This Sony Soundbar Turned My Living Room Into The Ultimate Theater Experience - Here's How

Sony Bravia Theater System 6

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The Bravia Theater System 6 consists of a halfway transmission soundbar, 2 rear speakers, and an outer subwoofer for $800.
• It offers awesome sound, in-app Bravia audio features, and a elemental personification experience.
• Without Wi-Fi connectivity, galore wireless streaming options are unavailable, but nan movie and TV watching acquisition remains unchanged

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A soundbar is simply a must-have to travel your TV -- your TV's speakers won't trim it. Even if you deliberation you don't request one, you'll ne'er spell backmost erstwhile you get one. Trust me. However, a soundbar only gets amended erstwhile it has rear speakers and a subwoofer moving alongside it. Although immoderate enthusiasts whitethorn promote you to combine your ain location theater, you tin bargain 1 successful a box.

Also: The champion soundbars of 2025: Expert tested and recommended

You don't request to salary complete $1,000 for a decent location theatre successful a box, though a cheaper strategy will omit immoderate premium features. A midrange action for illustration Sony's Bravia Theater System 6 is simply a coagulated action for group who want to upgrade their TV without going complete nan top. 

The System 6 is not a flagship soundbar, but it's not needfully for beginners, either. The strategy consists of a halfway transmission bar, 2 rear speakers, 1 outer subwoofer, and each nan basal wires and connectivity boxes.

Unlike Sony's flagship Bravia location theatre products, nan System 6 lacks Wi-Fi connectivity and relies connected wired connections for power. The System 6's deficiency of Wi-Fi intends it's incompatible pinch wireless streaming options for illustration AirPlay, Spotify Connect, aliases Google Cast. 

Also: I was struggling to perceive TV speech until this soundbar fixed everything for cheap

Although this strategy lacks Wi-Fi wireless streaming, Sony fitted it pinch its Digital Sound Enhancement Engine to heighten nan sound value of compressed audio via Bluetooth streaming. 

The System 6 is compatible pinch wireless streaming via Bluetooth, and nan main soundbar includes an optical input for a big of Dolby Digital audio formats. The soundbar's HDMI eARC input is responsible for accessing Dolby Digital audio formats, Dolby Atmos, and DTS:X spatial audio formats.

The System 6's outer subwoofer.

Jada Jones/ZDNET

Back to nan deficiency of Wi-Fi -- its absence intends you'll person to update nan System 6 nan old-school way. Instead of an in-app, over-the-air update, you'll request to download nan package update to a flash drive, plug it into nan soundbar, and upload nan updated software.

However, if wireless streaming isn't connected your database of must-haves, nan System 6 performs good astatine delivering large sound for movie and TV watching. The system's prima is nan outer subwoofer. Once you lug it to your desired location, it brings everything together. The sub is enormous, weighing successful astatine 25 pounds pinch a 15-inch cabinet.

Also: I compared my Sonos Arc Ultra pinch an improbable soundbar rival, and it went down to nan wire

The System 6's rear speakers are wired and must beryllium plugged into nan included amp container for connectivity. Once everything is plugged in, Sony's Bravia Connect app will thief you get nan System 6 up and running.

One of nan System 6's rear speakers.

Jada Jones/ZDNET

The System 6's 10 speaker lineup supports a 5.1 aliases 7.1-channel configuration, notably without dedicated upfiring speakers. This soundbar supports Sony's virtual situation technology, which is simply a coagulated action for group pinch precocious ceilings, since upfiring speakers request a ceiling to bounce sound from.

Watching a Monday Night Football crippled pinch nan System 6 was thing short of a bully time. The subwoofer gets plentifulness deep, and nan main soundbar intelligibly replicated nan announcers' play-by-play commentary. Even better, location was 1 peculiarly excited instrumentality successful nan crowd whose changeless cheering from nan correct rear speaker made maine consciousness for illustration I was successful US Bank Stadium pinch nan walking Atlanta Falcons fans.

Also: I did not expect this JBL soundbar to outperform pricier models by Sonos and Bose for illustration this

System 6 is compatible pinch Sony's Night Mode, which decreases bass and clears speech astatine little volumes, and Voice Mode, which enhances dialogue. Additional speech enhancement exertion is disposable to users pinch prime Bravia TVs.

ZDNET's buying advice

At $800, nan Sony Bravia Theater System 6 is a tin theater-in-a-box, champion suited for group who don't want a strategy pinch each of nan latest bells and whistles, but still want awesome performance. It's a spot of a monster to unpack and group up, but erstwhile nan System 6 is going, it's incredibly straightforward. 

The System 6 lacks Wi-Fi; therefore, desirable wireless streaming options aren't available. Still, if you judge soundbars are strictly for watching TV and movies, past nan missing Wi-Fi connectivity shouldn't beryllium a pressing issue.

High-performing theaters-in-a-box are typically $200 to $400 much than nan System 6, and if you person a compatible Bravia TV, choosing nan System 6 is simply a no-brainer. However, if you want an moreover higher-performing soundbar, see nan flagship Sony Bravia Theater Bar 9. If permanently wired rear speakers aren't your vibe, but you still want immersive situation sound, see nan JBL Bar 1000MK2.