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Sony HT-A3000 Soundbar review: Compact sound

Sony HT-A3000

If the bigger, and more expensive Sony HT-A7000 Soundbar isn't your cup of tea, the Sony HT-A3000 Soundbar may work better. It delivers a great home theatre experience with room-filling sound. But you may need to crank it up a bit more to get the best experience.

Quick specs

  • 3.1 channels with virtual Dolby Atmos
  • Built-in subwoofer
  • Spotify Connect, Chromcast, Google Assistant, Alexa
  • Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Optical in, HDMI (eARC)

Much like the more expensive A7000, the S$1,112 A3000 doesn't come with a separate subwoofer. Instead, it packs everything into the soundbar itself. Size-wise, the speaker is smaller, but will fit under most 55-inch TVs easily. It still delivers a reasonably good sound. I mentioned that you may need to increase the volume — I turned it a bit louder than I usually do when at home. Vocals and mids are great. But the bass is clear, though slightly lacking. You won't feel the room rumble, or your cabinets rattle.

Sony HT-A3000
Credit: Aloysius Low/Can Buy or Not

That can be remedied by getting the subwoofer add-ons, and this soundbar lets you do that. You can also pair rear wireless speakers for 360-degree sound, or add up-firing rear wireless speakers. Note that this will add around S$800 to S$1,500 more. I tested the soundbar with the Sony SA-SW3 200W, and SA-RS3S rear wireless speakers. It does add quite a lot more punch to your home theatre setup. I do think you can do without, especially if space is a concern.

Sony HT-A3000
Credit: Aloysius Low/Can Buy or Not

The sound overall is quite balanced, though as mentioned, bass is not that powerful. This is quite obvious when watching shows such as Netflix's Formula 1: Drive to Survive, where the loud cars racing around the track don't quite have the impact. Furthermore, the magnetic boat scene in 6 Underground feels a little lacking without a standalone sub. But Dolby Atmos effects work great, despite being virtual. I could make out newspapers being tossed over my head in the opening scenes of the first episode of Stranger Things Season 4.

At around S$1,100, the Sony HT-A3000 soundbar is a decent buy that doesn't take up a lot of space. And you can upgrade it with add-ons, though perhaps it makes more sense budget-wise to get a soundbar with all you need right from the get-go. Get it from Lazada, Shopee, or Amazon.

See Also
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Note: Review unit provided by Sony.


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Verdict



CAN BUY

Decent sound in one package.

Shop from Shopee
Buy from Lazada
Available on Amazon SG

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