SONY HT-A7000
POWERFUL AND MUSCULAR ROOM-FILLING DOLBYATMOS FROM A SINGLE SOUNDBAR
Sony’s flagship soundbar is a 7.1.2 slab of sound that packs two up-firing speakers, two beam tweeters, five front-facing drivers and a built-in dual subwoofer into a single chassis.
It’s an approach that appeals. After all, isn’t the point of a soundbar that it delivers cinematic audio without the need for lots of speakers? Of course, low frequencies are most faithfully reproduced by larger drivers and reflected surround sound is no match for direct audio; but often we have found multi-box systems aren’t cohesive as a whole, and rather than increase the perception of immersive and realistic sound, if they are not all top performers, the sub and surrounds become distracting. Which rather defeats the point.
The HT-A7000 doesn’t require any additional speakers to justify its hefty price point of £1299. However, you can almost double that price with a choice of two subwoofers and a pair of surround speakers. The HT-A7000 is an incredibly weighty 8.7kg and, at 8cm high, it’s taller than most, only just sneaking under the Sony A80J OLED TV that we test it with. It’s a blend of materials, textures and shades of black, from the fabric covering the upward drivers and a perforated metal front grille, to the polished-glass top surface with capacitive function buttons.
The set-up and room calibration process is a breeze, as is connecting to streaming services such as Spotify Connect, Apple Airplay 2, Google Chromecast, and integration into a multi-room system – with Amazon Alexa, Apple Homekit and Google Home all supported. The A7000 is also heavily specified when it comes to physical connectivity, with two HDMI 2.1 sockets capable of 8K@60HZ, 4K@120HZ, and Dolby Vision HDR. While that sounds like full-fat HDMI 2.1, the A7000 doesn’t support ALLM or VRR. Alongside these inputs, there are sockets for EARC/HDMI out, analogue and optical audio inputs, USB type-a, power and an analogue output for Sony’s Acoustic Center Sync, which lets a compatible Bravia TV become part of the soundbar’s centre channel.
The A7000 supports Dolby Atmos (in both Digital+ and Truehd formats), DTS:X, LPCM, wireless hi-res audio and Sony 360 Reality Audio – an object-based spatial technology with compatible content from Tidal, Amazon Music HD, Nugs and Deezer.
ENHANCED SOUNDSTAGE
Sony has opted to use a combination of driver placement and psychoacoustic techniques to enhance the width and height of the soundstage whether you are watching immersive content or not, and it works very well. Alongside the upward drivers, there is the company’s Vertical Surround Engine (VSE), which up-mixes standard content to make use of the height channels. But more key to the A7000’s overall performance are the wide-spaced beam tweeters, which channel audio through a series of flute-like chambers, and S-force Front Surround Technology, that is engaged when the ‘Cinema’ and ‘Standard’ sound modes are selected.
DRAMATICALLY ENRICHING
So effective and transparent is the performance of these wide tweeters that, while watching the opening scene of Gravity in Dolby Atmos, we repeatedly check that there isn’t a speaker immediately to our side. As Sandra Bullock rotates on screen, unable to detach from the spinning robotic arm, the brilliant sound design is superbly rendered spatially, undulating upward and outward, beyond the scope of the image.
Later on, as she floats into the depths of space, snatches of radio static and comms appear to be spread on either side of the listening position. In terms of height and precision, the performance is similar to that of the Sonos Arc but the width of the soundstage and its forward projection is more convincing. It’s not quite like having direct audio from the speaker above or the side but it is effective and dramatically enticing, enriching the viewing experience.
The integrated sub also impresses with a taut, controlled and powerful performance that we have rarely heard from a single soundbar. Even when we push it to the extremes with the pulsating synths of Blade Runner 2049, the subwoofer of the A7000 handles itself well with a strong leading edge while retaining musicality, though we do notch down its volume level from high to medium. The Vangelisinspired score is reproduced with an appropriately epic sense of scale while retaining finer details. Dropping into quieter moments, the A7000 neatly picks out dialogue with transparent clarity. Swapping to Nomadland, with a more restrained but still compelling Atmos sound design, the A7000 confirms its ability to handle lighter, nuanced sounds. The excellent depth of field means that changes of location are stark and powerful. Inside the van, with the subtle noises of the world passing by outside, the viewer feels tightly enclosed. From the cavernous clanking Amazon plant to the gentle winds and vast empty reverb of the open desert, the A7000 places you firmly into each space.
The dialogue is often quietly spoken – but once again the A7000 shows excellent presence, while adding in the Sony TV to bolster the centre channel nicely adds to the openness and character of voices.
When streaming music we find that keeping the A7000 in Standard mode or the weighty Cinema setting is preferable to Music mode, which doesn’t make use of Sony’s S-force Pro Front surround tech.
The vertical sound engine, which up-mixes tracks to make use of the height speakers, is best left to classical or acoustic tracks without heavy rhythmic elements.
The deep, hypnotic bass in Björk’s Hyperballad is punchy, confident and rounded, with only the very lowest notes flattened off slightly. There is plenty of headroom to push the volume but it’s unlikely you will need to push it above 70 unless you have very understanding neighbours.
SWEET HIGHS
In Led Zeppelin’s Ramble On, the clipping percussive transients, kick drum and bass maintain taut rhythmic coherence, while the guitars and vocals have plenty of separation with just the right amount of melody and edge.
Switching to the dynamically diverse Mozart’s Grosse Messe there is a pleasant warmth and consistency in the strings across the lower midrange, and the sub makes a decent attempt at the majestic timpani rolls and organ bursts. Here the vertical surround engine is an enjoyable addition and seems to add a touch of sweetness to the higher frequencies.
We decide to road-test a few 360 tracks from Tidal’s catalogue and quickly realise that not all 360 tracks are created equal. For example, Foo Fighters’ Everlong on the A7000 feels a touch boomy and cluttered whereas the drum panning on Pearl Jam’s Alive fizzes with lively effervescence. Still, immersive audio is a welcome bonus in an already feature-packed soundbar.
The A7000 produces powerful, cinematic audio and an immersive, detailed soundfield from a single soundbar that impresses more than most multi-box systems. If there were no limits to our income or living space we would happily add the optional surrounds and sub, but the A7000 does not feel wanting of any extra support. It’s an incredibly competent, future-proofed performer that sets a benchmark for Dolby Atmos soundbars.
“The A7000 confirms its ability to handle lighter, nuanced sounds. The excellent depth of field means changes of location are stark and powerful”