Sony market leader in audio across all price points. You have a wide range of wireless speakers in the mid-range range to grab your attention and as you move up the price range, the sound experience improves. Most of the soundbars we’ve tested are in the low-end range, but when Sony allowed us to experience its HT-A3000 series system for an extended period of time, it was too good an opportunity to pass up. Soundbar Price Rs. 69,990, but if you add the subwoofer, Rs. 83,980 Sony offers special bundle.
The Sony HT-A3000 is a 3.1 channel soundbar, which will join the A5000 and A7000 soundbars in the lineup. The company also supplied us with a wireless subwoofer and dual satellite speakers, sold separately, and we’ll discuss the performance, quality and feel of immersing your space in this high-end setup in this review.
What great in the Sony HT-A3000?
Sony has kept the soundbar design simple, which is a good thing in our opinion. The soundbar is finished in matte black with a metal honeycomb grille that houses the speaker unit.
The built-in woofer is on the side and the soft-touch power controls are on the top right side of the unit. Soundbar is in which mode, which track is playing and how big it is, you will also get the LED display. When you pair the soundbar with a subwoofer, you get a double sound mix with the extra bass you get from the default woofer. You can repeat the process and add more units by connecting to a local Wi-Fi network.
When the box arrives, you may find all units to be bulky, but once you start assembling them and connecting your TV, it can seem like a painstaking task. Versatility has become a key factor in soundbar success and the HT-A3000 checks all the boxes in that regard. Bluetooth, HDMI, Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay and built-in Chromecast are all available. Even in wireless mode, you have support for popular high-resolution audio codec files such as AAC, SBC and LDAC.
For a hands-free experience, you can also use voice commands with Google Assistant and Alexa. There’s a bundled remote with all the options, but you can control the settings to some extent by downloading the Sony Music Center app on a smartphone (both iOS and Android). We already discussed the 3.1 channel support of the soundbar, but adding a sub woofer gives you 5.1 channel support.
It is safe to say that the soundbar review is ineffective except in discussing the performance and Sony balanced soundstage delivers in all areas. It also features Dolby Atmos surround sound, which fills the room with thunder.
While listening to classical music or heavy rock, the vocals are clear and the bass touch enhances the overall sound output from the woofer. The 5-channel audio setup brings life to the room and I must admit watching movies feels incomplete without the HT-A3000. The dialogue is listenable and the action sequences are powerful enough to enhance the overall experience.
What’s not so great about the Sony HT-A3000?
While we appreciate the soundbar’s many connectivity options, it surprisingly lacks HDMI passthrough. This may not be a deal breaker for many, but Rs. This is noticeable when spending more than 80,000. We didn’t like the limited options for equalizer settings in audio devices. When a person spends a lot of money on a soundbar, they expect it to have all the features they want and everyone has different tastes and preferences, so an equalizer is useful.
We can’t end this review without mentioning the price. The HT-A3000 is an expensive proposition, and even though it keeps the levels in check, people check the features several times before taking out the checkbook. Amazon- Check Price
Should you buy the Sony HT-A3000?
The Sony HT-A3000 soundbar is a substantial unit in many ways, and when combined with a subwoofer, turns 3-channel audio into a 5-channel product, which should suit most users. You get premium Sony audio quality, a variety of connectivity options and all in one smart phone for under Rs. More than 80,000 followers. Sony allows you to add additional speakers for a truly immersive audio experience. Buy it if you want to upgrade your home sound system and enjoy the sound signature that Sony has to offer.
