The Sony HT-X8500 soundbar is a 2.1 setup from 2019. This standalone soundbar has dual subwoofers integrated into the bar to help save space, and it uses Sony's S-Force Pro Front Surround technology to help create a more immersive sound. Unlike many other 2.1 setups, it supports Atmos and DTS:X content, and its Vertical Surround Engine technology helps reproduce a fuller and more cinematic sound. Its sound profile is a bit boxy and dark, but vocals are still reproduced clearly, making it a solid choice for soap operas and audiobooks.
Our Verdict
The Sony HTX8500 is alright for mixed usage. This 2.1 setup has a boxy and slightly dull sound profile, though it can still reproduce vocals and lead instruments pretty accurately. Despite its dual subwoofers integrated into the bar, you don't feel the rumble in the low-bass with bass-heavy music or action-heavy movies. Unlike many other 2.1 setups, it supports Atmos content, but its performance isn't the most immersive.
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Can play Atmos and DTS content.
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EQ presets plus bass adjustment feature available.
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No room correction feature.
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Lacks low-bass.
The Sony HTX8500 is decent for dialogue-centric content like TV shows. Its sound profile is a little boxy and dull, but voices are still reproduced pretty clearly. There's even a 'TV' preset that doubles as a dialogue enhancement mode. However, due to its 2.1 design, it has to use its left and right channels to simulate a phantom center, which doesn't sound as clear and real as a discrete setup. Voices don't seem to be anchored to a pinpoint location in the soundstage.
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Dialogue enhancement and night mode feature available.
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Bluetooth compatible.
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No room correction feature.
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No discrete center channel.
The Sony HTX8500 is okay for music. Though there are dual subwoofers integrated into the bar, it still struggles to reproduce the low thump and rumble in the bass range, so it's not ideal for bass-heavy genres like EDM. Its sound profile is boxy and dark, but vocals and lead instruments are still reproduced pretty clearly. There's a bass adjustment feature to help you customize its sound, but unfortunately, there's no treble adjustment or graphic EQ available.
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EQ presets plus bass adjustment feature available.
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Bluetooth compatible.
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Always-on surround sound feature.
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Lacks low-bass.
The Sony HTX8500 is adequate for movies. Its boxy, slightly dull sound profile can still reproduce dialogue quite clearly. However, despite its dual subwoofers, it lacks the low thump and rumble in the bass that you feel during action-heavy scenes. It supports Dolby Atmos content, but it has to downmix it into surround to play it. Similarly, its surround performance isn't the most impressive.
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Can play Atmos and DTS content.
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EQ presets plus bass adjustment feature available.
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Always-on surround sound feature.
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Lacks low-bass.
- Mixed Usage
- Dialogue/TV Shows
- Music
- Movies
- Updated May 05, 2023: Updated Video Passthrough To TV results with new methodology.
- Updated May 05, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 1.2. Updated the results for audio format support via ARC/eARC, HDMI In, and Optical. Added Video Passthrough to TV results as well.
- Updated Mar 20, 2023: Added cable lengths to In The Box.
- Updated Mar 16, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 1.1. With this update, we've added a Mounting test and added information aboutSubwoofer Output, Spotify Connect, and Microphone Mute.
- Updated Nov 11, 2022: Added the Vizio M Series M215aw-K6 as a Market Comparison to the Sound Enhancement Features box.
- Updated Dec 22, 2021: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
- Updated Feb 12, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Sep 21, 2020: The Dynamics tests have been reconducted due to a value input bug.
- Updated Jul 27, 2020: Review published.
- Updated Jul 22, 2020: Early access published.
- Updated Jul 15, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Jul 10, 2020: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Jun 28, 2020: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Sony HTX8500 is available in 'Black'. Let us know in the discussions if you come across another version, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Soundbars
The Sony HT-X8500 soundbar is a 2.1 setup. Just like the Sony HT-S200F, it has a subwoofer integrated into it, but it's similarly unable to reproduce a thumpy low bass. However, what makes this bar stand out is that it supports Atmos and DTS content, which is fairly uncommon in 2.1 channel setups. It's an otherwise pretty ordinary-performing soundbar and doesn't stand out amongst its competitors, especially when compared to other 2.1 setups like the Yamaha YAS-408 or the Samsung HW-T550.
Check out our recommendations for the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, the best soundbars with subwoofer, and the best soundbars under $200.
The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a better standalone soundbar than the Sony HT-X8500. The Sonos is a better-built 5.0 setup that offers better soundstage, center, surround, and Atmos performances. Unlike the Sony soundbar, it also has built-in voice assistant support. That said, only the Sony comes with a Full HDMI In port for high-quality passthrough.
The JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam is a better soundbar than the Sony HT-X8500. The JBL is better built, with a room correction feature. It also has a better center, surround, Atmos, and soundstage performances.
The Sony HT-X8500 is a 2.1 setup that's better for movies than the 2.0 setup Bose TV Speaker. Even though it doesn't get much louder than the Bose, the Sony has significantly better stereo dynamics. Its surround performance is better and it supports Atmos, which is great if you watch a lot of movies. The Sony also has EQ presets, its HDMI ARC and HDMI IN ports support all common audio formats, and it supports DTS via Optical. It even supports eARC. However, the Bose feels better built, its sound profile is better balanced and neutral, and it's more compact in size overall, which some users may prefer.
The Sonos Beam is a better soundbar than the Sony HT-X8500. The Sonos is a 3.0 setup that's better built, has a discrete center channel that performs better than the Sony's phantom center, and has a better stereo soundstage. You can also stream music to it using Wi-Fi or Apple AirPlay. However, even though the Sony's height channel performance is sub-par, it supports Atmos, which is rare for a 2.1 setup. The Sony also has EQ presets, and it has an HDMI Out as well as a Full HDMI In port, which is nice.
The Sony HT-X8500 is better than the Yamaha YAS-109. The Sony is better built, and it supports Dolby Atmos content. That said, the Yamaha has built-in voice assistant support and more wireless playback options. It also has a better soundstage performance.
The Sonos Arc is a better soundbar than the Sony HT-X8500. The Sonos is better-built, with better soundstage, center, surround, and Atmos performances. It also comes with a room correction feature, and it can be upgraded as the Sonos Arc with Sub + One SL Speakers. However, the 2.1 Sony comes with some EQ presets as well as a Full HDMI In port, unlike the Sonos.
The Sony HT-G700 is a better soundbar than the Sony HT-X8500. The HT-G700 is a 3.1 setup that's better built and offers better soundstage and surround performances than the 2.1 HT-X8500.
The Samsung HW-Q60T is better than the Sony HT-X8500. The Samsung is a 5.1 setup that comes with a dedicated subwoofer. It's better built, and it has better soundstage and center performances. It even offers more sound enhancement features, like a graphic EQ. That said, only the 2.1 Sony supports Dolby Atmos content.
The Sony HT-X8500 is more versatile than the Sony HT-S100F. The HT-X8500 is a 2.1 standalone bar with Dolby Atmos support. It has a better surrounds performance, too, and it comes with some extra sound enhancement tools such as a bass adjustment feature. That said, the HT-S100F is still a decent choice for dialogue-heavy content like TV shows and podcasts.
The Samsung HW-S60A is better than the Sony HT-X8500. The Samsung is a 5.0 setup that's better built, and it has built-in voice assistant support. It has better soundstage, center, and surround performances, and more wireless playback support options. Also, it has a graphic EQ for sound customization. That said, only the 2.1 Sony supports Atmos content, which some users may prefer.
The Samsung HW-Q950A is significantly better than the Sony HT-X8500. The Samsung comes with a dedicated sub and satellites, and it's better built. It has a better soundstage, center, surround, and Atmos performances. Also, there are more sound enhancement features, more wireless playback options, and built-in voice assistant support.
The Sony HT-X8500 and the Sony HT-X9000F are similarly performing soundbars. While both soundbars can play Atmos content, the HT-X8500 has a better height performance. It has a bit better-balanced center channel, even though it doesn't have a dedicated center channel either. Although it can't get as loud as the HT-X9000F, it also can reach its max volume with less thumping and compression artifacts. Conversely, the Sony HT-X9000F feels slightly better built, and it has a standalone subwoofer. It also has both an Analog Audio In port as well as a USB input.
The Sony HT-X8500 is a slightly better performing soundbar overall than the Sony HT-S200F. While both soundbars have similarly decent build qualities, the HT-X8500 supports Atmos, even though it has to downmix this content into stereo in order to play it. It also has a Full HDMI In port, and it can do HDR10 passthrough as well as 4k @ 60Hz passthrough too. However, the HT-S200F is smaller, so it's able to fit in between the legs of a 55 inch TV. It can also reach its max volume with fewer thumping and compression artifacts.
The JBL Bar 5.1 Surround is better than the Sony HT-X8500. The JBL is a 5.1 setup with a dedicated subwoofer that can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It's better built, and it has better soundstage, center, and surround performances. That said, it doesn't support Dolby Atmos content like the Sony.
The Samsung HW-Q700A is better than the Sony HT-X8500. The Samsung is better built, and it has better soundstage, center, surround, and Atmos performances. It also reproduces a more extended low-bass and supports more wireless playback options. You can even use its graphic EQ to customize its sound.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Bose Smart Soundbar 300 or the Sony HT-X8500. The Bose is a 3.0 setup that's better-built and comes with built-in voice assistant support. It offers better soundstage and center channel performances, and it supports more wireless playback options. However, the Sony supports Dolby Atmos content, unlike the Bose. It also comes with a few more sound enhancement features, including auto-volume mode and EQ presets, and it has a Full HDMI In port.
The Samsung HW-A650 is better than the Sony HT-X8500. The Samsung is a better-built 3.1 setup that comes with a dedicated sub, so it can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It has a better center and soundstage performances, too. Also, it comes with some more sound enhancement features, like a graphic EQ. That said, only the 2.1 Sony supports Dolby Atmos content.
The LG SN8YG is better than the Sony HT-X8500. The LG is a 3.1.2 setup that's better built and offers more sound enhancement features. It has better soundstage, center, surround, and Atmos performances, as well as built-in voice assistant support. Its dedicated sub helps reproduce a more extended low-bass, too.
The Sony HT-X8500 is a slightly better soundbar than the Bose Solo 5. While both soundbars have similarly balanced stereo frequency responses and soundstages, the Sony supports Atmos, which is a little surprising for a 2.1 setup. It also has EQ presets, one HDMI ARC, and one Full HDMI In port. Also, its Optical Audio In supports both DTS and Dolby Digital too. However, the Bose is much smaller, which is great if you don't have a lot of room, and it's slightly better built.
The Samsung HW-Q70T is better than the Sony HT-X8500. The Samsung is a 3.1.2 setup that's better-built and offers better soundstage, center, and surround performances. It reproduces a more extended low-bass, and it even gets louder. Also, it comes with a graphic EQ and supports more wireless playback options than the 2.1 Sony.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Yamaha YAS-209 or the Sony HT-X8500. The Yamaha comes with a dedicated subwoofer and reproduces a more extended low-bass. It also has built-in voice assistant support and offers more wireless playback options. That said, the Sony supports Dolby Atmos content, which some listeners may prefer.
The Vizio M Series M215aw-K6 is a better 2.1 Atmos soundbar than the Sony HT-X8500. The Sony's standalone design is nice if you're low on space, but since the Vizio comes with a dedicated subwoofer, it adds more bass to the mix. The Vizio has more sound enhancement features, and its stereo soundstage is better.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 700 is better than the Sony HT-X8500. The Bose is a 3.0 setup that's better built and offers more wireless playback options. It has better soundstage, center, and surround performances, as well as built-in voice assistant capabilities. It also gets louder with less compression at max volume, and you can even upgrade it with a sub and satellites. However, the 2.1 Sony supports Atmos content, unlike the Bose.
The Samsung HW-A550 is better than the Sony HT-X8500. The Samsung comes with a dedicated subwoofer, and it can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It's better built, and it has a better soundstage. It even offers more sound enhancement features, such as a graphic EQ. That said, only the Sony supports Dolby Atmos content.
The Sony HT-X8500 is better than the Sony HT-S350. The HT-X8500 has a better surrounds performance, and it also supports Dolby Atmos content. That said, the HT-S350 is better built with a better soundstage. Some users may also appreciate that it comes with a dedicated sub, though it doesn't reproduce a more extended low-bass than the HT-X8500.
The Sony HT-Z9F is better than the Sony HT-X8500. The HT-Z9F is better built, and it comes with a dedicated sub that helps reproduce a more extended low-bass. It also has better soundstage, center, and surround performances. It even supports more wireless playback options.
The Sony HT-X8500 is a better overall soundbar than the Vmai 2.1 Channel Sound Bar. Unlike the Vmai, the Sony has a phantom center channel, and it supports Atmos and surround content. Thanks to its auto volume feature, it has more sound customization options than the Vmai. It also has more robust connectivity options. While the Vmai only supports PCM 2.0 over its HDMI ARC and Optical ports, the Sony has full audio format support through both ports, making it better-suited for watching movies. The Sony also has an HDMI In port, which the Vmai lacks.
The Sony HT-X8500 and the Vizio M-Series M21d-H8R are very similarly performing 2.1 soundbars, so depending on your listening habits, you may prefer one over the other. The Vizio is better built, and it has a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box. However, the Sony has a lot less compression when you play it at max volume, and it can also support Dolby Atmos content, though it has to downmix it to play it.
The Samsung HW-Q800A is better than the Sony HT-X8500. The Samsung is better built, and it supports more wireless playback options. It has a better soundstage, center, surrounds, and Atmos performances. Also, it reproduces a more extended low-bass. Unlike the Sony, it has built-in voice assistant support and a graphic EQ.
The Sony HT-X8500 and the TCL Alto 8i are both 2.1 soundbars that support Dolby Atmos, but the Sony has a better performance. The Sony has a more balanced sound profile, and its center, surrounds, and height channels perform better. It also comes with a dialogue enhancement feature and supports DTS content, unlike the TCL. However, the TCL has a better soundstage performance.
The Samsung HW-Q600A is a better soundbar than the Sony HT-X8500. The Samsung is a 3.1.2 setup that comes with a dedicated subwoofer and reproduces a more extended low-bass. It's better-built, with better soundstage, center, and Atmos performances. It also comes with a graphic EQ for sound customization, unlike the Sony.
The JBL Bar 9.1 is much better than the Sony HT-X8500. The JBL is a 5.1.4 setup with a dedicated sub and satellites. It's better built, and it gets louder. It also has better soundstage, center, surrounds, and Atmos performances. There are also more sound enhancement features available, including room correction.
Test Results
The Sony HT-X8500 soundbar is black and fairly plain-looking. It has a metal grille on its front face, and its top face is covered in faux-leather. The bar is otherwise made of plastic. As the subwoofers are integrated into the bar, there are two ports found on each side of the soundbar.
The Sony HT-X8500 is fairly long, and you may have problems fitting it between the legs of most 55 inch TVs. Still, it's not very tall, so it most likely won't block your screen unless your TV sits flush to the table.
The Sony HTX8500's build quality is decent. It's made from robust matte plastic, and it has a metal grille to protect its speakers. The subwoofers are integrated into the bar, and it's protected by the metal grille. Its ports are located on the sides of the soundbar. If you're looking for a soundbar with better build quality, check out the Vizio M-Series M21d-H8R.
- Manuals
- Remote
- 2x AAA batteries for the remote
- HDMI cable (4.9 ft / 1.5m)
- AC cord (1.6 ft / 0.5m)
- AC adapter (4.2 ft / 1.3m)
The Sony HTX8500 has an adequate stereo frequency response. Although it comes with integrated subwoofers, it still struggles to reproduce the thump and rumble in the low-bass. Its sound profile is a bit boxy and dark, but vocals and lead instruments are still reproduced quite clearly and accurately. There's also a bass adjustment feature to help you customize its sound.
With its bass set to '-1', this soundbar has a slope closer to zero, meaning it has a more neutral sound. However, it still struggles to reproduce the thump and rumble in the low-bass. Its mid-range is pretty neutral, meaning that vocals are reproduced clearly, but they can also seem a bit dull due to the recessed treble.
The Sony HT-X8500 has a mediocre stereo soundstage. It's about the size of the bar, and the bar doesn't do any tricks to widen the soundstage. It has a diffused focus, so objects sound like they're coming from more general areas rather than precise, accurate locations. For a 2.1 setup with a better soundstage, check out the TCL Alto 8i.
This soundbar has decent stereo dynamics. While it should be loud enough for everyday use, it probably won't be loud enough for a large room or a crowded party. When pushed to max volume, there are some thumping and compression artifacts present.
The THD performance of this soundbar is good. At a normal listening volume, it produces clear and pure sound. When pushed to its max volume, there's a very small jump in THD across the range, but it may not be audible to most, especially if you're listening to real-life content.
The Sony HTX8500 is a 2.1 setup, so it doesn't have a dedicated center speaker. Instead, it uses its left and right speakers to simulate a sound in the center, which sounds more diffused and less clear than a dedicated center speaker. That said, its performance is still okay, and although it has an uneven bass range, there isn't a lot of bass on the center channel anyway, so voices sound fairly clean and accurate.
The Sony HTX8500 soundbar has a poor surround performance. It's a 2.1 setup, so it downmixes surround content into stereo, which doesn't produce the most accurate or clear representation of surround objects. This doesn't sound very immersive either, as these objects are perceived as coming from in front rather than from the sides or behind you.
The Sony HTX8500 uses the manufacturer's Vertical Surround Engine technology to simulate an Atmos experience. However, it has to downmix Atmos content into surround to play it, which doesn't sound as immersive.
The Sony HT-X8500 has a poor selection of sound enhancement features. While it doesn't have a graphic EQ, it has several EQ presets to help you find the best match for your audio needs, including 'Cinema', 'News', 'Music', 'Game', and 'Sport'. Its 'News' preset doubles as a dialogue enhancement feature, so voices seem more crisp and detailed. The Vertical Surround Engine feature activates when Atmos or DTS:X content is playing, too. That said, there's no room correction feature, meaning it can sound different depending on the room you're listening in. If you want a 2.1 Dolby Atmos soundbar with more sound enhancement features, check out the Vizio M Series M215aw-K6.
This soundbar has limited connectivity options. While you can connect the bar to your TV and another device using its HDMI ARC or Full HDMI In ports, you won't be able to connect older devices to it using an AUX cable.
Surprisingly, the Sony HTX8500 soundbar has full ARC audio format support thanks to its HDMI ARC port. As it has eARC, it can also play object-based surround signals as well as lossless formats.
The Sony HTX8500 has a full HDMI In port, and it can support all common audio formats, same as its HDMI ARC port.
The Sony HTX8500 supports Dolby Digital as well as DTS content when using its Optical Audio In. You can find this content on streaming platforms as well as many Blu-ray discs.
The Sony HTX8500 has a good latency performance. With its ARC and Optical ports, it has fairly low latency, meaning the audio you hear is in sync with the video you see. It doesn't perform as well with its Full HDMI In port, though. Over this connection, the sound seems to come before the visuals, and this is especially noticeable with lip-synching content. Keep in mind that some apps and TVs compensate for latency differently, so your real-world experience can vary.
This soundbar can passthrough some of the highest bandwidth signals. If you use your PC to create a custom resolution, you can "force" the bar to pass 120Hz at 1080p, too. Also, it supports HDR10 passthrough, which is nice if you have a Blu-ray player or you're playing on the latest generation of gaming consoles. The manufacturer also says that it's compatible with Dolby Vision.
The Sony HTX8500 soundbar has mediocre wireless playback options. Like many other Sony soundbars like the Sony HT-X9000F, you can only connect to it using Bluetooth, which is a little disappointing.
The Sony HT-X8500 soundbar has a very simple interface. Six lights light up to tell you which setting you're on. If you're changing the volume, the lights also become a volume level, which is nice.
This bar has very straightforward controls. From the top of the bar, you can control the power, input source, Bluetooth connectivity, and volume level.
The remote for the Sony HT-X8500 is similar-looking to the Sony HT-X9000F, but it lacks music management controls like track skipping and play/pause. That said, you can control everything else about the bar via the remote.