Sony unveils 2016 soundbars and one soundbase

Sony will release four new soundbars and one “soundbase” in 2016. Some of the products include support for Google Cast and one of the soundbars is a 5.1 surround model.

Sony’s 2016 soundbars
Sales of soundbars continue to be on the rise as manufacturers continue to skimp on quality audio components in TVs. Soundbars are also quickly becoming multi-purpose speakers with support for wireless music systems such as Google Cast and Bluetooth.


Sony will introduce four new soundbars in 2016. The HT-NT5 soundbar supports High-Resolution Audio formats and delivers 400W of total output, says Sony. It supports HDMI 2.0 passthrough (with HDCP 2.2), including 4K 60p 4:4:4, making it capable of passing through audio in a setup with a HDR-capable TV and a UHD Blu-ray player. It also has multi-room capabilities.


The HT-RT3 is a 5.1 channel surround soundbar with wireless rear speakers and 600W of total output. The center and stereo speakers are built into the soundbar.


The HT-CT390 and HT-CT790 are more conventional soundbars. HT-CT790 delivers 330W of total output and supports Google Cast, Bluetooth, DLNA, and Spotify Connect. It can participate in a multi-room setup through the SongPal Link system. The smaller HT-CT390 deliver 300W and supports Bluetooth but not Google Cast.

All soundbars have wireless subwoofers.


Sony will also introduce a new soundbase - the strange new speaker form factor that is intended to be placed under the TV. HT-XT2 is the successor to last year’s HT-XT1. It now features Google Cast, DLNA, Bluetooth, and SongPal Link multi-room. It delivers 170W of total output from its 2.1 channel speakers. You can connect it to the TV via HDMI.

No dates or pricing details were announced but you can learn more on Sony’s website.