The HT-A5000 adopts a 5.1.2-channel configuration with three front loudspeakers, two tweeters coupled with beamforming waveguides on the sides, two loudspeakers dedicated to bass reproduction and two loudspeakers. speakers aimed at the ceiling for elevation effects. Her behavior brings her closer to her big sister, the HT-A7000, with which it shares many similarities. But the HT-A5000 shows a little less control, especially regarding the precision of surround effects. However, this does not prevent it from offering a particularly wide and immersive spatialization.
It must be said that the bar is doing admirably well on this aspect: the reproduction of the soundstage is particularly ample and airy, especially after going through the automatic acoustic calibration function. The side effects therefore manage to overcome the physical limits of the bar, which allows it to offer a very enveloping scene giving the impression of being in the middle of the action. The treatment granted to the elevation effects is a little more unequal: some struggle to rise from the bar while others give the impression of coming from a speaker in the ceiling, benefiting from a transcription of amazing precision.
On films mixed in 5.1 or 7.1, the “Sound Field” upmix function is rather well felt and can bring a gain of immersion, raising the front stage and even giving the impression that the central channel “comes from the television set” . However, we remain perplexed about the use of this function with musical content. Indeed, it deteriorates the accuracy of the timbres and the reverberation effect added by the processing gives a rather messy result. Some tracks with a perfectly chiseled mix can manage to get by, but we still advise you not to use it on such content and to stay in a classic stereo configuration.
With regard to the sound reproduction alone, the bar gives us a very nice extension in the bass so that it is fair to question the usefulness of adding a remote subwoofer. We thus feel very well the rumblings and the explosions, but we remain on our hunger concerning the impacts which tend to drag the leg. The bar thus lacks responsiveness in the bass, which can be countered in part by adding a remote subwoofer, as we explained in the box at the end of the HT-A7000 test.
On the rest, the HT-A5000 boasts a certain balance and a beautiful transparency, which benefit both films/series and musical content. The level of detail and the precision of the restitution are simply irreproachable, and the good extension in the extreme treble plays a certain role in widening the soundstage. The voices are very present and emerge naturally from each scene. A “Voice” mode allows vocals to stand out more by lowering the bass and treble.