass.
To address that shortcoming, one of Sony’s most recent releases has come with a convenient solution: the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 7 + S comes with a subwoofer included. And you can pick one up for £699 at Sevenoaks.
And it really makes all the difference – when we removed the subwoofer from the sonic equation, the soundbar lacked the scale and authority that the tight, agile bass provided.
Unlike its predecessor, the Sony HT-A3000, the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 7 has dedicated upward-firing drivers, meaning you’ll get ‘proper’ Dolby Atmos height effects and won’t have to rely on Sony’s Vertical Sound Engine processing.
And the effects are immersive and convincing indeed – a test viewing of Top Gun: Maverick resulted in the sound stretching above the TV screen as a jet soared into the atmosphere. You can pinpoint the plane’s position through the audio alone, while a motorcycle ride also showcases the width of the soundstage as Tom Cruise zips from left to right.
Voices are clear and emotive too, offering a huge improvement over most TV speakers.
What makes this soundbar stand out, however, is the well-handled bass from the subwoofer. So much so that when we remove the subwoofer from the equation, the soundbar on its own doesn’t quite feel like great value for money.
As we say in our Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 7 + S review: “While it still delivers clear vocals and convincing height effects, the sound is thinner and lacking the sense of scale and authority that we get when the subwoofer is added.”
Given that the package with the subwoofer is only £100 more than the regular soundbar, that really is quite impressive.
The soundbar has a neat design, with a stylish cloth grille and a 6cm height that should easily fit under most displays. The subwoofer is also fairly compact at 36 x 35 x 13cm (hwd), and can work with the grille either facing the listener or the side of the room.
There are plenty of great features, including full HDMI passthrough of 4K/120Hz, VRR and ALLM for the gamers out there.
There is also DTS:X support, while the Bravia Connect app allows you to fine-tune settings. This is especially important; while there is a remote control, we were disappointed to discover there were no physical buttons or display panels on the Bar 7.
The Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 7 + S is up against some steep competition, in the form of the Award-winning Sonos Arc Ultra, but does boast a more agile and well-integrated bass. If you’re after a bargain soundbar package that doesn’t disappoint in the bass department, then the Bar 7 and subwoofer duo are a match made in heaven, especially with £100 off at Sevenoaks.
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