The Sony HT-G700 is a 3.1 channel soundbar from 2020. It can support all common audio formats via its HDMI ARC and Full HDMI In ports, and if you like to watch movies, it can also play Dolby Atmos content, but it has to downmix it into stereo. Although it has a fairly boomy sound profile, there are seven EQ presets available that can enhance your audio experience, depending on what kind of content you like to listen to. It can also get pretty loud, but there's a lot of thumping and compression at max volume, which is disappointing.
Our Verdict
The Sony HT-G700 is satisfactory for mixed use. Its boomy sound profile lacks a thumpy low-bass, which some listeners may find disappointing, especially if you're a fan of EDM or action movies. However, if you prefer a different sound, it has a few EQ presets available, which is nice. This soundbar can also reproduce voices accurately and clearly, so you can catch every line of your favorite soap operas or podcasts. It can also get loud enough to fill a large or crowded room.
- Seven EQ presets available.
- Can play Atmos and DTS content.
- Can get very loud.
- No room correction feature.
- Lacks low-bass.
- No graphic EQ.
The Sony HT-G700 is great for dialogue and TV shows. Even though it has a boomy sound profile, it can still produce voices clearly and accurately. It can get loud enough to fill a large room or crowded environment, and there's also a dialogue enhancement feature to make voices more clear. You can also use Bluetooth to stream your favorite podcasts or audiobooks to the bar.
- Dialogue enhancement feature available through EQ presets.
- Bluetooth compatible.
- No room correction feature.
The Sony HT-G700 is decent for music. It has a boomy sound profile with a touch of brightness. While it also lacks low-bass, there's a dedicated 'Music' EQ preset that can help enhance your audio experience. An 'Auto Sound' EQ preset allows the soundbar to automatically adjust its sound profile to better suit your audio.
- Seven EQ presets available.
- Can get very loud.
- No room correction feature.
- Lacks low-bass.
- No graphic EQ.
The Sony HT-G700 is decent for movies. While it has a subwoofer, it lacks low-bass, which can impact the immersiveness of your favorite action flicks. Luckily, there's a 'Cinema' EQ preset to help enhance your experience. There's also an 'Auto Sound' EQ preset that automatically adjusts the sound profile to better suit your audio. It supports Dolby Atmos, but it has to downmix surround content into stereo. It also supports DTS content, which is nice if you watch a lot of Blu-rays or stream movies.
- Seven EQ presets available.
- Can play Atmos and DTS content.
- Can get very loud.
- No room correction feature.
- Lacks low-bass.
- No graphic EQ.
Changelog
- Updated Jan 29, 2024: Updated text in Stereo Dynamics, Audio Latency: ARC, Audio Latency: HDMI In, and Audio Latency: Optical boxes with new methodology from TBU 1.3. Some updates to the usages to be in line with these results.
- Updated Jan 29, 2024: We've converted this review to Test Bench Update 1.3. If applicable, we've retested stereo sound based on the manufacturer's recommendations. Additionally, we've expanded our audio latency tests to the following boxes: Audio Latency: ARC, Audio Latency: HDMI In, and Audio Latency: Optical. You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated Jun 28, 2023: Added a market comparison with the Sony HT-S2000 to the Style - Subwoofer box.
- Updated Jun 07, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 1.2. Updated the results for audio format support via ARC/eARC, HDMI In, and Optical. Added Video Passthrough to TV results as well.
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Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The Sony HT-G700 is a 3.1 channel soundbar from Sony's 2020 lineup. Unlike most other 3.1 setups, it can simulate an Atmos experience by using Sony's Vertical Surround Engine to downmix this content into stereo. Just like the Sony HT-Z9F, it also supports DTS content using its HDMI ARC port, as well as HDR10 passthrough. However, it's also not compatible with the Sony Music Center app.
If you're looking for more soundbars, check out our recommendations for the best Sony soundbars, the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, and the best soundbars with subwoofer.
The Sony HT-G700 is better than the Sony HT-S400. The HT-G700 is a 3.1 bar with a discrete center channel to improve vocal clarity. Also, it supports Dolby Atmos content, so you can take advantage of more immersive object-based formats often found on streaming platforms. It's better built, too.
The Samsung HW-Q700A is a better soundbar than the Sony HT-G700. The Samsung is better-built, and it offers a better soundstage performance. It also offers more sound customization features, including a graphic EQ as well as bass and treble adjustments.
The standalone Sony HT-A7000 is marginally better for mixed usage than the Sony HT-G700. The HT-A7000 is a premium 7.1.2 setup that's better built. It also has better soundstage and surround performances and supports more wireless playback options. There's also a room correction feature. However, only the 3.1 HT-G700 has a dedicated sub included. It can reproduce a slightly more extended low-bass. That said, you can always buy a sub for the HT-A7000 separately.
The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a bit better than the Sony HT-G700. Both soundbars have similar Atmos performances, but the Sonos has better soundstage and surround performances. Also, the 5.0 Sonos is better built and has built-in voice assistant support. The 3.1 Sony has a dedicated sub, meaning it can reproduce a slightly more extended low-bass. Unlike the Sonos, it has a Full HDMI In port for high-quality passthrough.
Test Results
The Sony HT-G700 is a sleek soundbar that's very similar in look to other Sony soundbars such as the Sony HT-Z9F. It's made from good quality plastic and it has a big metal grille to protect its speakers, which gives it an overall premium look and feel.
The subwoofer is made of mostly melamine and plastic. The port has a glossy black finish while the woofer itself is covered by a nice metal grille. The subwoofer's back has a plastic plate. If you don't have room for a subwoofer but want a similar bar, check out the Sony HT-S2000.
The Sony HT-G700 is a fairly wide soundbar and most likely won't fit between the legs of most 55" or smaller TVs. It's not too tall, though, so it shouldn't block part of your screen unless your TV sits flush on the table.
The Sony HT-G700's subwoofer is about the size of an average desktop PC. It isn't too large and it should fit beside your TV or couch.
The Sony HT-G700 has a good build quality. Its body is made from dense plastic and its speakers are protected by a large metal grille. In contrast, the subwoofer is made from mostly melamine and plastic, which is a little disappointing. The port has a glossy black finish that's prone to fingerprints, but the woofer is protected by a metal grille too, which is nice.
- HDMI cable (4.9 ft / 1.5m)
- 2x power cables (4.9 ft / 1.5m)
- Remote
- 2x AAA batteries for the remote
- Manuals
The Sony HT-G700's frequency response is decent. On 'Standard' mode, its subwoofer struggles to produce a thumpy low-bass. However, the rest of the bass range is punchy and boomy, which some listeners may enjoy. Its treble is a bit underemphasized, but it may sound bright on some especially high-pitched tracks. If you're looking for a 3.1 soundbar with a better-balanced sound out-of-the-box, check out the Samsung HW-T650.
The Sony HT-G700's stereo soundstage is just satisfactory. It feels about as wide as the bar but the bar itself doesn't do anything to make it sound any wider. Objects also sound like they're coming from general moving areas rather than accurate pinpoint locations. For a bar with a better soundstage, check out the Klipsch Cinema 700.
This soundbar has great stereo dynamics. It gets loud enough to fill larger and more open living rooms. Plus, there isn't a lot of compression when you push it to max volume.
The Sony HT-G700 is a 3.1 channel setup with a superb center channel performance. Since it has a dedicated center speaker, it can produce clear and accurate audio reproduction of dialogue from your favorite movies.
This soundbar has a poor surround performance. As it's a 3.1 setup, it uses its left and right speakers to downmix everything into stereo to play surround content. Unfortunately, this results in a less than accurate and clear representation of surround objects, which won't be very immersive as these objects are also perceived as coming from in front, rather than from the sides or behind you.
The Sony HT-G700 has a just unremarkable height performance. It uses Sony's Vertical Surround Engine to simulate an Atmos experience by using its left and right speakers to downmix this content into stereo. While its performance isn't bad, it won't be as immersive as a soundbar with up-firing or dedicated tower speakers.
Subjectively, the bar's Atmos performance was underwhelming. Sound effects all seem to come from the space in front of you, and the bar struggles to stretch them into the space around or above you. Also, despite the dedicated subwoofer, there isn't much rumble in the bass to bring action-packed scenes to life. It doesn't give a very cinematic feel.
The Sony HT-G700 has sub-par sound enhancement features. It lacks a room correction feature, so it may sound differently depending on your room. While you can adjust the subwoofer's level, there aren't bass or treble adjustments, which is a little disappointing. There are seven EQ presets to help you get a sound better suited for your audio. There's also a virtual surround sound feature called S-Force PRO that's always on, as well as its Vertical Surround Engine, and DTS Virtual:X.
The Sony HT-G700 has several inputs. Although its USB input is used for updates only, the Full HDMI In and HDMI ARC ports support all common audio formats, which is nice.
The Sony HT-G700 supports all common formats over its HDMI ARC connection. As it also supports eARC, it can play object-based surround signals and lossless formats as well.
Thanks to its Full HDMI In port, you can use this soundbar as a hub between an external device such as a gaming console and your TV. It also supports all common audio formats, including Dolby Atmos and DTS content.
This soundbar supports Dolby Digital and DTS content which are usually found on Blu-ray discs or streaming platforms via its Optical port.
Audio latency is good over an Optical connection. Though some TVs and apps can compensate for latency differently, the video you see on screen is largely in sync with the audio you hear.
Audio latency is decent with HDMI In. You aren't likely to notice lip-synching issues with many commonly found audio formats on streaming platforms and Blu-rays. Some apps and TVs compensate for latency differently, though.
Audio latency is a little higher over an Optical connection, which is worth noting if you plan to connect your bar to an older TV that only supports this connection type. Especially with Dolby Digital content, you'll likely notice lip-synching errors.
The Sony HT-G700 can be used as a hub between your TV and another source like a gaming console to play 4k content at 60Hz. Text sent using this signal looks crisp.
The Sony HT-G700 can only play audio wirelessly using a Bluetooth connection, which is a little disappointing. If you're looking for a soundbar with a few more wireless playback options, check out the Vizio SB36312-G6 or the TCL Alto 9+.
The Sony HT-G700 has a small screen behind its grille that displays the inputs as well as settings you change. It can also tell you what kind of audio format you're playing.
This bar has five simple buttons on its top. From here, you can turn it on/off, change inputs, switch to a Bluetooth connection, and raise/lower the volume.
