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While we do love component surround sound systems, in all their complexity and flexibility, we here at Ecoustics also see the appeal of soundbars. They make today’s high performance TVs and projectors sound infinitely better: enhanced dialog intelligibility, more impactful bass response, and a fuller, richer soundstage for music and movies. Soundbars are also generally much easier to set-up than component systems and take up far less space. The best soundbars can even approach component audio systems in their presentation of immersive surround sound like Dolby Atmos. And Sony’s HT-A7000 is currently one of the best soundbars available.
The HT-A7000 made our most recent “Best Soundbars of 2022” list for its broad support of immersive sound formats, its dynamic and all encompassing surround soundstage and its flexible connection options. Our only main gripe was the price. At $1399, the HT-A7000 is a tough sell. But now that Amazon has knocked $300 off the price, we’re a bit more excited to recommend it. Check it out:
If you pay using Amazon’s store card, you’ll get an additional $55 back (5%) as a statement credit, bringing your net price down to $1043 plus any applicable taxes.
A Winning Combination of Features and Performance
Sony’s HT-A7000 in Sony’s flagship soundbar, and that shows in its performance and feature set. The HT-A7000 supports immersive surround sound in multiple flavors: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Sony’s own “Reality 360 Audio.” That last one is a rare find in soundbars or receivers and it’s an important consideration as Sony’s immersive surround sound format begins to take root. Music lovers will be happy to hear that the HT-A7000 supports Hi-Res Audio and features Sony’s DSEE Extreme (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) processing which improves the quality of compressed audio files and streaming audio in real time.
The HT-A7000 soundbar uses electronic/psychoacoustic processing and directed speaker drivers to create a dome of sound coming at you from all directions. It helps if you have a roughly square or rectangular shaped room as the bar bounces sound off both side walls and the ceiling in order to envelop the listeners. And it performs this immersive effect very well for a standalone sound bar. If you want even more realistic immersive surround and powerful extended bass response, we’d recommend adding the optional SW5 powered subwoofer and RS5 rear speakers. This will give you a truly three dimensional surround experience, with deep solid low bass and seamless placement of objects in space all around the listening room, for both movies and music.
The HT-A7000 has a built-in microphone which can be used to control any home automation tasks or play music via a virtual assistant. The soundbar supports the three main home automation platforms and digital assistants from Amazon, Apple and Google. The built-in mic also comes in handy for the soundbar’s automatic calibration routine which optimizes the sound for your particular room. The soundbar supports Bluetooth as well as direct connections to Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Chromecast.
The HT-A7000 includes two HDMI 2.1 inputs as well as an eARC-compatible HDMI output. This allows you to plug in devices like a cable box or Blu-ray player directly to the unit while still being able to get Dolby Atmos sound from the apps built into your TV and any additional devices plugged directly into the TV.
If budget is an issue (and really, when is it not?), you can start with the HT-7000A soundbar alone – grab it now while it’s on sale – then add the rear speakers and powered subwoofer later if you feel the need for deeper bass or a more spacious and immersive surround sound experience.
Not sure when the deal will expire, but pricing was accurate and availability was “in stock” as of November 18, 2022.
Buy the Sony HT-A7000 on Amazon:
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