Sony Debuts 7.1 Soundbar for Under $1,000

The soundbars are still coming! Fortunately, the ones that are coming are a lot better than their predecessors. For instance, Sony Electronics just announced the HT-ST5, a “premium” soundbar that promises immersive 7.1-channel surround sound.

Designed in collaboration with Academy Award-winning Sony Pictures sound engineers, the HT-ST5 is perfect for movies, as well as music, sports, and everyday TV watching. It packs nine independent speakers and seven discrete amplifiers into quite the slim package.

Boasting a total of 380 watts (which includes the wireless subwoofer), the HT-ST5 is made for the Blu-ray experience, with support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio formats. Other features include S-Force Pro Front Surround technology for an even broader soundstage, as well as three HDMI 2.0 inputs, one HDMI 2.0 output with Audio Channel Return (ARC), and both digital and analog inputs.

Also worth mentioning is that the HT-ST5 has Bluetooth with NFC One-touch connectivity. This allows users to easily connect portable devices and stream music wirelessly from any smartphone, tablet or other compatible device. Built-in aptX and AAC codecs are also supported to enhance the quality of streaming.

Sony has also made the HT-ST5 compatible with the company’s SongPal app. This free app for iOS and Android devices allows users to control the soundbar, as well as integrate streaming services like Pandora and Spotify into a single user interface.

The HT-ST5 comes with its own remote and a key-hole mounting system, which makes mounting the soundbar on the wall easy, all without separate brackets or hardware.

Sony will start selling the HT-ST5 in late September, with an MSRP of $999.99.