The Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 7 is one of those products that feels both impressive and a little painful at the same time. On the one hand, it’s a very slick, very capable Atmos soundbar with nine speakers, up‑firing drivers, 360 Sound, and tight integration with Sony TVs. On the other hand, that Sony tax is absolutely real. My previous Polk MagniFi Max AX SR 2.1 setup cost about what the Sony soundbar alone runs for, and in pure “does it sound good and cinematic?” terms, they’re genuinely comparable.

Where the Sony wins for me is less about instant wow and more about ecosystem and flexibility. I actually like that the Bar 7 doesn’t come with a subwoofer by default. That sounds wrong on paper, but it means you can pick the right sub—or even run dual subs—for your room instead of being locked into one bundled box. Polk gives you that big, punchy included sub out of the gate, and it absolutely slams for movies, but you don’t get that same tuning freedom. With Sony, you can scale up: start with just the bar, then add the sub (or two) and surrounds if and when you’re ready.

Set up was fantastically easy, but I already have a Bravia TV so that is a factor. I just plugged in the eARC and off I went. It sounded fine out of the box and after setup it was better tuned to my living room.

In day‑to‑day use, the Bar 7 feels like a sidegrade from the Polk rather than a giant jump up. The overall quality is on the same level, but the Sony focuses more on precision, imaging, and smart features, while the Polk leans into sheer output and value. Polk’s MagniFi Max AX SR is all about “here’s your full 2.1+/surround system in a box, go have fun,” and for the price it nails that. The Sony is more “we’ll give you a very clean, refined core and a proper app and ecosystem, and you build around it.”

The two big reasons I’m okay paying the Sony premium are wireless connectivity and app / TV integration. The newer BRAVIA Theater lineup just behaves better with my Sony TV—eARC handshakes, power and volume control, sound modes, all feel more seamless. I’m also getting better app support, updates, and multi‑device streaming without the occasional quirks I’d gotten used to with Polk. From the couch, the overall experience feels more cohesive and less “separate box awkwardly attached to a TV.”

Is the Bar 7 worth it on sound alone compared to my older Polk setup? Not massively. They’re close enough that calling this an “upgrade” would be overselling it—it really is a sidegrade. But if you’re in the Sony world already, want the option to choose your subs, care about cleaner wireless behavior, and like the idea of something that’s designed to play perfectly with a Sony TV, the Bar 7 makes sense. You just have to go in knowing you’re paying extra for that flexibility and ecosystem polish rather than a dramatic jump in raw sound quality.

On top of the 5.1 Vizio I bought a while ago, (I forget what model) since joining Vine I've now gotten to try little over half of the Ultimea being sold at Amazon. The TCL Q85H, 7.1.4. The Sony Theater Bar 6, 3.1. And now this. This one blows them all away.

What I like about it.

The soundstage is huge. I've converted our 3 car garage into a small bedroom, small office, and the rest to a second family/game room. As it's a two story house though nothing except the crawlspace and roof is over the garage, it has high ceilings at almost 14ft high. It's also almost 30ft deep with the TV setup being sideways so that 30 is to the right and left of the soundbar. So I can't get the normal reflections off the ceilings and walls like you can in more normal sized rooms. But even with it that way the soundstage is still larger than the TCL and a couple of the Ultimea that also have sideways as well as upfiring speakers. As well as the Bar 6 that has upfiring. All those were also tried in that garage. Though advertised as Atmos like many soundbars do, it's not going to get you that object based sound like actually being physically surrounded by speakers like in my main family room that has an actual 7.1 system can do. No soundbars that use reflective speakers can accomplish that as mere reflections is not a good substitute for direct sound. But this gets it closer than any other I've tried.

The sound is great. It never ceases to amaze me how good little drivers can do and the ones in this does it better than any other soundbar I've tried. It's not on par with my towers and bookshelves in my family room setup, but that's to be expected. That's also a setup that costs roughly what 4 of these soundbars would cost.

The CEC and ARC paired nicely with my Samsung TV which has notorious issues with that. Didn't have to completely unplug the TV and let it set for a bit to reset it like I've had to often do to get sound output to soundbars.

The Sony phone/tablet app is easy and intuitive to use and allows you to run a simple room correction software off of your phone's mic. It's not remotely as good as something like my Denon AVR's Audyssey software and its much better mic, but it does in fact help to make things sound better.

What I don't like about it.

I would have liked to see this paired with a subwoofer. On its own it's not that the bass is lacking per se. But if you're use to a setup that has an actual subwoofer, you're going to notice the lack of one here. So to me this is something that definitely needs a subwoofer. I guess it's nice to be able to have the options to get your own sub that isn't locked into one that comes with it. Like it is with all the other soundbars I've tried including the Sony Bar 6 that isn't all that less expensive than this. But I don't see why you can't have both. It's hardly hard or expensive to add in some simple RCA ports to standard less expensive soundbars, but few do it.

It's on the expensive side. At this price range and assuming your room can fit it, it might be better to start looking into the realm of inexpensive actual surround sound systems. One certainly doesn't have to go with things like full towers or expensive AVR like my Denon X3800H, to get a good surround sound system. For not much more than this one can get at least a decent setup.

Though they're all blended together nicely. I would have liked to see an option to bump up the DB to specific speakers. Especially for not ideal setups like my garage. I'd definitely bump the side and upfiring if I could.

All in all I'm really happy with this. It's now replaced the TCL which though wasn't fully as good as the Bar 6 when it came to its individual speakers, had actual satellite speakers which edged it out to being better in my opinion. Not sure what sub I'm going to pair it with yet but I'm still happy this came up for review.

Evaluation for Home Theater Bar 7 Soundbar (HT-A7100, 2026 Model)

Product Dimension: 37..5" L x 5" W x 2.6" H

Introduction:

If you're looking to elevate your home entertainment experience in 2026, the Theater Bar 7 Soundbar (HT-A7100) is a compelling option worth considering. With its blend of cutting-edge audio technology and user-friendly design, this soundbar stands out as a strong contender for anyone seeking immersive sound without the complexity of a multi-speaker setup. We recommend the Theater Bar 7 for discerning buyers who prioritize both performance and convenience in their home theater systems.

Product Overview:

The Theater Bar 7 Soundbar is engineered to transform ordinary TV sound into a cinematic audio experience. Designed primarily for home theater, it aims to deliver premium surround sound in a streamlined form factor. This model targets users who want high-quality audio without the clutter of traditional speaker systems, making it ideal for living rooms, media rooms, and apartments where space and aesthetics are paramount.

Design and Build Quality:

The soundbar features a minimalist profile with premium-grade materials, offering both visual appeal and robust durability. Its low-profile chassis integrates seamlessly with most TV setups, and the brushed metal finish provides a sophisticated touch. The build feels sturdy, with well-fitted panels and precise construction that inspires confidence in long-term reliability.

Key Features and Performance:

The Theater Bar 7 boasts nine precisely engineered speakers, strategically arranged to produce a wide and detailed soundstage. Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support ensure a three-dimensional listening experience, with sound that moves fluidly around the room for true immersion. The proprietary 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology further enhances this effect, simulating a multi-speaker environment that adapts to your room’s acoustics. The integrated dual subwoofers deliver punchy, well-defined bass, eliminating the need for an external subwoofer in most settings. Bluetooth connectivity enables seamless streaming from smartphones and other devices, ensuring versatility for both movies and music.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

• Exceptional surround sound with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support

• 360 Spatial Sound Mapping adapts to any room

• Sleek, durable design fits modern interiors

• Integrated dual subwoofers for impactful bass

• Easy wireless streaming via Bluetooth

Cons:

• Premium pricing may deter budget-conscious shoppers

• Lacks HDMI passthrough for advanced gaming setups

• Some features require compatible TVs or devices for full functionality

Targeted Audience:

This soundbar is best suited for home theater shoppers who seek high-fidelity audio without the stress of a complex installation. It is particularly beneficial for those in apartments or smaller living spaces, as well as users who want a minimalist setup that doesn't sacrifice sound quality. Tech-savvy users with existing TVs will find additional value through seamless integration.

Pricing and Value for Money:

The Theater Bar 7 Soundbar (HT-A7100) is positioned within the premium pricing category. This represents a substantial investment, which is substantiated by its integration of advanced audio technologies, robust construction, and user-centric features suitable for discerning home theater enthusiasts. Its performance is comparable to that of sophisticated multi-speaker systems, offering notable value to individuals seeking high-quality sound in a singular, cost-effective solution.

Verdict and Recommendation:

The 2026 Theater Bar 7 Soundbar is a standout choice for anyone prioritizing immersive audio and modern design in their home entertainment systems. While the price may be a barrier for some, its impressive feature set and performance make it a worthwhile investment for those who demand quality. If you're ready to upgrade your home theater and appreciate the benefits of the latest audio innovations, the HT-A7100 deserves a top spot on your shortlist—consider experiencing it in person to fully appreciate its capabilities

Setup

After opening the box, I scanned the QR code and downloaded the Bravia app. I plugged the soundbar into the TV via eARC cable and it was immediately recognized. Next was the typical firmware update download. Then I signed into my Sony account on the app, connected Bluetooth and WiFi, and registered the device. Then room optimization. Then finally another soundbar update. I used the app throughout because we already have too many remotes, though the TV remote did connect without issue when I tested it.

Issues

Two problems right out of the gate:

    1    Both the TV and soundbar were producing audio simultaneously.

    2    The Apple TV remote controlled the TV speaker volume, not the soundbar.

Both issues were resolved by going into the TV sound settings and changing the output from “TV speakers” to “audio system.” Surprising given this is a Sony TV and I’ve never had this issue with other eARC devices.

App and Features

The soundbar app could use a volume sweep instead of just +/- buttons.

Voice mode might help those struggling with dialogue clarity, though it lends a tinny tenor to the sound. Night mode tends to dull everything, but again, could be useful in the right context.

Sound field optimization was frustrating: it took about 12 attempts before it completed, despite no obstructions in the room.

Performance

Volume never went above 75% (too loud for me). 50% was comfortable for normal listening.

Bass is nothing to write home about without a subwoofer; max isn’t substantially more than min (probably need the sub to appreciate that setting).

Listening to music, vocals are at times shrill.

One recurring issue: we often need to power the soundbar off and on before sound would kick in. Not sure if that’s a firmware problem or our ten-year-old Sony TV acting up.

Comparison: WiiM Amp + Klipsch RP-600M

It’s a clear downgrade. My wife and I immediately noticed after switching back to the WiiM how much more room-filling and bass-rich our movies were. Neither setup has a subwoofer, but the lack of one hurts the soundbar much more. The WiiM/Klipsch combo was also more expansive and pleasant to listen to.

On music, the soundbar is surprisingly good for what it is, but vocals are much smoother through the Klipsch. It’s just a generally superior listening experience.

Verdict

This is a genuinely good soundbar, but it has quirks, and I’m not sure soundbars make sense for our room. If you want something that plugs into the wall and TV and takes up as little space as possible, you probably can’t beat something like this. But if you have any room to the sides of your TV, a WiiM Amp and a pair of decent bookshelf speakers are barely more complicated, probably less expensive, and far superior for both music and movies.

I absolutely love the sound from my Sony BRAVIA soundbar. The sound bar has excellent sound, configures itself for your room, and interfaces with a range of wireless subwoofers and rear speakers.

The device is packaged extremely well. My wife removed the sound bar from the shipping box while I was gone. When I went to install it I noticed a concerning dent in the box (no idea if we did that or if it happened in shipping). However there is absolutely no worry. The soundbar inside of Sony's box is super protected. There is all kinds of space and padding within the box, so it would be extremely difficult for the sounbar to get damaged. The soundbar itself is even wrapped in a protective white cloth of some kind to prevent scratches or scuffs.

Installation is straight forward. You can either place it directly on a shelf or table, attach small included feet, or attach brackets that can hang on screws in the wall. The physical installation of the soundbar is not hard at all. Be sure to connect to the eARC power on the soundbar and on your TV. I also purchased a woofer separately to go with this sound bar and it is equally easy to physically install.

Once you have the soundbar in place and connected, you install Sony's BRAVIA connect app and that handles configuring the internet connection, downloading updates, and connecting the soundbar to the subwoofer. The app setup process is not difficult, however I had to try and run setup several times once I moved to the stage where I connected my subwoofer. I am unsure why it took several tries in order to get everything connected, but it did eventually synchronize.

What is really neat is that the soundbar, subwoofer, and the BRAVIA connect app on your phone all work together to configure and optimize the sound for your preferred viewing/listening spot. The soundbar and the subwoofer make chirping noises at each other and the phone in order to perform this configuration. It goes quick and does a great job in my opinion.

The sound quality is really great. It has a much greater range and clarity than my previous soundbar from another manufacturer. The subwoofer also has a lot more range than my previous setup.

The bar is stylish and has a nice clean look to it. It is rather long, at least compared to previous soundbars I have used. So if you have a small TV you might want to check things out.

I also tested it by streaming music from my cell phone over the bluetooth connection. Again, the music is clear and has an amazing sound.

I definitely recomand this sound bar for your TV! Its a clean, easy to configure, and great sounding audio solution that is a great improvement over any other audio system I have used before!

For a speaker that costs nearly $900 and from a brand name such as Sony, I was ready to have my socks knocked off. But that just didn't happen. In my main movie room I have an old school surround sound setup with 5 speakers, subwoofer and surround sound amplifier. It sounds great and certain movies really envelope you in sound. In our living room, we opted for a $150 LG soundbar that included a small 4" wireless powered sub and two rear speakers that wire to the sub making it easy to setup. It also sounds great, just at a lower max volume. But now the trend is to only have a single sound bar with all your surround sound built in. I was excited to see if they've really done it. Sadly, no. We have a pretty standard rectangular room with four solid walls to "bounce" sound off of. I got the app, set everything up, had it run room correction and started watching some movies to try it out. The sound is definitely better than what's built into my 65" OLED TV, but not by near as much as I was expecting. Honestly, that $150 LG sound bar blows this Sony out of the water. The bass is OK, but nothing even compared to a nice set of bookshelf speakers. The treble is a little lacking as well. Dialog is reasonable, but pressing the voice button on the remote barely made any difference. The Sony Bravia app is aggravating at best. It took at least 20 minutes just to get the app to connect to the soundbar after the update. I have a 2025 Motorola running the latest Android update so it should have been smooth sailing. Opening the app it found the soundbar quickly and wanted to do a firmware update. Once that update was done, it would not find the soundbar again. I eventually had to uninstall the app and reinstall it. After that, it found the soundbar and I ran through the setup. But later, when trying to use the app as a remote, it's hit or miss weather it will find the soundbar. And the included remote has very basic functionality. It would be nice if the sound bar had at least a few buttons for various functions, but they want you to rely heavily on the app. Which you have to setup a Sony account for and agree to let them have all your personal data for as long as you live. I'm sure it would make a huge difference if you also had the wireless subwoofer and surround speakers, but for nearly $900, you shouldn't need to. Especially when other manufactures make better sound for so much less.

Final verdict: Having to sign up with a Sony account and use the app just to run room correction is a bummer. Older systems include a small microphone and onboard buttons for setup. And the fact the app only sometimes connects to the soundbar means you'll likely quit trying it. Expecting full surround sound with "deep bass" is a big ask from a slim sound bar and this one doesn't deliver on either front. It's better than good TV speakers, but not worth the current asking price in my opinion.

Sound quality was exceptional. In a smaller tighter space the sound bar by itself might be all that you need.

However, I am used to running a subwoofer on my previous set up. Playing around with a few different movies and music doing comparisons between the two I found that this one had excellent directional sound as far as the Atmos capabilities went. It really was great at simulating direction.

When I played music that one generally would define by the bass running through it, everything from classic rock up to an artist like the Weeknd, many sounds are completely lacking just about. To be clear I’ve gone through all the possible settings for both the sound bar as well as the default on my own television set. The sound bar is doing its job and again when it comes to three-dimensional direction of the sound is absolutely amazing.

But as far as some of the nuance that the proper rumble should be adding to the direction of the sound, it was severely lacking. I say this not to have you shy away from this high-quality sound bar. It’s very good at what it does.

I am saying, for the full box office experience, get one of the corresponding subwoofers at minimum. In conjunction with this amazing sound bar, I have no doubt of what it will do.

Now, if you’re spending most of your time, listening to educational talks, political news, and absolutely anything such as simple dramas where you need to hear good clarity spoken, audio, because maybe you’re finally tired of how modern sound balancing generally is requiring most people to run subtitles to not miss important information, this might hold you back from needing to have the subtitles. It has settings that really do help you to get clear focus on the spoken vocals. I’m currently using this for the bedroom television set. But once I get the subwoofer type that Sony makes to pair with this, and possibly maybe even speakers with back corners, I will be sure to update this listing review with any information informational changes. Again, the big standout is the three dimensional sound capability is so cool.

But it would be a shame for this to be left, only as a standalone without a subwoofer at minimum. Good quality, Sony product for the money! Very happy with it!

I set this up on my office TV since it's a good environment for a soundbar such as this. It's connected to my LG OLED. I mostly use it for gaming, with some TV watching.

The soundbar itself is fairly large and heavy, but not the biggest soundbar I've seen. Set up was pretty straightforward, but it took a tad longer than expected. After connecting the soundbar to the TV via HDMI, I had to download the Bravia app and update the firmware of the soundbar. It did everything automatically so it wasn't difficult for me in any way, but it took a few minutes and it would be cool to have it updated already out of the box.

Remote is small and light with not a lot of button. But honestly I don't even use it.. the soundbar synced with my LG TV automatically (somewhat unexpected) so I just use the TV remote the change the volume. The soundbar remote is needed for changing a couple functions, but I can do that from the app anyway. I believe the soundbar is designed to work even better with Sony Bravia TVs and I was a little concerned about how it would function with an LG TV, but it was way better than expected.

Of course the thing I'm sure you're interested in most: how does this soundbar sound?

I'll start by saying I'm no audiophile, but I do like my audio toys and I have a number of soundbars (Bose, LG). Anyway, the sound is exactly what you would expect from Sony... it's very good. Clear at all frequencies, including dialogue. Bass is strong.. definitely good enough for my relatively small room (about 11'x13'). If you have a larger room, you may want to consider the standalone base, but budget accordingly.

The soundbar doesn't include rear speakers. There are side-firing speakers along with the Atmos up-firing speakers so you do get the sensation that sound is coming from around you. It's a pretty decent surround sound experience, but it obviously doesn't compare to the real thing (I have a true surround set-up in another room.. it's noticeable). You can add on some rear speakers, but again.. budget accordingly.

Bottom line: great sound quality that you expect from Sony. Great connectivity. Costly upgrades (rear speakers, sub) but great system if it's in your budget.

Update: I mentioned below that after connecting the sound bar via HDMI to my ARC port on my TV, the app was showing that the signal passed to bar from the TV was 2.0 Channel 48K. However, after tinkering with the TV settings a bit, I found the Audio settings and changed the Audio out setting to Passthrough, and now I'm getting the 5.1 Channel. I didnt need a new TV with an eARC HDMI port. This is the limit of the ARC port, the 5.1 channel. If you need to show the 7.1 channel, then you need to connect the source, like a PS5, to the sound bar directly as I noted in my review below. In any case, most streamers like Netflix and Prime Video will output audio at 5.1 channels max due to compression, so you wont be missing much. You can also receive Dolby Atmos audio on ARC as well.

Original:

I have always been a massive Sony fan. Years back, I owned a surround system from them that was easily the best of its generation at the time. This new nine-speaker system is a masterpiece of technology, though achieving the proper experience requires paying close attention to your setup and your media. It works perfectly for my needs because my space is limited, which is exactly why this standalone design exists. If you want the absolute best theater experience, you need an added subwoofer and two rear speakers. However, for a compact room where extra hardware is not possible, this single unit is a fantastic choice that throws audio beautifully around you.

To get the most out of it, you need to ensure you are playing media that supports advanced formats like Dolby Atmos or DTS. Streaming a standard stereo channel won't produce the 360 Spatial Sound Mapping results you are after. For installation, the most convenient method for me was connecting the included HDMI cable from the TV ARC port straight to the soundbar HDMI out port. This routing allows every device connected to my TV, whether it is an Amazon Firestick, a PS4, or a Chromecast, to output audio through the system.

The required Sony Bravia Connect app is excellent for managing the system and tracking these details. In fact, the app shows your current audio configuration. When routing through my TV ARC port, it showed the audio output as 2.0 Channel 48K, which is likely the limit of my current television output (maybe if my TV had an eARC port this could be elevated?!). Interestingly, when I bypassed the TV and connected a new Chromecast directly into the soundbar's HDMI in port, the audio changed to a much better 5.1 signal. The drawback there is that I lose the convenience of having all my other devices go through the soundbar. This situation has me thinking that I might need an upgrade...perhaps a new Bravia TV to take advantage of the crazy integrated features that sync perfectly with this hardware. I attached a small video clip with a demo sound from YouTube, not sure if you can sense how great the sound is.

You must manage the audio settings on your playback devices to ensure they are set to Dolby or a higher format instead of PCM or stereo, which limits the sound dramatically. The other important factor to create great sounds is to use HDMI instead of an optical cable or Bluetooth (which is a big no-no if you want true surround sound due to its massive data compression). While I wish the bar had a small digital LCD screen on the front to show volume levels, you can easily view that information on your TV screen (if you are connected through ARC) or right inside the app. Utilizing the app is a must for setup and for connecting Bluetooth devices like a phone or laptop. The app also immediately pushes a new firmware update right out of the box, showing a great commitment from Sony to keep the device current with fixes and features. The soundbar itself is a heavy, solid piece of equipment with raised no-slip rubber feet on the bottom. It delivers incredible theater depth for movies and smooth bass for music. It is a premium, high-tech choice that completely transforms home audio, especially if you have a limited TV.

Setup & Ease of Use

-Extremely easy to set up using the app and phone pairing process. I don’t mind apps and accounts when they are as feature-rich and useful as this one. I had everything connected and working in about 15 minutes. It worked no problem with my Sony account.

-Included all the accessories for where you want to put the soundbar and your TV setup. It comes with mounting hardware, TV leg adapters, remote batteries, cables, basically everything needed to get started.

-Bluetooth streaming from iOS devices works smoothly we can play audio from our phones (we both have an account so can control from the app as well. I have an old 2019 LG TV and it has the HDMI eARC connection, so I didn’t need to upgrade my older set-up.

-On that note, my very old Apple TV remote still worked properly for volume control (it’s so old an Apple TV version that it doesn’t even have spatial audio for airpods, I think it’s from 2018). It also works no problem with our latest Apple TV.

-The app makes adjusting settings and features much easier than navigating menus with the remote, but you can easily use the remote too.

Sound Quality

-Sounds incredible.

-Gave us a “movie theatre” feeling with immersive, room-filling sound. It’s so fun watching shows again with this, even when they are muddled or badly mixed from TV speakers. Especially with the Sound Field option

-Awesome bass, can adjust to min, mid, and max. Never sounded boomy or muddy.

-Bass and volume are powerful, but the sound remains controlled and adjustable.

-Does a great job placing you “inside” the action during movies and shows.

-Even at higher listening levels, sound directions can be controlled by you. With night mode the sound still felt immersive and loud sitting in the room in front of the soundbar, but leaving the room I could barely hear anything, and upstairs heard nothing. Great fit for apartments because of that I think. The sound directionality is amazing.

Dialogue & Voice Clarity

-The voice boost/dialogue enhancement feature is so useful with some of the Netflix shows especially.

-Makes poorly mixed streaming content much easier to watch. Even with YouTube it fixes muddled and tinny microphone sounds so I can listen to them (I have sound sensitivities, particularly to higher frequencies).

-Mostly solves that way too common problem where sound effects and music are extremely loud but dialogue sounds muffled or distant.

Features

-So many customization options and sound settings. Not gimmicky either, they actually make a difference.

-Easy to experiment and quickly switch settings to match what you’re watching or the time of day.

-Supports immersive surround formats: 360 Spatial Sound Mapping (affects all content), Dolby speaker vitrualizer (formats other than DTS) and DTS Neural:X (content with a sampling freq below 96 kHz in format other than Dolby). And they sound great. They do make a difference so experiment based on what you’re watching, especially if you don’t feel you’re getting the effect.

-Includes room optimization and sound field calibration features that help adapt the sound to your space. You basically use your phone microphones to help it calibrate to where you’re positioned relative to the soundbar, and you can adjust the ceiling/height too.

-Both HDMI eARC and Bluetooth work well

Build & Design

-Feels premium and well designed.

-Flexible mounting/placement options.

-Looks clean and modern without being overly flashy. Fits easily in our small TV console area

Considerations
If setting up for a non-tech savvy person or someone who is older, I would recommend they have assistance. It works best with a combo of the app and providing the right information to the soundbar, responding to prompts like holding your phone with the microphone pointed certain directions so it can adjust sound accordingly for you etc.

I can’t figure out how to tell which features (night mode, sound field, voice mode) are enabled using the remote alone without the app. I usually use the app anyways, so maybe I’m just missing something.

We have a projector set up in our living room and this sound bar is connected via bluetooth and now sits in front of the couch about 2 meters in front of us. I'm not an home theater/audiophile but I do own some amazing headphones for studio recording so factor my review into that.

Sound

- Sound is CLEAR and WIDE. Watching movie feels like there are multiple speakers around me and I can really hear the quite and loud notes. Instrumentals are so nice, there is depth and width.

- Without a sub, the base is of course lacking and muddy when it gets loud - but then we never use it that loud anyways.

Connection

- We're using bluetooth only to connect with a projector, google home and our phone

- You have to get it all set up in the Bravia app first, but once the set up is done, every time I need to connect a previous connected device is very seamless and quick.

- I understand bluetooth can't get the most out of the sound bar, but that's all we have.

App

- I hated setting up the app, for reasons it had so much trouble connecting in the beginning. I'm not sure what cause it and I kept updating my phone and app and somehow the next day everything connected and it's working ever since.

- After the initial set up and tweaking, the app is pretty useless

- There are a few modes (night, sound field, voice) that are only shown on the app. You can toggle between them using the remote but I'm not sure how to tell which mode it's in based on the little light on the soundbar itself.

Set up

- It came with feet to raise the sound bar if anything is in the way like a TV stand

- It came with wall anchors and installation kit

- Has battery for the remote

- I find the power cord to be very short, if your outlets are on the opposite of the sound bar you may actually need an extension cord

The sound bar has a fine mesh fabric and gosh the amount of dust it gathers is annoying.

The Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 7 is a premium sound bar, equipped with 9 speakers that provide very good 3d sound.. it has side firing and up firing speakers, it's excellent for dialog clarity.. great for movies. Supports Dolby Atmos.. it connects to eArc that allows it to turn on and off with your TV, it has room calibration "sound field optimization". When unboxing, it comes with a simple remote (battery included), all black wrapped in a thin soft fabric. There are also brackets for wall mounting and 2 little legs you can attach to the bottom of the sound bar. The 2 little legs are optional.. but if you are placing it flat on the tv stand.. I would suggest putting the legs on it because the amps in the soundbar does get slightly hot.. not dangerously hot.. not by a long shot.. but it does get decently warm.. and it's better to put the legs on it to slightly elevate it, to give it some more air flow. If you have a lot of Sony product, this will fit well with the Sony ecosystem. The sound signature is neutral.. slightly cold.

I'm just going to address the cons, because they outweigh the pros. Yes there is very cool 3d sound... however, when compared to the actual TV speakers.. it just feels like louder TV speakers with side firing and up firing 3d spatial sound. I really did not enjoy the phone app.. which is necessary to set this sound bar up. You must make a Sony account.. and the connecting with eARC gave me so many issues.. I even changed multiple 2.1 HDMI cables because it kept having problems connecting via eARC. It took 40 mins just to get the account running, get the eArc connected and room calibration done.. seriously I found the APP super annoying. The app is pretty bare as well.. I have the bass on max.. and let me tell you... there is barely enough bass.. even though there are 4 passive radiators.. it is still unable to produce anything close to a ground rumbling bass that is almost required for a good home theater experience. The sound bar desperately needs a subwoofer.. Sony has a couple subwoofers and even rear speakers, all wireless that will connect within the Sony ecosystem.. but the pricing is pretty steep when you add up the sound bar, subwoofer and rear speakers. Honestly, there are a lot of competition in the market place for tv speakers and sound bars. Unless you can not have a subwoofer in your apartment due to neighbors, and prefer to focus on vocal clarity.. active speakers in the market can be pretty compelling.. especially at this price point.

A bit about me.. I am crazy about sound with half my foot in the audiophile door. I've been collecting audio for 3 decades. I own over 12 headphones, half a dozen IEMs, 9 pairs of passive speakers, 4 pairs of active speakers, I also own 3 different subwoofers.. many speaker amps, preamps.. headphone amps.. half a dozen dacs. I currently have a home theater setup and 2 audio speaker setups.. so I may not be your average consumer when it comes to sound. The Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 7 sound bar to me isn't a very attractive option, it's price and performance doesn't move me. But if you have a space constraint or prefer a simple setup with less cables.. if you prefer to focus on vocal clarity or if you're buying into the Sony ecosystem and are building for the full wireless Sony home theater setup... then by all means, this soundbar may be the one.

It is a solid, heavy speaker, as you’d expect for this size. The quality is good and it looks nice. It has raised no-slip rubber feet on the bottom for putting the speaker straight onto a surface. But there are also hard, raised feet that can be installed if you need to be able to stradle the feet of your TV. Or, you can use the provided hardware to mount it on the wall.

The power cable is 5-feet long but the location on the speaker to plug that in is only on one side (the right when looking at it straight on). In our case, our power source is on the left side so the cable has to travel a full 27” along the back of the speaker before it even gets to the end of the speaker, then you still need length to go down and across to whatever plug you have nearby and you’re left with only 33” to do it. Being in the centre and having a longer power cable would be better.

There was a firmware update as soon as we got going with it.

The speaker has minimal instructions, it is very straight-forward but you will need to install the app to get set up. The app is also needed to connect other Bluetooth devices to it (eg. Phone, desktop computer, laptop...), you can’t just discover a device and connect like normal.

It comes on automatically when I turn on the TV, same with off.

The sound is pretty nice considering it’s coming from one source. In the soundbar there are nine speakers with sound coming out the top, front and two sides. The idea of 360 Spatial Sound is good and helpful for those with limited options – it does make a difference and you can really hear it if listening to properly recorded soundtracks. The recording “360 Spatial Sound Mapping Demo | Sony” on Youtube really demonstrates how well the sound is thrown on this soundbar.

In the Sony Bravia app you optimize it according to where you sit and the acoustics in that room. It really does make a difference. Sure, it would be even better if I had two rear speakers and a subwoofer for it, but for our setup, that may not even be possible, but even without, this is still great.

It looks nice and sounds great. I highly recommend it.

-----

This is a review for "Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 7 Soundbar for TV Surround Sound Home Theater with 9 Speakers, Dolby Atmos®/DTS:X®, 360 Spatial Sound Mapping, Dual Subwoofer Capability, Bluetooth, HT-A7100, 2026 Model", priced at $998.00 at the time of this review.