The Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6 is an entry-level soundbar offering from Sony. It features a more compact frame than other full-sized bars, with attachable feet that allow it to slot in over the legs of select Sony BRAVIA TVs. Its 3.1.2 configuration helps maximize what it can do with a pared-down setup, with two up-firing drivers and virtual surrounds bolstering playback from the bar and sub combo. Still, compromises have been made to keep both the size and cost down, with features like an HDMI In port and Wi-Fi connectivity omitted.
Our Verdict
The Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6 is a decent choice for mixed usage, especially if space is at a premium. This compact bar and sub setup is capable of outputting a punchy, yet mostly balanced sound that reaches a high max volume, though it does compress the bass range as you crank it. The dedicated center channel excels at reproducing rich vocals and crisp dialogue, and voices can be further enhanced via sound customization options. That said, its stereo soundstage doesn't extend particularly wide, and the 5.1 implementation suffers from a lack of discrete surround drivers, relying instead on virtualization. The lack of elevation impacts the immersive qualities of Atmos content during movies and will bother those who enjoy watching movies in this object-based format, too.
Streamlined, compact size.
Balanced default frequency response, with punchy bass.
Low latency with ARC/eARC connection.
No discrete surround channels.
Barely any sense of height with Atmos content.
Wireless playback limited just to Bluetooth.
The Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6 is very good for TV shows or dialogue-heavy content. The stereo frequency response tuning is very balanced in the mid-range, where most voices lie, though the punchy bass response can occasionally overpower this range. Still, the discrete center channel is a definite boon for fast-paced dialogue, helping you pinpoint voices within the mix, and there's even a dialogue enhancement mode to coax even more clarity from speech, should you need it.
Discrete center channel.
Low latency with ARC/eARC connection.
Wireless playback limited just to Bluetooth.
The Sony Theater Bar 6 is satisfactory for music. It has a relatively balanced sound, with a flat mid and treble response and a punchy bass range, courtesy of the discrete sub. While it can get quite loud, there's a fair bit of compression present in the bass range as you approach max volume, which can negatively impact audio quality. The stereo soundstage isn't the widest either, extending just to the peripheries of the bar, which is narrower than most soundars. It's nice to have a room correction tool included with a bar at this price point, though, even if you'll have to break out the tape measure to get the most out of it.
Streamlined, compact size.
Balanced default frequency response, with punchy bass.
No discrete surround channels.
Wireless playback limited just to Bluetooth.
The Sony Theater Bar 6 is decent for movies. It has a mostly balanced tuning that yields a punchy bass response from the discrete sub. It won't shake the floor in intense action sequences the way a larger sub would, but it'll definitely add some substance to the frenetic, low-tuned toms in Hans Zimmer soundtracks. The discrete center channel really helps localize voices and dialogue within a crowded mix, and the bar can get quite loud, though it compresses the bass range at higher volumes. That said, this bar really suffers when it comes to Atmos implementation: Atmos content plays back in the stereo channels too, muddying the mix, while also pushing audio to the (virtual) surrounds. The up-firing drivers struggle to create any impression of height and elevation, and there's a palpable lack of depth to the sound field.
Discrete center channel.
Balanced default frequency response, with punchy bass.
No discrete surround channels.
Barely any sense of height with Atmos content.
Changelog
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Updated Oct 06, 2025:
The Stereo Dynamics section was altered slightly to make mention of the Samsung HW-Q600F.
- Updated Aug 20, 2025: Review published.
- Updated Aug 13, 2025: Early access published.
- Updated Jul 30, 2025: Our testers have started testing this product.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6 (also marketed as the Sony HT B600) comes in just one color variant: 'Black.' Here's a picture of its label. It's not to be confused with the BRAVIA Theatre System 6, an entirely different compact soundbar setup from Sony, that also features surround speakers.
If you encounter another variant of this soundbar, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The Sony Theater Bar 6 is a more affordable 3.1.2 soundbar from Sony, which comprises a bar and a discrete sub. As with other soundbars that lack discrete surround channels, it virtualizes these channels and downmixes them, which can cause surround sound content to lack width and an immersive quality. The similarly configured Samsung HW-S800B suffers from similar caveats, as it tends to push surround sound content to the front of the sound field. Still, it's a better choice in other regards, with a more balanced frequency response, a wider stereo soundstage, and a better dynamics performance. If you're looking for a bar that provides these extra surround channels, the 5.1.2 Samsung HW-Q800D is a solid bet. It's much more serviceable with 5.1 content and comes with a broader suite of sound enhancement options.
If you're looking for more soundbars, check out our recommendations for the best soundbars, the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, and the best soundbars for movies.
The Samsung HW-Q600F is a better soundbar for most people than the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6. While both bars feature tunings that reproduce your audio clearly with a bit of a low-end weight, the Samsung offers better dynamics, a higher max output, a slightly wider stereo soundstage, and an HDMI In port. Plus, its sound enhancements are more robust. On the other hand, the Sony adds modern touches such as a companion app and eARC audio with a much tighter latency. Despite having fewer ports, the Sony supports DTS:X and DTS-HD MA, too, but whether this is an advantage depends on what media you mainly consume.
The Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 8 and the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6 are both compact soundbar setups, suitable for smaller living spaces. The Theater Bar 6 is a bar/sub combo, while the Theater Bar 8 is a standalone bar, so the former has a punchier bass response, courtesy of the subwoofer. That said, the Theater Bar 8 is better built, has more wireless connectivity options, and features a full HDMI In port with 4k @ 120Hz passthrough. This versatile combination of features opens it up to more use cases, like gaming or wireless music streaming via Wi-Fi. The Theater Bar 8 retails for quite a bit more, though, so you'll have to decide if the additional features are worth the extra outlay.
The LG S80TR features two extra surround channels compared to the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6, but this makes a substantial difference, making 5.1 content sound much more immersive. The LG also has a more balanced default stereo frequency response, more sound enhancement features, and a better dynamics performance. It also has a full HDMI In port, allowing you to use your soundbar as a hub between your display and a console or PC. That said, the Sony has a better center channel performance, which comes in handy for pinpointing dialogue in busy conversational scenes.
The Samsung HW-Q800D and the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6 are both bar/sub setups, though the Samsung features two extra channels, which are used for surround sound content. While the Sony is more compact and can physically integrate with BRAVIA TVs, it trails behind the Samsung in pretty much every other regard. Its default frequency response isn't as balanced, and the Samsung comes out on top when it comes to dynamics, soundstage, and surrounds performance, too. Additionally, the Samsung has a wider range of sound customization options, an HDMI In port with 4k @ 60Hz passthrough, and a full suite of wireless connectivity options. Though it's part of Samsung's popular Q-series of soundbars, it can be found for around the same price or cheaper than the Sony.
Test Results
