CONSCIENTIOUSLY SPECIFIED AND irresistibly upgradable, the Sony HT-A5000 is a next-generation soundbar with a deceptively attractive price.
Sporting three forward-facing X-Balanced (which is to say they're more bassy than you might expect) drivers, two side-firing beam tweeters, a pair of height speakers, and dual integrated woofers, it's classified as a 5.1.2 sound system. There's DTS:X support as well as de facto Dolby Atmos, a claimed 450W of amplification and a 4K/120Hz capable HDMI input. Not bad for £699. The thing is, if you buy one, you'll want to spend more. Much more...
The HT-A5000 sits below the £1,099 500W Sony HT-A7000 (HCC #326). That model is classified as a 7.1.2 system, thanks to its five front drivers and two side tweeters, but it has a comparable feature specification. This makes the more modest HT-A5000 look like a bit of a steal.
But I'm here to warn you that what appears to be a mid-priced soundbar is actually a high-end component in disguise. To unlock its full potential, you need only add 360 spatial sound rears and a partnering subwoofer. Of course, you may be able to resist, but I doubt it.
Well-connected
The HT-A5000 is rather big at 1,210mm wide, so best partnered with 55in-65in TVs. Build quality is superb, with a slick black-finished chassis and smart metallic grille to protect the driver complement. Touch-sensitive controls up top cover source selection, volume and Bluetooth pairing.
Connectivity includes two HDMI ports, one with eARC for a TV connection. As mentioned, the HDMI in will pass 4K/120Hz gaming feeds, plus Dolby Vision HDR. There's also an S-Center Out minijack, allowing the soundbar to function as a centre speaker with compatible Sony TVs; a legacy optical digital audio input; and music-file friendly USB-A port. And in addition to Bluetooth (v5.0), there's Wi-Fi onboard
This story is from the May 2023 edition of Home Cinema Choice.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 2023 edition of Home Cinema Choice.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
AV Avenger
You should think twice before accepting an invitation to play Resident Evil 4 with spatial audio in a haunted prison, warns Steve May
Catalogue classic Star Wars: Ep. VI - Return of the Jedi → Ultra HD Blu-ray, Disney
Forty years on from the movie's cinema release, Anton van Beek ponders what might have been if things had gone a little diff erently during the making of Return of the Jedi…
Feedback
Got an axe to grind? Need to comment on current tech? Want to share your knowledge with our readers? Team HCC is here to help
M&K Sound V12
TIME ON TEST: Three years REVIEWER: Steve Withers
Sony 'bar demands to be upgraded
This well-specified Dolby Atmos soundbar may have a mid-range price tag, but you'll soon want to spend more, cautions Steve May
Short and sweet
Marantz's compact AV receiver returns with a new look and boosted features – Jamie Biesemans slips it into his AV rig
Discreet delivery
A slim, stylish Scandinavian on-wall system impresses Mark Craven with its handling of the sweet stuff
One project, two rooms
Dan Sait reports on a custom install where a JVC PJ/ Atmos system is joined by a stylish media den
THE KING OF B RDA HOLLYWOOD
Three of his movies have taken over $2billon at the global box office, he's pioneered SFX and 3D technologies, and he's been to the very bottom of the Pacific Ocean. That's James Cameron by the way, not Anton van Beek
System selector!
Given three similar budgets, Mark Craven, Steve May and John Archer assemble three different AV setups focused on movies, streaming and gaming
