Sony HT-S700 5.1ch Soundbar System with Tall Boy Rear Speakers

Our review

This is a Sony 5.1-channel home cinema soundbar package built around two 120cm tall boy rear speakers, so the surround channels fire at roughly ear height instead of from a shelf. Each tall boy uses a full-range 65mm driver, and the system is rated at 1000W. It suits someone with space to place two floor-standing rears behind the seating area and a TV that supports HDMI ARC, which handles the main connection. USB audio playback and Bluetooth are also included. Before buying, measure your room and confirm you can run power to both rear speakers, since they are not wireless. Compare it with soundbar-and-subwoofer sets that rely on small satellite rears or virtual surround, which need less floor space but rarely match the height and separation of tall boy speakers. Also weigh it against separate AV receiver and speaker packages, which offer more upgrade paths but more wiring and setup effort.