Sony HT-S500RF review: Turn your living room into a home theater in seconds with a 5.1-channel soundbar

If you want to turn your living room into a home theater in seconds, in addition to a TV with clear picture quality, you actually need a sound quality output device with surround sound. After all, when watching movies, the real environment experience is king. Of course, "dreams" are always beautiful. When faced with the numerous home audio equipment on the market, many people are simply overwhelmed and can never find a product with good cost performance.

The biggest feature of the audio set is that it has many "family members". Currently, Sony HT-S500RF consists of a front sound bar, two rear surround speakers and a large-caliber subwoofer.

Adhering to the principle of first come first served, let's start with the front soundbar. The front soundbar adopts a simple and elegant metal grid design, and the three-section body lines give people a sense of luxury. In terms of sound quality, the front soundbar has a three-channel design of left, right and center, and all three channels use a runway-type full-range speaker design of about 48mm*90mm.

The two rear surround speakers each use a runway-type speaker design of approximately 48mm*90mm, while the subwoofer has a large-diameter output effect of approximately 180mm. The three speakers work together to complement each other, making the viewing atmosphere more realistic and the viewing experience more enjoyable.

Compared with our traditional heavy home speakers, Sony HT-S500RF adopts a minimalist design, with the front speaker only about 6.4cm high, which is very suitable for placing in a TV cabinet or hanging on the wall. The subwoofer is about 207*402*330mm in size, which is not cumbersome at all. It is hard to imagine how a 9kg box can produce such a strong sound effect.

In terms of body material design, all three speakers adopt a hollow grid design. In front of the subwoofer, an LCD screen is designed, where users can view volume and signal light information, and there is also a USB front input interface on the right side of the LCD screen, which further enriches the expandability of the speaker. Speaking of expandability, Sony HT-S500RF can be said to be very rich. In addition to the front USB interface, its back is also equipped with an optical fiber interface, HDMI, external speaker interface, and 3.5mm audio interface. The rich interface design can meet the user's all-round usage needs.

Sony has never been shy about playing with sound quality. Currently, Sony HT-S500RF has 5 built-in speakers, and is equipped with two surround stereo speakers and a subwoofer combination design, which can easily switch between low, medium and high frequency channels, giving users a real listening experience. In order to let users experience a more realistic and rich viewing atmosphere, Sony HT-S500RF uses Dolby Digital and DTS surround technology. With the support of this technology, users can almost experience the high-fidelity sound quality of the cinema while lying on the sofa.

Sony HT-S500RF has spent a lot of thought on the user experience, and the designers have spent a lot of brain cells. Sony HT-S500RF not only supports Bluetooth and mobile phone connection, but also supports connection to APP. If users want to experience the many functions in the APP, they only need to download a Sony Music Center and select HT-S500RF to experience a variety of usage functions. In the APP, users can not only control Sony HT-S500RF, but also customize the listening effect of the surround stereo channel according to the distance.

In order to let everyone feel the listening effect of Sony HT-S500RF more realistically, I randomly opened Xue Zhiqian's "Talent" and Telepopmuslk's "Breathe" to share.

1. Xue Zhiqian: "Talent"

Xue Zhiqian's new song "Talent" has been praised by many netizens as a masterpiece. This song not only carries the lyricist's reluctance to part with his lover, but also expresses his helplessness towards love. The lyrics "in a nostalgic way, the way we were together" reminds people of that dim autumn and the songwriter's grief for love.

It feels perfect to listen to this song with Sony HT-S500RF. When the prelude sounded, the surround 5.1 channel gave people a lingering listening atmosphere. When the singer's magnetic voice sounded beside you, the ethereal voice made people admire Sony HT-S500RF. Thanks to the DTS sound effect equipped with Sony HT-S500RF, when the song reached the climax, the low, medium and high frequency sounds were more distinct and clear, as if Xue Zhixian was singing next to you.

2. Telepopmuslk "Breathe"

This brisk song has a special flavor under the singer's magnetic and lazy voice. The lyrics in the song all show expectations and confidence for the future. With the support of Sony HT-S500RF, the singer's voice can be further displayed. In the new Dolby Digital surround sound format, the sound is clearer and brighter. The combination of singing and musical instruments from all around is full of immersion and presence. The wide sound field combination and precise positioning make the singer's voice rise to a new height, allowing users to truly experience the immersive experience.

Sony HT-S500RF is not only excellent in singing, but also in watching movies. Sony HT-S500RF can bring users a brand new viewing experience. Just turn on a movie and watch it. The perfect combination of the front and rear speakers and the subwoofer makes the movie atmosphere more realistic. The plot of the movie, with the support of Sony HT-S500RF, makes the viewer more immersed in it.

In general, at a price of 3290 yuan, the Sony HT-S500RF is a great value for money among similar competing products. On the basis of ensuring the hardware, the sound effect can still be so good, which is really eye-opening and a feast for the ears. If you happen to want to build a home theater, then the Sony HT-S500RF is indeed very suitable.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.