Sony's New Soundbar Tricks Your Ears Into Hearing Surround Sound Without Extra Speakers

Sony's BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 uses software to simulate surround sound from regular forward-facing speakers instead of requiring ceiling-mounted or upward-firing hardware. The soundbar processes advanced audio formats through clever audio processing that mimics the effect of overhead speakers. It trades some sound quality for ease of installation and lower cost—a practical choice many soundbar makers now use to balance what customers want against the hassle of installation.