Sony Bravia Theater Bar 5 Review: Basic Bar, Big Sound | WIRED

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Rating:7/10

Open rating explainerInformation

WIRED

Dialog sounds clear and detailed. Provides an impressive bass response. The balance between the subwoofer and bar is seamless. Virtual surround sound is solid, and the setup and usability is simplified on this model.

TIRED

Has a super-basic design and visual display. No Wi-Fi or smart features. No EQ or sound calibration. No upfiring drivers for Dolby Atmos. No included connection cables.

Sony’s soundbar revamp over the last few years has brought a cleaner, more streamlined aesthetic to the lineup, but also an unfortunate loss of connection options and extras, even in premium models, like the flagship Bravia Theater Bar 9. There’s certainly nothing superfluous in the more affordable Bravia Theater 5, with a layout and feature set that make it feel more like a budget model than a mid-tier option.

In signature Sony fashion, the Theater Bar 5’s sound performance does a lot to make up for its shortcomings, pairing a surprisingly powerful subwoofer with a well-balanced three-foot bar for more cinematic thrills than its size suggests. A dedicated center speaker ensures clear dialog across content, while virtual surround software plus support for advanced sound formats, like Dolby Atmos, effectively zhuzh up action-packed films and TV shows.

At $350, you’re not exactly getting off easy here, but if all you want is a plug-and-play system to upgrade your TV and stream some music, the Bravia Theater Bar 5 is a solid option with more spunk than you’d expect.

One, Two, Go

Photograph: Ryan Waniata

The Theater Bar 5’s simple two-piece design and limited connection options make it remarkably easy to set up, even for tech novices. Inside the L-shaped box you’ll find a matte-black bar and rectangular wireless subwoofer tower, power cables for each, and a stubby remote for basic playback controls. The minimalist package frustratingly does not include connection cables, so you’ll have to supply your own HDMI or optical cable to connect to your TV.

Most folks will want to connect via the HDMI port, which syncs up with your TV’s HDMI eARC/ARC input for high-quality sound transference and the ability to control power and volume with your TV remote. The optical input is a backup for (much) older TVs, or even a CD player, but there’s no spare HDMI port for connecting a Blu-ray player or game console directly, let alone an analog input for legacy audio gear like a turntable.

You won’t want to go much further without downloading the Bravia Connect app, which walks you through the full setup process and is the only way to access to settings like Bluetooth pairing so you can stream music from your phone. A single power button at the bar’s left flank is the sole onboard control key, while a two-dot LED system up front provides a basic visual display.

The Bar Necessities

Photograph: Ryan Waniata

Sony’s app picks up where the hardware leaves off, including a handy function that identifies your current sound format and resolution quality. The app's uncluttered layout makes it easy to swap between the limited input options, adjust the bass, or even power up the bar from sleep mode to stream music. The Twix-shaped remote is essentially redundant, but it’s nice to have a backup when your phone is out of reach.

The bar offers a few sound mode options, including voice mode, which I never felt the need to employ; night mode to chill out the bass for late-night listening; and sound field mode, which uses Sony’s virtual surround software to enhance surround sound and 3D audio formats.

Speaking of audio formats, that’s one place where the Theater Bar 5 doesn’t skimp, supporting all the top high-resolution options from Dolby and DTS, including Dolby Atmos spatial audio and its rival, DTS:X. The bar’s 3.1-channel configuration means you don’t get surround speakers or the kind of upfiring drivers found in the best Dolby Atmos soundbars that provide overhead sound immersion. Even so, the bar's virtual audio trickery impressed me with its ability to expand sound from its sides.

For all of its stengths, the Bar 5 leaves plenty of options on the table. Its lack of Wi-Fi support means no smart assistant or voice-control options, limited streaming quality over Bluetooth, and no fancy features like the ability to sync with other speakers in a group à la Sonos and Bose soundbars. Apart from the bass controls, there’s no proper EQ (equalization) to futz with and no calibration capability to adjust the sound to your room. Luckily, the soundbar is so well-tuned, you probably won't feel the need to adjust things much anyway.

Sony Sound

Photograph: Ryan Waniata

Over the first week of testing the Theater Bar 5 by watching TV each day, I was generally satisfied with the audio performance. It did a solid job