Sony’s HT-A9 Home Theater System, reviewed last year, was a unique soundbar system that combined four individual speakers into one cohesive unit. This year, Sony introduces the successor: the Sony Bravia Theatre Quad. The new system aims to rectify past issues and elevate the home theater experience to new heights.
Key Takeaways
- Easy Setup: The setup process is straightforward and user-friendly.
- Sleek Design: Modern, stylish design that blends well with home decor.
- Advanced Audio Features: Includes 360 Spatial Mapping, Dolby Atmos support, and enhanced connectivity.
- Stable Wireless Connection: Reliable and robust wireless connectivity with no dropouts.
- High Price Point: The system is expensive, with additional costs for subwoofers.
Sony Bravia Theatre Quad Review
We’ve spent extensive time with the Sony Bravia Theatre Quad, and it has proven to be an impressive wireless home theater system. In this comprehensive review, we’ll delve into the details, discussing its design, connectivity, performance, pros, and cons.
Sony Bravia Theatre Quad Pros
Easy Setup
Setting up the Sony Bravia Theatre Quad is a breeze, thanks to the Bravia Connect app. The app guides users through the setup process, ensuring that even those unfamiliar with home theater systems can get everything up and running quickly. The system includes attachments for both tabletop and wall mounting, providing flexibility in placement. The longer power cables are a welcome addition, offering more freedom in positioning the speakers.
Sleek Design
The new design for 2024 features a flatter shape covered in neutral fabric, making it more suitable for various home decors. The speakers are compact yet powerful, measuring approximately 11.5 inches long, 10.9 inches wide, and 2.3 inches deep without the stand. The control box, which serves as the hub, is sleek and unobtrusive, blending seamlessly into your entertainment setup.
360 Spatial Mapping
Sony’s proprietary 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology creates an immersive audio experience by generating multiple phantom speakers around the room. This technology uses the Bravia Connect app to calibrate the speakers based on your room layout and listening position, providing a truly surround sound experience that envelops you from all directions.
Stable Connection
The Sony Bravia Theatre Quad boasts a dual antenna frequency hopping system that ensures a stable wireless connection. This upgrade addresses the occasional dropouts experienced with the previous HT-A9 model, providing a seamless and reliable audio experience.
Improved Phantom Speaker for Center Channel
The new system significantly enhances the central channel performance, a notable improvement over its predecessor. The Voice Zoom 3 feature allows users to pair a compatible Sony TV and use its speaker as a dedicated center channel, further enhancing the clarity of dialogue and vocals.
Impressive Soundstage and Loudness
Each speaker in the system is equipped with dedicated drivers for tweeter, mid-range, bass, and upward-firing Atmos channels, delivering a powerful total output of 504 watts. The system maintains a fantastic soundstage even at high volumes, making it perfect for both movies and music.
Dolby Atmos Support
Supporting Dolby Atmos, the Sony Bravia Theatre Quad provides a premium audio experience with sound that moves around you in a three-dimensional space. The inclusion of upward-firing drivers enhances this experience, especially in rooms with higher ceilings.
Future-Proof with 8K@120 Pass Through
The control box supports 8K@120 pass-through, ensuring compatibility with future high-resolution content. This feature, along with support for VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and ALM (Auto Low Latency Mode), makes the system an excellent choice for gamers and tech enthusiasts.
Sony Bravia Theatre Quad Cons
Subwoofer Sold Separately
One downside of the Sony Bravia Theatre Quad is that the subwoofer is sold separately. Users can choose between the SW3 or SW5 subwoofers, depending on their budget and preferences. While the main speakers provide decent bass, the addition of a subwoofer significantly enhances the overall audio experience.
No Graphic EQ
The system lacks a graphic equalizer, limiting detailed sound customization. This may be a drawback for audiophiles who prefer to fine-tune their audio settings to suit their preferences.
High Price Point
The Sony Bravia Theatre Quad is undeniably pricey, making it a substantial investment. When factoring in the cost of an additional subwoofer, the total price can be quite high compared to other home theater systems.
Design
New Design for 2024
The Sony Bravia Theatre Quad introduces a new design for 2024, shifting from the cylindrical shape of the HT-A9 to a flatter, more modern look. The speakers are covered in a neutral fabric, enhancing their aesthetic appeal and making them more compatible with various home interiors.
Size and Weight
The speakers are compact, measuring approximately 11.5 inches long, 10.9 inches wide, and 2.3 inches deep without the stand, and weigh around 5.5 pounds. The control box is also sleek and unobtrusive, measuring 6.4 inches long, 2.3 inches wide, and 6.4 inches deep, and weighing about 2 pounds.
Mounting Options
The system includes attachments for both tabletop and wall mounting, providing flexibility in placement. Longer power cables offer more freedom in positioning the speakers, enhancing the overall user experience.
Control Box
The control box serves as the hub for the system, featuring two HDMI ports for input and output. It supports Arc/eArc signals up to 8K 4K 120, ensuring compatibility with future high-resolution content and providing a robust connection between the speakers and the TV.
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity
The Sony Bravia Theatre Quad utilizes a dual antenna frequency hopping system for wireless communication between the speakers and the control box. This technology ensures a stable and reliable connection, addressing the occasional dropouts experienced with the previous HT-A9 model.
HDMI Ports
The control box features two HDMI ports: one for input and one for output. The output port supports Arc/eArc signals up to 8K 4K 120, making the system future-proof. Additionally, the system supports VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), ALM (Auto Low Latency Mode), and Dolby Vision, enhancing its versatility for gaming and video playback.
Wireless Features
In addition to HDMI connectivity, the Sony Bravia Theatre Quad supports various wireless features, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, AirPlay 2, and Spotify Connect. These features provide multiple options for connecting your devices and streaming content.
Control Options
Users can control the system in four ways: using the small remote control included, via HDMI with a compatible Sony TV, through the Bravia Connect app, or with their phone’s built-in microphone for calibration. The app allows for easy setup, calibration, and customization of the audio settings.
Performance
Speaker Configuration
Each of the four speakers in the Sony Bravia Theatre Quad setup is equipped with dedicated drivers for tweeter, mid-range, bass, and upward-firing Atmos channels. This configuration ensures a powerful total output of 504 watts, delivering a balanced and immersive audio experience.
Audio Processing Algorithms
Sony’s proprietary algorithms create about 12 virtual speakers around the room, enhancing the surround sound experience. Users can choose from three Surround Sound Processing profiles: Sony spatial mapping, Dolby virtualization, or DTS Neural X, each offering a unique audio experience.
Sound Quality
The system delivers impressive sound quality with clear highs, rich mids, and powerful bass. The central channel performance is significantly improved, providing better dialogue clarity. Pairing the system with the SW5 subwoofer enhances the bass response, creating a more immersive audio experience.
Performance with Music
The Sony Bravia Theatre Quad performs exceptionally well with music playback. In two-channel mode, it delivers detailed and neutral sound. Upscaling audio to play on all four speakers elevates the experience, filling the room with dynamic and engaging sound.
Verdict
Overall Recommendation
The Sony Bravia Theatre Quad stands out as a premium wireless home theater system, offering impressive audio performance, sleek design, and advanced features. Compared to its predecessor, the HT-A9, it provides a more reliable and immersive audio experience.
Ideal Users
This system is ideal for home theater enthusiasts who seek a high-end, wireless setup. Its flexibility in placement, user-friendly setup, and robust connectivity make it suitable for various room sizes and configurations.
Final Thoughts
Despite its high price point, the Sony Bravia Theatre Quad is a worthwhile investment for those who prioritize audio quality and convenience. Its sleek design, advanced audio features, and stable wireless connection make it one of the best home theater systems available.
User Tips
- Tip 1: Use the Bravia Connect app for easy setup and calibration.
- Tip 2: Place the speakers at optimal positions for the best audio experience.
- Tip 3: Pair the system with the SW5 subwoofer for enhanced bass.
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