Strange but interesting tech is one of the reasons I enjoy going to CES so much and the Sony MT500 and MT300 sound bars do not disappoint in that area while not being too far fetched or impractical either. From a distance, both units are exactly what you’d expect, a 2.1 sound bar with a host of features like Bluetooth for wireless music streaming from your iOS/Android device and NFC for easy pairing.

Between the two, many of the features and technical specifications are identical like power (currently no documentation on exact power output) and color options which includes black and white, though I’m sure Sony will have something fancier in mind for them once they’re officially released. Where things differ between the two is in their brains or smart functionality that they provide. According to Sony:

 The HT-MT500 model, as compared to MT300, adds Chromecast built-in and Spotify Connect so you have access to over 100 music streaming apps. It supports multi-room capability also works with Google Home. For extra simplicity, it also has a Music Service button to carry on listening to the last song you played from your Spotify account. The HT-MT500 supports High-Resolution Audio and can even upscale and enhance the sound of standard resolution files. The HT-MT500 also supports Wireless Surround Sound and one HDMI ARC output. 

In layman’s terms, if you want a 2.1 sound bar that you can connect to your TV with no frills, the MT300 is the device for you while those more heavily invested in the Google ecosystem will see benefits from the MT500. It’s also worth noting that via Sony’s SongPal app, you can also connect additional speakers to your sound bar chain and send music throughout your house.

However neither of these features are particularly ground breaking or interesting. So Sony went and did something curious, what if you were to turn the subwoofer sideways as pictured above and placed it under your couch?

 The slim wireless subwoofer stands neatly upright next to or in between your furniture to deliver clear, defined bass or can be used in Sofa Mode, discreetly under the sofa with no compromise to the sound through the cushions. In addition to great style there’s great sound with the S-Force PRO Front Surround technology placing the listener right in the heart of the movies by emulating theater-style surround sound from only two front speakers. 

Having had a chance to give it a whirl at CES 2017, I definitely walked away impressed and that’s putting any of the smart functionality aside. In the demos available, I watched a few movie clips and an Alicia Keys music video with the subwoofer under the couch and the experience was definitely nice, if not thrilling. I can see how sitting back and watching The Avengers or playing Uncharted 4 would be a ton of fun with the bass from the subwoofer hitting you in a very different way in a more theater like experience.

Best yet, if you decide you don’t like that feeling, you can simply set your subwoofer standing up, tweak how it fires the bass via an app, and you’re back to a traditional sound bar setup. No word yet on Sony on a price point or release date outside of Spring 2017. Do you see yourself trying a subwoofer under your seat?