If you want a tidy and discreet soundbar to bring significant extra presence to your TV sound then the HT-G700 is worth your consideration. If you're hoping for some Dolby Atmos-style immersion, though - or proper tonal balance where music is concerned - you won't consider it all that long

Compact and tidily finished; Wireless subwoofer offers extra convenience (and wallop); Far more dynamic and direct a listen than virtually every TV

Soundbar and subwoofer aren’t on great terms; Tonality is skewed - with high frequencies in particular quite hard work; Doesn’t make good on claims of Atmos-style surround sound

Great sound and soundstage; Bass is crisp; Music sounds amazing; Setup is super easy.

No ability to build out; claims of height simulation overblown

Dolby Atmos soundbars have been around for a few years but remained a relatively niche product until now. Major companies such as Sonos and JBL, have only just announced their first Atmos models in 2020, while other brands simply offer Dolby "compatibility". The Sony HT-G700 is unusual in this respect -- it's able to decode Dolby Atmos from compatible devices but not able to physically recreate it. This is a strictly 3.1-channel soundbar, with no actual rears or height speakers and no ability to add them later. Instead it simulates both height and surround effects from the Atmos stream, and does a damn fine job.

Sony's Dolby Atmos soundbar is excellent for home theater and music even though it lacks "true" height effects.

Excellent sound with movies and music; Dual HDMI inputs, one with eARC; Wireless subwoofer;

Relatively expensive; Can't recreate true Atmos effects; No expandability; Lacks Wi-Fi streaming;

Sony has tasked its new soundbar with achieving the near-impossible: Creating the immersive experience of a home theater, without the many speakers that typically work in unison to deliver that kind of sound. To add to the challenge, Sony attempted to do so at a reasonably affordable price point. With the HT-G700, the company nearly nailed it. While the 3.1-channel soundbar has its physical limitations, it’s got some impressive technology under the hood that not only allows Sony to claim the ability to re-create surround sound and even Dolby Atmos, but also helps this bar deliver big sound in a budget package. Typically, there’s a lot to unpack with these soundbar systems, but not so with the HT-G700. The entire system is, quite simply, just the soundbar and a wireless subwoofer; there are no rear speakers to unbox and no speaker wires to unravel. Aside from included accessories like a remote control, HDMI cable, quick setup guide, and instruction manual, there’s not much else to it. F...

Simple setup; Compact design; Stellar sound for music; Effective virtual Dolby Atmos;

Lacks Wi-Fi connectivity; Not quite as immersive as true surround sound;

Atmos for a compact space ; Tight, punchy bass ; Enjoyable music performance ; More suited for compact spaces;

Overcomplicated menu system ; Virtual surround sound claims overstated ; Soundstage can sound squashed;

If you want a tidy and discreet soundbar to bring significant extra presence to your TV sound then the HT-G700 is worth your consideration. If you're hoping for some Dolby Atmos-style immersion, though - or proper tonal balance where music is concerned - you won't consider it all that long

Compact and tidily finished; Wireless subwoofer offers extra convenience (and wallop); Far more dynamic and direct a listen than virtually every TV;

Soundbar and subwoofer aren’t on great terms; Tonality is skewed - with high frequencies in particular quite hard work; Doesn’t make good on claims of Atmos-style surround sound;

Few soundbars can simulate surround sound like the Sony HT-G700.

Impressive enveloping soundscape, clear speech.

The sub could be more linear, and dialogues lack finesse.

At a price of $599.99 it sits up there with some of the more pricier soundbars but does at least include a wireless subwoofer. Its 3.1CH system sounds good and its 7.1.2 virtual option is fun to play with.