The Sony HT-A7000 with Speakers + Bass Module is a premium 7.1.2 setup released in 2021. According to the manufacturer, the bar has Sony's Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround technologies for a more immersive listening experience. The SA-SW5 subwoofer helps reproduce more thumpy low-bass than the standalone bar. Its frequency response is pretty neutral, though vocals and lead instruments can be slightly muddy. However, compared to other premium models, it doesn't offer a lot of sound customization features such as a graphic EQ or bass and treble adjustments.
Note: The standalone Sony HT-A7000 is compatible with both the SA-SW5 and the SA-SW3 subwoofers. Our results are only valid for the SA-SW5 subwoofer. Since the dedicated subwoofer and the integrated subwoofer work in tandem rather than individually through separate channels, we can confirm this is a 7.1.2 setup.
Our Verdict
The Sony HT-A7000 with Speakers + SW5 Bass Module is good for mixed usage. This setup has a Sound Field Optimization room correction feature to optimize audio reproduction based on your room's acoustics. It has a pretty neutral sound profile suitable for most audio content, though vocals and lead instruments can be muddy and muffled. It has a good surrounds performance, and it supports Dolby Atmos content. However, aside from a subwoofer level adjustment, there aren't many options for sound customization.
- Subwoofer level adjustment.
- Room correction feature.
- Very good surrounds performance.
- Doesn't get very loud.
- No graphic EQ or bass and treble adjustments.
The Sony HT-A7000 with Speakers + SW5 Bass Module is great for dialogue-centric content like TV shows. Thanks to its discrete center, dialogue is accurately localized within the soundstage. Its sound profile is pretty neutral, though vocals can be a bit muddy or muffled. There's a dialogue enhancement feature available to make voices more clear and crisp, though.
- Dialogue enhancement feature.
- Auto-volume mode.
- Doesn't get very loud.
The Sony HT-A7000 with Speakers + SW5 Bass Module is satisfactory for music. This setup has a Sound Field Optimization room correction feature to optimize audio reproduction based on your room's acoustics. On its 'Standard Surround' mode, it has a pretty neutral sound profile suitable for most music genres. However, vocals and lead instruments can sound a bit muddy and pushed to the back of the mix. We found that its 'Music' preset is better-suited for listening to music. While there's a subwoofer volume adjustment feature, it lacks more premium customization features like a graphic EQ.
- Subwoofer level adjustment.
- Room correction feature.
- Doesn't get very loud.
- No graphic EQ or bass and treble adjustments.
The Sony HT-A7000 with Speakers + SW5 Bass Module is good for movies. On 'Standard Surround', it can reproduce the deep rumbling in action-packed movies clearly, and its 'Cinema' preset can create a more immersive sound. Its discrete satellites help to more clearly and accurately represent surround objects in the soundstage. It supports Dolby Atmos content, too, though its performance isn't as impressive as some of the other premium models we've tested.
- Room correction feature.
- Very good surrounds performance.
- Doesn't get very loud.
Changelog
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Updated Oct 18, 2024:
The Compared section has been updated to mention the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 with Speakers + Bass Module.
- Updated Sep 14, 2023: Updated text in Video Passthrough to TV box for clarity. No changes in test results.
- Updated Sep 11, 2023: Updating the bar to firmware version 1.779 adds support for ALLM and HDMI Forum. The Video Passthrough to TV score improves from 8.4 to 9.5 as a result.
- Updated Jun 14, 2023: After TBU 1.2, added more information to the Video Passthrough to TV box to clarify our results.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Sony HT-A7000 with SA-RS3S Speakers + SW5 Bass Module is available in 'Black'. You can see the label for the model we tested here. You can also find this setup with Sony's SA-SW3 subwoofer. However, we haven't tested the bar in this configuration, so we can't confirm its performance.
If you come across another version of this soundbar, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The Sony HT-A7000 with Speakers + Bass Module is a premium 7.1.2 setup. You can also purchase the standalone Sony HT-A7000 if you prefer. It offers a very immersive surrounds performance, and it supports Dolby Atmos content. Compared to other premium models like the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 and the Sony HT-A9, it's not quite as immersive-sounding. That said, despite the manufacturer's production of subsequently newer soundbars, the HT-A7000 with Speakers + Bass Module can still go toe to toe with successors like the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 with Speakers + Bass Module with similar audio format support and even an extra HDMI In and Optical port, so you can hook up more devices.
See also our recommendations for the best soundbars, the best soundbars with subwoofer, and the best Dolby Atmos soundbars.
The Sony HT-A9 with Bass Module and the Sony HT-A7000 with Speakers + Bass Module are both premium setups. The HT-A9 has a unique design that may be more suitable for users with less space in their setup. It also has better soundstage and Atmos performances. That said, the HT-A7000 has a better center channel performance, and it can reproduce a more extended low-bass with the same subwoofer.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 with Speakers + Bass Module is better than the Sony HT-A7000 with Speakers + Bass Module. Both are very premium setups, but the Bose has better soundstage, center, and Atmos performances. It also gets louder than the Sony. That said, unlike the Bose, the Sony offers DTS support and a Full HDMI In port for high-quality passthrough.
While the Sony HT-A7000 with Speakers + Bass Module and the Samsung HW-Q990C are both very premium models, the Samsung is better overall. The Samsung has a more even and balanced sound across the range, offering a better performance with Dolby Atmos content. Plus, it gets louder than the Sony, with less compression at max volume. There are more customization tools, too, including bass and treble adjustments to switch up its sound.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Sony HT-A7000 with Speakers + Bass Module or the standalone Sonos Arc. The Sony is a 7.1.2 setup with discrete satellites and a subwoofer. It's better built, with a better surround performance. Unlike the Sonos, it has two Full HDMI In ports for high-quality passthrough. That said, the Sonos has better soundstage and Atmos performances. You can also upgrade it with a sub and satellites for better performance.
Test Results
