BRAVIA Theatre Bar 5

Released 2026

A three-channel soundbar with a supplied wireless subwoofer, virtual Dolby Atmos playback and HDMI eARC for television audio.

Type: Soundbar
Atmos: Yes
Connects by: Bluetooth and HDMI
Battery: –
Weight: 3 kg

Dolby Atmos

What reviewers say

Reviewers find clear dialogue, useful bass and a broader soundstage than television speakers, with straightforward daily controls. Both miss Wi-Fi and substantial sound adjustment. WIRED praises seamless subwoofer integration and convincing lateral effects; ComputerBild finds occasional nasal voices, less defined bass and little believable height. WIRED also recommends switching off virtual processing for clearer stereo music.

From wired.com and computerbild.de

Specifications

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Sound

Type: Soundbar
Channels: 3.1
Dolby Atmos: Yes
Drivers: Three forward-facing 45 × 82 mm full-range cone drivers in the SA-B500 bar, including a dedicated centre channel; supplied SA-WB500 bass-reflex subwoofer with a 160 mm driver. Four active drivers in total; Atmos height and surround effects use virtual processing, without upward-firing or rear units
Amplifiers: S-Master digital amplifier; 250 W total claimed output. Japan maker qualifies this as non-simultaneous JEITA maximum, comprising 50 W each for left, centre and right and 100 W for the subwoofer
Audio formats: Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital, DTS:X, DTS and multichannel LPCM over HDMI eARC; Japan table also lists DTS-HD High Resolution and Master Audio. Compatible input and television output settings determine available formats
Room tuning: Manual listening-distance adjustment in BRAVIA Connect; S-Force PRO, Vertical Surround Engine and Dolby Speaker Virtualizer. No automatic microphone room calibration (WIRED)

Connections

Wi-Fi: No
Bluetooth: Yes
AirPlay: No
HDMI eARC: Yes
Voice assistants: None
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.3 receiver with SBC and AAC; A2DP and AVRCP; Bluetooth Low Energy for BRAVIA Connect communication
Ports: One HDMI TV eARC/ARC output and optical digital input; no HDMI input or video passthrough. USB-A UPDATE port is for software updates on HT-B500; USB music playback in the shared manual applies only to regional models with that function. Separate mains connections for bar and subwoofer
Streaming: Bluetooth audio from a phone, tablet or computer; no Wi-Fi, AirPlay or integrated voice assistant (WIRED)
Multi-room: Included subwoofer connects wirelessly to the bar; this is a dedicated bar-and-subwoofer system, without additional rear speakers
App: Sony BRAVIA Connect for setup, listening-distance settings and controls; maker manual requires a smartphone app, account and sign-in for initial setup

Design

Weight: 3 kg
Controls: Side power button, supplied remote, status LEDs, voice and night modes, bass adjustment and Sound Field on/off; DSEE enhancement. Voice Zoom 3 and TV quick settings require a compatible BRAVIA television
Microphones: No automatic calibration microphone or built-in voice assistant (WIRED); Voice Zoom 3 processes programme dialogue through a compatible television
Mounting: Tabletop placement or wall mounting using the supplied paper template; suitable screws are not supplied according to the shared maker guide
Size: UK specification gives bar 900 × 64 × 100 mm (W × H × D), 3 kg body alone; Japan table gives 110 mm depth. Subwoofer 192 × 388 × 400 mm and 7.3 kg; weights are separate components rather than shipping mass
Colours: Black
In the box: Bar speaker, wireless subwoofer, remote with batteries, AC cords, reference and quick setup guides, wall-mounting template and warranty card; UK maker additionally lists an HDMI cable, while WIRED's US review unit did not include a connection cable

Pros and cons

Pros

Dedicated centre driver for dialogue
Supplied wireless subwoofer
HDMI eARC and optical audio input

Cons

No upward-firing drivers or rear speakers
No Wi-Fi or AirPlay streaming
Smartphone app and account required for initial setup

Closest rivals

Model	Type	Atmos	Connects by	Battery	Weight	Released
SonosBeam Ultra	Soundbar	Yes	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and HDMI	–	2.88 kg	Sept 2026
JBLBar 300MK2	Soundbar	Yes	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and HDMI	–	2.9 kg	Jun 2025
JBLBar 500MK2	Soundbar	Yes	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and HDMI	–	2.9 kg	Jun 2025

Sources

Photo: Sony

BRAVIA Theatre Bar 5 and supplied subwoofer from an angle: Sony
BRAVIA Theatre Bar 5 and supplied subwoofer straight from the front: Sony
BRAVIA Theatre Bar 5 soundbar from the front: Sony
BRAVIA Theatre Bar 5 top view: Sony
BRAVIA Theatre Bar 5 supplied wireless subwoofer: Sony
BRAVIA Theatre Bar 5 HDMI eARC and optical connections: Sony
BRAVIA Theatre Bar 5 supplied remote: Sony

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