Sony HT-XT3 review

A pair of forward-facing woofers and tweeters at opposite ends of the soundbase, placed in a coaxial configuration deliver the HT-XT3’s sound. This means that the mids and trebles radiate from one location, as the coaxial tweeter is located directly in front of the woofer. The sound is crisp, with a wide soundstage. The subwoofer is independently adjustable to your taste, but you won’t want to push it to its maximum as it can begin to slightly distort, unsurprisingly impinging on the other frequencies. About halfway delivered the best results.

Throw on a Gregory Porter track and vocals are delicate, floating nicely above the sound of the double bass. Movies and television, which will arguably be your main sources, have good delivery, too. Dialogue is easy to follow, even without fiddling with the Voice settings. There are three distinct settings; one standard, another with dialogue enhancement and a final with dialogue enhancement and adjustments for the frequencies that are often lost for the hard of hearing. There are different preset EQs for Movies, Games, Music, Sport and a Standard setting, as well as something called ClearAudio+.

The latter is available on many of Sony’s audio devices and provides an automated optimised experience. Needless to say, you have plenty of options to find a setting you like. Watching Interstellar, the dialogue was crystal clear even during the more intense action sequences where the soundtrack can often make dialogue indiscernible, and the low rumble of the many spacecraft throughout the film was well represented. You’re well covered for surround sound decoding, with support for Dolby Digital, Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master.

Overall, there’s a lot to like about the HT-XT3. It’s not as elegant-looking as the Philips Fidelio XS1, but it still looks classy and delivers great sound. Its HDMI pass-through ports, internet connectivity and multiroom capabilities are a real boon. You’ve got a good degree of future-proofing with the 4K pass-through support, too. With the HT-XT3 or the Fidelio XS1, you have two great soundbases; which is better for you will depend on whether you value a svelte design or greater connectivity. For other alternatives, have a read of our best soundbars guide.