Sony - HT-A5000

If dialogue is your main issue, a soundbar alone is already a big upgrade over TV speakers. Focus on models with strong voice clarity rather than power. You do not need a subwoofer right away. Soundbars like Sonos Arc, Bose Smart Soundbar 900, and Sony HT A5000 sound good on their own and let you add a sub later if needed. Dolby Atmos is nice but not essential in most apartments. Clear dialogue makes the biggest difference. For compact and affordable options, Polk MagniFi Mini AX is solid. If you want a premium buy once option, Sonos Arc or Bose 900 are safe choices most people stay happy with.

I too own the A5000, love it!!!

Costco has sony ht a5000 on sale rn. I love it. But need to buy speakers to get full exp.

A5000 is pretty great with my Bravia 8

I paid 1400€ for a5000 8 years ago and it is still solid. But it is downgraded to the living room TV, and installed a q995f. It is immersive, a stunning upgrade over a5000. 60w TV speakers are also working with Samsung Q-Symphony. Really like that using all the performance. If you don't like cables around, this device is a beast when pair with a compatible TV.

Sony a5000 from Costco was $899 and if they still have it it was $299. Doesn’t come with rear speakers or sub but you can buy the rs5 rear speakers for between $499-599 when they go on sale before Christmas. Total $8-$900. You will love it as many have been on this thread saying how awesome it is. Remember, please do not settle with the first bar you get if you don’t like it. Don’t be lazy and just return it. A5000 is awesome to start at only $300

Sony HT-A5000 was $279 on clearance at Costco. It’s got upfiring speakers and was $899 brand new. So save $600 for a brand new awesome soundbar. Don’t know if it’s still available but it was as of Thursday

Oh without a doubt. It won’t have great bass, but enough to make it sound very good and does a very good job of sending sounds to the left and right depending on what the scene calls for while having upfiring drivers instead of virtual Atmos is a big difference. In fact, I had the flagship a7000 when these two came out and the a5000 was basically as good with the difference being 2 less total drivers. It’s sounds just like the newer Bravia 8 soundbar that costs$800. This a5000 was $899 when it came out and still sells new for 999 at Sony and between $499-$599 at most other stores unless you get refurbished for $350-$450 but $299 for brand new is a fkn steal. It’s gonna be gone soon so hurry and update us on how you like it.

It’s basically as good as the a7000 with real upfiring speakers which actually make a difference especially between cheaper bars that use virtual Atmos.

Sony a5000 at Costco was $899 and I’ve been recommending this to many people with a budget of 3-$400. It’s on clearance at $299 and has an internal Subwoofer plus it has upfiring speakers for real Dolby Atmos and not that virtual crap. This is the best deal for a premium standalone bar. I’m not sure if Costco still has them but many people here bought one and have sent me thank you messages saying how much they love it. Good luck with whatever you decide

I hope you do because these are Sonys flagships from 2022-23 with the a7000 being $1299 and the a5000 being $899 and the only difference between them is that the a5000 has 2 less drivers, but it is still fairly big, as one person couldn’t fit it on his console and between the tv. Wish you the best

Look and see if Costco still has the Sony a5000 on clearance for $299. It has upfiring speakers for real Dolby Atmos and doesn’t come with a subwoofer but has just enough bass with a built in subwoofer. It was a $899 bar when released and I got at least 9 people to buy it and they all love it. You can buy rear speakers and a subwoofer in the future if you want but most people will be satisfied with this by itself. I had the a7000 and it just has 2 more speakers than the a5000. It’s a phenomenal deal and if you’re near a Costco you can always return it if you don’t like it but nobody else returned it. Good luck

Do you have Costco near you? If so they have the a5000 Sony soundbar on clearance and it’s a premium soundbar that you can add rear speakers and a sub to in the future. US price is $299, so you’re right there money wise.

If you want an incredible experience and have a Costco near you see if they still have the Sony a5000. It’s a $900 bar brand new on clearance for $299 and has an internal subwoofer that has just enough bass to satisfy. It’s really good if it’s still available and it comes with upfiring speakers for real Dolby Atmos sound.

Sony a5000 from Costco at $299 is awesome. Regular $799

No subwoofer but its bass from the bar is better than this models sub. I recommend this highly the Sony a5000 which was $800 and Costco has or had it for $279. It’s a great bar with real upfiring speakers and you can add rear speakers and a sub if it’s not enough plus you can just return it if you don’t like it. It’s my favorite recommendation for under 300 by far

Better than the a3000 and less expensive but my local Costco has sold out but I’m sure it’s still available. This bar punches close to the Bravia 9’s level while saving $500. This is the best deal going when talking about brand new instead of buying refurbished etc..

Check out Costco and see if they still have the Sony a5000 for $289. It’s slightly more than your budget but it’s a great bar especially for the money and it has upfiring drivers for real Dolby Atmos and not that virtual Atmos. It was $799 and was the flagships a7000 little brother but it’s definitely not little. Not sure if they have any left but I highly recommend it

Check Costco to see if they still have the Sony a5000. It’s a $900 soundbar that they were selling for $299 and it’s not a cheap bar either. Has real Dolby Atmos and a built in sub, but most likely its probably sold out

The Q990D is a great soundbar. Everyone will vouch for that. Specifically about the bass; to me there is nothing to complain. It's great. But, you will hear a lot of people saying otherwise. That's because it's not very bass heavy. If you want that kind of sound, get a JBL 1000 or 1300. You will constantly feel the bass. I evaluated the Q990D, JBL 1000/1300 and Sony A3000/5000/7000 at the time, and I found the Q990D to the best from all perspectives. Also remember the bass is dependent on your audio stream as well. In Atmos movies, the Q990D at 15-25 volume levels, shakes my recliners if I am watching say Jurassic Park. That should say something about the subwoofer. Also, if Samsung will constantly adjust the speakers (if you switch on the features on Smart Things) to offer the best experience. Where you place the subwoofer also matters, specially from the bass perspective. Hope that helps you.

From Costco, get the A5000, but add the SW5 and RS5 to complete the system

Atmos from a soundbar is mostly about the sound bubble. It's never gonna be technicly accurate - so you can have a pretty good experience if you have the right expectations up front. (1) the quads are made for less than perfect placement, so that would be a place to start. (2) the Q990 series allow you to also set up the surround speakers up front, which might be great for your room (I have an HT-A500 with no rears in a small sunroom and the SSM "bounces" the sound around enough to give me that nice sound bubble). (3) don't go Sonos - and the 300's disable the front firing speaker during surround mode - it's very odd. And super expensive for what it does

I have the HT-A5000 and had the HT-A7000. I would highly suggest at least the SW3 subwoofer for sure. It's worth the investment.

I have the HT-A5000 and it’s insane especially on games

If you have a Costco membership, you can order the Sony A5000 for clearance pricing of 299.97 new . But there are used ones on eBay and facebook for around $250 , So yeah the A5000 is a good choice. You can upgrade them later on with rear speakers and then subwoofer.

Sony soundbars match well with Bravia TVs not just because of the sound but also their menu integration that is added to your tv quick menu for easy changes. What to get will depends on your budget. Just the Bar alone with a somewhat all in one that you can upgrade later, I would say Sony HT-A5000 that is on clearance at Costco for $299.97 website or if you can find it. its 199.97 in warehouse stores. This will give you all the clarity you want along with some extra base and somewhat surround and up firing Atmos sounds. When you what to upgrade, you can then look for rear speakers, (SA-RS3 or SA-RS5) when you add those its changes the whole feel of the system.. . If you need more base, then its time to get the subwoofer , (Sa-SW3 or SA-SW5) Those rear and sub can also match with other Sony sounds bars too. Theater bar 9, 8, 6. A7000, A5000, A3000. Many of the those Sony sound bars some somewhat build-in mini sub woofers so if you are ok with less base, then just adding a set of rear speakers will give you more immersion than adding a sub woofer. Of course you really should add he Sub in for the full immersion. They also have all in one system 5.1 call Sony Theater system 6 that have bar, sub, and rear speakers but I don't think you can upgrade or mix and match and it does not have up firing speakers.