Customer Ratings & Reviews

Since there are other reviews on here telling you what this thing can do, I'll do a comparison on this Sony soundbar against the Samsung HW-K950 Atmos soundbar, which is similarly priced. This Sony soundbar has 3 hdmi capable of hdcp 2.2, and 1 ARC Hdmi. The Samsung only has 2 HDMI inputs and 1 ARC Hdmi. Bluetooth is for either receiving (from phones/tablets) or transmitting (headphones, in case you want to listen to the tv at night). This unit works just like a receiver (similar to my strdn1080 atmos receiver), and displays its menu system onto your tv, which makes setup ultra easy. The unit itself connects to your wifi for worry free updates, and will notify you of any updates available. The samsung k950 requires you to BUY a micro USB to USB A type cable and use a flashdrive to update its software (I could never get the update to run btw, so the updating procedure on the samsung is really really bad/frustrating.) What I've connected to my soundbars: pc to soundbar, tv to soundbar, and a sony 4k player through soundbar. On the sony, the PC recognizes the soundbar and allows me to select ATMOS under the speaker selection. On the Samsung, my only choice was STEREO (disapointing). The TV sounds great to the soundbar, whereas the samsung one felt too much like a stereo system simulating a surround sound. when I hooked up the 4k BD player, it was also much easier to setup/use. Sound automatically gets output to atmos, while the samsung failed at detecting the atmos signal, even when the sound output was selected as a non decoded bitstream. The only advantage the samsung soundbar has, is that it physically has rear speakers. But they're kinda useless, if it doesn't work with your sound system/setup. To me, I had to have Atmos coming out of my pc, and 4k player. Only the Sony was able to do that. The Samsung failed in all of those areas. At the time of this review, both soundbars were priced at $1500. Kudos to Sony for their work. They have something that works well. Pictures show pc speaker config, and what you'll see on your screen, when you go into the soundbar menu

I purchased the Sony HT-ST5000 with hopes for a very clear clean sound system and a nice base response. Once I installed it, updated the firmware, connected audioquest cinnamon cables properly and configured the sound setup for our living room, I was not overwhelmed. I found the subwoofer to rumble instead of having more of a punch to the base. The voice was a bit metallic / tinny. Everybody's room is different. I have a great room with 15 foot ceilings with carpet. I connected it to my LG c7p OLED as well as the DirecTV c61k 4K box. Sony makes an excellent product however, bar was a bit short and bulky to accommodate the cosmetics in front of the LG TV - not looking to make the Soundbar the focal point of the home theater. After 2 days of tweaking, my wife and I could not bring ourselves to keep the Soundbar. I previously had a ysp-4000 and a Definitive Technology SuperCube - I was used to a bit more punch in the base and more clear voice with a bit of base to the voice. We did not want to move to the ysp 5600 as we decided to replace the Yamaha YSP with a more minimalistic approach to our home theater. While attending the 2018 CES again this year and saw the LG sk10y and talk to the LG reps quite extensively. I listened to it and was actually waiting on that soundbar. Come to my surprise when I returned the Sony the LG was there and I immediately purchased it. In comparison the bass response is more of a punch and deeper Voice through the soundbar. Running the Dolby Atmos videos through my LG tv the Soundbar was noticeably better. Nothing wrong with the Sony Sound Bar, this is my subjective point of view. Side note: a week later, we now own the LG Spk8 rear speakers and the system sounds even better.

Brought HT-ST5000 in 12/2020 and is connected to, 65X900F (brought 12/2019) and Apple TV 4K (brought 12/2020). Initially had 4K connection issues, Sony online chat helped me resolve issues, Apple TV 4K to HT-ST5000 to TV on HDMI enhanced and HDMI ARC (enhanced).  Rest of the connection is easy and uses 4K HDMI cables. Real plus is the settings for adjusting the height and distance, since I have a 2 floor high ceiling and the added benefit of increasing/decreasing the db adjustments. The sound from the sound-bar is excellent, clear and provides good bass. As many pointed out it would be really nice if it can be paired to 2 Hi-Res Atmos compatible rear surround speakers to get the full theater effects. Since this is my first premium Hi-Res sound system apart from couple of high quality noise cancelling headphones, this system stands out for the same music/cinema sounds, it definitively envelopes oneself with sounds even with high ceilings and is now compelling me to try/compare WH-1000XM3/XM4 or HIFIMan 360 degree immersive sound. Also it would be great if the display reads out Atmos/DTS content passed through Apple 4K TV. TV remote can be used to control all devices and works seamlessly. MOST IMPORTANTLY it is a must now that SONY should provide a few demo's with this Soundbar and also for TV's so that most of us can confirm the experience that we get at stores at home as well. Demo's available online are not always highest quality. Overall, so far it has been living up to expectation, a little pricier and will come back again to update long term performance, hence 4 out of 5.

As I write, I am jamming to the Boss playing from my phone and projecting through my Sony - 7.1.2-Channel Hi-Res Soundbar by way of bluetooth connection. I had read lots of reviews about this soundbar and most were not that positive. So I was a little reluctant to purchase this Sony soundbar, especially given how expensive the price. However, I had a surround sound system in my previous home and had mixed Sony components with non-Sony components. The configuration of the components and multiple remotes was torturous and never really worked well together. My one year old Sony HD Smart TV has the Bravia synchronization feature and I was hoping that by using a Sony soundbar that I could avoid such component interoperability issues. Then Bestbuy had a short sale on the Sony Soundbar in August so I jumped on the opportunity. I had the soundbar professionally installed and connected to my Sony TV and sure enough the Sony Bravia interoperability feature actually worked as advertised. All the Sony components, TV, Soundbar, Blue Ray Player actually synchronized and the one TV remote controls almost all features of the soundbar. The installer did not have to make any configuration settings. Just plugged in the HDMI cable from the soundbar into the HDMI 2 (ARC) input and the soundbar worked perfectly. Having had a true surround sound system previously, one gets spoiled with decompressed audio. And, the sound in the Sony - 7.1.2-Channel Hi-Res Soundbar is about as close to a surround system that you are going to get without incurring all the additional expense of purchasing, installing, and maintaining a surround AV system. I cannot tell any real difference. And, the sound is booming from this soundbar. I highly recommend taking the plunge and going all in with all Sony components. Sony seems to have finally heard the frustration of consumers with the interoperability issues of home AV components and made the install and usability of a home AV system easy. Thank you Sony!

Don't be fooled by this soundbar if you set it up correctly it totally sounds like a big system. With 800 watts of power it delivers. I bought it to put in my 92 inch theatre and I was impressed. After setting it up correctly and listening to the sound my wife even is impressed. I tested another unit i wanted but this one blew it out and the other was more expensive and I would have had to buy more speakers to complete it. I was so convinced that I purchased another one of these for my family room tv. I can't say anything negative other than set it up correctly and listen to your sound to balance the bass. The dolby Atmos is immersive in the right setup and room with the upper firing speakers. Overall a 10 in my book.

So here's the thing, the build quality is A1! Everything from the actual soundbar itself to the subwoofer feels and looks like a premium product you would pay top dollar for. But we aren't here for looks are we? How does it sound? I'd rate the actual sound a 9/10. I have experiences intermittent popping but that goes away for long stretching when changing the frequency within the settings. I've seen other people complain but this issue can be addressed once again in the settings. I bought this soundbar with my A9G OLED and I am in home theatre heaven. Sure it costed $1500 (plus tax) but you only live once and it is a perfect complimentary piece to my $3700 (plus tax) 4k Sony.

The quality is good but still i can feel missing of back speakers. I checked on line and it seems external back speakers are mot compatible with it. I wish it was! In general, i would say sending $1300 is a lot for it and the price should be around 900-1000 to be more reasonable.

I wanted a minimalist approach to a fully immersive soundscape within my living room. I was between this system and beginning to build a home theater with many components... needless to say, I just tried this and felt very satisfied. If you’re wondering whether or not to try this system, remember that the worst thing that would happen is that you’re unsatisfied and can return it. #sonydelivers

Worth the extra money. We got the 65” Sony oled A9 master with the lower end sound bar as part of the package. I added the additional satellite speakers to it and returned it as this is close to same price. It was ok, but decided I wanted more. Major difference with this higher end unit. Connection is quick and easy and Sony just updated the software again so the tv and unit work flawlessly together. I have kids and wanted everything clean and off the floor with no towers etc on the floor. Would buy again, fits perfect ratio with 65” screen

Real nice Soundbar that works great with my Sony 85" Bravia TV Very Happy with this product. Very nice sound and pairs easily.

One of the best single bar sound systems I have ever owned!! Awesome quality and performance.

Bundled this unit with Sony XBR77A9G and save! Great products and the experience of sight and sound is freak’n amazing!

Best on the Market. Sounds good and looks good in my man cave

Awesome surround sound. Shakes my living room windows and very loud I can hear the audio from outside my house about 75% volume turned up. A great compatible setup for my Sony TV also

It could easily be a 5 star review but 4 star because sony does not want to include 2 little hooks to hang the sound bar, this is my second sony sound bar and they still do not include that 10 ç accessory.

This unit has a lot of future proofing features but you cannot add speakers and that was one of the inherent weaknesses in this set.

I've been excited to get my hands on the HT-ST5000 soundbar ever since it was announced at CES this year, and I'm glad to say that it was well worth the wait. If you're a cinephile looking for the easiest way to bring theater-quality sound into your home, this may be the answer. SETUP AND CONFIGURATION (5 Stars): The soundbar ships in a heavy, awkwardly-shaped box with no handles anywhere, so I would recommend having someone help you out. Once unpacked, the system is incredibly easy to set up. A 4K-capable HDMI cable is included. Plug the HDMI cable into the ports labeled HDMI ARC on the soundbar and your TV (if supported), and then connect your other devices to the HDMI IN ports on the soundbar. The subwoofer is wireless and automatically connects to the soundbar once its plugged into a power outlet. You can optionally connect a magnetic mesh cover to hide the front-facing drivers. Follow the on-screen setup procedures, and you'll be up and running in mere minutes. DESIGN AND BUILD QUALITY (4.5 Stars): At first glance, there is no doubt that this is a premium product. The soundbar and subwoofer are heavy and substantial, but should easily blend in with any home theater setup. The top-mounted, upfiring speakers are placed behind sturdy metal grilles. There is a crisp display on the front which shows the volume level and current input selected. There are even keyholes on the back if you want to wall-mount the soundbar. Connectivity is very generous, with three HDCP 2.2-capable HDMI inputs on the rear and a USB port on the right side of the soundbar. You can connect to your home network wirelessly or via the ethernet port on the back. My only gripe is the design of the remote. It looks way too similar to my Sony Blu-ray player remote and feels very cheap in comparison to the rest of the system. FEATURES AND OPTIONS (4 Stars): Sony has made it very easy to customize and adjust the settings of this soundbar. By pressing the Home button on the remote, you can access the Setup screen and adjust the settings for ceiling height, seating distance from the soundbar, advanced HDMI settings, and much more. Spotify and Chromecast are built-in as easy ways to stream content to the soundbar. There are several preset options for sports, music, etc., but I find that "ClearAudio+" suits most content. Unfortunately, there is one glaring omission in supported formats: this soundbar does not support any type of DTS signal. Luckily, my Sony UBP-X800 Blu-ray player seems to detect that the soundbar does not support DTS and sends an LPCM signal instead. But I have read reports of DTS tracks simply not playing on this soundbar with other Blu-ray players. Rumor is that Sony may be preparing a firmware update to enable DTS later this year. But regardless, this is a huge oversight by Sony that will hopefully be corrected. SOUND QUALITY (5 Stars): Simply put, I've never heard anything sound so amazing in my home. Granted, I've always owned soundbars and not dedicated surround systems. But this soundbar delivers rich, enveloping sound. I watched the UHD Blu-ray of Magnificent Seven and actually turned my head several times due to the sensation of bullets flying around the room. The UHD Blu-ray of Mad Max: Fury Road also impressed, with the soundbar clearly separating dialogue, music, and explosions and placing sounds all around my living room. I can't say that I really noticed any sounds coming from directly overhead, but this might require some more fine-tuning of the distance settings. Dialogue is clear, loud, and crisp. There is no distortion at higher volumes. The subwoofer is absolutely thunderous -- anything above volume level 5 is overkill to me. I am absolutely amazed at how Sony put such capabilities into a sleek, compact soundbar. OVERALL: I'm not an audiophile, but the overall package of the HT-ST5000 is amazing to me. Hats off to Sony for delivering such an immersive experience in a product that can be used and installed by practically anyone. I sincerely hope that Sony adds support for DTS formats, as I know that this will anger many potential buyers. That issue aside, you'd be hard-pressed to find another soundbar with such capabilities. Highly recommended!

This is the most expensive sound system I have ever owned so I had high expectations going in. It did not disappoint. It was much larger and heavier than I expected. The design of both the soundbar and subwoofer are impressive. Craftsmanship is very high end. Here are some other thoughts: Likes: Set-up was simple with on screen instructions walking you through the basics. The face plate for the soundbar attaches magnetically. It felt fancy and looks great. Music sounds amazing! The wireless subwoofer connected automatically and worked seamlessly. Nice bass. The soundbar has a display that tells you the input/source you are using and volume levels. Dislikes: The included HDMI cable was short. It will not be long enough for some set-ups and was barely long enough for mine. Access to two of the HDMI ports is difficult with larger hands. Built in Chromecast had some hiccups getting started. Overall, this is a fantastic audio system that is worth the price if it is in your budget range. I look forward to testing out the Dolby Atmos tech as more content becomes available!

At first I wasn't sure I wanted to purchase this soundbar. I read reviews of how good it was and I was impressed with the demos in store. I just couldn't justify the price. The TV I bought had decent sound coming from the TV. But I decided to splurge and glad I did. I don't think demos in store do this product justice. You really need to hear it in an isolated room where the atmos technology can really work. Once I had the soundbar installed in my living room I can hear the difference and appreciate the technology. The subwoofer really adds a nice punch for deep bass. I can feel the rumblings. I can hear sounds form left to right. This won't beat a true 7.1 sound system. It certainly costs more than a 7,1 sound system, but if you lack the space needed for that kind of setup, you will appreciate how good the sound is coming out of this soundbar. I think it's as close as you can get with a soundbar to a true 7.1 setup.

I really want to give this sound bar 5 stars but in the two and a half years I’ve had it, it’s worked properly for about two months. I purchased in summer 2019 and while the sound was OUTSTANDING (honestly the best sounds and best subwoofer I’ve ever experienced) it took about 1-3 minutes to turn on and connect to the tv, even though it was hardwired through an HDMI. We contacted Sony support in Spring 2020 and after a lot of discussion and troubleshooting they agreed it wasn’t performing and had us send it in for repair (free of charge as it was under warranty). While the speaker portion was being fixed we had to order a replacement woofer and replaced it ourselves in the subwoofer because there was a lot of rattling. Once we received the speaker back from Sony (this took several weeks) and we were able to hook everything back up it was like a whole new speaker and worked perfectly… for about 2 months. For those two months the speaker connected immediately. There was no rattling in the subwoofer, and the settings and updates in the speaker actually worked. After about two months the speaker started to sound grainy and sound like it was “going out” after it was in use. This issue has persisted since summer 2020. I’ll be contacting Sony and likely paying to have it fixed again since it’s no longer under warranty but when this speaker works right, it’s worth every cent! I think all of the troubles have been just been due to bad luck and VERY loud listen/usage. Is still recommend it!