Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 Review: Immersive Sound, Smart Features, and Connectivity Omissions

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 offers immersive spatial sound, clear vocals, and Bravia TV integration, making it a capable home audio system despite omissions in smart connectivity. The system features a 3.1.2 channel configuration, wireless subwoofer, and support for ARC and eARC protocols. However, it lacks Wi-Fi connectivity, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant support, and Bluetooth 5.3. The system's price is Rs 54,990.

Sony has recently introduced the Bravia Theatre Bar 6 in India, a 3.1.2 channel soundbar system priced at Rs 54,990. Positioned as a mid-range offering within the Japanese electronics maker’s soundbar portfolio, the Theatre Bar 6 boasts features that align it with Sony's more premium products, such as a 3.1.2 channel configuration, a wireless subwoofer, and support for ARC and eARC protocols.

The Theatre Bar 6 offers immersive spatial sound, clear vocals, and seamless Bravia TV integration. Its 3.1.2 channel setup includes three front-facing audio drivers, a center channel, and two top-firing audio drivers for vertical lift, along with a dedicated wireless subwoofer. This configuration delivers an expansive soundstage with pronounced bass, ideal for cinematic viewing experiences.

One of the standout features of the Theatre Bar 6 is its 'Sync with Bravia' function, which integrates the soundbar’s controls into the television’s quick settings menu. This eliminates the need for a second remote or the companion smartphone app, simplifying the user experience.

However, the Theatre Bar 6 is not without its omissions. It lacks Wi-Fi connectivity, support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and Bluetooth 5.3. These omissions limit its smart connectivity capabilities, potentially reducing its suitability for smart home integration and voice control functionality.

The Theatre Bar 6 supports both Audio Return Channel (ARC) and Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) via HDMI. This allows for high-quality audio transmission from the soundbar to the TV and vice versa. However, it is essential to ensure that your television supports either of these technologies to fully leverage the soundbar's capabilities.

The Bravia Connect companion app, available for both iPhone and Android devices, plays a crucial role in configuring the soundbar according to room specifications. It allows users to manually tune the soundbar and subwoofer, although an automatic room calibration feature would have been a valuable addition.

In its default mode, the Theatre Bar 6 produces expansive audio with pronounced bass, delivering a well-balanced home audio experience. However, it may not fully satisfy users seeking strong audio output for music or voice-focused content. Fortunately, the soundstage can be manually adjusted to Dolby or DTS:X via the app, along with additional controls for bass adjustment, voice enhancement, and night mode activation.

Overall, the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 offers a capable home audio system with its spacious soundstage, pronounced bass, and clear dialogue output. Despite its omissions in smart connectivity, it compensates with solid core performance and Bravia TV integration. The companion app adds meaningful value through manual tuning options, making it well suited for cinematic-like content consumption at home.

References:
[1] https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-reviews/sony-bravia-theatre-bar-6-ht-b600-review-soundbar-dolby-atmos-dtsx-125080500381_1.html
[2] https://www.facebook.com/groups/eversoloaudio/posts/1917290209004772/