Sony HT-ST7 7.1 Channel HD Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer, 450W Total, 3 HDMI Inputs

2015-08-08T20:00:00

I purchased a brand new HT-ST7 from my local Best Buy in April 2015. When I brought it home and hooked it up I was not as impressed with the sound as I was in the store. The sound bar did not seem to have the same sound projection as the unit in the store. The sound bar worked for about 40 minutes, when it suddenly started to have intermittent sound and then completely lost sound all together. I returned the unit the following day and picked up a second HT-ST7 from the same store. When I hooked the second system up it worked for 15 minutes before starting to have the exact same problems. I decided to contact Sony telephone support, which only resulted in complete frustration with the representative. I so wanted to make this unit work, especially with all the positive reviews I had read. I ended up doing a unit reset, which seemed to eliminate the complete loss of sound problem. I still was not as impressed with the sound like I was in the store though., even after tweaking the system in different modes. I have since had to do 3 additional resets, due to subwoofer popping sounds, intermittent sound issues, low sound during "sound mode" changes, etc. Yes, I know I should have returned the unit and purchased a different brand! I have recently contacted support about servicing the unit, only to find out that I will be responsible for paying shipping costs of the defective unit to the service center. I am completely disappointed and frustrated with both the product and support. As a side note, both HT-ST7 units that I had were manufactured in November 2014, should anyone else have similar issues.

darthsideous666

Originally posted at

2015-06-25T20:00:00

We have had the Model SA-S17 for a little over a year now, and have always been extremely frustrated with the quality of the voice part in the unit. My wife and I find ourselves constantly reversing scenes on DVD & DVR movies because the voices are so muffled it's hard to understand what is being said. We continually re-adjusted the voice and picture levels on the remote to every imaginable combination with no satisfaction. While watch movies I get so frustrated, I feel like chunking the thing out the window. Lots of money paid for this worthless SONY product.

jc4671

Originally posted at

2015-04-12T20:00:00

every time the audio output stop for a pause or just no signal output, the sound bar turn itself off, to save energy that no one buys a thousand dollars sound bar would care about I guess. That's not a problem if the sound bar can turn itself back on when the audio is back on. Terrible idea, to set terrible idea in your product by default. I'm one of those people that won't buy any product that's annoying out of the box even there's a simple way of fixing it. Sony is a brand that I grew up with and going all down hill for the past 10 years.

jase298hkhk

Originally posted at

2015-02-27T19:00:00

I have this sound bar hooked up to my XBR 65HX950. When turning the TV and sound bar on I get no picture and sound. Have to remove the HDMI cable from the TV or sound bar for a few minutes then plug it back in. Sometime it works on the first try and sometime it take multiple tries. Contracted Sony Support and they gave me the run around and still have not helped me. Had this unit since May of last year. Also have another XBR 65HX950 and XBR 65HX929, love the FALD. They are about to lose a customer to this crazy issue on a sound bar that cost $1300. I have only had Sony TV's in my home and am now thinking of going over to LG for their OLED TV since I need to get another one soon.

GoodCustomerLostNY

Originally posted at

2015-01-31T19:00:00

I will cut and paste a review from your web site as this is exactly what I am experiencing on this system I purchased last week, despite reading this review first. Live and learn. This is very disappointing as otherwise I like it allot. “Poor Wireless Subwoofer Connection August 31, 2014 The wireless subwoofer losses its connection with the sound bar constantly. I tried everything to see if I could keep the subwoofer connected with the sound bar. Nothing worked. When the subwoofer is connected the sound is really nice.” I have tried changing RF CHANNEL to AUTO, 1, 2 & 3 and it makes no difference, the dropout rate is the same. I had the SW next to the bar, about 3 ft, and now across the room, about 14 ft with no obstructions to the bar and makes no difference. And, this happens on any type input; BT or HDMI ARC from my also new XBR-70X850B. The SW dropout is usually about a second but sometimes longer, up to several seconds. Sony- Please Help!!

DisappointedinAZ

Originally posted at

2014-12-28T19:00:00

I purchased this and had it for less than 2 weeks when the sub woofer started making a popping sound then shutting off, so I exchanged for another on and had the sound bar for less than 24 hrs when it started making that same popping noise and the sub woofer turning off. The tv that it is connected is a Sony that I have owed for about 4 weeks. I wouldn't recommend this product to my worst enemy. It sucks!!!! If it were an option, I would give the product a rating of -5 stars.

Aaronwise

Originally posted at

2014-12-14T19:00:00

The surround effect is very weak. Need to do more make an impact. Over priced.

RG18

Originally posted at

2014-10-10T20:00:00

This definitely is an improvement over TV speakers. Certainly not surround or even stereo as all channels come from one box. You can hear stereo standing 2 feet from the box but not across the room. Speakers aren't angled to the sides so there is no wall bouncing of sound. Straight at you. Also, I can't believe there's no equalizer to customize. Instead, Sony seems to think all people's tastes fall into 4 sound modes. Football mode is useless. Of the other 3, one amps the highs, one amps the lows and one amps the midrange. I personally prefer amped highs and lows with mids turned down and I can't get that with this unit but again it does sound pretty good. Also, this bar doesn't have USB source inputs. I have 2 USB sources hooked to my TV so I left all sources hooked to my TV because I don't want to source the bar and TV. Thus one easy HDMI-ARC cable connection to the bar. One annoying thing is the volume control. This bar has 50 levels and my TV has 100. Since the bar takes over the volume control each tick equals 2 levels on my TV. I'm not used to changing 2 levels at a time. But all in all, very easy hook up (one cable#, very good sound #don't expect any channel separation), and excellent bass from the wireless sub woofer. Some people say this system is pricey for what you get. I'm not sure. I just know I'm pretty happy with it.

gjlang

Originally posted at

2014-08-30T20:00:00

The wireless subwoofer losses its connection with the sound bar constantly. I tried everything to see if I could keep the subwoofer connected with the sound bar. Nothing worked. When the subwoofer is connected the sound is really nice. I would recommend waiting for the Bose sound bar with bluetooth coming in September.

GMcMenimen

Originally posted at

2014-08-27T20:00:00

A large box arrived and in it was probably the best sound system I have heard for watching movies and football. Not tried all features but captain America was awesome

Ace1

Originally posted at

2014-08-19T20:00:00

Purchased this for our new house for the family room (the existing surround sound was just too much for the new family room). It definitely fills the room with sound, and while it isn't true "surround", you definitely get audio separation.

AustinAggie

Originally posted at

2014-08-15T20:00:00

It is far superior to my previous sound bar. The wireless subwoofer works great. I really enjoy the bluetooth for music from my phone and computer. It was very easy to set up. I would give it 5 stars except it is a little pricey.

coalminer

Originally posted at

2014-08-10T20:00:00

This soundbar and subwoofer replaced a mid range tuner with a Bose five speaker system. It is attached to my cable box, Blueray DVD/CD player, AppleTV, and my Vinyl record turntable. The Positives: First and foremost the sound. The whole reason you bought it. It way surpassed even my most optimistic expectations. It is much better at everything than my old system. Movies have a much more theater sound. But even with movies where the base booms your walls, you can set the voice enhance setting so you can actually hear and understand the dialog of every scene. Music sounds awesome. Again much better than my old system. Comparing this to my old "true" surround system, I way prefer the the overall music experience. The music just sounds better. I even hooked up my vinyl turntable, which had a pre-amp, to the AUX input, and again, it sounded much better than my old system. TV can be set so you always hear the dialog, TV movies sound much better than I have ever heard them, and you can turn on a feature so commercials don't have a higher volume than shows. The Quibbles: This is such a fine product I was tempted to not include these. But maybe Sony can use the feedback to improve future products. First, with the HDMI control settings there does not seem to be a way to turn off the sound bar and have it turn off the TV and leave the cable box on. Since cable companies send updates to the box continuously they recommend you keep it on all the time. So, if you turn off the TV but not the soundbar you still get the TV sound. So I have found you have to turn the TV and soundbar on and off separately. Annoying to say the least. Sony needs a way to have one of the HDMI connections not send a "turn off" message to an attached device when the soundbar is turned off. Second, the remote is very hard to use in the dark. It is incredibly stylish and sleek, but the rocker placement is hard to remember, and there is no backlighting.

Cleaver

Originally posted at

2014-07-14T20:00:00

Huge improvement over previous sound bar. Worth the money for me.

Love4K

Originally posted at

2014-06-18T20:00:00

I bought this sound bar system with my 55" XBR 4K tv when it was offered with $300 off when bought together with the TV and glad I did, The sound it produces is clear and the subwoofer really has some power to it. I Think that sound makes a big diference when watching movies and this delivers and easy to operate for the money. This has the ARC function that works with TV's that support it and turns on and off with the TV and controls the volume. The sound bar has bluetooth and can easily connects to my Ipad to play music, which I think is a big bonus. It comes with it's own remote control for setup and other functions. Consider reading the online manual to learn more. Anyone looking for great sound in a small package, this is it.

ClassicBob

Originally posted at

2014-06-02T20:00:00

I purchased it 5 months ago and it performs extremely well

Luap

Originally posted at

2014-06-01T20:00:00

I was comparing ST7 with BOSE 1SR soundbar. After hearing it in-store, decided to go with ST7. It's also compatible with my SONY Bravia TV. Great sound quality, bass is satisfying, speech is clear in movie and TV. Wasn't happy to see the price is dropped by £300 only 1 month after I bought it!!

imaginor

Originally posted at

2014-05-05T20:00:00

awesome sound-love the bluetooth-expensive but goes well with my 55 inch xbr tv.

walts

Originally posted at

2014-05-04T20:00:00

I have been playing/teaching music for the last 53 years… so I know what I hear….I had a Sony Tuner/amp with a pair of Bose 701 speakers and a center channel. When I redecorated the family room, I streamlined with a new Sony 55 - 900 A tv…..I heard the HD sound bar with wireless sub at the Sony store … fell in love with them …. I wish there might be just a little more control to shape the sound sometimes But I don't miss my old system a bit…Simply Great

PianomanAndy

Originally posted at

2014-05-03T20:00:00

Best sound bar I have ever heard.

Scatman

Originally posted at

2014-05-02T20:00:00

I purchased mine from a display that I saw at Best Buy and when I got it home It wasn't the same sound. I went back to Best Buy and saw they had a wired sub woofer hidden behind the displayed unit. I was sold also on the 7.1 but the sound isn't the best. I made a $1500 mistake

BruceT

Originally posted at

2014-01-20T19:00:00

Soundbars are soundbars. They can never match the surround audio quality of a true surround wired system. People look to soundbar for good reasons and especially when a wired solution is not an option. I have had this soundbar for several months now to replace a Yamaha YSP4000 which is also a soundbar with 40 individual speakers. That didn't work for me because I had no walls to properly reflect the sound waves to achieve a good sound image in my living room. This Sony is as good as it goes where soundbars are concerned. It is well built, attractive and the sound is awesome for a soundbar. Music sounds great also unlike many other soundbars which are hopeless for music. People knock it for its price but it is really unique with all those nice features. Buy a Sonos and you are stuck with that optical connection and no DTS. Costs more also. I compared the two and settled for the Sony. If you want something better, get yourself a wired solution or wait awhile for the next generation of soundbars to satisfy your needs. This Sony unit has set a bar that other manufacturers will soon pay heed to follow. If you wait, you will still never be able to catch up with new technology. You will simply be chasing the ghost of a soundbar you can call perfect for your needs. I am enjoying my movies and my music in the meantime while others wait around. I wanted to give it 41/2 stars instead of 4 that it deserves.

Hkg1rds

Originally posted at

2013-12-15T19:00:00

Sony almost got it right with its HT-ST7, but almost doesn't quite work when they charge $1,300.00 for a sound system that doesn't deliver as it should. The good points: It look great. It's easy to hook up, and its pass through feature which allows all your components to channel through its sound bar, with only one HDMI cable going to the TV is a sweet feature. The wireless sub-woofer is great. The less cables in back of the system, the better. The 7.1surround is not surround at all, but stereo, with very little audio giving it a true surround feel. Even the Bose 2-1 system I replaced had more of a surround feel than this. What is it then? It's 7.1 channel, true enough, but not surround as I understand it. The system comes with a hand remote, but it's features leave a lot to be desired. It has a three step voice function to ostensibly allow for sound adjustments for Voice, but it tells us nothing about what to expect, and quite frankly, it's hard to tell if there is any difference at all. It also has a Sound Mode button, that allows for four different audio mixes: Movie, Music, Football, Standard. Hmmm. As for overall sound, this system just doesn't quite cut it, sadly. I left my box on the front porch this weekend, and it snowed, gett9ng the box all wet. I don't believe I can return it. I wish I could. I paid too much for too little. The sound is shallow and sounds boxy, not real in any setting. Mid-range seem fine, but its high end is lacking in tweeter quality. I wish Sony would take it back and refund my money. Maybe the next time Sony will allow average consumers to rate new products first and listen to what consumers have to say before releasing their products to the public. The sound system needs a fix and Sony should fix it, not dig its heels in and admit no error. Sound engineers are not always right. But consumers almost always are. Having said all that I would indeed buy another Sony system, if its sound system was better. I'm out $1,300.00. Trust me you don't want to make the same mistake. At best this system is average, not worth the steep price.

Skisan

Originally posted at

2013-10-04T20:00:00

I replaced a JBL SB400 soundbar with this and it is worth the extra bucks. See the cons and pros below. Overall I recommend whoever want high quality stuff get this one if price is not a concern. Pros: Very good build quality, heavy and made of high quality material. I replaced my JBL SB400 which is very plastic-y, this one is metal made. 1. Good surround effect, especially playing bluray. Much Much better than SB400 2. Good voice clarity when voice level is selected 3. easy setup, pairing BT, SW is powerful 4. Music is better than I thought 5. Not made in China if anyone cares Cons: 1. price is ok considering the build quality, but still pricey 2. hdmi inputs are a bit crowded 3. interference, BT sound skip if wireless router is nearby 4. will block the TV remote sensor if put on tv table, the sound bar is big (50% bigger than JBL SB400). bty IR sensor is included. 5. inputs need to go through a round of selections on the remote. Should include separate buttons.

JustNed

Originally posted at

2013-10-02T20:00:00

I just bought one for my birthday gift for myself; This sound bar is amazing sound quality and easy to set up. I would strongly recommend to those who love to enjoy the music or movie theather in their living room. Nothing can compare with this sound bar and it is worth every dime of it. Believe me.....

mano872

Originally posted at

2013-09-12T20:00:00

Easiest hook up and strongest sound!

magman

Originally posted at

2013-08-27T20:00:00

I have always been a fan of Sony audio products, but I would not consider myself tech savvy. I was looking to replace an outdated wired surround sound system of another brand in my living room and get better speakers for my Sony Bravia. I live in a condo with concrete walls, so hiding wires was not an option. I wanted it to work with my I-pad/Pandora and Apple TV. I was tired of all the wires and dusting around multiple speakers, so I opted for this wireless sound bar system. It was so easy to set up and I love the sound in my medium sized room! My Apple TV and Sony BD player are wired into my Sony Bravia TV via HDMI, so I simply used the surround sound's optical digital cable to connect the TV. I now only have two components and amazing sound. Less clutter and simple to use makes this modern girl happy! Now, I only worry that my neighbors downstairs will start to complain about the bass!

SOBELIVING

Originally posted at

2013-08-12T20:00:00

I picked up my HT-ST7 sound bar from the Sony Store in Denver just last night. I was told I was the first person to buy it at their location, that they had just received delivery the previous day. I bought the unit with some apprehension - after all, how good can a sound bar sound. Nevertheless, I decided to take the plunge and bought it. First of all, the build quality on this thing is AMAZING! Both the sound bar and the Subwoofer are fairly heavy and beautifully finished. And the Remote... OMG... it's a work of art in itself... wow! My loft living space is about 15'x40', with the sitting/TV area is 15'x15'. Connecting the sound bar to my 65" XBR LED TV (and what a spectacular TV it is) was very easy. I connected the HDMI Out from my PS3 into the HDMI In of the Sound Bar, and then the HDMI out from the sound bar into the TV. I decided that the first blu-ray I was going to watch was Sherlock Holmes - A Game of Shadows. I was stunned!! The soundstage sounded so much bigger than I had expected. I could not believe I was listening to a sound bar and not a true 5 channel system. The movie is encoded with 5.1 sound btw. Tonight, I watched The Adventures Of Tintin which is encoded with 7.1 channel sound. UNREAL!! There were times I actually thought I was listening to a true multi-channel system. The subwoofer is awesome as well and doesn't sound overbearing at all and is fairly smooth as well. The remote allows you to choose from three different subwoofer bass tones, which is very nice. So far I am hugely impressed with this piece of equipment and would highly recommend it to anybody who's looking for a compact home theater system that sounds incredible. You won't be disappointed.

haragr

Originally posted at