TechRadar Verdict
For an affordable 3.1-channel soundbar, Sony’s HT-S2000 delivers both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks with an impressive level of immersion given its basic speaker array and compact form factor. Much of this is owed to Sony’s proprietary processing. The HT-S2000’s clear handling of dialogue and better-than-average bass also indicate that a good amount of design work went into the HT-S2000. Connection options are basic, with only one HDMI port along with an optical digital input, and Bluetooth is the only onboard option for wireless music streaming. But given its overall level of performance, the HT-S2000 is great value for the price.
Affordable
Impressive sound quality
Supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
Wireless streaming limited to Bluetooth
No voice assistant support
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Sony HT-S2000 soundbar: two-minute review
The HT-S2000 isSony’s entry-level 3.1-channel soundbar. Initially priced at $499 / £449 / AU$695, it’s a compact, all-in-one model with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, with the height effects in both immersive soundtrack formats delivered using virtual processing.
Sony’s design for the HT-S2000 uses five speakers: three for the left, right and center channels as well as two dedicated woofers for the bass. Connections include HDMI (with eARC/ARC) and optical digital audio inputs. There’s also a USB type-A port to play music on connected USB drives. Unlike some of thebest soundbars, the HT-S2000 doesn’t support music streaming using Wi-Fi or AirPlay, though its Bluetooth 5.2 support will let you play music wirelessly from a phone. For those looking to expand their soundbar’s capabilities in the future, the HT-S2000 can also be paired with Sony’s optional wireless surround speakers and subwoofers.
Sony’s soundbar has solid build quality and a sleek, no-nonsense look. It’s easy to set up, and Sony provides its own Home Entertainment app to help with that task – it also lets you tweak the sound for your specific installation. There are a range of Sound EQ modes, including automatic volume levelling, that can be accessed using either the app of Sony’s bundled remote control. The HT-S2000 also features Sony’s proprietary Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround processing, both of which work to enhance the level of audio immersion coming from the soundbar’s basic 3.1-channel speaker array.
The HT-S2000’s overall performance is great for the price. It delivers dialogue that sounds consistently clear even when pushed to a high level, and bass output is better-than average for an all-in-one soundbar. Sony’s proprietary processing allows for the height effects in Dolby Atmos soundtracks to extend beyond and above the screen boundaries of a TV the soundbar is connected to and there’s also a notably good surround sound ‘wrap-around’ effect when the S-Force Pro Front Surround feature is active.
When it was first released, the HT-S2000 wasn’t the strongest value as it lacked features found in some of thebest Dolby Atmos soundbarsselling for the same price, such as up-firing speakers and built-in Wi-Fi for lossless music streaming. But the HT-S2000 has since widely dropped in price to $349 / £299, making it a much more compelling value, especially given its performance.
Sony HT-S2000 soundbar review: price and release date
Sony’s HT-S2000 soundbar was released in March 2023 at an initial price of $499 / £449 / AU$695. Its price has since dropped to $349 in the US and £299 in the UK, though it’s still selling for AU$695 in Australia.
In the Sony 2023 soundbar lineup, the HT-S2000 sits below the HT-A2000, another 3.1-channel model that adds Wi-Fi streaming along with Spotify Connect and AirPlay 2 support.
Sony HT-S2000 soundbar review: features
The HT-S2000 is a 3.1-channel soundbar with support for the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive audio formats, which it delivers using virtual processing. It doesn’t have built-in Wi-Fi for streaming, though you can stream music to it over a Bluetooth wireless connection.
Two Sony audio processing features found on the HT-S2000 are Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround. The first helps to elevate sound effects, music and dialogue to screen level or even above where they will sound more natural. The second provides a virtual ‘wrap-around’ so that surround effects sound like they are coming from the sides of the room.
Connection options on the HT-S2000 are basic. It has an HDMI-eARC port for connecting to a TV, an optical digital audio input, and a USB type-A port that can be used to play music files stored on a USB drive. Like other soundbars from brands includingSonos, Bose,Samsung, andLG, the HT-S2000 can be expanded by adding Sony’s wireless surround sound speakers and subwoofers.
Sony HT-S2000 soundbar review: sound quality
A key benefit of the Sony soundbar is its handling of dialogue in movies and TV shows. Watching a few dialogue-heavy scenes fromTop Gun: Maverick, voices sounded clean, and I could push the volume to relatively high levels without it sounding edgy. For comparison’s sake, I swapped out the Sony with a 2.1-channel model and found dialogue in the sameTop Gun: Maverickscene to be significantly less clean-sounding. The comparison demonstrated the advantage to using a soundbar like the HT-S2000 with a dedicated center-channel speaker, which is a feature that 2.1-channel soundbars lack.
Skipping ahead to the aerial dogfight scene inTop Gun: Maverick, Sony’s soundbar sorted the dialogue, music (The Who’sWon’t Get Fooled Again) and sound effects in an impressively clear manner. There was also a decent amount of bass, which enhanced the sound of drums in the music and added definition to the trajectory of the fighter jets. The soundbar’s virtual processing made height effects in Dolby Atmos soundtracks likeTop Gunexceed the height of my TV’s screen. And while the presentation wasn’t as expansive as what I’ve experienced with soundbars featuring dedicated Atmos speakers, it still had a satisfying level of immersion.
Music also sounded surprisingly good on the HT-S2000, especially given its low price. It’s possible to listen to plain stereo with the soundbar’s virtual processing disabled, but pressing the Sound Field button on the remote control adds a level of spaciousness that enhances the stereo separation without making voices and instruments sound unnatural. Equally important, it elevates the presentation in the vertical dimension so that the sound doesn’t appear to be coming from a horizontal bar located beneath your TV’s screen.
Sony HT-S2000 soundbar review: design
The HT-S2000 has a compact, all-in-one soundbar, measuring 31.5 inches wide by 2.5 inches high and 5.25 inches deep. Build quality is a cut above most budget soundbars, with the Sony’s sturdy black plastic cabinet fronted by a metal mesh grille. Ports located on the soundbar’s left and right sides allow for enhanced bass output, while its X-Balanced Speaker Unit design physically aligns the 3.25 x 1.8-inch drivers and 3.75 x 1.8 woofers to reduce distortion.
Capacitive controls on the HT-S2000’s top surface let you adjust volume and connect with Bluetooth devices, and there’s also a small remote with additional controls to switch inputs, select sound EQ modes, and adjust the bass level. Sony’s soundbar conveniently provides visual feedback to remote control commands via its alphameric front panel display. That feature is one you don’t regularly find on lower-cost soundbars, and it’s a superior option to basic LED lights.
Sony HT-S2000 soundbar review: usability and setup
The HT-S2000’s single HDMI input makes the setup process simple. Just connect it to a TV’s HDMI eARC (or ARC) port, select that input on the soundbar, and you’re ready to roll. Another option is to use the soundbar’s optical digital input, but that connection type doesn’t support Dolby Atmos or the HDMI-CEC control that lets you adjust the soundbar’s volume level using the TV’s remote control.
Sony’s Home Entertainment control app duplicates all the functions of the soundbar’s hardware remote and also provides a range of setup options for initial installation and performance. The latter includes an A/V sync adjustment, automatic volume level adjustment, and DTS Virtual:X to enhance basic stereo or mono soundtracks.
The soundbar’s alphanumeric front panel display makes using it super-easy as you don’t have to rely on a sequence of flashing LEDs to let you know what input or sound mode is selected. There’s no voice assistant support as on some other soundbars in the HT-S2000’s price range such as the Bose Smart Soundbar, but that’s not a feature I imagine most users will rely on, especially when using their TV’s remote control for volume adjustment.
Sony HT-S2000 soundbar review: value
At its initial $499 / £449 / AU$695 price, the Sony HT-S2000’s overall value proposition was just average. It faced very strong competition from the Sonos Beam (Gen 2), another all-in-one soundbar with virtual Dolby Atmos processing, and one with a built-in Wi-Fi for app-based control and audio streaming. Another competitor was the Bose Smart Soundbar 600, which provides upfiring drivers to deliver height effects in Atmos soundtracks and also features built-in Wi-Fi for streaming.
At the time of writing, however, the HT-S2000’s price has widely dropped to $349 in the US and £299 in the UK, making it a much better value given its overall performance and features. Being able to stream uncompressed music directly to the Sonos or Bose from a phone using Wi-Fi or using AirPlay does boost the value of both, but many people mainly use their soundbar for TV audio and are okay with a lesser quality Bluetooth option for their occasional music streaming. For those folks, the HT-S2000 will be the perfect entry-level soundbar.
Should I buy the Sony HT-S2000 soundbar?
Buy it if…
You don’t want to overspend on a soundbarThe Sony HT-S2000 packs in a good amount of performance and features for the price. You could easily spend more on a soundbar with a wider range of features, but the HF-S2000 will be a perfectly good option for most viewers.
You want a soundbar that’s easy to set up and useSony’s Home Entertainment app eases setup of the HT-S2000 and its alphanumeric front-panel display provides great visual feedback during use. A better-than-average soundbar remote control is also included.
You want a soundbar with an upgrade optionThe HT-S2000 can be paired with Sony’s optional wireless surround sound speakers and subwoofers, giving users a future upgrade path if they want to expand upon the soundbar’s basic capabilities.
Don’t buy it if…
You want real Dolby AtmosSony’s virtual processing does an impressive job delivering immersive Dolby Atmos soundtracks, but it’s performance is not as effective as a soundbar with actual up-firing speakers.
You want lossless music streamingWireless streaming on the HT-S2000 is done using Bluetooth, which is a lossy codec that limits fidelity compared with lossless audio streaming carried out using Wi-Fi and AirPlay.
You want multi-room audioWith no onboard Wi-Fi, the HT-S2000 can’t be linked up to a whole-house audio system. If you want that feature, the Bose Smart Soundbar 600 is a better option and one that’s in a similar price range.
Sony HT-S2000 soundbar review: Also consider
Bose Smart Soundbar 600Though priced higher than Sony’s soundbar, Bose’s 600 delivers real Dolby Atmos sound via upfiring drivers on its top surface. The 600’s sound is a bit light on the bass, but like the Sony it can be expanded with the company’s wireless speakers and subwoofers.
Read our fullBose Smart Soundbar 600 review
Roku StreambarAnother compact soundbar with virtual surround processing, the Roku Streambar features the company’s built-in Wi-Fi streaming platform plus app-based control and it allows for future system expansion using the company’s wireless speakers and subwoofer.
Read our fullRoku Streambar review
Amazon Fire TV SoundbarAmazon’s own-branded soundbar is a basic 2.1-channel that’s priced much lower than the Sony. Sound quality is good overall, although it lacks Dolby Atmos support and dialogue clarity is also lacking in comparison with Sony’s 3.1-channel soundbar.
Read our fullAmazon Fire TV Soundbar review
How I tested the Sony HT-S2000 soundbar
I tested the Sony HT-S2000 soundbar in a 12 x 16 x 9-foot room using a4KBlu-ray player,AppleTV 4K, and music streamed from my iPhone via Bluetooth and the Tidal app on the Apple TV 4K. I allowed it to break in by watching movies and TV shows before settling in for more critical listening using reference movie clips and music tracks.
The key things I listened for with movies were dialogue clarity, bass definition, and a sense of spaciousness with the soundbar’s surround mode engaged. For music, I paid attention to the naturalness of the sound with acoustic instruments and voices, as well as the dynamics in louder tracks.
Having reviewed many soundbars in the same room over the years, I have a reference sound standard that the Sony HT-S2000 was compared to. For further comparison, I also used anAmazonFire TV Soundbar, switching between the two compact models on identical movie clips and music tracks.
Read more about how we test
Al Griffin has been writing about and reviewing A/V tech since the days LaserDiscs roamed the earth, and was previously the editor of Sound & Vision magazine.
When not reviewing the latest and greatest gear or watching movies at home, he can usually be found out and about on a bike.
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