Sony HT-CT370 Review

Sony presents the HT-CT370 sound bar with wireless subwoofer as a smart solution to improve the often inadequate sound of modern flat screen televisions. We´ve tested how well this sound bar and subwoofer combination works in practice.

A good sound is like the icing on a cake for most movie and television experiences. To acheive this, the sound of the TV usually needs a lot of improvement, and one of the proven methods for this is a so-called sound bar.

These are compact speakers, which are (usually) placed under the TV to enhance the sound. With their discreet appearance, they also fit perfectly into the domestic technology landscape without the appearance messing up the decór of the living space. When a sound bar, like the HT-CT370, also include a wireless subwoofer, then you´d expect a particularly promising sound, right?

If you choose to wall-mount it (wall brackets are included), the built-in display on the sound bar becomes even more readable and the sound quality at high frequencies improves slightly. Placing it on a wall directly under the TV, using the aforementioned plastic brackets, is done quite easily. Just use four nails or screws and attach the just over 5 pounds light sound bar using the built-in keyhole openings.

A clever feature is the integrated sensor that automatically detects whether the speaker unit is mounted on a wall or placed flat on a bench. Depending on the orientation of the sound bar, the sound will be adjusted accordingly and acoustically optimized.

Thanks to the wireless subwoofer the need for a corresponding audio cable is eliminated, which ensures order behind and around your TV-bench.

Those who own a TV with an HDMI port which supports a so-called Audio Return Channel (ARC) function can connect the HT-CT370 via a HDMI cable to the TV. A blu-ray player or HD recorder, etc., is easily connected to the TV, which then can act as a source switch. For direct connection of other audio or video playback devices you´ll find three additional HDMI inputs, an analog mini-jack and an optical digital input.

The HT-CT370 In Use

Switching between the different inputs is done either via the included remote control or an app called SongPal. The latter can be downloaded for smartphones and tablets in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, and allows for convenient use thanks to the graphically supported control of all sound settings and audio/video sources.

Another advantage of the Sony HT-CT370 is individually configurable sound settings. On the app and remote control you´ll find numerous settings available to adjust the sound character to your own personal listening preferences.

The Equalizer allows for tonal adjustment of bass and treble frequencies, while the AV Sync synchronizes the picture and sound signal if necessary. When using Night Mode, the dynamic range of the sound bar and subwoofer combination can be deliberately limited (compressed) so as not to disturb neighbors or sleeping children at night, for example. The SoundField function amplifies the intensity of the surround sound using S-Force Pro Front Surround, giving the impression of a three-dimensional listening experience. Clear Audio+ is Sony's in-house sound enhancement algorithm, which can be activated if needed. Finally, you can also do precise adjustment of the subwoofer volume and the lower bass frequencies.

Sound Quality

During our listening test the sound bar and subwoofer combination played with an amazingly powerful and full-grown sound. It made even newscasters and TV shows sound surprisingly authentic and full-bodied. Unlike the original TV speakers, the 370 invited the viewer into the TV events, so that you, instead of being a distant spectator, was right in the middle of it.

When moving on to enjoy some movies on Blu-ray, the HT-CT370 definitively proved what it is capable of. It defies its compact dimensions, the clever system presents a powerful sound which convinces with good momentum, tight bass and a clear treble. And this positive impression continues with music playback via Bluetooth. The sound is free from distortion and noise, convincing with lots of fine detail and striking spatiality. This is mostly due to the excellent 3D codec of Sony's S-Force, which gives the sound field an enjoyable width and depth, at least considering the modest price tag. If you want better surround sound 'feeling' we recommend you to check out Yamaha's YSP-1400, YAS-152 and YAS-105 sound bars.