Sony has drawn the curtain on its latest soundbar offering, the HT-S400. The new 2.1-channel 'bar and subwoofer pairing promises to deliver virtual surround sound for £260 / $300 / AU$499.
The HT-S400 combines a 200W soundbar with a 130W wireless sub, for a total power output of 330W – pretty punchy for such a relatively compact and affordable set-up.
Unsurprisingly, there's no support for the premium Dolby Atmos surround format, but you do get Dolby Digital. And Sony's own S-Force PRO Front Surround tech supposedly works to emulate cinema-style surround sound to get the most out of movie soundtracks.
The subwoofer isn't the only thing that's wireless here. The HT-S400 can receive wireless audio from compatible TVs via Bluetooth A2DP (that's most of the 2021 Sony Bravia TVs, but you can check whether your set is supported here).
The soundbar comes with a compact remote, but here's a neat feature: the soundbar settings should automatically appear on your Bravia TV's settings menu, so you can adjust the sound using your existing remote.
A concealed OLED display is a nice touch, and the flat design should ensure drama-free wall-mounting. You also get a 'Night' mode for dialing back the bass so as not to disturb the neighbours. Connections include the typical HDMI ARC and optical inputs.
In the market for a budget soundbar from the venerable Japanese brand? The Sony HT-S400 is due to go on sale in April 2022.
MORE:
Best Sony TVs: budget, premium and smart
Our pick of the Best Dolby Atmos soundbars
And the Best home theatre speaker systems
