108

Sony HT S200F Review

Nikshep Myle Avatar
Updated Dec 14, 2023 8:25 PM

True Score

76
75
1

Experts

83
2,198

Consumers

Product Awards

GR Certified

Customer Favorite

Expert Rankings

With its seamless connection, clear dialogue delivery, and useful EQ presets and bass adjustment, the Sony HT-S200F is relatively suitable for dialogue-heavy content. But the poor bass, unimpressive surround sound, and lack of Atmos make it unsuitable for immersive movie viewing.

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Table of Contents

Product Snapshot

Overview

The Sony HT-S200F is an entry-level 2018-model soundbar that delivers deep bass for televisions. It has an integrated subwoofer that provides some bass, although it doesn’t accurately reproduce the extended low bass of models with a dedicated subwoofer.

You can find units with dedicated subwoofers among the best-ranked speakers today. Reaching 90.6 dB, this system gets loud enough to fill rooms with sound. It has an impressive range of connectivity options, including a combined HDMI ARC+Out, Optical input, and a USB connector.

Although it supports Dolby Digital, this system doesn’t support advanced formats like Dolby Atmos and eARC, resulting in a poor 3D soundstage. It has a voice mode that enhances the quality of dialogue and always-on surround, although it downmixes surround sound to stereo.

The audio latency is okay over both the Optical and ARC ports, so sensitive users won’t notice any lags between the audio and video feeds. This system boasts Bluetooth streaming.

It has a graphic equalizer and presets for adjusting the audio profile. Learn more about the Sony HT-S200F below, and see how it compares with the highest-ranked soundbars on the market.

Consensus

our Verdict

The Sony HT-S200F connects smoothly (wired and wireless) with average tested latency (66ms over ARC and 90ms over Optical), so there is no audio lag.

It is loud, and the sound profile is moderately balanced, with poor bass and bright treble, so the dialogue is clear but sound effects during action sequences fall flat.

There’s no Atmos, the soundstage is narrow, and the surround performance isn’t accurate or immersive. The remote is simple and includes volume, input, and EQ settings.

Although the build quality feels sturdy, the built-in subwoofer below the soundbar lacks protection. The soundbar is responsive to commands and has four EQ presets with a dedicated bass adjustment setting, but it is missing the room correction feature.

There is also no app to control the soundbar via smartphone.

ReasonS to Buy

  • Smooth connection
  • No odd speaker noises
  • Clear dialogues
  • Sturdy build
  • Four EQ presets and bass adjustment

Reason to Avoid

  • Average latency
  • Poor bass
  • Inaccurate surround sound
  • No Dolby Atmos
  • No room correction feature
  • No smartphone app

Sony HT S200F Specs

Bluetooth EnabledBluetooth EnabledYes
DepthDepth3.8"
Dialogue Enhancement FeatureDialogue Enhancement Featurena
Energy Star CertifiedEnergy Star CertifiedNo
HDMI ARCHDMI ARCYes
HeightHeight2.5"
Number of Audio ChannelsNumber of Audio Channels2.1
SubwooferSubwooferBuild-in
Surround Sound SupportedSurround Sound SupportedDolby Digital
Voice AssistantVoice AssistantGoogle Assistant, No, Yes
Wall MountableWall MountableYes
WeightWeight5.1 lbs
WidthWidth23"
Wireless ConnectivityWireless ConnectivityBluetooth
Wireless Subwoofer ConnectivityWireless Subwoofer ConnectivityNo
Works WithWorks WithBluetooth, Google Assistant, Remote Control

All Specs

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Product Comparison

Sony HT S200F Review

True Score

76
78
79
79

Ranking

#

108

/

149

#

90

/

149

#

66

/

149

#

71

/

149

Market Context

The Sony HT-S200F is an entry-level 2018-model soundbar that delivers deep bass for televisions. It has an integrated subwoofer that provides some bass, although it…

The Sony HT-S200F is an entry-level 2018-model soundbar that delivers deep bass for televisions. It has an integrated subwoofer that provides some bass, although it doesn’t accurately reproduce the extended low bass of models with a dedicated subwoofer.

You can find units with dedicated subwoofers among the best-ranked speakers today. Reaching 90.6 dB, this system gets loud enough to fill rooms with sound. It has an impressive range of connectivity options, including a combined HDMI ARC+Out, Optical input, and a USB connector.

Although it supports Dolby Digital, this system doesn’t support advanced formats like Dolby Atmos and eARC, resulting in a poor 3D soundstage. It has a voice mode that enhances the quality of dialogue and always-on surround, although it downmixes surround sound to stereo.

The audio latency is okay over both the Optical and ARC ports, so sensitive users won’t notice any lags between the audio and video feeds. This system boasts Bluetooth streaming.

It has a graphic equalizer and presets for adjusting the audio profile. Learn more about the Sony HT-S200F below, and see how it compares with the highest-ranked soundbars on the market.

The Sony HT-S200F produces deeper bass, making it better for music and movies than the Sony HT-S100F. Apart from that, these two soundbars are similar,…

The Sony HT-S200F produces deeper bass, making it better for music and movies than the Sony HT-S100F. Apart from that, these two soundbars are similar, featuring the same 2.1 configurations and a similar suite of ports. If you want to learn more, check out our Sony HT-S100F review.

Featuring a better stereo soundstage, the Bose TV Speaker is better for movies and music than the Sony HT-S200F. It also has a more neutral…

Featuring a better stereo soundstage, the Bose TV Speaker is better for movies and music than the Sony HT-S200F. It also has a more neutral sound profile out of the box. On the other hand, the Sony HT-S200F has a graphic equalizer and presets, making for simpler customization the Bose TV Speaker, which has no such innovations.

Equipped with the dedicated subwoofer, the Hisense HS218 produces deeper bass than the Sony HT-S200F, which has a built-in sub. The Hisense HS218 also has…

Equipped with the dedicated subwoofer, the Hisense HS218 produces deeper bass than the Sony HT-S200F, which has a built-in sub. The Hisense HS218 also has better surround and stereo soundstage performance, providing a more engaging listening experience with music.

Bluetooth Enabled

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Depth

3.8"

3.5"

4.02"

3"

Dialogue Enhancement Feature

na

na, Yes

Yes

Yes

Energy Star Certified

No

No

No

No

HDMI ARC

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Height

2.5"

2.5"

2.21"

3.2"

Number of Audio Channels

2.1

3

2.1

Subwoofer

Build-in

na, No

Optional (sold separately)

Included

Dig Deeper

Sony HT S100F Review →

Bose Tv Speaker Review →

Hisense HS218 Review →

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Score Card

E

Expert Score

75

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

83

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

76

Any product with a True Score above 60 is a Meh

Expert Scores

  • Rtings
    101.4

    Category Trust Rating

    63
    Okay for mixed usage. The Sony S200F has a fairly neutral, but slightly muddy sound… Read More

    By:

    Jean-Simon Bonneterre