Sony has announced its latest slate of Bravia-branded TVs and home audio devices, and there's a certain soundbar that's caught my eye.
The new lineup includes the Bravia Sub 9, which looks like it fell straight out of a sci-fi movie, and the Bravia Theatre Bar 5, which is a more wallet-friendly soundbar and subwoofer combo that sits just below the Theatre System 6. But it's another soundbar that's top of my wish list.
I'm talking about the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 7, which replaces the HT-A3000. I have a soft spot for this 'bar, as it was the first Dolby Atmos soundbar I ever had at home (before ultimately upgrading to the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus).
This new version looks like a shrunken-down version of the five-star Bravia Theatre Bar 9, although the soundbar that it is really challenging is the much-loved Sonos Beam Gen 2.
The five-time Award-winning Dolby Atmos soundbar delivers superb cinematic sound in a compact package, and while plenty of challengers have tried to snatch its crown, none have managed to knock it from the top spot.
Sennheiser tried, and ultimately failed, with the Ambeo Soundbar Mini, while Harman Kardon's Enchant 900 proved to be a competitive option but couldn't knock it off its perch.
The closest rival we've had to the Beam Gen 2 is the JBL Bar 300MK2, which offered up a five-star surround sound experience at a price that slightly undercut Sonos. But ultimately, the Sonos Beam 2 prevailed.
However, I think the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 7 could be the 'bar to finally topple the champion, as it has all of the makings of a five-star soundbar.
Unlike the Sonos Beam Gen 2, and the HT-A3000 that this soundbar replaces, the Bravia Theatre Bar 7 features dedicated upward-firing drivers. This means we'll (hopefully) be treated to "proper" Dolby Atmos height effects and won't have to rely on Sony's Vertical Sound Engine processing.
And this could make all the difference. We noted that the height presentation and projection could have been better in our full HT-A3000 review, and it sounds as though Sony has listened to our concerns.
Furthermore, the new Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 7 features one thing that the Beam Gen 2 is sorely missing: HDMI passthrough.
Sony has gone all-out by including a full bandwidth HDMI 2.1 socket on this soundbar, which supports up to 4K/120Hz signals with VRR and ALLM, which should make gamers with multiple consoles (like me) rather happy.
Much like the Beam Gen 2, there is the option to connect rear speakers and a subwoofer (Sony suggests the new Bravia Sub 8 and Rear 9 speakers as ideal companions) for a full surround sound upgrade.
There is also a variant called the Bravia Theatre Bar 7 Plus S, which comes bundled with a 100W wireless subwoofer.
Combine these upgrades with Sony's legendary audio expertise and I think that the Bar 7 could finally be the soundbar to usurp the long-standing Sonos champion.
I can't wait to get the new Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 7 in for a full review and to find out if my prediction proves to be correct.
MORE:
Read our full Sonos Beam Gen 2 review
As well as our Sony HT-A3000 review
And check out our picks for the best Dolby Atmos soundbars
