Sony A-7000 Soundbar and SA-SW5 Subwoofer (A casual review)
Introduction
I don't know what I was expecting from this. My standards are a little higher than your average every day home theatre in a box user due to having experience with my every day audio system (which you can learn about HERE), so that can easily spoil it for me from the beginning which it did in this case as it has with other soundbars I have listen to (see HERE on that).
I understand that soundbars are trying to cram a lot of different features into one compact box so I don't expect them to perform as well as a system that is split into separate components but for $2500 I was expecting more.
Initial Set Up
I used the set up menu to adjust the level settings of each speaker at the lowest volume using a SPL metre. I did this because I felt that the sound bar was very forward and in your face. Movie scenes with intense action and theatrical music seemed to be overblown so I thought if I brought all of the channel levels down it would soften and sound more controled but that was not the case. I also did this because out of the box the subwoofer seemed to be completely impotent so setting the subwoofer level much higher seemed to improve this but I think in this case, the subwoofer just needed to be broken in a little because I ended up bringing the subwoofer channel back down because it ended up being way too much.
There are no tone controls which I find rather annoying because it would be nice to be able to reduce treble sibilance when the volume is higher. That said, I think most of this aggressive treble comes from the side beam tweeter channels because when I ran the test tone it becomes abundantly clear that the side beam channels are voiced quite differently from the rest of the speakers in the bar and the voicing on the side beam channels sound kind of trashy which inevitably drags the rest of the system down with them.
Room Correction
One thing I found initially impressive was when I ran the room correction software from the menu settings. I could distinctly hear sounds coming from the ceiling in four different points. Unfortunately, this doesn't really transfer to movie soundtracks. After watching a number of movie clips from Marvel I was impressed that there is a sense of sound coming down from slightly above the screen but my room has 10 foot ceilings and I really didn't notice any sound coming from the ceiling as it is advertised. I do have a number of sound panels on the ceiling which are spaced significantly apart so they may be causing a reduction in height channel effects.
SW5 Subwoofer
In some ways this soundbar sounds better without a subwoofer. I found that voices, dialogue and overall action sounded fuller and warmer without the sub because the sound bar uses the internal "subs" which created more body and warmth although obviously it lacks deep bass. Unfortunately, when the sub is connected all of this mid range body in the sound bar disappears and the subwoofer takes over probably at 120 Hz and below. This is frustrating because when the subwoofer is engaged not only does the bar sound thinner and lifeless, the subwoofer can easily be audibly localized because much of the action and even dialogue come through the subwoofer. So wherever the sub is placed in the room, you are definitely going to be able to hear where it is located. I think that for the most seamless integration between high frequencies and low frequencies, the subwoofer needs to be placed almost directly in front of the bar on the floor which nearly nobody but me would do. If the subwoofer is placed too far from the sound bar action and even dialogue will come from that location. Gross… It is really unfortunate that Sony did not include a crossover adjustment so the user can adjust the crossover frequency and send less bass and mid range frequencies to the subwoofer so the sound bar can provide more mid range and the whole system would sound warmer and less tin can like.
In Use
After I felt I had it set up to the best of its abilities to my room and after it had a bit of time to "break in", I watched a few different movies (the latest Venom movie and The Tomorrow War) that had quite a bit of action. Is it an enjoyable experience? Well… if I suspend my critical ear and just get into the film it can be a pretty good time. Most people will think it's great and never think about any of the criticisms I have about it.
A quick note on connectivity. It has everything. Chromecast, Apple Airplay 2, Google and Alexa Control so streaming music to it is a cinch.
The verdict? The system was pretty fun! It delivers on what it is supposed to deliver which is an exciting movie experience that draws you into the film. Low-volume levels can be lacklustre as it takes a bit of volume to bring the system alive and if you go to far it becomes abrasive especially when action sequences begin at which point you might find yourself reaching for the volume control to turn it down as that was the case with me. In other words, high volumes quickly become fatiguing for my ears (likely due to those pesky left and right side beam tweeters) but other people may not experienced this.
Who is this for? Somebody looking for a relatively exciting home theatre experience in a good looking discrete package for an all purpose living room or a bedroom system where running wires and surround sound speakers isn't a possibility (although there are wireless surround speakers that can be added to the system for an additional cost). For a dedicated home theatre system, obviously, this is not going to cut it but for someone looking for a no fuss solution this sound bar is definitely worth a consideration amongst all of the other options that are available.
One final note regarding the $2500 sticker price. The system should perform significantly better at this price point. Especially seeing how it sounds in comparison to Sony's HT-Z9F which is another atmos sound bar that I own. Although not perfect by any means, the Z9F is an overall better experience on nearly every point and it costs less than half the price of the A–7000.
Go figure…
Thanks for reading! Happy listening!