2015 is shaping up to be a good year for those looking at different sound bar options. Sony has already revealed a host of new units with many supporting 4K output and Hi-Res Audio. As beautiful, powerful, and sleek as they may be, the sticking point for some home theater enthusiasts remains that, no matter the brand, a sound bar is merely replicating a surround sound experience and isn’t true to what’s being offered by our games and movies.

Enter the Sony Sound Bar HT-RT5 with rear wireless speakers that might finally offer the convenience and experience we’ve all wanted.

The main draw of  a sound bar continues to be their ease of use. Unlike a traditional surround sound setup where you need a receiver or similar unit which then powers and controls 5 speakers and a subwoofer, the sound bar is able to replicate that experience with just two units: a sound bar which can house multiple speakers/tweeters and a wireless subwoofer that allows for convenient placement in the house. Having had a chance to experience units like the Sony HT-ST9, I can say it’s hard to walk away disappointed. However, the issue that still remains is that no matter how good it is, it’s still not true surround sound and something is lost.

The Sony Sound Bar HT-RT5 looks to correct this mistake by taking everything you’ve known about a sound bar and add to it with two wireless rear speakers. That means this 550 Watts system is capable of delivering your left, center, and right speakers in the sound bar portion while the wireless subwoofer and two rear speakers finish off the traditional 5.1 surround sound experience.

Home theater enthusiasts will feel at home with support for the latest DTS HD and Dolby True HD while music lovers will take comfort in knowing there is support for services such as Spotify Connect and Google Cast. If that’s not enough, the HT-RT5 also supports SongPal Link, the horribly-named Sony service which mimics Sonos and allows you to add additional wireless speakers to the mix which is pretty cool. Here’s hoping that other Sony Sound Bar units announced this year will also support SongPal Link.

You can pre-order the Sony HT-RT5 starting on July 24 for €699 / £599 though US fans will have to await further news as Sony has yet to reveal any plans for it in North America.

Discuss:

Does the Sony Sound Bar HT-RT5 interest you?

[Via FlatpanelsHD]