The Sony HT-A5000 is designed for small spaces. The soundbar operates in a 5.1.2 configuration, is equipped with fewer emitters than the older model, and also lacks one HDMI 2.1 eARC port (the Sony HT-A7000 has two). However, the simplified Sony HT-A5000 can play Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Sony 360 Reality Audio.
Also in place is the automatic calibration system and support for passing 8K HDR, 4K/120, and Dolby Vision signals. The proprietary Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro technologies are responsible for virtual surround sound. Like the flagship version, the A5000 is ready to work with optional satellite speakers and a subwoofer. Among other things, the manufacturer paid attention to wireless capabilities: Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and Chromecast. As you might expect, the soundbar is compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
Sony placed special emphasis on the compactness of the new soundbar and reduced weight. The length of the case does not exceed a meter, and the height is 15 cm. Considering that the flagship model has a length of almost 140 cm, then the A5000 is really small. The manufacturer recommends the Sony HT-A5000 for both cinema and other entertainment: apparently, this means that the sound bar is suitable for music and games.
Features
The Sony HT-A5000 uses a 5.1.2‑channel system: 2 vertically fired speakers transmit sound from above, 2 high-frequency and 3 front speakers expand the surround sound, and a built-in dual subwoofer is responsible for the bass. Featuring Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force PRO Front Surround, the soundbar creates virtual surround sound so you can enjoy Dolby Atmos® and DTS:X®.
With Sony’s Virtual Surround technology, the soundbar projects sound into a vertical field, creating a 3D sound experience without the need for overhead speakers. Like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, the Vertical Surround Engine creates more realistic, immersive sound in other formats.
Sony’s unique digital sound field processing technology virtually reproduces the surround sound field so you can hear sound from both sides using only the front speaker. You get rich, cinema-like surround sound without cluttering up the space.
The combination of powerful speakers provides clear and spacious sound throughout the entire room. Two vertically-firing speakers deliver sound overhead, two tweeters and three front speakers provide surround sound, and a subwoofer delivers powerful bass.
DSEE Extreme™ digital audio enhancement technology uses Edge-AI to enhance the resolution of compressed music files in real time. It dynamically recognizes musical instruments, genres, and song elements such as vocals and interludes, and restores high-frequency detail lost during compression for rich, natural sound.
The deeper the bass sound, the more movement the speaker cone makes. This can cause a phase modulation distortion effect (a wideband cone must reproduce higher frequencies at the same time). Sony’s signal processing technology eliminates this effect and delivers clear speech and rich sound. Improvements in signal shaping modulation also improve clarity and prevent vocal distortion.
The Sony HT-A5000 soundbar and additional speakers are created in a single concept of omnidirectional sound distribution. The shape of the monolithic block with rounded edges ensures wide sound dispersion, and the combination of different material textures will fit into the interior of any living room.
Specifications Sony HT-A5000
HDR HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG
S-Force PRO Surround and vertical audio, 360 Surround Audio,
Audio sound – 5.1.2 with a total power of 450 W
Resolution – (max.) 4K at 120 Hz, 8K at 60 Hz (with HDR)
HDMI standard – HDMI 2.1
Inputs 1 x HDMI 2.1, optical digital, 3.5 mm jack, USB type A, S-Center
Audio output – 1x HDMI 2.1 (eARC)
Wi-FI 802.11 a / b / g / n/ac
Bluetooth v5.0 (A2DP)
Wi-Fi media playback – Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, USB
Audio formats – Dolby Digital (Plus), Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD High-Res, DTS HD Master Audio, DTS: X, LPCM …
Power consumption 65 W
Soundbar dimensions (WxHxD) 1210 X 67 X 140mm
Weight 6.1 kg
