Sony gears up to release new home theatre and soundbars for more advanced surround sound

Sony has unveiled its new home theatre and soundbar systems, which promise to bring the bass and multi-dimensional sound to every corner of a room.

The Home Theatre System HT-A9 home theatre system and HT-A7000 soundbar will hit shelves from mid-September, supported by two new wireless subwoofer products (SA-SW3 and SA-SW5) and a wireless rear speaker product (SA-RS3S).

Sony's play this time around is to add more bass and wider surround sound for the home audio experience.

The HT-A9 home theatre system has what Sony called '360 spatial sound mapping and sound field optimisation', which is a fancy way of saying that Sony wants to make sure users 'feel' the sound in every direction.

It does this by using two microphones in each speaker to measure height and position, then creating up to 12 'phantom' speakers from just four cylindrical speakers. The result is a wider sound. Users can activate sound field optimisation via an easy setup within the A9's home menu.

Sony's 360 Reality Audio is also a feature that enhances the listening experience, which could be a great way to enjoy music via Spotify, Chromecast, Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and voice commands through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

The Sony HT-A7000 soundbar is a 7.1.2-channel soundbar with two upfiring speakers for overhead sound, two beam tweeters, five front speakers, and an inbuilt dual subwoofer. With all of these speakers, the soundbar can also use a sound field optimisation feature to produce sound perfect for a room's layout.

The A7000 also includes access to music services such as Spotify, and compatibility with Chromecast, Apple AirPlay 2, and Spotify Connect, as well as voice activation through Alexa and Google Assistant.

Optional addons include the SA-SW5 wireless subwoofer with 300W of deep bass from a 180mm driver with a passive radiator; The SA-SW3 wireless subwoofer that produces 200W of sound from a compact bass reflex subwoofer with a 160mm driver; and the SA-RS3S wireless rear speakers are also available with 100w of wide surround sound and wall mount capability.

Pricing:

• HT-A9 - SRP $2499.95 
• HT-A7000 - SRP $1899.95 
• SA-SW5 - SRP $999.95 
• SA-SW3 - SRP $499.95 
• SA-RS3S - SRP $599.95 (pair)