For consumers looking for a reasonably-priced soundbar to boost the audio experience for TV viewing, the HT-S2000 is a new addition to Sony’s soundbar lineup that might be a good option.
Similar to the HT-A3000, the HT-S2000 soundbar is designed to immerse listeners in a music and home theater experience but doesn’t include some of the advanced extras included on the HT-A3000 such as WiFi, Smart Integration, 360 Spatial Sound Mapping, or Acoustic Center Sync.
However, that doesn’t mean that the HT-S2000 isn’t worth considering as this 3.1-channel soundbar still includes a lot of features at a very reasonable price.
Tip: The HT-S2000 can be expanded to 5.1 channels via the addition of optional rear wireless speakers and an external subwoofer (more on that at end of this article).
Core Features
Product Design and Speaker Complement: The Sony HT-S2000 is a 3.1-channel soundbar that incorporates three-balanced (rectangular) speakers (left, center, right) within the sound bar unit. The rectangular shape increases effective diaphragm size and reduces the amount of in-out motion needed to produce sound.
Dual Subwoofer drivers are also built-in, but, as mentioned previously, you can add an external wireless subwoofer for more impactful bass.
- Amplifier Type: S-Master Digital Amplifier
- Amplifier Channels: 5 channels (one for each speaker and built-in subwoofers)
- Power Output: 250 watts total. Note: No power rating reference point is provided
- Surround Sound Audio Format Support Includes Dolby Digital, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Dolby Dual Mono, LCPM 2ch, DTS, and DTS: X.
- Virtual Surround Technology: S-Force PRO Front Surround, Vertical Surround Engine, DTS Virtual: X, Stereo to Surround Upmixer.
- Additional Sound Settings: Night Mode (maintains an even frequency range at low volume), Voice Mode (for when you can hear the dialog over all the other sound effects), Sound Field (provides a surround sound listening experience from two-channel stereo sources).
Connectivity
- HDMI-eARC: This transfers audio directly from the TV to the soundbar using an HDMI cable. The TV has to have an HDMI connection labeled HDMI-ARC or eARC for this to work.
- Digital Optical: If your TV doesn’t have an HDMI-ARC connection, this is the next best option to get audio from your TV to the soundbar.
- Bluetooth (ver 5.0): Transmitter and Receiver built-in means that you can play music from smartphones, tablets, and laptops/PCs and use the soundbar to send sound to Bluetooth headsets or external Bluetooth speakers.
- USB: Allows for music playback from compatible flash drives (Wav).
Tip: The HT-S2000 does not provide an analog audio connection option.
Tip: The HT-S2000 can connect to select Sony TVs wirelessly via Bluetooth. This means that an HDMI-ARC/eARC or Digital Optical connection may not always be required.
Included Accessories
- Soundbar
- HDMI Cable
- Wireless Remote Control with batteries
- AC power cable
- Registration and Warranty Cards
- Wall Mount Template
Pricing and Availability
The Sony HT-S2000 3.1-channel Dolby Atmos Soundbar is available now for $499.99 at Amazon and other Sony-authorized retailers, with an expected release date of April 29, 2023.
Optional Wireless Subwoofers and Rear Wireless Speakers:
- SA-SW5: $598 at Amazon
- SA-SW3: $298 at Amazon
- SA-RS3S: $298 at Amazon
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