The Sony HT-A3000 is the company’s newest Dolby Atmos soundbar, and it’s an all-in-one solution for delivering positional Dolby Atmos sound and powerful bass.
The Australian release date for the Sony HT-A3000 has not yet been announced, however it is expected to occur in October at the same time as the United Kingdom and the United States.
Three front-firing speakers (left, right, and centre) and two subwoofers make up the 3.1 channels of its official speaker configuration. Not only does it support Dolby Atmos without upfiring drivers, but it also has Sony’s superb sound processing that provides the illusion of height and extra width, as heard in the Sony HT-G700 and other products that made our list of the best soundbars.
While HDMI eARC and optical input are provided for audio input, an HDMI passthrough jack is noticeably absent from this model, which is surprising given Sony’s history of including such a feature in more budget-friendly models.
It supports both DTS:X and Dolby Atmos, as well as Sony’s Acoustic Center Sync, allowing the TV’s speakers to blend with those of the soundbar for a more immersive experience on Sony Bravia XR TVs like the X90J and A80K.
Further, the sound system component need not be a standalone box if that’s not your preference.
Cut across the Arc?
This soundbar is $300 cheaper than the Sonos Arc but makes comparable claims (immersive 3D sound and powerful bass from a single box).
Note that the Sonos Arc has many more speaker drivers than this, including upward- and sideways-firing drivers in addition to the usual forward-firing ones. Our experience with the Arc and Sony HT-G700 suggests better dynamic range.
But not everyone agrees on how many voices there actually are. The finest Dolby Atmos soundbar is what they’re after, as they likely won’t want to lug around a bulky subwoofer anyway. Moreover, perhaps they are unwilling to shell out the money required to get a Sonos Arc.
We believe that this price point and set of features will appeal to a sizable audience. Also, you can add more units to make a more complicated system, just like with Sonos soundbars.. An true dedicated subwoofer will provide deeper and meatier bass than a soundbar alone can provide, and you can add back speakers for a full 5.1 surround system. The Sony SA-RS3S rear speakers, at a price of £449 (about $349), are a great complement to the A3000.