Sharp 3.1.2 Soundbar Review: Affordable Dolby Atmos Home Audio

Explore the Sharp 3.1.2 soundbar’s immersive Dolby Atmos sound and great value for your home theater setup.

Introducing the Sharp 3.1.2 Soundbar

If price is a major deciding factor for you, the Sharp 3.1.2 HT-SBW53121 soundbar might just be your perfect match. Priced at around £329 (approximately $40 USD), this soundbar and subwoofer combo delivers immersive Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X audio that elevates your viewing experience.

I was genuinely captivated — the famous Italian car chase scene from a James Bond movie felt like it was unfolding inside my soul, and every gunshot made me physically jump.

The 3.1.2 configuration, combined with support for optional 2.0.2 rear speakers, offers one of the most affordable ways to upgrade your home cinema sound quality. Sharp also offers a 5.1.2 soundbar at £449 (~$55 USD), which packs even more punch.

If you're looking to upgrade your home entertainment setup without breaking the bank (and who isn’t?), I highly recommend considering the Sharp 3.1.2. Let’s dive into this full, honest review including its pros and cons.

Sharp 3.1.2 Soundbar Quick Overview

• What it is: 3.1.2 channel soundbar system
• Best for: Home theater beginners wanting great sound on a budget
• Price: £329 (around $40 USD)
• Likes: Crystal clear dialogue
• Dislikes: Could use a bit more subwoofer power

Sharp 3.1.2 Soundbar Specifications

Price and Availability

The Sharp 3.1.2 HT-SBW53121 soundbar offers great value considering its features, retailing around $40 USD.

Typically, soundbars with this many channels start at around £400 (~$50 USD). For context, the Samsung Ultra Slim 3.1.2 soundbar costs £549 (~$68 USD). The trade-off in price seems to come from the subwoofer’s power, which I found slightly underwhelming—but for many, this is a fair bargain.

Sharp’s 5.1.2 soundbar version, priced about £449 (~$55 USD), offers a more immersive surround experience if you want to go a step further.

Design and Controls

• Subtle and understated design
• Easy remote and button controls
• Compatible with additional 2.0.2 rear speakers

The soundbar closely resembles its bigger sibling, the Sharp 5.1.2, but measures 102 cm in length with a low-profile design that fits neatly under most TVs.

Instead of plastic or metal grills, the 3.1.2 is wrapped in fabric, giving it a premium look—though it does collect dust more easily.

Six control buttons for volume, Bluetooth, and power sit atop the grille, though I mostly relied on the solidly built remote, which feels much sturdier than those from competitors like Bose or Majority.

The rear houses ports including eARC HDMI, two additional HDMI slots, optical, USB, 3.5mm audio input, and power.

The wireless subwoofer only requires a power connection at its back and can be controlled via the remote, which includes bass and volume adjustments.

You can also pair optional Sharp 2.0.2 rear speakers for about £179 (~$22 USD) to enhance the surround sound. Setup is effortless thanks to a pairing button on the speakers, and their volume can be adjusted independently with the remote.

Main Features

• 650W total power output
• Multiple listening modes: Cinema, Music, Game, Night, Voice, Sports
• Bluetooth music streaming

Given its affordable price, the Sharp 3.1.2 doesn’t boast a huge feature list but offers several EQ presets to tailor sound to your preference.

I mostly used the “Cinema” mode to boost bass during movies. Try them all to find your favorite as there’s no one-size-fits-all here.

Bluetooth connectivity lets you instantly stream music—just hit the Bluetooth button on the soundbar or switch input via remote, and it appears on your phone’s device list immediately.

If you're after smart home integration or AI features, this might not be your best bet. For that, pricier options like the Bose Smart Soundbar (~$490) or Samsung Ultra Slim come recommended.

But if you just want straightforward, epic-sounding movies without extra fuss, the Sharp 3.1.2 really delivers.

Sound Quality

• Superb for music playback
• Crystal-clear dialogue and crisp highs
• Subwoofer bass slightly lacking

I tested the soundbar using the 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Top Gun: Maverick, Netflix shows, and music streaming on Spotify and Qobuz.

Movies

Starting with Top Gun: Maverick, the opening scene is perfect for audio testing—powerful bass, sharp high-frequency sound effects, and complex treble notes make or break a setup.

I maxed out the bass, but the subwoofer didn't quite blow me away, similar to the experience with the Sharp 5.1.2. This is understandable since both use the same physical subwoofer unit.

Despite that, dialogue clarity blew me away. High frequencies were reproduced beautifully—percussion was sharp and vibrant without being harsh or tinny. The soundstage brought a rich soundtrack alive, making every spoken word and radio chatter crystal clear.

Switching to the movie Malignant, I compared the "Cinema" and "Music" EQ modes. Dialogues remained pristine in both, with the bass again less impactful but not ruining the experience. The Dolby Atmos effect was more subtle here compared to more immersive titles.

The classic Italian car chase scene in No Time to Die was where the Dolby Atmos sound truly shined. The clear dialogue, roaring engines, soundtrack, and ambient noises created deep immersion. I literally felt Bond shouting and tires screeching around me. When bullets ricocheted, it was as if the sound was bouncing inside my head.

No Time to Die was arguably the best film I tested on this soundbar. I’d recommend watching it just to enjoy the audio quality.

Overall, the soundbar made me feel fully immersed, almost like being in a cinema. The only gap was that I wished the bass had a bit more oomph.

TV Shows

To mimic everyday usage, I streamed Netflix’s Stranger Things on the basic subscription.

The show’s mix of synthetic bass, dialogue, and action scenes sounded very good. Some action moments lacked punch due to the subwoofer’s limits, but crystal-clear high-frequency effects added atmosphere.

Dungeon scenes stood out with tension heightened by immersive audio cues and ambient hums—a solid upgrade for your TV sound.

Music

I tested a variety of music genres. Pink Floyd’s “Money” revealed slight distortion in percussion and subdued bass, which isn’t unusual for soundbars.

Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing” was atmospheric and engaging, though again bass could be better.

Surprisingly, Billie Eilish’s bass-heavy “Bad Guy” came out sounding great, likely because it relies almost entirely on low frequencies forcing the subwoofer to stay active.

Overall, music sounded somewhat flat compared to dedicated speakers. For music lovers, I’d suggest investing in specialty speakers like Fluance Ri71.

Final Verdict

At around $40 USD, the Sharp 3.1.2 offers excellent value. Its crystal-clear dialogue and high-frequency reproduction stand out, and the Dolby Atmos experience is impressive—especially when paired with optional rear speakers.

However, without premium streaming or Blu-ray sources, the full 360° sound effect is less pronounced.

It beats many pricier rivals like Bose, Sonos Beam 2 (which lacks a subwoofer), and Samsung in price-to-performance.

In short: If you want to upgrade your home theater sound on a budget, the Sharp 3.1.2 is a stellar choice.

“I literally felt Bond shouting and tires screeching — an immersive sound experience.” – Reviewer

Frequently Asked Questions

• How easy is it to set up the Sharp 3.1.2 soundbar?
  Setup is straightforward, especially with wireless subwoofer and optional rear speakers pairing via simple buttons.
• Can I stream music via Bluetooth?
  Yes! Bluetooth 5.3 allows easy, instant music streaming from your phone or tablet.
• Does the soundbar support 4K HDR passthrough?
  Absolutely, it supports HDMI with 4K pass-through and eARC for high-quality audio.
• Is the subwoofer powerful enough for large rooms?
  The subwoofer is adequate for medium rooms but might feel underpowered in larger spaces.
• Can I control rear speaker volume independently?
  Yes, the remote lets you adjust the volume of the optional rear speakers separately.

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