The Sony HT-A3000 is the most affordable model in its A series lineup, sitting below the HT-A5000 and HT-A7000 - the latter of which impressed us towards the end of 2021.

As impressive as it is, the A7000 will set you back around £1000, making it an unjustifiable expense for a lot of people. The A3000, on the other hand, can be had for around half the price.

The question is, can the more affordable model still deliver the goods when it comes to audio performance?

We've been using it daily for TV and movie watching, music listening and gaming. Here's what we think.

Design and setup

• Dimensions: 950 x 64 x 128 mm, 4.6kg
• Wall mountable design
• I/O: HDMI eARC, Optical, USB

The Sony HT-A3000 has a basic and understated design, but it still manages to look and feel quite premium. There are no fancy materials used, but the textured black plastic housing feels dense and solid, as does the curved metal grille on the front.

It's easy to ignore, in use, and really that's what you want from a soundbar. There's an illuminated display on the front that comes to life when you first turn it on or when you change the volume, but it then fades out, so as to not distract from your viewing experience.

The 95cm length means that it pairs well with TVs in the 42-inch to 55-inch range, but, more importantly, also means it's easy to fit on your TV cabinet. Our unit is on the smaller side, and the HT-A3000 is almost exactly the same length - this is refreshing, as a lot of soundbars tend to overhang a little.

If you prefer, the HT-A3000 is wall-mountable and has keyhole-style attachment points and stabilising feet on the rear.

To hook it up, you can choose between HDMI eARC and optical connection - there's no analogue input and no HDMI passthrough options. This didn't create any issues for us, but be sure to check if this will be appropriate for your AV setup.

We used the HDMI option, with a TCL TV, and the setup couldn't have been easier. We just plugged it in, the TV recognised that an audio device was connected, and then we could use either the included remote or our TV remote to adjust the volume.

You'll need to use the Sony remote to connect the soundbar to your wi-fi network, but the HDMI output makes things very easy. You just press the home button on the remote, make sure your TV is on the soundbar's input, and follow the on-screen instructions.

Features

• Spotify Connect, Chromecast and Apple Airplay 2 built-in
• Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa support
• Sony Bravia TV integrated controls and Acoustic Centre Sync

Once connected to your Wi-Fi network you can cast music to the HT-A3000 via Spotify Connect, Chromecast or Apple AirPlay. There's also Bluetooth 5.0, so it's extremely easy to share your favourite tunes from almost any device.

If you want to take things a step further, you can integrate the HT-A3000 with Google Home or Alexa and then you'll be able to control what's playing, as well as the volume, using just your voice.

We didn't have a Bravia TV on hand to test with, but if you own a Sony set, you can benefit from Acoustic Centre Sync. This uses your TV's speakers as a centre channel to increase dialogue clarity while the soundbar bolsters the rest of the range. We've heard this in action in demos, and it's impressive - it definitely makes a case for keeping your AV buying within the Sony family.

There are some other neat integrations, too, like the fact that certain Sony TV models have an adjustable stand height which allows you to tuck the bar neatly under the screen. The soundbar's relatively slim profile meant that it didn't block the IR receiver on our TCL set, but being able to slot it underneath completely is an added bonus for Sony devotees.

Sound quality

• 3.1 channel design, 250W output
• 5 X-Balanced speaker units
• Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Vertical Surround Engine, S-Force Pro

Now onto the most important bit, how it sounds. Starting with TV and movies, the HT-A3000 handles dialogue surprisingly well. It utilises Sony's X-Balanced full-range drivers for the left, centre and right channels and has no dedicated tweeters. Despite this, it delivers exceptional vocal clarity, we could always make out the dialogue and didn't feel the need to turn on the Voice boosting mode.

The HT-A3000 has Dolby Atmos support, but it lacks dedicated Atmos speakers, so the effect is entirely virtual. Pressing the Sound Field button on the remote activates the effect and immediately fills the room with sound. It's extremely well executed and delivers a wide enveloping soundscape with real height to it. Of course, it's not as good as dedicated speakers, but it's one of the most impressive virtual effects that we've heard from a configuration like this.

There's a good amount of bass from the dual forward-firing subwoofers, particularly if you set the sub volume to max using the Sony Music Centre app. Unfortunately, doing so makes the bar prone to distortion at higher volumes, which is likely why it's set to mid by default.

The response extends deep into the low frequencies and there's enough impact to make action scenes and explosions feel lively and engaging, it's not quite the kind of deep rumble that you get from a dedicated sub, but it's very impressive for an all-in-one unit.

We were pleasantly surprised by the musical performance of the HT-A3000, the entire range is well represented and vocals shine here too. We enjoyed some tracks with the Sound Field virtualisation turned on, which creates an immersive and wide sound just as it does for movies. However, it added some harshness to the highs and upper mids on other songs so it's not completely without issue.

We were happy to switch modes depending on the genre we were listening to, but access to an EQ could have solved our issue altogether. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a way to adjust the sound properties, other than changing the volume of the subwoofers, so you had better hope that you're on board with Sony's tuning.

Expandability

• Compatible with SA-SW5 and SA-SW3 wireless subwoofers
• Compatible with SA-RS5 and SA-RS3S rear speakers
• Sound Field Optimisation and 360 Spatial Sound Mapping

We were sent the SA-SW3 subwoofer and SA-RS3S rear speakers to test along with the soundbar. These wireless add-on speakers are sold separately, and retail for £449 each. The bar is also compatible with two higher-end options, the SW5 and RS5, which go for £699 a piece.

We're in two minds about these additional speakers, on one hand, it's great that Sony offers an upgrade path, but on the other, the fact that each piece costs almost as much as the soundbar itself (if not more) is pretty painful.

Still, if you can make peace with the outlay, the add-ons make a big difference. The subwoofer has the most impact, it delivers that missing chest rumble that we craved and does so in a controlled and precise manner. It really transforms the product, but given that you're essentially parting with double the money, you'd hope so, too.

The rear channels were less essential, to our ears, but they do a great job of taking an already immersive virtual soundscape and turning it into a proper full-fat surround sound setup.

Each product in the ecosystem wirelessly connects to the soundbar, only needing a power outlet to function, with the exception of the SA-RS5 rears which have a built-in battery.

Pairing the speakers was super easy using the on-screen menu and we were up and running within minutes. Once paired, you'll be prompted to run a room mapping procedure that uses the soundbar's built-in microphones to calibrate the levels of each speaker. When it's done, you're ready to enjoy surround sound bliss.

Verdict

The Sony HT-A3000 has a lot going for it, it's feature-packed, nicely designed and can deliver an immersive, detailed and impactful sound for your TV.

It also impresses musically, a hurdle that trips up many soundbars, and the Spotify Connect integration makes it a breeze to listen to your favourite tracks.

We're glad to see an upgrade path, and the SA-SW3 subwoofer is a particularly nice add-on, transforming the soundscape into something truly excellent. It's just a shame that it costs so much.

At this price point, there is a sea of great options, and we don't feel that the HT-A3000 does much to separate itself from the pack. However, if you're a Sony TV owner, the added integrations make this soundbar a touch more compelling.

Ultimately, if you want to boost your TV sound with an all-in-one solution, but still have the opportunity to upgrade in the future, we think the Sony HT-A3000 is a solid choice.