Top Sony Soundbars in 2025: Expert Picks for Best Sound Quality

Upgrade your home cinema with the best Sony soundbars in 2025, featuring Dolby Atmos and unbeatable sound performance for every budget.

Why Choose a Soundbar for Your TV?

If your TV’s sound quality leaves you wanting more, grabbing a soundbar is a fantastic way to instantly elevate your home theater experience. Plus, it’s way more budget-friendly than setting up a full multi-channel surround system and takes up way less space in your living room.

But with so many brands out there, which one should you trust? Sony soundbars definitely deserve a spot on your radar. Many models from Sony have earned our five-star ratings thanks to their impressive audio quality and features.

Take the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6, for example. It’s the latest mid-tier Dolby Atmos soundbar from Sony we tested. While it didn’t make our top list, it still snagged four stars for its surprisingly rich sound.

Remember, just because a soundbar is made by Sony doesn’t automatically make it perfect. The Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 8, for instance, only received three stars from What Hi-Fi? for its average performance.

So how do you figure out which Sony soundbar is the real deal? Don’t sweat it — with decades of experience testing soundbars, we know how to pick the winners.

In this handy guide, you’ll find the top five Sony soundbars across different price points, all rigorously tested by our expert team in professional labs.

Every product goes through tough tests covering key factors like sound quality and value for money. So you can totally trust our recommendations.

Quick List of Best Sony Soundbars

Best Overall

1. Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9
The ultimate choice for serious cinephiles and anyone who values top-notch sound.

Best Budget Dolby Atmos

2. Sony HT-S2000
Impressive sound quality with Dolby Atmos and HDMI eARC, features missing in some rivals.

Best Mid-Range Dolby Atmos

3. Sony HT-A3000
Looking for cinematic sound without breaking the bank? The affordable A3000 has you covered.

Best Mid-Price Range

4. Sony HT-A5000
The “middle child” of Sony’s soundbar family packs plenty of reasons to recommend it.

Best Budget Soundbar

5. Sony HT-SF150
This affordable soundbar is the perfect upgrade from your TV’s built-in speakers.

1. Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 – Best Overall Sony Soundbar

Winner of the 2024 What Hi-Fi? Awards, the Bravia Theatre Bar 9 stands unbeaten when it comes to Dolby Atmos performance.

Pros:

• Outstanding clarity, detail, and power
• Impressive 3D sound processing
• Sleek, minimalist design

Cons:

• Slightly cold sound signature
• No display screen
• Occasional overemphasis on deep bass

The Bravia Theatre Bar 9 is a regular in our Dolby Atmos soundbar roundups — and for good reason. This flagship Sony soundbar replaces the HT-A7000 and brings exciting upgrades including a 13-speaker layout with four passive radiators. It boasts four large front woofers, three standard tweeters, two beam tweeters, and two upward-firing speakers.

During testing, this setup delivered superb sound, especially for Atmos content, creating a height sensation rare in soundbars.

Its clean, powerful, and detailed audio easily earns it a five-star recommendation as Sony’s top soundbar right now. As one reviewer put it:

“Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 is noticeably better than the excellent HT-A7000 it replaces. From clarity, detail, dynamics, density to Atmos effects, it’s hard to fault — and its design is a big leap forward.”

2. Sony HT-S2000 – Best Budget Dolby Atmos Soundbar

Looking for an affordable Dolby Atmos soundbar? The HT-S2000 offers excellent value.

Pros:

• Easy setup and use
• Clear, crisp dialogue
• Good dynamics

Cons:

• Bass lacks weight
• Sound Field mode underwhelms
• Less rich sound than competitors

3. Sony HT-A3000 – Best Mid-Range Dolby Atmos Soundbar

Affordable cinematic sound with Dolby Atmos support.

Pros:

• Clear dialogue
• Good dynamics
• On-screen menu

Cons:

• Sound projection could be better
• Weak height channels

The HT-A3000 is the smallest, most affordable model in Sony’s HT-A series. It supports Dolby Atmos but with compromises: no upward-firing speakers and fewer HDMI inputs. Sharing sleek black design with copper accents, it offers a range of audio formats and user-friendly controls.

While it tries to create virtual surround sound and height effects, it doesn’t fill the room as impressively as pricier models. Disabling the Sound Field mode improves dialogue clarity by widening the soundstage.

4. Sony HT-A5000 – Best Mid-Price Range Soundbar

Can Sony deliver top-tier performance with this mid-range Dolby Atmos bar?

Pros:

• Powerful, deep, well-balanced sound
• Great connectivity options
• On-screen setup menu

Cons:

• Limited equalizer adjustments
• Vocals lack sparkle
• No VRR or ALLM at launch

Although succeeded by Bravia Theatre Bar 8, the HT-A5000 still outperforms many rivals. It features HDMI 2.1 passthrough ideal for gamers, a massive remote, and excellent wireless connectivity.

The sound is rich and detailed, holding its own even though it doesn’t project Atmos height effects as vividly as the A7000. As reviewers noted:

“Sony HT-A5000 offers a wide soundstage, solid bass, and excellent connectivity […] As an all-in-one solution, it’s more impressive than many competitors.”

5. Sony HT-SF150 – Best Budget Soundbar

A serious upgrade over your TV’s built-in speakers without breaking the bank.

Pros:

• Premium look and feel
• Impressive soundstage width
• Affordable price

Cons:

• Slightly muffled sound
• Could use more power

If you want a straightforward sound upgrade, the SF150 is a solid pick. While much cheaper than other entries here, it still looks great under a high-end TV.

It includes HDMI ARC, optical input, supports common audio formats, and has Bluetooth 4.2 for music streaming. Its S-Force Front Surround tech creates a wider, more immersive soundstage — a nice touch for such an affordable product.

Though dialogue clarity occasionally dips and it’s not the most musical soundbar, the SF150 remains a quality budget option.

Other Soundbars to Consider

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6: A mid-range Dolby Atmos soundbar with powerful bass and room-filling sound, though the subwoofer integration can feel a bit off.

Sony HT-G700: Larger and pricier than the SF150, but offers a convincing Dolby Atmos soundstage and a hefty subwoofer for big explosions, despite a slight lack in clarity and no streaming features.

How to Choose the Best Sony Soundbar for You

Sony offers a wide variety of soundbars, from budget to premium, many syncing well with Bravia TVs. But picking the right one goes beyond price.

• Placement: Measure the space under or near your TV. If your soundbar uses upward-firing drivers for height effects, avoid placing it where those drivers are blocked.
• Surround Technology: Most Sony soundbars use S-Force Pro Front Surround to create virtual surround sound. Higher-end models add 4K passthrough, better vertical effects, gaming features, Chromecast, and voice control.
• Audio Formats: For the best experience, choose a soundbar supporting Dolby Atmos and DTS:X for immersive 3D audio.
• HDMI Ports: Consider how many HDMI devices you need to connect—consoles, players, etc.—and pick a model with enough ports.
• Streaming Services: Check if your favorite music services (Spotify Connect, Tidal, Deezer) are supported.

How We Test Sony Soundbars

Every Sony soundbar we review undergoes rigorous testing in specialized rooms in London or Reading.

Our reviewers calibrate the soundbars carefully, then put them through their paces using a variety of movies and TV shows, from explosive blockbusters to dialogue-heavy dramas.

All supported audio formats are assessed, from expansive 3D sound to stereo music playback.

We always compare products side-by-side with competitors and previous award winners to highlight what really stands out.

Reviews are team decisions, ensuring objective, balanced verdicts free from PR or sales influence.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Are Sony soundbars the best? Sony has an impressive track record with many five-star soundbars that can enhance any home cinema or sports viewing. The Bravia Theatre Bar 9 is a top-tier model, but competitors like Sonos Arc also shine. Exploring all brands is wise.
• How do I connect a Sony soundbar to my TV? Most soundbars come with optical inputs, but HDMI connections are common and preferred for better audio quality. You might need to buy cables separately.
• Which is better: ARC or optical? HDMI ARC (or eARC) supports more audio formats and allows control via your TV remote, making it the better choice. Optical cables have some limitations and might cause audio delays.
• Do I need a Sony TV to get the most out of a Sony soundbar? No, but some features like Acoustic Center Sync work only with certain Sony Bravia TVs, improving dialogue clarity by syncing TV speakers and soundbar.
• What if my TV lacks enough HDMI ports? Choose a soundbar with enough HDMI inputs or use an HDMI switch to accommodate all your devices.

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