New Sony Sound Bar Comes with Upfiring Speakers, Built-In Mics

Sony bowed the 5.1.2-channel HT-A5000 sound bar with support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X featuring the company's vertical surround engine. The sound bar's front speakers and up-firing speakers, combined with Sony signal processing, can position sound in a vertical space, said the company Thursday. Due in early fall, the $899 5.1.2 sound bar uses sound field processing technology to broaden the horizontal sound field, said the company, and built-in mics optimize sound to the room's physical layout, it said.