With the surge in popularity of streaming services due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s been a high demand for quality home entertainment systems. Sony has always been a leader in this area, and their latest offering, the HT-A3000, is a great example. This mid-range premium soundbar system delivers a truly immersive 3.1-channel surround sound experience, and I’ve been using it as my primary audio setup for the past week. Find out all about it in our full review.
Sony HT-A3000 Soundbar unboxing: What comes in the box?
Inside the box, you will find the following items:
- HT-A3000 soundbar,
- an HDMI cable,
- a power cable,
- a remote with two AAA batteries
- A user manual
The SA-SW3 sub-woofer and Sony SA-RS3S Wireless Rear Speakers which you need to buy additionally come in their own separate packaging. Other than the cardboard box there are large Styrofoam blocks, most of this packaging material can be recycled.
Sony HT A3000 Review: Design
The Sony HT-A3000 boasts an all-matte-black plastic body and dark grey metal grille on the front It’s a perfectly acceptable combination for us it allows the soundbar to disappear into the background allowing you to focus on the entertainment. The built-in woofers are on the sides, and the controls are at the top in case you misplace the remote.
A tiny OLED text display hidden behind the metal grille provides all the status information you could ever need, including the volume level, audio formats, and the current input. Although having that information in visual form is useful, we would have wanted a larger screen that could be seen from a greater distance.
The Sony HT-A3000 has a physical footprint that is just 2.6 inches tall and 37.5 inches broad, making it easy to tuck beneath most 55-inch or bigger TVs without obstructing the IR sensor. With weighing less than 5kgs, it is also incredibly lightweight.
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Sony HT A3000 Review: Setup and Installation
The HT-A3000 setup is quick and simple. The box includes an HDMI cable which needs to be on one side at the back of the sound bar and on the other side to your TV’s HDMI ARC/eARC port. Once you have done that, turn on your TV and the soundbar. You’re now ready to go for TV sound, regardless of whether you complete the other setup stages.
Sony provided the SA-RS3S Rear Speakers and SA-SW3 Subwoofer to ensure a comprehensive review. The rear speakers and subwoofer can be powered on and immediately connect to the soundbar. All you have now run the Sound Field Optimization to calibrate all the speakers and subwoofer as per your surroundings. Once optimisation is successful you are all set to experience Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound.
Like all other Sony’s premium soundbars, this one also has a full-screen menu system that can be used to complete the setup. You can use the menu to connect to the internet via Wi-Fi, and configure virtual assistants, and music streaming apps. You can still connect using an optical cable if your TV doesn’t support HDMI ARC/eARC, but you’ll have to provide your own and won’t be able to enjoy Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, or any of the high-bandwidth surround sound audio formats like Dolby TrueHD.
A USB port is also available for playing music from storage devices. Sony does offer excellent file format support. If it can be played on a computer, it most likely can be played on the A3000.
Sony HT A3000 Review: Remote and companion app
The Sony HT-A3000 utilizes the same remote as our earlier reviewed, more expensive Sony HT-A5000 speaker. The remote should have all the features you might need in a pinch, but if you want to see exactly what the EQ settings are, you might want to access the soundbar’s user interface.
If you lose the remote, you can use the Sony Music Connect app on your phone or the touch-capacitive buttons located along the top of the soundbar. Although having a lot of control options is great, you’ll probably just want to use the remote when you can.
Sony HT-A3000 Soundbar review: Sound Quality
We tested the Sony HT-A3000 soundbar with and without optional surround speakers and sub-woofers. First we tested it without addons and it impressed us with the excellent sound for both traditional two-channel stereo and even Dolby 5.1 content. It really surprised us with its dialog clarity. Although the A3000 lacked dedicated tweeters and even without turning on the dedicated voice mode, dialogs were very clear and understandable. Given the size of this speaker, the built-in dual subwoofers provide impressive low-end bass; however, be realistic in your expectations.
The HT A3000 sounds equally good even if you can’t position your surround speakers symmetrically in the space for your primary seating position, for instance. In that case, Sound Field Optimization can make up for less-than-ideal speaker placement. To test how terrible it would sound and how well the Sony could compensate, I deliberately placed the right surround speaker parallel to my sitting position and the left surround about a foot behind to my left.
After making these changes, we repeated the Sound Field Optimization process, which uses a soundbar-integrated microphone to play a series of sounds while balancing the system’s overall audio output. It optimized the system so splendidly that I don’t think most listeners would notice the poor placement.
Given the size of this speaker, the built-in dual subwoofers do an admirable job of providing low-end bass but keeping your expectations in check. After testing it stand-alone, I also added the optional SA-SW3 subwoofer and the surround speakers to my setup and they blended in perfectly with the soundbar, enhancing its overall performance. The integration of the sub and the soundbar, along with the addition of the SA-RS3S surround speakers, transformed the HT-A3000 into a powerful 3.1-channel sound system capable of producing an authentic Dolby Atmos experience.
Review Verdict: Should you buy the Sony HT-A3000 soundbar?
The Sony HT-A3000 aims to streamline complex home theater systems with a compact soundbar and for the most part, it succeeds. The HT-A3000 stands out as a powerful and impressive soundbar, delivering an impressive audio experience within a 6-foot range. The clarity of dialogue is remarkable and the device provides ample bass for smaller rooms. The Sound Field Optimization feature also simplifies setup, even in challenging environments.
Pros:
- Impressive sound processing
- Good dialogue clarity
- Easy setup
- Works with most smart assistants
Cons:
- Does not include a subwoofer or rear speakers
- Music performance lacks finesse
- No HDMI pass-through feature
