Besides Dolby Atmos, the HT-A5000 is also equipped to handle DTS:X, a Vertical Surround Engine, and S-Force PRO Front Surround, naturally. To give a sense of how the Vertical Surround Engine works, the technology works by having the soundbar’s front speakers and up-firing speakers working in tandem to produce a “vertical” audio, enabling sound to bounce off a ceiling and thus giving a space the sense of a multi-dimensional sound system. Additionally, the HT-A5000 also features Sound Field Optimisation; using built-in microphones, the feature enables the soundbar to “intelligently” measure the height and width of the room – plus the positions of an optional sub-woofer and rear speakers, if any – thus calibrating the perfect space in which the soundbar can flourish when in use. Other specs of the HT-A5000 include built-in dual sub-woofers, front speakers that utilise Sony’s X-Balanced Speaker Unit, and DSEE Extreme upscaling technology that restores compressed sounds and audio, for a more enjoyable listening experience. As for how much the Sony HT-A5000 will cost, the soundbar is set to retail at RM3699, but it is the general availability of the soundbar that has intrigued: it is only set to be available from March 2022 onwards.
