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Sony’s Affordable Soundbar Promises True Dolby Atmos Audio for Less

The brand’s latest entry-level model bucks a trend of other affordable Dolby Atmos soundbars.

Sony Bravia Bar 6 soundbarSony

By Tucker Bowe

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The problem with most of today’s “affordable” Dolby Atmos soundbars is that they come with a significant caveat. Specifically, they lack upward-firing drivers and, even though they can use software tricks to render audio in Dolby Atmos, they don’t do nearly as convincing a job. And, ultimately, they don’t sound as great.

Well, Sony’s newest entry-level soundbar fixes just that.

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6

Sony Bravia Bar 6 soundbar
The Bravia Theater Bar 6 comes with a wireless subwoofer.
Sony

An entry-level Bravia Bar

The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 — for brevity, let’s call it the “Bar 6” — is a more entry-level Dolby Atmos soundbar than the company’s existing Bravia Theater Bar 9 ($1,400) and Bravia Theater Bar 8 ($850) soundbars.

The Bar 6 is a 3.1.2-channel soundbar-and-wireless-subwoofer combo that supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X audio. It has two dedicated up-firing drivers for immersive virtual height channels and three midrange drivers in the center channel for delivering clear dialogue.

Sony Bravia Bar 6 soundbar
Unlike other affordable Dolby Atmos soundbars, Sony’s Bravia Theater Bar 6 has dedicated up-firing drivers.
Sony

The Bar 6 will pair well with most modern TVs, but when paired with one of Sony Bravia TVs, it unlocks Sony’s Voice Zoom technology. This feature uses AI to recognize when people are talking on screen and then amplifies their voices (or reduces background sounds) so that dialogue sounds loud and clear.

For those who want to create a more complete surround sound, Sony has also new rear-channel speakers, called the Bravia Theater Rear 8, that connect wirelessly to the soundbar and turn it into a 5.1.2 home theater system.

(Note: Sony also announced the Bravia Theater System 6, which is 5.1-channel system that looks similar and comes wireless rears, but the soundbar lacks up-firing drivers and thus might deliver a more powerful, but less immersive surround system.)

Sony Bravia Bar 6 soundbar
The Bravia Theater Bar 6 is 3.1.2 soundbar and subwoofer combo.
Sony

Price and availability

As for pricing, there’s still an unknown.

Sony hasn’t announced the pricing for the Bravia Theater Bar 6, nor the Bravia Theater System 6 or the Sony Bravia Theater Rear 8, either, but all will be released later this spring.

Given the rest of Sony’s home theater soundbar lineup, we’re guessing that the Bar 6 will cost in the region of $500.

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