Sonodyne is an Indian audio manufacturer with a storied heritage; it has been making custom studio speakers and professional monitoring gear for over 50 years, and the brand clearly knows what it’s doing in this category. I tested the Malhar Bluetooth speaker last year, and was immediately blown away by the sound quality. In fact, it was so good that I switched out the Marshall Stanmore I’ve been using for the better part of a decade, and the Malhar is now the default Bluetooth speaker in my home office.
So when Sonodyne said it was making a soundbar, I was obviously interested. The Sama 5000 made its debut in August 2025, and it is now available in India for ₹24,349 ($270). While it is targeted at the mid-range category, it doesn’t miss out on the basics: you get powerful sound, Dolby Atmos tuning, a dedicated sub, and HDMI eARC.
I use Bose’s Smart Ultra Soundbar along with the Bass Module 700, and while the Sama 5000 doesn’t quite sound as good, it isn’t meant to — this soundbar is much more accessible, and the sound reflects that. Let’s start with the design; the Sama 5000 doesn’t differ too much from traditional soundbar design, so you get a standard black chassis with a front-facing grille. The soundbar has the requisite bracket to mount it on a wall.
After using the soundbar for just over three months, I can confirm that the matte texture doesn’t pick up much dust. The design blends in, and the soundbar doesn’t draw much attention to itself. I like that the subwoofer pairs wirelessly, but the enclosure itself is as plain as it gets, and it doesn’t have any design flair — not that you need it.
There are three distinct driver units at the front, with a center and left/right channels. You get all the requisite connectivity; the Sama 5000 gets HDMI in, USB, 3.5mm in, optical, and HDMI eARC out. Thankfully, the soundbar connects to the subwoofer without any hassle, and it is as easy as it gets — just hit the pair button, and both units connect.
The bundled remote is pretty good too; it doesn’t have backlit buttons, but you get the usual playback controls. It’s particularly handy when connecting the soundbar with a phone; the Sama 5000 gets Bluetooth 5.4, and it’s easy to pair with an Android phone — I used it with my Find X9 Pro among other devices.
Obviously, there are dozens of soundbars these days, and where the Sama 5000 stands out is the DSP tuning. It’s clear that Sonodyne paid particular attention in this area, and it leads to the soundbar delivering a mellifluous sound with clear rendition of dialogue, good instrument separation, and an engaging sound that’s much better than what you’d normally see in this category.
The 6.5-inch subwoofer has good bass extension, and it adds dynamism to the mix. There are three sound modes — music, movies, and voice — and it was in the movies mode where the soundbar comes into its own. You get a good soundstage and level of immersion that’s pretty great when you consider the size of the soundbar. It lends itself well to movies and TV shows, and you can immediately see the difference in the sound even against other soundbars in this category.
While it doesn’t have dedicated height channels, Sonodyne did a good job with the audio tuning, so you get some directionality to the sound that’s plenty great in its own right.
On the whole, I enjoyed using the Sama 5000. It’s safe to say that this is one of the best-sounding products in this category, and the clean design with hassle-free connectivity and ease of use make it a clear standout. Sonodyne is proving that it can deliver modern audio solutions, and if you’re looking to upgrade the sound of your TV and want a soundbar that stands out, the Sama 5000 is my go-to recommendation in this category.
Sonodyne
Sama 5000 Soundbar
There are dozens of soundbars in India, but if you want a Dolby Atmos-enabled model with standout sound, you should get the Sama 5000. For what it costs, it is an unmatched value.
