Sony HT-A7000 vs Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar which is better

Sony HT-A7000 vs Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar which is better?

As a huge Sony fan, this Sony HT-A7000 and Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar battle is something I am very excited to put together. Over the last few weeks, I have put the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar up against many other popular soundbars such as this Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar vs Bose Smart Soundbar 700 which is better? article I did recently. If you have read any article that I have done which features Sony, you know I am a huge fan of their products, but I am not so blind to always make them the winner. That is why I think comparing the Sony HT-A7000 with the Ambeo is going to be pretty interesting.

The Price

You probably know by now that we always start these things off looking at the price and this Sony HT-A7000 vs Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar article is going to be no different. There is a pretty damn big price difference between these two and that always makes things interesting. Some people will look at a price difference this large and just be like “nope” and get the cheaper ones. Others though may feel that those extra few hundred bucks is worth it.

Sony HT-A7000:

I think that the current asking price for the Sony HT-A7000 is more than fair right now. If you were to head over to Amazon you could get one of these for around 1200 bucks which is a hell of a saving over what the Ambeo is going for. However, what is interesting about this is that on Amazon they have some bundles available. You can get the soundbar and some satellite speakers, with a subwoofer and with them both! If you were to get the HT-A7000 with both the satellite speakers and a subwoofer you would be looking at just over 2 grand which I think is a fantastic price. I highly recommend that you look at the various packages available for this soundbar if it does interest you.

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar:

Yikes is probably what a lot of people say when they see the RRP for the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar. This thing can cost as much as $2,499.99 which is certainly a lot of money. Those of you who are happy with your 80 bucks soundbar from Walmart (not that there is anything wrong with that) are not the kind of person this is aimed at. This is for those that want the finest and best things in life and are not shy about throwing money around. If you shop around, you can find this a fair bit cheaper, I have seen places like Walmart offer this for closer to two thousand dollars. Granted two grand is still a lot of money, but a 500 bucks saving cannot be ignored. The big question we will be asking a few categories down is if this is worth all the extra money over what the Sony is asking!

The Verdict: 

There are certainly more deals out there for the Sony HT-A7000, as I mentioned Amazon has some great bundles available. The Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar I do not actually think is overpriced. You are getting an immense piece of tech for your money with that soundbar. However, I have to give this one to Sony as even if you were to get one of the bundles you will save a heck of a lot of money over the Ambeo.

The Design

Off the top of my head, I do not think Sony has come up short in any of these vs articles I have done when it comes to the design! This is probably the category I was most looking forward to writing in this Sony HT-A7000 and Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar showdown. Both of these look cool in their own way, but there is one that fits my personal taste more.

Sony HT-A7000:

I have always felt that Sony were the masters of promotion so be sure to look at this Introducing the Sony HT-A7000 Soundbar video that was put together by the good folks at Sony themselves. Sony makes cool looking tech and the Sony HT-A7000 is one of the coolest looking soundbars around! Before I get to the design, let’s take a look at the size of this bad boy. The Ambeo is pretty big, but the Sony HT-A7000 is actually a bit longer. The dimensions of this are 51.2” x 3.1” x 5.6” and apart from the length, the height and width are nice and compact so as long as you have a large TV like this epic Sony KD75X80J 75-Inch LED 4K UHD Smart TV with Dolby Vision HDR you should be able to sit the soundbar in front of it. The length may be an issue for some of you guys (that’s what she said!) as if you do not have a large TV unit it very well could hang of the edge which would not be ideal at all.

Now, the Sony HT-A7000 may be a big boy, but man is this one sexy looking soundbar. It has a very premium feel to it as most Sony products tend to do. The front of the soundbar is protected with a metal style grille which is a lighter color than the top of the soundbar. You may not notice it on the photos, but it certainly looks cool. I am a huge fan of a metal grille on a soundbar and I would always pick this over fabric or plastic. Now, it is the top of the soundbar that really blew me away. I love how the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 has that glass top, but so does this! What is interesting here is that it is glass in the middle and on the sides, it is fabric. Now, you know if you have read any of my other stuff that I am not a big fan of fabric on a soundbar, but I think this may be my favorite use of fabric on a soundbar! It is fabric just at the sides and this is where the up-firing Dolby Atmos speakers are, this was such a cool idea by Sony!

Before we get to the back of the soundbar, on the sides there are two open sections. This is because the Sony HT-A7000 has a built-in dual firing subwoofer. On the back of the soundbar, we have an HMDI Arc as well as two standard HDMI ports as well. You also have an optical in and an analog in port as well. They do also have a USB port on here so you can make sure the soundbar is updated with the latest firmware. In all, I think Sony has done a fantastic job with the design of this soundbar. I really cannot think of anything that I did not like about the design of this soundbar.

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar:

I really like how this Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Review: Is this the best soundbar money can buy? video does such a great job of showcasing the design of the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar. The first thing I always talk about is the size of this soundbar. It is not so much the fact that it is 49,8 inches long as most soundbars of this quality are about this size. It is the fact that the height of this soundbar is 5.2 inches and the depth is 6.73 inches that make it such a beast! That height means the chances this thing is going to sit directly under your TV are pretty much slim to none. For me personally, that would be a massive issue as that is where I like my soundbar to sit. If you have a home theatre with a projector screen this is probably not going to be an issue. Plus, you could mount it on the wall, but that is something I am never comfortable doing with a soundbar.

I am struggling to think of another soundbar that feels as premium as the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar once you take it out of the box. It just feels like you are holding something very expensive, which to be fair you are. It has a cool design as rather than being a straight rectangle, it is angled at the sides. I think it looks very smart, but it also helps with the way that the sound is thrown around the room. I think this design choice really does give the Ambeo a ton of personality. Now, one area that does surprise me about this is that they went for a fabric grille instead of a metal one, heck I would have even taken a plastic grille, to be honest with you. Do not get me wrong, this fabric grille looks great, but I know firsthand that looking after a fabric grille can be a pain in the butt. Especially if you have pets as it seems to attract pet hair which is very annoying to deal with.

On the top of the soundbar, they have a really cool design that is both metal and plastic. I love the style of this and kind of wish they used something similar for the front of it. The back of the soundbar is made with a very solid plastic and here is where we come to look at our various connectivity options. You have your HDMI Arc port, but Sennheiser also gives you another three HDMI ports to play around with. You also have both an optical and an RCA port. In addition to this, you have a USB and an ethernet port on the back of here as well.

The Verdict: 

While I do think that the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar looks great, I have to say that I do much prefer the overall design of the Sony HT-A7000. These are two great looking soundbars and I could see why someone else would prefer the look of the Ambeo. However, I think that the Sony is just a cooler looking soundbar and it has that classic Sony style which is always something that I love. So yeah, for me, Sony is taking the win in this round!

The Sound

Next up in our epic Sony HT-A7000 and Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar showdown we have what is the main event. If it is the main event why is it in the middle? Well back in the day in the WWF, Hulk Hogan would often wrestle in the middle of the show. Not sure what that has to do with this article, but I thought it was kinda fitting. Anyway, let’s take a look at the sound capabilities of both these awesome soundbars!

Sony HT-A7000:

I have already talked a great deal about how awesome looking the Sony HT-A7000 is. Now we need to see if it has a rocking personality to match its good looks. I do recommend you do as much homework as you can before throwing down some money. Look at stuff like this Sony HT-A7000 Soundbar [2021] – Better than the Sonos ARC? video which compares it to the Sonos Arc which is interesting. Anyway, like the Ambeo, this is a Dolby Atmos compatible soundbar. I am a huge fan of what Dolby Atmos offers and I made sure to use a movie with a Dolby Atmos track to test this thing out with. I thought we would go for a movie from Sony I recently got this Amazing Spider-Man 2 / Amazing Spider-Man, the – Set [Blu-ray] [4K UHD] which is a fun collectible for my Spider-Man collection. Anyway, the Dolby Atmos provided from the HT-A7000 is decent. I have certainly experienced better, but it gets the job done.

Even though the Sony HT-A7000 has a built-in subwoofer it lacks the raw power that the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar has. The Dolby Atmos is not as powerful, but the whole soundbar, in general, is lacking in the power department. Actually, that is a bit harsh, on its own you would probably say that the bass, power, and even the Dolby Atmos is fine. However, we are doing a direct comparison here, and when side by side, you do notice that this is lacking. If you watch a movie like Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle which is hilarious by the way and way better than its sequel, on the A70000, and then straight away try it out on the Ambeo, you do notice the difference in sound quality.

I know that is a bit of a downer, but I do have to say that on its own merit, the Sony HT-A7000 really is great. One area in particular that it excels in is how clear dialogue is. It was late the other night and I wanted something light and fun to watch while I tested this out so I threw on The Simpsons Movie and I was very impressed with how balanced the sound was and how clear the dialogue was. I know this seems like I am really down on this soundbar, but to be fair it is going head-to-head with the Ambeo and that is the only reason why I am looking at it in perhaps a more negative light. Against another soundbar, it could very well be dominating it like Shaq used to do in the paint during the 90s!

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar:

I love this Sennheiser AMBEO 5.1.4 Dolby Atmos Soundbar | Crutchfield video as the guy gives an honest opinion on the sound capabilities of the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar, but you also see how massive this thing is as he sits in front of it. This is a great soundbar for those that want the cinema experience at home. The most impressive thing about the sound capabilities of the Ambeo is the Dolby Atmos. I have looked at a great deal of Dolby Atmos compatible soundbars and I would put the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar pretty damn close to the top of that list, actually, I am having a hard time thinking of something that could top it. One movie I want to talk about is the amazing Aquaman which is my favorite from the DCEU. The thing is, it has a tremendous Dolby Atmos track and it perfectly shows off just how immersive and spectacular Dolby Atmos can be. The scene where he is fighting those fish creature things on the boat is epic!

Even without having a dedicated subwoofer, the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar is one of the most powerful soundbars I have had the pleasure to play around with. If you are watching something like Independence Day you really get that shake, rumble, and bass even though it lacks that dedicated subwoofer. I think that the Ambeo just does a great job when it comes to having a sound that is very well balanced. I have said it a million times, but modern TVs (although they are getting better) really struggle when it comes to offering a well balanced sound. With this you are not just getting well balanced sound, you are getting cinema quality balanced sound.

When you have a soundbar that is as epic and powerful as the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar, you may think that you have to just watch action movies and TV shows. Well, even stuff that is more dialogue based like the incredible Knives Out which I just learned is getting a sequel, hey more Danial Craig as a suave southern detective is cool by me. Anyway, the way that this handles vocal clarity is truly outstanding. It is just so clear and precise that the first time you experience it, it truly is an amazing experience. I know it sounds cheesy, but when it comes to its sound capabilities there is legit nothing that the Ambeo cannot do.

The Verdict: 

Look, the Sony HT-A7000 is a great soundbar, it may not have the best Dolby Atmos that I have heard, but overall, it is a damn fine soundbar. The thing is when you have it side by side with the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar, there really is no contest here in terms of sound capabilities. The Ambeo trumps it in pretty much every way if I am being brutally honest. Again, the HT-A7000 is not a bad soundbar at all, as a matter of fact, there were more than a few things I liked about it. Yet, the Ambeo wins this one as easily as Mike Tyson would win a fight in the mid-90s.

The Remote Control

I know some people may skip the remote control section in our Sony HT-A7000 and Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar battle, but I always have a lot of fun with this category. Usually at the expense of Sonos. However, both Sony and Sennheiser are known to make fantastic remote controls so I am looking really forward to diving into this round!

Sony HT-A7000: I always like how Sony tends to get in a groove with their remote controls and they have a similar style for a few years. The remote control that comes with the Sony HT-A7000 is similar to other Sony remotes which is something I say in a very positive way. This is a solid sized remote control that has a real quality feel to it. I love how it is stacked with buttons. Pretty much all the things that this soundbar can do has its own dedicated button. I know for some people this may be a tad on the busy side, but I love it! I think it is awesome that Sony went above and beyond with the buttons on this remote control.

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar: You get a pretty cool and stylish remote control with the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar. The remote is compact and kind of chunky at the same time. It is a solid remote that is very easy to use. The buttons are nice and easy to figure out and it gives you all the control you need over the soundbar. It is easy to play around with the different sound presets so you can get the sound to just the way that you like it. While the remote is cool and it looks great, I do kind of wish that Sennheiser went all in with this and gave us something a bit more spectacular. Again, there is nothing wrong with it, but I just feel that they could have done something a tad more special as this is such an expensive and premium soundbar.

The Verdict: I think that whenever I look at a Sony soundbar they usually end up winning this category and this time is no different. I think that both of these are solid soundbars. However, I just like how the Sony one gives you more buttons to play around with. To be fair, some people will probably like how the Ambeo has less buttons as they may find it less confusing. I am kind of weird in that I think the more buttons the better when it comes to a remote control.

What Is In The Box?

Before we pick which one of these is the winner, our Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar and Samsung HW-Q90R fight has one last category. Here as usual we are taking a look at what you can expect to find in the boxes of these things!

Sony HT-A7000: While this is a long soundbar, the box that the Sony HT-A7000 comes in is not really much bigger than most other soundbars. Sony managed to get this thing pretty snugly inside the box. Sony went above and beyond with this as they give you the things that you expect. The soundbar, remote control, batteries for the remote, an HDMI cable, and the instruction booklet. However, it is the little extras like the mountain brackets and the screws to put them up with along with the TV center speaker mode cable that I think shows why Sony are so awesome.

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar:  As the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar, is pretty damn big you will probably not be surprised to know that the box this thing comes in is pretty damn big. However, it is more the weight of it as the soundbar weighs around 40 pounds! That is something you have to keep in mind if you intend getting this soundbar from a store. Inside the box as well as the soundbar and the power cable, you have a solid quality HDMI cable. They also give you a remote control and a room correction microphone that is there to make setting the soundbar up easier for you and so that it works with your room the best way possible.

The Verdict: I do have to give this one to the Sony HT-A7000 as I think the fact that they give you the mountain brackets and the screws just puts that one over the edge. Both of these give you what you need, but I do think as it is so hard for the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar to sit under a TV they should have thrown in some kind of wall mountain bracket. Ultimately, that is why I am giving this round to my buddies Sony.   

Which Is Better?

As we come to the end of our Sony HT-A7000 and Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar contest of champions it is time for me to pick a winner. As I have said I am a huge Sony fan and I think that the Sony HT-A7000 is a solid soundbar and has a lot going for it. I much prefer the design of it, but when it comes to sound, I have to say that the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar is the better soundbar. It can get much louder, has better Dolby Atmos, and truth be told it trumps it in pretty much every way. If the Ambeo is worth that extra money is up to you at the end of the day. If you want as close to the cinema experience at home as you can get then the Ambeo is the clear winner here.

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