Customer Ratings & Reviews
- Model:
- HTA5000
- SKU:
- 6467455
Rating by feature
- Value
Rating 4.3 out of 5 stars
- Quality
Rating 4.6 out of 5 stars
- Ease of Use
Rating 4.6 out of 5 stars
Customers are saying
Customers admire the HT-A5000's excellent sound quality, impactful bass, and ease of use. Many appreciate the straightforward setup and immersive Dolby Atmos experience, finding the soundbar's size to be ideal for various living spaces. However, some customers find the price point to be high and have reported occasional connectivity challenges.
This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.
- Pros mentioned:Sound quality
My sound bar
||Posted . Owned for 3 months when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.This sound bar is absolutely amazing. The 360 degree palatial sound is amazing. So happy I invested in this soumd
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from SonyListens
Posted .Hi LuisL,
You made the right choice! We're glad that you are enjoying the sound quality of the soundbar. We hope that between some of our premium audio technologies such as Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround, you feel like you are not only in a sphere of sound, but inside the movie itself. To ensure that you are getting the most out of your HT-A5000, make sure to run Sound Field Optimization so that the soundbar can calibrate its performance to your environment, and that it sounds like it was engineered to be in your room. If you want to expand your audio system, please take a look at our optional subwoofer and rears accessories (SA-SW5,SA-SW3,SA-RS3S). Thank you for choosing Sony!
-Ralph
- Pros mentioned:Sound quality
Happy buyer.
||Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.This Sony sound bar sounds amazing. I’m not one to listen to tv very loud but I can hear the different sounds waves, highly recommend.
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from SonyListens
Posted .Hi Usmc1127,
Great! We're glad that you are enjoying the sound quality of the soundbar. We hope that between some of our premium audio technologies such as Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround, you feel like you are not only in a sphere of sound, but inside the movie itself. To ensure that you are getting the most out of your HT-A5000, make sure to run Sound Field Optimization so that the soundbar can calibrate its performance to your environment, and that it sounds like it was engineered to be in your room. If you want to expand your audio system, please take a look at our optional subwoofer and rears accessories (SA-SW5,SA-SW3,SA-RS3S). Thank you for choosing Sony!
-Ralph
- Pros mentioned:Sound quality
What did you say I can’t hear you!!
||Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Music and Movies sound great on this a5000 model! Easy set up with the help of my partner!
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from SonyListens
Posted .Hi Javi,
Great! We're glad that you like the sound quality and user-friendly functions of the soundbar. We hope that between some of our premium audio technologies such as Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround, you feel like you are not only in a sphere of sound, but inside the movie itself. To ensure that you are getting the most out of your HT-A5000, make sure to run Sound Field Optimization so that the soundbar can calibrate its performance to your environment, and that it sounds like it was engineered to be in your room. If you want to expand your audio system, please take a look at our optional subwoofer and rears accessories (SA-SW5,SA-SW3,SA-RS3S). Thank you for choosing Sony!
-Ralph
- Pros mentioned:Sound quality
Good
||Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Loving this item one of my favorite work good with my tv
I would recommend this to a friend - Pros mentioned:Sound quality
Soundbar
||Posted . Owned for 10 months when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Best soundbar makes you feel like you’re in the theater room
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from SonyListens
Posted .Hi VictorS,
Very nice! We're glad to hear that you like the sound quality of the soundbar. The HT-A5000 sound bar envelops you in authentic 5.1.2ch surround sound with up-firing speakers, side beam tweeters, a built-in subwoofer and advanced technologies that bring you Dolby Atmos® and DTS:X® audio as well as 8K and 4K 120 video passthrough. Smart features include AirPlay2, Chromecast built-in, Bluetooth audio streaming and works with Alexa and Google Assistant. Adding optional rear speakers adds support for 360 Spatial Sound Mapping, taking movies, TV and music into a whole new realm. If you want to expand your audio system, please take a look at our optional subwoofer and rears accessories (SA-SW5,SA-SW3,SA-RS3S). Thank you for choosing Sony!
-David
- Pros mentioned:Sound quality
Sony sound bar
||Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Sound bar is outstanding. Clarity of voices with the right mixture of background music.
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from SonyListens
Posted .Hi OurSamsungTV, That's great! We're thrilled to hear you're enjoying the vocal clarity and overall performance of your Sony HT-A5000. We hope that between some of our premium audio technologies such as Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround, you feel like you are not only in a sphere of sound, but inside the movie itself. To ensure that you are getting the most out of your HT-A5000, make sure to run Sound Field Optimization so that the soundbar can calibrate its performance to your environment, and that it sounds like it was engineered to be in your room. If you want to expand your audio system, please take a look at our optional subwoofer and rears accessories (SA-SW5,SA-SW3,SA-RS3S). Thank you for choosing Sony! -Sam
- Pros mentioned:Sound quality
Review ratings
||Posted . Owned for 11 months when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Great sound bar to have at home excellent quality sound.
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from SonyListens
Posted .Hi GermanT,
Thank you for the purchase! We're glad to hear that you like the sound quality of the soundbar. The HT-A5000 sound bar envelops you in authentic 5.1.2ch surround sound with up-firing speakers, side beam tweeters, a built-in subwoofer and advanced technologies that bring you Dolby Atmos® and DTS:X® audio as well as 8K and 4K 120 video passthrough. Smart features include AirPlay2, Chromecast built-in, Bluetooth audio streaming and works with Alexa and Google Assistant. Adding optional rear speakers adds support for 360 Spatial Sound Mapping, taking movies, TV and music into a whole new realm. If you want to expand your audio system, please take a look at our optional subwoofer and rears accessories (SA-SW5,SA-SW3,SA-RS3S). Thank you for choosing Sony!
-David
- Pros mentioned:Sound quality
Soundbar
||Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Sony Soundbar paired with a Sony TV. Sounds amazing.
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from SonyListens
Posted .Hi Stefan,
Awesome! We're glad to hear that you like the sound quality of the soundbar. The HT-A5000 sound bar envelops you in authentic 5.1.2ch surround sound with up-firing speakers, side beam tweeters, a built-in subwoofer and advanced technologies that bring you Dolby Atmos® and DTS:X® audio as well as 8K and 4K 120 video passthrough. Smart features include AirPlay2, Chromecast built-in, Bluetooth audio streaming and works with Alexa and Google Assistant. Adding optional rear speakers adds support for 360 Spatial Sound Mapping, taking movies, TV and music into a whole new realm. If you want to expand your audio system, please take a look at our optional subwoofer and rears accessories (SA-SW5,SA-SW3,SA-RS3S). Thank you for choosing Sony!
-David
- Pros mentioned:Sound quality
Very nice option
||Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.I like so much my Sony HT A-5000 5.2 channels the sound is very clear and powerful
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from SonyListens
Posted .Hi Miguel, That's perfect! We're glad that you are enjoying the sound quality of the soundbar. We hope that between some of our premium audio technologies such as Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround, you feel like you are not only in a sphere of sound, but inside the movie itself. To ensure that you are getting the most out of your HT-A5000, make sure to run Sound Field Optimization so that the soundbar can calibrate its performance to your environment, and that it sounds like it was engineered to be in your room. If you want to expand your audio system, please take a look at our optional subwoofer and rears accessories (SA-SW5,SA-SW3,SA-RS3S). Thank you for choosing Sony! -Craig
- Pros mentioned:Sound quality
Sony soundbar
||Posted . Owned for 7 months when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Sounds amazing and has great acoustics great for a casual home theater set up
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from SonyListens
Posted .Hi ctbb,
Perfect! We're glad that you are enjoying the sound quality of the soundbar. We hope that between some of our premium audio technologies such as Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround, you feel like you are not only in a sphere of sound, but inside the movie itself. To ensure that you are getting the most out of your HT-A5000, make sure to run Sound Field Optimization so that the soundbar can calibrate its performance to your environment, and that it sounds like it was engineered to be in your room. If you want to expand your audio system, please take a look at our optional subwoofer and rears accessories (SA-SW5,SA-SW3,SA-RS3S). Thank you for choosing Sony!
-Ralph
- Pros mentioned:Sound quality
Great soundbar
||Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Amazing sound and clarity! Worth every penny. But recommend getting the subwoofer.
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from SonyListens
Posted .Hi Erik, Thanks for the 5-star rating! We're glad that you are satisfied with your new Sony Soundbar. Take your entertainment to a new realm of audio immersion. The HT-A5000 has 5.1.2 channels and X-Balanced speaker units minimize distortion while the up-firing speakers and beam tweeters fill the room to give an ultra-immersive listening experience. Built-in subwoofers provide an additional boost to low end frequencies. Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround creates immersive sound from all around, while Dolby Atmos® and DTS:X® lend a more realistic, multi-dimensional sound to your content. Thank you for choosing Sony! -Craig
- Pros mentioned:Sound quality
impressed with the sound quality
||Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Big wow! perfect combo for a sony tv, the sound would be heaven for our ears
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from SonyListens
Posted .Hi aaRKay,
Amazing! We're thrilled that you are enjoying the sound quality of the soundbar and how it works well with your Sony TV. We hope that between some of our premium audio technologies such as Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround, you feel like you are not only in a sphere of sound, but inside the movie itself. To ensure that you are getting the most out of your HT-A5000, make sure to run Sound Field Optimization so that the soundbar can calibrate its performance to your environment, and that it sounds like it was engineered to be in your room. If you want to expand your audio system, please take a look at our optional subwoofer and rears accessories (SA-SW5,SA-SW3,SA-RS3S). Thank you for choosing Sony!
-Ralph
- Pros mentioned:Sound quality
Perfect
||Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Great sound but it's a little too big. I'm happy I bought it
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from SonyListens
Posted .Hi RobertA, Fantastic! We're thrilled to hear you like the great sound quality of your new Sony HT-A5000 soundbar. We hope that between some of our premium audio technologies such as Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround, you feel like you are not only in a sphere of sound, but inside the movie itself. To ensure that you are getting the most out of your HT-A5000, make sure to run Sound Field Optimization so that the soundbar can calibrate its performance to your environment, and that it sounds like it was engineered to be in your room. If you want to expand your audio system, please take a look at our optional subwoofer and rears accessories (SA-SW5,SA-SW3,SA-RS3S). Thank you for choosing Sony! -Sam
- Pros mentioned:Sound quality
Best sound Bar
||Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Great quality sound bar that provides clear and crisp sound.
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from SonyListens
Posted .Hi ChrisS, Amazing! We're thrilled you like the clear and crisp sound quality of your Sony HT-A5000. The HT-A5000 has 5.1.2 channels and X-Balanced speaker units minimize distortion while the up-firing speakers and beam tweeters fill the room to give an ultra-immersive listening experience. Built-in subwoofers provide an additional boost to low end frequencies. Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround creates immersive sound from all around, while Dolby Atmos® and DTS:X® lend a more realistic, multi-dimensional sound to your content. Thank you for choosing Sony! -Sam
- Pros mentioned:Sound quality
Sound bar could be better
||Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.The sound bar sounds great on youtube but with the other apps you have to raise the volume to hear the dialog.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from SonyListens
Posted .Hi EricS,
Thanks for sharing your review and experience with the HTA5000. Your feedback about the sound quality is greatly appreciated. For optimum performance, make sure that the software version of the soundbar is up-to-date. Please refer to this link for more information:
https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/sound-bars-home-theater-systems-sound-bars-surround-speakers/ht-a5000/software/00272343
Sound quality may vary depending on the source content. You do have the option to adjust the VOICE function to make dialogs clearer. You may find this link helpful:
https://helpguide.sony.net/ht/a5000/v1/en/contents/TP1000381168.html
Hope this helps. In case you need further assistance, please email us at [email protected] with the following details:
Name:
Username:
Model Number:
Issue:
Telephone Number:
Or contact our product support team via phone call or chat through this link:
https://us.esupport.sony.com/support/s/service?language=en_US.
Sincerely,
-Ralph
Sound bar review
||Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Sound bar was a great recommendation and the guy took the time to show me the difference with it and without it and I was sold on it.
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from SonyListens
Posted .Hi MichelleA,
Thank you for the purchase! We appreciate the recommendation and we're glad to hear that you like soundbar. The HT-A5000 sound bar envelops you in authentic 5.1.2ch surround sound with up-firing speakers, side beam tweeters, a built-in subwoofer and advanced technologies that bring you Dolby Atmos® and DTS:X® audio as well as 8K and 4K 120 video passthrough. Smart features include AirPlay2, Chromecast built-in, Bluetooth audio streaming and works with Alexa and Google Assistant. Adding optional rear speakers adds support for 360 Spatial Sound Mapping, taking movies, TV and music into a whole new realm. If you want to expand your audio system, please take a look at our optional subwoofer and rears accessories (SA-SW5,SA-SW3,SA-RS3S). Thank you for choosing Sony!
-David
Subwoofer needed
||Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Its very long. Bass is not good so you will need a subwoofer is the only bad thing. Everything else is fine.
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from SonyListens
Posted .Hi Zman, Thank you for purchasing the HTA5000 soundbar. Your feedback regarding the built-in subwoofer of the bar speaker is greatly appreciated. Built-in subwoofer delivers high sound pressure for clear, deep bass. This has been achieved by expanding the area of the diaphragm and the size of the subwoofer (X-Balanced Speaker Unit).
NOTE: When the audio source does not contain much bass sound, the bass sound may not be audible.
Despite your concerns, we're happy that you are enjoying its overall performance. We hope that between some of our premium audio technologies such as Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround, you feel like you are not only in a sphere of sound, but inside the movie itself. To ensure that you are getting the most out of your HT-A5000, make sure to run Sound Field Optimization so that the soundbar can calibrate its performance to your environment, and that it sounds like it was engineered to be in your room. If you want to expand your audio system, please take a look at our optional subwoofer and rears accessories (SA-SW5,SA-SW3,SA-RS3S). The SA-SW3 and the SA-SW5 pack a big low-end punch, so we don't think you'll be disappointed. Thank you for choosing Sony! -Jess
Sound bar
||Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Good sound, but not enough for the price tag.....
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from SonyListens
Posted .Hi JorgeC,
Thank you for the purchase! We're glad to hear that you like the sound quality of the soundbar. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Thank you for choosing Sony!
-David
- Pros mentioned:Bass, Dolby atmos, Sound quality
Fantastic!!!
|Posted .This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Great soundbar, even for smaller rooms, but beware, the soundbar is quite wide. For my current situation, with a Sony 65” X900H, which I use the TV stands for, on a home theatre piece of furniture, the soundbar is so wide, and my furniture does not have enough room for this soundbar to fit. I am actually about to actually mount my 65” TV on a wall soon, but for now, I put the soundbar directly on the floor in front of the furniture the TV sits on. The soundbar itself measures, 48” wide, 5.5” depth, 2.75” height. Just something to keep in mind. That being said, even with my temporary soundbar on the floor setup. The soundbar sounds fantastic. I am coming from nearly 20 years of traditional surround sound setups, including my couple year old Sony STR-DH790 surround receiver with Dolby Atmos, and while with the soundbar itself it can’t quite give you true “surround”, it does sound quite amazing. Even without an optional subwoofer, more on that later in this review, in a smaller room, like my 1 bedroom apartment, this thing sounds great. I get decent bass out of the built in subwoofer in the bar itself. I tested this soundbar with apps directly on the Sony X900H, and for everything that was delivering either Dolby Atmos, or other Dolby codecs, the soundbar did indeed detect, those formats directly from the built in android apps. I did however find that with the Android TV built in Sony apps, I could not get it to “bitstream” any kind of DTS formatted audio formats without it being seen as linear PCM tracks. It is supposed to passthrough, aka bitstream to the soundbar, via the eARC port. Further looking into it, and at leasts on the Sony X900H, this is a known issue. In my case, I don’t really use the the TVs built in Android TV apps, but an NVIDIA shield, which does properly pass thru all Dobly Atmos, and all flavors of DTS tracks, with the soundbar lighting up that it sees those tracks, and not converting to linear PCM for DTS. The NVIDIA shield setup I am using is running into the HDMI port into the soundbar directly. I also have tested this soundbar with both a PlayStation 5, and an Xbox Series X. Both sound great, but have had similar issues if trying to bitstream DTS tracks. However, in this situation, running directly to the single HDMI port also alleviates the issue with DTS tracks. Both PS5 and Xbox Series X, maintain 4K 60fps, and 120fps running thru the soundbar, and if they are hooked up to my TVs HDMI 4 port (only HDMI 3, and HDMI 4 on my TV support full HDMI 2.1 specs). I don’t use DTS on either of my next gen gaming consoles, but this might be something to consider, as this soundbar must be connected to your eARC port. In my situation, I am leaving my NVIDIA Shield directly connected to the soundbar, to get full support for dolby atmos, and the small amount of DTS X content I have. The consoles, I have on the HDMI 4 port, and have a switcher so that they both share that HDMI 2.1 capabilities like 4K 60 / 120 fps gaming. For those that may not want to go that router, I would imagine stepping up to the Sony HT A7000, for not just one HDMI input, but two, plus additional speakers in the bar. For my setup, I am fine with the less expensive HT A5000. My apartment is fairly small. I have neighbors below me. Even without the wireless subwoofer, you get pretty good bass from the soundbar alone. I was very impressed by the dolby atmos movie tracks I previewed from my Sony 65" X900H tv. I would however, absolutely get the wireless rear channels, even in a smaller living room space. While the soundbar alone is great, and there is definitely some ceiling bounce from the atmos movie I watched directly thru the built in Android TV app, Venom Carnage (great demo movie for Dolby Atmos by the way), you really do need those wireless rear channels for real immersion. I have been a traditional 7.1.2 receiver and wired speaker home theatre guy for many years, and this is the first soundbar I have heard that made me put my 2 year old Sony receiver away, once I added in those rear channels. Oh.. and no more wires!! Finally!! Ahhh… The future. Ok, so, I would say GREAT soundbar just on it’s own. You might be able to skip the add on SASW5 wireless subwoofer, especially if you have neighbors under you, but do yourselves a favor, get the rear wireless surround speakers, SARS3S, especially if you watch any kind of Dolby ATMOS shows. Most of the bigger streaming services now are either Dolby ATMOS or Dolby Digital +, and if it is anything action related, you will not regret adding in the rear channels!!! If you do add in those rear channels, when you add them into the soundbar setup, the built in Sony setup will try to analyze your room, for how loud it thinks that those rear channels volume should be, based on your room acoustics. In my case, I changed it, so that the rears are at max level. My first movie with the addition of the wireless rear surround speakers, the Venom Carnage movie, I stopped it, changed the rears to max, and it was like being in a movie theatre. Now… with that in mind, I am doing this without having set up the wireless subwoofer, also sold separately, and it is fantastic in my smaller room. But, I then added in the wireless subwoofer I mentioned earlier. Sony makes two of them, the one I added in is the 300 watt version. I had a 150 watt wired subwoofer before this on my previous wired system, and that was on a fully wired Sony 7.1.2 receiver. This subwoofer, O M G . People let me tell you, this thing really drives this whole Sony soundbar out of the park. It sounds like I went to a movie theatre! I actually have to crank this thing down, as this really adds a tremendous bass hit. For those with people living below them, you may not need, or want this, but ohhhh.. It sounds so good! Luckily, the soundbar remote has separate levels, up and down, directly on the remote itself, for both the subwoofer and the rear wireless surrounds. Thank you for thinking of that Sony!! All in all, yeah this is a fantastic soundbar. But, add in the additional rear channels for sure. You could always just buy the bar on it’s own, and add in later as needed too, but get the rear channels, worth it out of the box day one, unless you just watch non-action oriented content maybe. Now, if you really want to, get that wireless sub, and quite possibly never leave your home for a movie theatre again!
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from SonyListens
Posted .Hi blah,
Thanks for sharing your in-depth review and experience with the HT-A5000. We're thrilled that you are enjoying the sound quality of the soundbar together with the SARS3S rear speakers and SASW5 subwoofer. Your feedback is also greatly appreciated. We hope you continue to enjoy this amazing soundbar.
Take your entertainment to a new realm of audio immersion. The HT-A5000 has 5.1.2 channels and X-Balanced speaker units minimize distortion while the up-firing speakers and beam tweeters fill the room to give an ultra-immersive listening experience. Built-in subwoofers provide an additional boost to low end frequencies. Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround creates immersive sound from all around, while Dolby Atmos® and DTS:X® lend a more realistic, multi-dimensional sound to your content. Thanks for choosing Sony!
-Ralph
- Pros mentioned:Bass, Setup, Sound quality
Fantastic for TV & Movies, Not so much for Music
|Posted .This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.My review is primarily for the soundbar by itself but, I also review it with the Sony SASW5 300 watt subwoofer and Sony SARS3S rear speakers which are also reviewed separately. A quick assessment: I’m not delving too deep into the specs and features as that is covered in the product’s overview. I’m reviewing how it sounds and ease of operation. When used by itself, the soundbar sounds very clean and is excellent for watching TV and movies. The dialog comes through very clearly but not much bass because of the small bass drivers. Even at the max setting. Adding a subwoofer is a must in my opinion. The HTA5000 sound bar acts as a hub for the optional wireless subwoofer and rear speakers. Sadly, I was disappointed in it for listening to music because it lacks high end when playing music that is otherwise there when watching a movie with music in it. Details about that later The sound bar is well made and well packaged. It survived shipping fine. Following the quick setup guide makes setup quick and easy. Especially if you are setting up any of the wireless speaker options. The soundbar has several input options for TV and music. However, an analog audio input is not one of them. Connecting it to a TV via ARC (Audio Return Channel) or EARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) are the preferred methods as they will not only give you the best sound quality and support multi-channel audio and be able to integrate into the operation of your TV and certain other devices like a Sony Blu-ray player. EARC is the absolute best and preferred way to connect the soundbar if your TV supports it. Most TVs made from 2019 on should have EARC. Sync problems are pretty much eliminated and all audio is uncompressed. Google EARC for more info. You can also connect to a TV with it with a fiberoptic cable if it lacks ARC / EARC. The HTA5000’s audio performance is excellent for dialog in TV and movies. It also has a voice function that makes dialog even clearer. Note: Dialog volume can be adjusted when using DTSX. Sound Field makes sound effects and such seem even more expanded to the right and left while dialog stays in center. Night mode keeps the audio clear but cuts the bass back for listening at low volumes. You can adjust the soundbar’s subwoofers in the soundbar from the remote in three steps. You can select most functions from the remote as well as navigate the on-screen display for all else. Plus, other remotes like TV or Blu-Ray players, can also operate volume and certain functions like play, pause, ect. I tested the soundbar with several devices which included a Sony 4K Blu-Ray player, Smartphone, iPad, Dish Network, USB thumb drive and a Sony ES Series CD player via optical link (I had to set it to HDMI to TV to do that). I think the best audio was from the Blu-Ray player. Obviously newer movie titles will have more in the area of multi-channel sound formats than older ones. You can still play your older DVDs of 50s to 80s movies through it and they will sound great but can vary depending on the transfer to DVD and as to what studio did it, audio format used and when. Any older movie that’s been remastered and enhance should really shine on it. I run my Sony 4K Blu-Ray directly into the HDMI input on the soundbar. Now let’s add a wireless Sony subwoofer for some real Bass! A subwoofer is a must in my opinion of you really want to enjoy action movies. You now have 12 steps for bass volume on the remote. Music now sounds much better on the low end. Add wireless Sony rear speakers for the final touch. Now you have a rockin’ home theater system your friends and family will envy. Setup is super easy. Just plug them up and the soundbar will see them. If not hit Home on the remote, Setup and Easy Setup 123 and click the first option and go from there. You will need to connect the soundbar to your internet router to use the included online music services. See photos. The display on the front is easy to see and read but the buttons on top have lettering that is hard to see in dim light. See photos. Connections on the back are easy to access and labelling is easy to read. For the price a lighted remote would have been nice as for the buttons on the soundbar. Pros: Easy setup, Solid build quality, Excellent voice clarity from center channel, Plenty of input options, easy to use remote, easy to navigate on screen menu, and it will get Loud when need it to. Cons: Weak high end and bass when listening to certain styles of music when compared to a typical stereo when using a subwoofer and no way to adjust EQ. Bass is weak but drivers are small so this is expected. Expensive. Conclusion: If you want a killer home theater sound system that will be including a subwoofer and rear speakers this system will not disappoint you. Especially for action movies. You can start with the soundbar and add the subwoofer and rear speakers later. If you plan on using the soundbar only, it will sound better than most stock TV speakers and has excellent voice clarity. It does have some bass but nothing like having a true subwoofer. Unless Sony can update the firmware and add some EQ options, I’m reluctant to recommend the soundbar for listening to music in any configuration. I would give it 3.5 stars if I could but I’m giving 4 and not 3 because it's part of an expandable system and I think Sony can fix the EQ issue with a firmware update and I hope they do.
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from SonyListens
Posted .Hi MrLowNotes,
Thanks for sharing your in-depth review of the HTA5000 soundbar. We're glad that you like the build quality, voice clarity, and user-friendly functions of the soundbar. Your feedback about having an EQ function is greatly appreciated.
Take your entertainment to a new realm of audio immersion. The HT-A5000 has 5.1.2 channels and X-Balanced speaker units minimize distortion while the up-firing speakers and beam tweeters fill the room to give an ultra-immersive listening experience. Built-in subwoofers provide an additional boost to low end frequencies. Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround creates immersive sound from all around, while Dolby Atmos® and DTS:X® lend a more realistic, multi-dimensional sound to your content. Thanks for choosing Sony!
-Ralph
