Sony Audio 2026: New Theatre Bar 7, 5: soundbars and accessories announced

After our announcement of the Sony 2026 televisions, it's time for the audio segment! You may not (yet) find our original reviews of this type of equipment on our website, but it's good to know what's new from the Japanese manufacturer. Besides, let's not forget – this is additional equipment for the television! This year, Sony has prepared two new soundbars and three accessories to complete the entire Theatre series for us.

Sony BRAVIA Theatre Bar 7: One bar, nine speakers

Let's start with the model that is designed to be an "all-in-one" solution. Bar 7 is a construction based on nine speakers that Sony has packed into one fairly slim casing. Key to this are the upward and side-firing drivers – they "fire" sound towards the ceiling and walls to reflect it and trick your ears into thinking the sound is coming from the sides of the sofa.

The whole system is supported by software called 360 Spatial Sound Mapping, which simply recalculates the signal so that these nine speakers emulate a significantly larger setup. Importantly, the soundbar features built-in microphones for sound calibration. Thanks to these, the equipment will automatically adjust the power of the speakers so that the centre of the soundstage is always where you are sitting.

Sony BRAVIA Theatre Bar 5

For those looking for something simpler, a model Bar 5 has been prepared. It features a classic 3.1 layout, which already includes a wireless subwoofer. The biggest advantage of this model is the physical centre channel – it is responsible for ensuring that the voices of the actors are clear and do not blend with the music or explosions.

Although we won’t find any physical speakers playing in the ceiling here like in the higher model, the sound processor tries to simulate height using mathematical algorithms. There are no miracles, but it is still a leap light-years ahead of what the speakers built into a standard television offer.

Subwoofers Sub 9 and Sub 8

If you want the set to really "blow your head off", the soundbar is just the beginning of the fun. Sony has released accessories this year that you can add to already existing soundbars.

The flagship subwoofer Theatre Sub 9 features two 200 mm speakers positioned back to back. This design ensures that when one diaphragm moves in one direction, the other does the same in the opposite direction. As a result, you receive a powerful punch of deep bass, while the subwoofer itself remains still and does not cause everything around it to rattle.

If you are looking for something cheaper, there is the Sub 8 – a classic design with a single 200 mm speaker that provides a solid dose of bass, although without advanced vibration damping technology.

Rear 9 Speakers

The Rear 9 speakers complement the entire setup and solve the issue of the "flat" sound coming from the back. They are equipped with 80-millimetre speakers angled towards the ceiling. Instead of merely hearing footsteps behind you, you will actually feel like rain or other flying objects are "falling" on you from above.

Sony is also heavily focused on collaboration with its televisions through the Voice Zoom 3 feature. This is an algorithm based on artificial intelligence that recognises human speech and allows it to be amplified independently of the rest of the sound track. Importantly, the entire configuration and daily settings can now be managed from the app on your phone, which is much more convenient than navigating through the television's menu with a remote control.

New Sony Audio Products 2026

The Japanese have once again focused on modularity this year. Instead of forcing us to purchase ready-made sets, they provide a base in the form of Bar, Sub, or Rear series, which we can expand depending on how much space we have and how thick our wallet is.