GoKawiilSony’s soundbar revamp over the last few years has brought a cleaner, more streamlined aesthetic to the lineup, but also an unfortunate loss of connection options and extras, even in premium models, like the flagship Bravia Theater Bar 9. There’s certainly nothing superfluous in the more affordable Bravia Theater 5, with a layout and feature set that make it feel more like a budget model than a mid-tier option.
In signature Sony fashion, the Theater Bar 5’s sound performance does a lot to make up for its shortcomings, pairing a surprisingly powerful subwoofer with a well-balanced three-foot bar for more cinematic thrills than its size suggests. A dedicated center speaker ensures clear dialog across content, while virtual surround software plus support for advanced sound formats, like Dolby Atmos, effectively zhuzh up action-packed films and TV shows.
At $350, you’re not exactly getting off easy here, but if all you want is a plug-and-play system to upgrade your TV and stream some music, the Bravia Theater Bar 5 is a solid option with more spunk than you’d expect.
One, Two, Go
Photograph: Ryan Waniata
The Theater Bar 5’s simple two-piece design and limited connection options make it remarkably easy to set up, even for tech novices. Inside the L-shaped box you’ll find a matte-black bar and rectangular wireless subwoofer tower, power cables for each, and a stubby remote for basic playback controls. The minimalist package frustratingly does not include connection cables, so you’ll have to supply your own HDMI or optical cable to connect to your TV.