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Wow. This Sony gets the faintest of praise. It’s a competitive market and, Andrew, you have done a fantastic job laying out the options for those looking to get an excellent product.
I have the hta7000, I really wanted Bose for their signature sound and to compliment all the rest of the Bose speakers we have in each room of the house, but we went for the ht because of our Sony A90j. 2 years later found the setting on how to adjust literally every single speaker on the soundbar, rears and even make the sub louder beyond the generic heights of sound field. Ht7000 is way more adjustable and customizable then any TH-cam review has shown me, which honestly feels like no one gave the ht7000 a full shot. I’m sure the bar 9 has similar settings for all 10+ speaker levels for high volume levels. I fine tuned it probably 20 times and it now sounds even better then Bose or Sonos(I’ve tinker with my friends Sonos and Bose). And ht7000 is way better for allowing literal deep customization to the bar, rears and sub. I definitely advise discovering the adjustments for all speaker levels and adjust them all manually for best sounds for maximum and personal audiological preferences you’ll be blown away by this surround ability. Once you do the auto set up/mappping. Audio settings 360 mapping off
I have the Bose 900 with sub and rears I am looking at getting rid of it and going to the Sony. My problem with Bose is not the sound quality it’s impeccable but the rear speakers are basically obsolete, I have tweaked everything I can find even rest and started over with the goofy headset. Looking at reviews about the Bose rear speakers it seems to be a common problem with them.
Hi, Great review. Actually enjoying my experience with the Bar 9. From a previous owner of the HTA7000, I recently got the Theater bar 9 . I have to say this is a big improvement from the 7000. I noticed that the Earc handshake issues with my Lg G3 are totally gone now, no more randomly turning off, skipping or switching inputs. Wifi connection has also improved, i haven't experienced a single drop out which was regular on the hta 7000. I am not a fan of the new remote control which u didn't mention, no surround level control and they took away the extra HDMI input leaving just 1 compared to 2 from the 7000.Also, no display on the bar 9 so u can't see volume level except through the app. For sound quality, I have the SW5 sub and SAR5 surrounds all connected together because I just believe no sound bar can truly replicate physical speakers. I think its a big improvement from the 7000, like u said the dolby and dts virtualization are all trash, only the 360 spatial sounds good. I am happy u also pointed out that not all sound mixes are created equal and the actual way to get a true feel for the sound is through a physical disc not streaming compressed sound. Ironically, Sony did not include the vertical surround engine in the Bar 9 which i used in the Hta 7000 instead of the 360 spatial. I have to turn on auto adjust volume to juice up the sound quality and DRC to off to get the best out of this bar. I believe this will be the sweet spot for most listeners. Like u said, Also the SAR5 rear speakers are better integrated into the sound field and seem to be doing a lot of the heavy lifting, sometimes a little too much compared to the a7000 which i used to wonder if they were even on during movies. I have to say that I actually love this sound bar with the add-ons, the sound has weight. Sony should put in an actual equalizer and center speaker control which will solve a lot of the problems people will have but i am sure they wont. Edit: Quick demo: If u have the transformers 4 :Age of extinction physical disc. skip to chapter 11. there is a voice that says galvatron and stinger coming online overhead, simply amazing. The whole action scene has weight like i have never felt before. Also dont skip the 2 level sound optimization especially the one u have to use ur phone microphone to locate ur sitting position, very important.
@@olugbengadavidakinmosin3717AAV messed with the sound quite dramatically, it lowers the dynamic range significantly I’d recommend turning it off. I understand the urge to have it on but it’s altering the sound too much. It’s designed to balance sound between commercials and tv shows.
@@wellyboot Honestly , I can live with it being on but I turn it off if I am watching other content. i just feel the sound has more punch with it activated during movies and also helps the voice sound. i don't even turn on voice mode which i had to do on the 7000
I just bought the A7000 and SW5 sub on clearance to go with my 85in X90L and most of my decision was based on looks lol, sorry to say but the bar 9 looks cheap, doesn’t look like a premium product, the A7000 looks so much better and premium, I’m extremely happy with my A7000, I’m not an audiophile but it’s the best sound I’ve ever heard from a soundbar and combined with the sub it’s incredible
Both the A5000 and the A7000 are incredible bars, for sure. I own both of them myself and I'm just absolutley blown away by them every single time I turn them on, no matter what I'm listening to. The A5000 and A7000 soundbar products from Sony were just complete home run products for Sony - at every imaginable level.
@@Scottishbear582 pour vous la Samsung est bien la meilleur barre de son dans un budget de 1000-1500 euros ? J hésite entre hta9, Samsung 995, sonos arc, Dione, ambeo etc
Thank you Andrew, for your review of the Sony Bravia Bar 9 and Prior to this the Quad. I am in / on the market to upgrade my TV (ZD9 75 ") Broken to The Bravia 9 85" and Quad, although this will not happen until around December as money is tight. It's been very hard being without a TV since February 2024 however, like all things in life, good things come to those who wait. Thank you again From Mark UK
I believe the bar 9 and 8 we’re meant to be only used with the new sony bravia tv lineup. They sound much better when paired up with zoom 3. Skip and go with the Samsung if you don’t have a 2024 sony bravia tv
Your comment on gaming made me curious as it’s one area I have yet to use my Bar 9, RS5 and SW3 on. I just tried TLOU2 set to Dolby Atmos and Home Theatre in the options, with 3D channels and Max dynamic range. Sound field on the Bar 9 set to on and 360 Spatial Mapping selected. I have absolutely no issues locating where enemies are or objects are placed in the room. The sound is quite clearly coming from the Bar 9 and isn’t focused on the RS5s; they are present but certainly aren’t overwhelming the front of the room. A good scene to play is ‘Jackson - Waking Up’ as there’s plenty of dialogue around Ellie from villagers and also the snowball fight is good for object and people placement. Really not sure why you’ve had such a negative experience, I wonder if the calibration needs redoing. It’s quite strange how different it can sound depending on where the calibration takes place. I have the PS5 going through an LG G2 with eARC set to Auto (there appears to be an issue decoding Atmos when set to pass through on some TVs, as reported on AV Forums and AVS Forum) 12:24
True immersive surround experience while gaming seems like a hard task for most soundbars. I'm so used to pinpoint different type of tiny sounds in the environment on my main HT setup, and I just realized that this isn't probably the average user experience. It's just so nice to instantly locate subtle hints while gaming. I wish soundbar manufacturers would spend more time designing their products for gaming + offer proper calibration tools to set up the surround sound.
I have a Bar 8 and a Bar 9 with their sub. I had issues with their driver setup given I got it the same week it was released. They had known issues with the Apple TV and I had to plug the Apple TV into the 2nd HDMI to get it to work and this was a suggestion from Sony. Over all I liked the sound of movies better than the Arc we replaced but not with music. I wish I would have got the quad but it’s done now.
Hello Andrew I am using now since 1 month the bar9 with rs5 rear speakers and sub sw5 . I have no doubt your test was done seriously but I don’t experience the same results as you. I listened severals movies in Dolby atmos with 4k Dolby atmos true hd blu-ray or streaming services and also Dolby atmos music using Apple TV . I felt good sound quality and immersivity with good presence of the rear speakers. I also tested the system with a Dolby atmos demo disc and the result is also convincing. Maybe you didn’t have the latest firmware. ( when I plugged the rs5 I have been asked to update the firmware and redo the calibration). I have no doubt the experience is different than Sony quad but they are 2 differents products . I didn’t feel a lot of vertical effects but i still need to test that part .
@@geagieit’s funny how Andrew said Sonos was still better yet you’re asking if bar 9 is better. If you want to spend loads then get the quads not bar 9 it’s just another a9000
Great evaluation, thanks, sounbars for me, are just not good enough in general. I dont like subwoofers either. I prefer big speakers with 8 inches woofers with a central and 2 higher satellites. But hey...i am 62...😂
Hi Andrew and Kristi. Late entry comment from me, but my hands were full when I watched this video...I was setting up my new Bravia 9 TV! The quality of the "surround sound" coming from only the Bravia 9 television's built-in speakers is one of the best I've heard in a a flat panel TV. Given your review of the Bravia Bar 9, if you end up reviewing the Bravia 9 TV I'll be curious if you think the TV's built-in speakers ONLY is or isn't even better than the Bravia 9 Soundbar.
Wish you guys woudl also review the BRAVIA Theatre Bar 8 . Not everyone can always afford the top end products. But I get how they get the most clicks I guess.
It figures that Sony can get video right but screw-up Surround Sound from a soundbar. I might have to listen to one of the new Sony AVRs with the 360Sound for my listening room to achieve a better sonic immersion using my current speakers. Thank you for another fantastic review, Kristi and Andrew
I originally had the A7000, RS5S rears and SW5 sub. I was so disappointed and the rears never felt integrated with the bar. They were just too quiet (even on max level) and the system always front heavy. Just swapping A7000 out for the Bar 9 has changed things massively. It now feels more integrated, the rears go so loud now (I have to set to max level 2/3 otherwise my ears start bleeding) and the system is now so more immersive than before. I demo'd the Bar 9 and the Quad same day and I didn't notice any difference that pointed to one over the other. The Quad did not outperform the full Bar 9 system otherwise I would have gone for the Quad. I am very happy with the Bar 9/RS5S/SW5. My rooms is small with 2.4m ceiling, so maybe the bigger room has an impact.
I've also noticed the better integration with the Bar 9 and the Bar 9 produces a wider sound stage than the A7000. Sony's calibration plays a massive part in how this system sounds, I've done it a few times now depending on seating position and the sound changes almost every time.
If your buying this soundbar make sure that your Sony TV does not make a hissing sound from the tweeters, when using the TV as a center speaker. It is still is a common issue across the world with the J, K and L series. I bought an X90L TV from a company that had good customer service and returned both the TV and Soundbar. Some people unfairly notice after its too late to get a refund. Appareently many have had the motherboard changed but sometimes it doesnt work. Sony are terribl for sending out so many faulty unit and not being honest and recalling them because there are so many TVs out there with this fault.
It’s awesome that high-end brands are getting better and better. I would love for you to review the new Klipsch Flexus Core 200 system and hear your thoughts about it, I’d really do trust your opinion.
We had the Flexus. It was not a good system and had similar issues to the Cinema 1200 bar we reviewed a year or so ago. Since Klipsch could not give us a timetable of when those problems would be addressed, we returned it. Verdict: skip it
Thank you for the forthright review. You gotta wonder how Sony let's a product like this out. Perhaps they are just assuming their television customers will purchase this simply to match brands and that they won't be that critical of sound quality.
@@shaq6772My parents have the B&O Theatre. I have the Stage. In comparison…I don’t have FOMO, despite a $10,000 price difference. My point? The Stage is awesome.
For £1399 i expect a sub and surrounds to be included. But Sony is to greedy to do that, ok it's lets you mix and match but at a price! For this amount of money i prefer seperates, buy the best receiver your budget allows then upgrade the rest when funds allow, it takes a while but for true Dolby Atmos this will outperform any soundbar that relies on bouncing the heights off your ceiling. I have tried the higher end soundbars, they are good enough for bedroom or second system use but a full seperates system will outperform them.
You guys need to get your hands on a pair of Starke Sound Beta 7s. At $750 you get really great bass, clean mids, and articulate highs; for cheaper than anything comparable.
I have a 65” A80j, which has a good sound for a TV. I am looking to build on it by adding A5000/ 7000 or Bar 8/ 9 with three TV as the center channel. I am not interested in the sub or the rear speakers. To keep one of these Sony bar, my key requirements must be met: 1. Great center sync performance, no hiss issues 2. Seamless integration with the TV 3. Significantly fuller sound than TV only I’d be great to grab all 4 bars and do a shootout but that’s too much hassle.
I had the hta5000 soundbar with sw5 sub and rs5 wireless surround. the sub works great, but the rs5 was always losing connection. I returned the soundbar and rs5 and bought the new bar 8 with the rs3 wireless surround instead. everything works, no connection issues like the rs5. although I did notice that the hta5000 is louder and has a more open sound than the bar 8. thanks for the review Andrew. i don't know if i can justify an extra $500 to upgrade to the bar 9.
Oof! You made a big mistake my friend. I implore you to return the rs3’s and get another pair of rs5’s. You definitely had faulty hardware. These systems sound so good when you get them set up correctly. And the rs5’s are like the key piece of the puzzle that glues it all together with Sony’s 360 spatial mapping magic. I am not sure about the bar 8, but the a5000 wouldn’t even do 360 mapping without the rs5’s. If you aren’t running with the calibrated 360 mapping sound field thing, you’re getting a pretty mediocre experience from your setup. The only thing that makes Sony’s soundbar systems actually competitive is the 360 sound field. And I can assure you, your connection issues aren’t normal. My rs5’s have zero connectivity issues whatsoever. Perhaps it was a firmware thing? Anywho, you’re missing out on what your money paid for if you don’t give the rs5’s another shot man. Those things and that sound field button take my system from “this is okay, I guess” to “holy shit! It sounds like I’m sitting in the middle of the actual scene in this movie!”
Always appreciate watching your reviews, but would never consider a sound bar. If I dont have enough room for some small bookshelf speakers and a receiver, that room doesn't get a tv.
Thank you for listing the movies you show. Sometimes the movie clips look great and I want to see the movie but have no idea what it is. After seeing a great scene from Baby Driver, I really wanted to watch the moviebut It took me ages to find out what it was.
18:00 okay in cases like this with sound bars. Anybody even in smaller places would be better off with a full setup with av receiver's And slowly build up to something that not only you could live with. But when you do move to a bigger space or purchase your own house, you now have a full system. Instead of a soundbar that won't fill the space. In my opinion it's better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it! Just my opinion!
@jamesmichael900 It makes perfect sense You're not always going to have a smaller living space, which is why I said that towards the end when you move you will still have something better with an AV receiver and budget speakers than you would with a soundbar.
I appreciate this video. I'm not sure the Sony quad would work for my space, so I had been thinking about getting the bar 9, but hearing there are better options, perhaps I need to look at the Sonos or the Samsung.
I might have some insight into what is going wrong with the soundbar when you have the RS5 rears. I have a Bar 8 (so similar to the Bar 9, but not identical). With the RS5's included, the mapping is all wrong. The most flagrant is that when you have the 360 sound field turned on (necessary if you want to use the TV center sync), the right front speaker is mapped to the right rear RS5. And that's just one example. I contacted Sony support, and they basically acknowledged that these new soundbars are a buggy mess. They basically told me that I'm lucky that I have been able to connect to the bar at all, and that other people can't even do that. Presumably they can fix some of this with software/firmware, but although they told me updates were coming, they had no idea about when.
The Theater Quad is literally in a class by itself. At around $2,500 for a setup with wireless sub, you would have to spend upwards of $25,000 on other equipment to match its same level of surround sound performance. It absolutely takes the cake!
Let me know what you end up doing. I’m in the exact same boat as you. Plus I have a Sony tv, so what put me over the edge for the theatre bar was convenience.
@@jamesangell6027 Same here. I just ordered the Bravia 9 tv and I was planning to get the theatre Bar 9 soundbar to go with it but I keep on seeing very mediocre reviews about it. It’s making me hesitate and look elsewhere, like the Samsung bars. I may just try out the Theatre bar 9 and see for myself….
Would be interested in your thoughts on the new LG S95TR as it would make the most sense to go with an LG OLED for wow orchestra. Other options are the sony quad after your last review or the q990d.
And what I really want to know is how this compares to the HT-A7000. I have the SR5 surrounds and SW5 sub already, although, I rarely have the sub even on, as I feel the bass from the A7000 is plenty enough for my needs. The rears are just overpriced and add little to nothing for me, but they are there and they dont detract from the experience. The sub is sometimes, just too much, especially for late night watching. My reasoning for the A7000 was to get a soundbar that produced a full, rich sound without the complexity of a receiver and it does that, with the added bonus of extremely clear and audible dialog, something I appreciate very much. I have never had difficulty understanding dialog on the A7000 and it produces enough low end to hear low brass and deep rumbling without shaking the pictures off my wall. What I cant seem to find is any information on how this bar performs compared to the A7000.
I've demoed the Bar 9 at no less than 4 different shops, including a Sony Store. Suffice it to say, I was rather underwhelmed with its overall performance. As a standalone bar, it was lacking in both impact and body; it sounded lifeless and anemic. Hell, when paired with the SA-RS5 and the SA-SW5, I felt greater presence from the rear speakers than I did with the Bar 9 itself. Very strange, indeed. It could be an issue with its settings, but for lack of a better word, the impressions that I derived across my multiple auditions were thoroughly pedestrian. Thankfully, I was also given the opportunity to test the Bravia Theater Quad. Like Andrew mentioned, they are a night and day apart in both presentation and quality. Ultimately, I feel that the Bar 9 is a step down from the HT-A7000, a product that I came awfully close to purchasing last year. Thankfully, a year's wait has brought me a better product in the Theater Quad, but the ex-flagship soundbar still provides a better all-in-one package than the Bar 9, I feel. By the way, thanks for the review, Andrew. I definitely concur with your opinions of the Bar 9's performance, or the lack of it.
This is the first in depth review of the Bar 9 so far and it was excellent. I was contemplating purchasing it seeing as how Sony has heavily touted its improvements over the A7000 in its advertising. Thanks to your review the shortcomings of the Bar 9 have competently been revealed. There has been only one other review of the Bar 9 and that reviewer was also left unimpressed with its performance. I don't need to purchase a new soundbar system but it is nice to be aware of whats out there for the offering. As always, an excellent review.
Thank you Mr. Robinson. I've been waiting to hear a detailed review of this Bar 9. Especially as it compares to the Theatre Quad. My question of, "Is the Quad worth that much more?", has been answered. Now I will wait for your full review of the Samsung Q990D before I make a purchase. Thanks again
The Quad is literally amazing. Now, it's not cheap at around $2,500 for a full setup with a sub, but it produces an experience that would cost you around $25,000 to replicate the quality of using other equipment. I just got to hear the Theater Quads last week and they are mind-altering when you hear them. You don't feel like you are watching the movie with them, you feel like you are IN the movie with them. Yeah, it's THAT good of an experience. By far the most immersive home theater surround system you can buy for anything less than 10x the price. They absolutely do not disappoint!
Good morning Andrew & Kristi. Good thorough review. Frankly probably the best deal right now is the previous generation Samsung Q990C currently available from Amazon (via Beach Camera) for less than $1,000. From my understanding there's not much difference performance or feature wise between the latest Q990D and the previous Q990C.
Andrew can you explain the difference between this soundbar being compatible with Google assistant and not having Chromecast built in? Will I be able to cast TH-cam Music to the Bravia 9 sound bar?
I've really enjoyed these soundbar videos, there will come a time when my living room no longer has a full hifi setup and a bar is enough for me, something like the ambeo may already be there.. I would personally enjoy more options around subwoofers for soundbars as thats where i find them the most lacking.. In every system ive built ive ended up always needing more subwoofer than I originally thought I did, and the ability to swap it out made that an easy move. What would you like to see in a sound bar in the future?
Hi, I will be interested in knowing the performance of bar 8. My space is smaller so I can’t use any system with surrounding speakers, and even bar 9 may be overkill. Will you review the bar 8 by any chance, or recommend a solution at its price range?
Cheers from Nobleton-Ontario Andrew! Another legit & honest review. I feel, with Sonos launching a few new items if anything at all, every good “chunk” of years, they really spend the time & money to ensure the next iteration of their soundbars is a good few notches better than the generation before it …the few products they make, they make sure they can make better. Just my thoughts. I think if Sony launches a version 2.0 of this bar in a few years it will be awesome in the same sense.
Thanks for the review! I’m just gonna go on a tangent and says I want the Arc II to be released already! And hoping it’s gonna be more than just the same with “AI” slapped on 😅
The Quad's center image is arguably better than the one put out by the Bar 9, so I'm not sure this combo would benefit you the way you think it might. Thanks for watching!
I don’t know why it is funny to think that there is just casual McIntosh equipment that eclipses the cost of everything else in the video make me laugh (minus the 801s)
Very interesting review. I was hoping this would be an improvement but sadly it seems Sony hasn’t used the same team as the ones who did the theater quads. 🥺
Wow. That is unreal how Sony can make the HT A9 and Bravia Theatre Quad but mess up with their soundbars. Great review but if I ever go Soundbar I will be going Samsung. Cheers!
I was planning on getting one but after hearing this I will pass. I have a $99 Microsoft headset which supports Dolby vision/atmos and DTS. Will stick with that.
Not for me. Dont care for everything must be done thru a phone and no front readout just for starters. The A7000 was far superior in usability and high quality construction. Bought the A7000 on clearance when I heard this turkey was its replacement
Depressing. I own the HT7000..and the surrounds and SW3. I'm happy with that. I used to own high end surround sound 5.1 and 7.1 systems with dedicated AV amps. It's nowhere near as good as those. Of course not. But it's not a bad product either...😢
I'll add that I have A7000 and I hate its distorted, low quality mono mp3 compressed-like sound when Sound Field is applied. Without Sound Field it sounds somewhat precise, but soooo narrow and way too focused - it doesn't give any room feeling from all sides sound.
This is both a great and disappointing review. Based on this review, it seems that if you want to go with Sony, the A7000 is superior to the Bar 9. Andrew, do you think all these issues you shared can be solved with a software update? Also, does Sony take in consideration feedback from reviewers as yourself?
Yes. Sony Absolutely knows who Andrew Robinson is and they absolutely do listen to his reviews and factor in his thoughts and considerations. Sony probably does this better than ANY other company out there in the HT space. No company is perfect and any company can make mistakes. Sony is certainly no exception to that rule, but they do try - and they never give up or stop.
I’m glad you did a review on the Bar 9! Thank you!! Would still be interesting to see the bar 8/9 vs last years Sony 7000 soundbar… 🎉. However, I think you’re review pretty much NAILED it! 🎉 Get the Bar 8/9 IF you need a Sony soundbar to go with your Sony tv! Especially the B7/B9. I’ve tested both at BB and can attest to the new Bravia TVs having decent sound quality!! 🎉 thank you! Ps. Based on reviews and actual devices I have seen, I do feel as tho the Bar 8/9 without the sub for moms would be just about perfect!! Aka, a quality soundbar with good voicing options and “some” surround effects for someone who is not into atmos and everything else. 🎉 I think the Sony 360 effect would be great for moms 75” tcl etc. (also she doesn’t like bass) haha 🎉
Actually got called over to a friend's home because he thought he had set the Bar 9 up incorrectly (bar + sub, no surrounds) and experienced much the same of what you're describing. Even went to the point of exchanging it because we suspected he may have gotten a bad unit, but the replacement was identical in performance, or lack thereof. Took that one back and replaced it with a Q990D. After spending a little time setting the Samsung up, the difference was night and day, and my friend is completely satisfied - even with having surround speakers that he had never planned to own.
@@KristiWright with Sound Field turned on the 360 Spatial Mapping produces a totally different, more engaging and wider sound field. With it turned off I believe you hear the raw audio track. It is a night and day difference. I have Sound Field on and 360 Spatial Mapping selected. Content like The King, Top Gun Maverick, The Batman all sound fantastic and there’s notable height effects in our room. I did a test on The Creator during a scene where a tannoy system announces a flight, with these settings and it’s mapped that sound to front height which is correct vs someone with 7.1.2 setup. However with Dolby Virtualizer engaged it mapped it rear height. There’s definitely something going on with the Dolby Virtualizer. I have found DTS Neural X is similar to 360 Spatial Mapping. I have found the RS5s are better integrated with the 9 than the previous models, which were criticised for making the rears sound non-existent. I have mine on -3 and they’re fairly close to our sofa. I only have the SW3 sub but I’ve been very impressed, coming from the Sennheiser Ambeo Plus and KEF KC62. Admittedly the SW3 doesn’t go as low as the KEF and voices (particularly male) don’t sound quite right but it’s not enough for me to regret my decision. I’ve put a few thoughts on AV Forums as I appeared to be one of the few early adopters. Disappointed to hear quite a negative review, as I’ve had a great experience so far. In fact it sounds (to me at least) like my last 5.1.2 system which was powered by a Denon X2700H.
@wellyboot I cannot say we had your experience, and I'm utterly shocked to hear you prefer the Sony over the Sennheiser/KC62. Regardless, I'm pleased you found something that works for you.
I received one for free to test. I really like it, but I would go for the Sonos system over this. It is better than the Bose Ultra soundbar. Not having Alexa control or built in Alexa really annoys me.
I just tried this bar and unfortunately very disappointed. With rears and sub just not able to get a good sound. I want Sony to come through on these products as I am a Sony Fanboy when it comes to their TVs. However, their soundbars since the Z9F have been disappointments. Besides less impactful performance of overall sound, a huge issue for me on all their soundbar products is how they compress audio to adjust volume levels (AAV) It is often needed to get some volume on different movies or shows. However, it will adjust and reduce volume (thus impact) of a dramatic theater scene or the "hook" in a song. Therefore, have to choose or constantly change settings (now in the app). going to try the 990d, found an open box for really cheap.
It’s you, not the soundbars. You need to set it up correctly, run 360 special mapping and get the right surround speakers. Paired with either sw3/5 sub spending on your sub lust and ONLY the sa-rs5 surrounds, this bar is incredible. As is the previous generation 5000 and 7000. Unfortunately you really have to dig in and do your research to realize the potential of Sony sound processing. Out of the box all of this sounds mediocre. And the cheaper rs3 surrounds are kind of bad. But get the right ones and set it up correctly and you’ll go from “this is mediocre” to “this is bonkers good”.
the Bar 9 is about 7lbs lighter than the a7000, I don't care what improvement they can make to make it lighter. they probably took out a lot of parts just to lower the cost. No wonder the bar 9 doesn't sound that good.
I can't say if it's better because, on the one hand, it's been two-plus years since I reviewed the A7000, and on the other, I didn't care for the A7000 bar when I reviewed it.
I've just sold my Sony STR860 receiver and I'm undecided between the (BAR 9 No More) Samsung 990C and the Sony AN1000, both of which are similarly priced. I already own a 5.1 Q Acoustics 2000 series speaker system. I mainly watch movies (70%) and listen to music (30%). What are your thoughts for a room measuring 23 by 19 by 8 feet? Quad is out of reach for me
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I had listen Q Acoustic 2000 series with Onkyo receiver. I read many positive reviews. I had possibility to buy these used stuff for about $750. For me it was something like dryness, and without deeph. I didn't like it. The same day went to local Samsung shop and test 990C. Soundbar sound much clearer and better in movies and even in music. Maybe the bas was worst, sometimes in music was better but in movies 990C wons definitely.
We couldn't rule out that maybe the sample Sony sent us was defective, so I bought another sample at full retail from BB to make sure. both bars performed the same, so our initial unit was not defective.
Finally? The previous generation ht-a5000 and ht-a7000 are far superior to anything else. That is, if you actually take the time to set them up correctly with the sw3 or sw5 sub and sa-rs5 surround speakers. That is the key. Unfortunately the firmware/software for these soundbars on release was a bit of a mess. But they since resolved that. Also, the rs3 surround speakers option really should just not exist because the cherry on top necessary to bring these soundbars to the top of the pack is the sa-rs5 wireless surrounds. Then you set up and calibrate 360 Spatial Audio. Then, finally, you have the sounbar system king of surround. Believe me guys It is unbelievable what Sony’s 360 shenanigans does for these soundbars. Admittedly, the 5000 and 7000 aren’t the best stand-alone soundbars. Sonos and Bose and Samsungs flagships do a lot more funky processing to make their bars sound surroundy and big out of the box. And they’re all enjoyable and impressive with their respective subs and surrounds. But none of them provide the sphere of sounds coming from a dozen phantom speakers that don’t exist like the Sony system. I have no idea how they do it. On my quest to find the best system for my space I’ve tried Sonos Arc, Bose 900 and Samsung q990 with subs and surrounds. Nothing beats the Sony bars when setup properly IMO. That said, my use case is primarily theatre. I’m more of a headphone guy for music so I don’t really much care about that. But I’d definitely agree Sonos is much better tuned for music in general. But then who buys an expensive home theatre setup for music? Theres tons of excellent speakers for music lovers. Don’t buy a home theatre system for that. That’s just silly! I guess if you must have all-in-one for both theatre and music listening, then you just choose based on what is more important to you. You’ll never find the best music and theatre system in one though. But you can get close to your personal best speakers for music, probably without spending a ton unless you insist on buying absurdly expensive speakers and Amps and all that. And you can find the best theatre setup. Just not going to be both at once. I highly suggest people serious about a sounbar based theatre system at least try the ht-a5000. I just saw it on sale at Costco for $500. Get that, a Sony SW-3 sub which, trust me, kicks way above its weight class, and the sa-rs5 surrounds. Set that up. Do your research. Map the 360 spatial fairies. Tune it up and tinker with it. Run the mapping software. Turn on the sound field. Sit back and watch something like Bladerunner 2049. You’ll be so impressed you’ll return the ht-a5000 because you know the 7000 or new bar 9 is going to be somehow better. And they are. Well, I can say the 7000 is as I have not tried the new bar 8 or bar 9 as Sony calls them. Or just keep it and enjoy the best sound you can buy for $1200.
My HT-A5000 is constantly stuck on "Hello", requiring to unplug and replug, despite installing all firmware updates and resetting the system defaults. I'm hoping these will have less firmware flaws. Lots of people reporting this problem online, but no solution.
@@mmstick Is it new? If so, return it or exchange it. If not, call Sony support I guess. I haven't had any such problem. Only problem I've experienced is the Bravia Sync (HDMI-CEC) stops working every once in a while and I have to reset Bravia sync on my A80J Sony TV and cycle HDMI control on the soundbar to get it working again. It is super annoying but can't say I haven't experienced some kind of issue with everything else I've ever owned lol. Sounds like you got a dud or maybe a corrupt firmware or something.
@@Gubers It's right at the 2 year mark. Unplugging worked momentarily, until it eventually got stuck in a 4 second HELLO boot loop. Out of warranty, so I'll take a chance with the Bar 9.
I presume you're getting no audio through the soundbar as well, unplug all HDMI cables turn all power off and leave a few minutes , turn tv on and then connect soundbar power and hdmi's @@mmstick
@@joshdimovski4483 I had already unplugged everything for 24 hours before giving up. The firmware is simply stuck in a boot loop that restarts the system every 4th second. Doesn't matter if it is connected to a TV or not. AC plug with no HDMI cables connected still boot loops. I'm suspecting hardware failure, and the system being frozen on HELLO when the soundbar goes into standby mode is an early symptom. Be wary because this issue is widely reported. I've already replaced it with the Theater Bar 9, and thankfully the original HT-A5000 remote is compatible with it. The overall sound quality is much improved for both bar and rears.
Had a technical discussion with a knowing group and unless one uses 2 identical up and down centers in IMAX it sucks and the TV speakers are to never be used! Yes, I am in that 0.01% that is A/V crazy! lol
@@andrewrobinsonreviews It was a United Audio instillation training meeting and nobody could support the TV speakers as viable in any complex speaker set up, with IMAX having 2 front centers being driven the worst. One man admitted if he had to mount a speaker above his screen he would have to deal with the wrath of his wife.
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Hello Andrew. Can you do a versus between the Theatre Quad and The Samsung Q990D?
Brutal! Leaves no doubt for anyone considering this as a purchase. Wish more reviews were like this.
Wow. This Sony gets the faintest of praise. It’s a competitive market and, Andrew, you have done a fantastic job laying out the options for those looking to get an excellent product.
Thanks, Harry.
Hi Andrew, I have the Samsung 990d, agree with you, at its price point it’s exceptional value.
For $1200 at Best Buy, I'm a bit shocked that it doesn't come with a sub or something extra...
@@hang10wannabe yeah it sucks but the last 2 iterations didn’t come with a sub, so I’m not surprised
This sub-bar combo is a sub-par combo."
Fixed the headline for you!
I have the hta7000, I really wanted Bose for their signature sound and to compliment all the rest of the Bose speakers we have in each room of the house, but we went for the ht because of our Sony A90j. 2 years later found the setting on how to adjust literally every single speaker on the soundbar, rears and even make the sub louder beyond the generic heights of sound field. Ht7000 is way more adjustable and customizable then any TH-cam review has shown me, which honestly feels like no one gave the ht7000 a full shot. I’m sure the bar 9 has similar settings for all 10+ speaker levels for high volume levels. I fine tuned it probably 20 times and it now sounds even better then Bose or Sonos(I’ve tinker with my friends Sonos and Bose). And ht7000 is way better for allowing literal deep customization to the bar, rears and sub. I definitely advise discovering the adjustments for all speaker levels and adjust them all manually for best sounds for maximum and personal audiological preferences you’ll be blown away by this surround ability. Once you do the auto set up/mappping. Audio settings 360 mapping off
I have the Bose 900 with sub and rears I am looking at getting rid of it and going to the Sony. My problem with Bose is not the sound quality it’s impeccable but the rear speakers are basically obsolete, I have tweaked everything I can find even rest and started over with the goofy headset. Looking at reviews about the Bose rear speakers it seems to be a common problem with them.
Hi, Great review. Actually enjoying my experience with the Bar 9. From a previous owner of the HTA7000, I recently got the Theater bar 9 . I have to say this is a big improvement from the 7000. I noticed that the Earc handshake issues with my Lg G3 are totally gone now, no more randomly turning off, skipping or switching inputs. Wifi connection has also improved, i haven't experienced a single drop out which was regular on the hta 7000. I am not a fan of the new remote control which u didn't mention, no surround level control and they took away the extra HDMI input leaving just 1 compared to 2 from the 7000.Also, no display on the bar 9 so u can't see volume level except through the app. For sound quality, I have the SW5 sub and SAR5 surrounds all connected together because I just believe no sound bar can truly replicate physical speakers. I think its a big improvement from the 7000, like u said the dolby and dts virtualization are all trash, only the 360 spatial sounds good. I am happy u also pointed out that not all sound mixes are created equal and the actual way to get a true feel for the sound is through a physical disc not streaming compressed sound. Ironically, Sony did not include the vertical surround engine in the Bar 9 which i used in the Hta 7000 instead of the 360 spatial. I have to turn on auto adjust volume to juice up the sound quality and DRC to off to get the best out of this bar. I believe this will be the sweet spot for most listeners. Like u said, Also the SAR5 rear speakers are better integrated into the sound field and seem to be doing a lot of the heavy lifting, sometimes a little too much compared to the a7000 which i used to wonder if they were even on during movies. I have to say that I actually love this sound bar with the add-ons, the sound has weight. Sony should put in an actual equalizer and center speaker control which will solve a lot of the problems people will have but i am sure they wont.
Edit: Quick demo: If u have the transformers 4 :Age of extinction physical disc. skip to chapter 11. there is a voice that says galvatron and stinger coming online overhead, simply amazing. The whole action scene has weight like i have never felt before. Also dont skip the 2 level sound optimization especially the one u have to use ur phone microphone to locate ur sitting position, very important.
@@olugbengadavidakinmosin3717AAV messed with the sound quite dramatically, it lowers the dynamic range significantly I’d recommend turning it off. I understand the urge to have it on but it’s altering the sound too much. It’s designed to balance sound between commercials and tv shows.
@@wellyboot Honestly , I can live with it being on but I turn it off if I am watching other content. i just feel the sound has more punch with it activated during movies and also helps the voice sound. i don't even turn on voice mode which i had to do on the 7000
I just bought the A7000 and SW5 sub on clearance to go with my 85in X90L and most of my decision was based on looks lol, sorry to say but the bar 9 looks cheap, doesn’t look like a premium product, the A7000 looks so much better and premium, I’m extremely happy with my A7000, I’m not an audiophile but it’s the best sound I’ve ever heard from a soundbar and combined with the sub it’s incredible
Both the A5000 and the A7000 are incredible bars, for sure. I own both of them myself and I'm just absolutley blown away by them every single time I turn them on, no matter what I'm listening to. The A5000 and A7000 soundbar products from Sony were just complete home run products for Sony - at every imaginable level.
0:56 I love the popping sound when the logos come on screen.
After listening to the Sony 9. Samsung hw-q990c is the best value, especially at current pricing. It's not even close
@@Scottishbear582 pour vous la Samsung est bien la meilleur barre de son dans un budget de 1000-1500 euros ? J hésite entre hta9, Samsung 995, sonos arc, Dione, ambeo etc
@johanndemarb6747 I think so tested all value Samsung hw-q990c
Thank you Andrew, for your review of the Sony Bravia Bar 9 and Prior to this the Quad.
I am in / on the market to upgrade my TV (ZD9 75 ") Broken to The Bravia 9 85" and Quad, although this will not happen until around December as money is tight.
It's been very hard being without a TV since February 2024 however, like all things in life, good things come to those who wait.
Thank you again
From Mark UK
I'm hoping that we'll have a Bravia 9 TV in for review before the end of this year.
I believe the bar 9 and 8 we’re meant to be only used with the new sony bravia tv lineup. They sound much better when paired up with zoom 3. Skip and go with the Samsung if you don’t have a 2024 sony bravia tv
Your comment on gaming made me curious as it’s one area I have yet to use my Bar 9, RS5 and SW3 on. I just tried TLOU2 set to Dolby Atmos and Home Theatre in the options, with 3D channels and Max dynamic range. Sound field on the Bar 9 set to on and 360 Spatial Mapping selected. I have absolutely no issues locating where enemies are or objects are placed in the room. The sound is quite clearly coming from the Bar 9 and isn’t focused on the RS5s; they are present but certainly aren’t overwhelming the front of the room. A good scene to play is ‘Jackson - Waking Up’ as there’s plenty of dialogue around Ellie from villagers and also the snowball fight is good for object and people placement. Really not sure why you’ve had such a negative experience, I wonder if the calibration needs redoing. It’s quite strange how different it can sound depending on where the calibration takes place. I have the PS5 going through an LG G2 with eARC set to Auto (there appears to be an issue decoding Atmos when set to pass through on some TVs, as reported on AV Forums and AVS Forum) 12:24
True immersive surround experience while gaming seems like a hard task for most soundbars. I'm so used to pinpoint different type of tiny sounds in the environment on my main HT setup, and I just realized that this isn't probably the average user experience. It's just so nice to instantly locate subtle hints while gaming. I wish soundbar manufacturers would spend more time designing their products for gaming + offer proper calibration tools to set up the surround sound.
I have a Bar 8 and a Bar 9 with their sub. I had issues with their driver setup given I got it the same week it was released. They had known issues with the Apple TV and I had to plug the Apple TV into the 2nd HDMI to get it to work and this was a suggestion from Sony. Over all I liked the sound of movies better than the Arc we replaced but not with music. I wish I would have got the quad but it’s done now.
Thank you for sharing your experience with the Sony bars!
Off topic, but Monitor Audio has a new bookshelf speakers on the market and oh my is it a beauty.
We are aware. It has been requested.
Hello Andrew
I am using now since 1 month the bar9 with rs5 rear speakers and sub sw5 . I have no doubt your test was done seriously but I don’t experience the same results as you.
I listened severals movies in Dolby atmos with 4k Dolby atmos true hd blu-ray or streaming services and also Dolby atmos music using Apple TV . I felt good sound quality and immersivity with good presence of the rear speakers. I also tested the system with a Dolby atmos demo disc and the result is also convincing.
Maybe you didn’t have the latest firmware. ( when I plugged the rs5 I have been asked to update the firmware and redo the calibration).
I have no doubt the experience is different than Sony quad but they are 2 differents products .
I didn’t feel a lot of vertical effects but i still need to test that part .
I listen both the q990d and the sony bar 9 , but ended up buying the sony, it was much clearer and the surround was very good
Waiting to hear about the Bravia 9 mini LED from you guys.
Bought it Loved it
Added the sw3 sub 3 days later The missing link
Now I have cinema in my living room and music is unreal
@@stes3061 do you have the bar 9 or the quad. I’m thinking of replacing my Sonos for a bar 9
@@geagiebar 9 with sa sw3 sub…its fantastic Room is 15 x 18..with a sony 65” bravia tv…youll love it And its now $1198
@@geagieit’s funny how Andrew said Sonos was still better yet you’re asking if bar 9 is better. If you want to spend loads then get the quads not bar 9 it’s just another a9000
Q990C or Q990D is better if you’re looking for the best soundbar
Acoustic centre sync 2.0 supports all speakers within the tv. Not just a couple like the older tvs support
Great evaluation, thanks, sounbars for me, are just not good enough in general. I dont like subwoofers either. I prefer big speakers with 8 inches woofers with a central and 2 higher satellites. But hey...i am 62...😂
Hi Andrew and Kristi. Late entry comment from me, but my hands were full when I watched this video...I was setting up my new Bravia 9 TV! The quality of the "surround sound" coming from only the Bravia 9 television's built-in speakers is one of the best I've heard in a a flat panel TV. Given your review of the Bravia Bar 9, if you end up reviewing the Bravia 9 TV I'll be curious if you think the TV's built-in speakers ONLY is or isn't even better than the Bravia 9 Soundbar.
Wish you guys woudl also review the BRAVIA Theatre Bar 8 . Not everyone can always afford the top end products. But I get how they get the most clicks I guess.
It figures that Sony can get video right but screw-up Surround Sound from a soundbar. I might have to listen to one of the new Sony AVRs with the 360Sound for my listening room to achieve a better sonic immersion using my current speakers. Thank you for another fantastic review, Kristi and Andrew
I originally had the A7000, RS5S rears and SW5 sub. I was so disappointed and the rears never felt integrated with the bar. They were just too quiet (even on max level) and the system always front heavy. Just swapping A7000 out for the Bar 9 has changed things massively. It now feels more integrated, the rears go so loud now (I have to set to max level 2/3 otherwise my ears start bleeding) and the system is now so more immersive than before. I demo'd the Bar 9 and the Quad same day and I didn't notice any difference that pointed to one over the other. The Quad did not outperform the full Bar 9 system otherwise I would have gone for the Quad. I am very happy with the Bar 9/RS5S/SW5. My rooms is small with 2.4m ceiling, so maybe the bigger room has an impact.
I've also noticed the better integration with the Bar 9 and the Bar 9 produces a wider sound stage than the A7000. Sony's calibration plays a massive part in how this system sounds, I've done it a few times now depending on seating position and the sound changes almost every time.
If your buying this soundbar make sure that your Sony TV does not make a hissing sound from the tweeters, when using the TV as a center speaker. It is still is a common issue across the world with the J, K and L series. I bought an X90L TV from a company that had good customer service and returned both the TV and Soundbar. Some people unfairly notice after its too late to get a refund. Appareently many have had the motherboard changed but sometimes it doesnt work. Sony are terribl for sending out so many faulty unit and not being honest and recalling them because there are so many TVs out there with this fault.
I had this problem with A80J + A3000. I do not have it with A95L + Bar 8.
@@jinvanpalta6263 u think it’s worth getting if I buy the bar for $450?
Make sure you have the HDMI earc setting off in the settings, that was causing a lot of the noise for me at one stage .
Glass table in front of the TV produces distracting reflection. But thanks for the review of the soundbar.
Troll or genuine? So hard to tell these days. If you’re genuine you should watch the previous video.
@@chrismccabe7378 are you for real?
It’s awesome that high-end brands are getting better and better.
I would love for you to review the new Klipsch Flexus Core 200 system and hear your thoughts about it, I’d really do trust your opinion.
We had the Flexus. It was not a good system and had similar issues to the Cinema 1200 bar we reviewed a year or so ago. Since Klipsch could not give us a timetable of when those problems would be addressed, we returned it.
Verdict: skip it
@@andrewrobinsonreviews thanks for the tip!
Thank you for the forthright review. You gotta wonder how Sony let's a product like this out. Perhaps they are just assuming their television customers will purchase this simply to match brands and that they won't be that critical of sound quality.
I don’t think I’ve seen a soundbar thats better looking than the B&O Soundstage.
Does it sound better then bose ultra or song ht a9?
@@shaq6772 never heard the bose but as far as aesthetics and sound, my money would be on the B&O. Wife approved as well.
@@shaq6772My parents have the B&O Theatre. I have the Stage. In comparison…I don’t have FOMO, despite a $10,000 price difference. My point? The Stage is awesome.
For £1399 i expect a sub and surrounds to be included.
But Sony is to greedy to do that, ok it's lets you mix and match but at a price!
For this amount of money i prefer seperates, buy the best receiver your budget allows
then upgrade the rest when funds allow, it takes a while but for true Dolby Atmos this
will outperform any soundbar that relies on bouncing the heights off your ceiling.
I have tried the higher end soundbars, they are good enough for bedroom or second system use
but a full seperates system will outperform them.
You guys need to get your hands on a pair of Starke Sound Beta 7s. At $750 you get really great bass, clean mids, and articulate highs; for cheaper than anything comparable.
I have a 65” A80j, which has a good sound for a TV. I am looking to build on it by adding A5000/ 7000 or Bar 8/ 9 with three TV as the center channel. I am not interested in the sub or the rear speakers. To keep one of these Sony bar, my key requirements must be met: 1. Great center sync performance, no hiss issues 2. Seamless integration with the TV 3. Significantly fuller sound than TV only
I’d be great to grab all 4 bars and do a shootout but that’s too much hassle.
I had the hta5000 soundbar with sw5 sub and rs5 wireless surround. the sub works great, but the rs5 was always losing connection. I returned the soundbar and rs5 and bought the new bar 8 with the rs3 wireless surround instead. everything works, no connection issues like the rs5. although I did notice that the hta5000 is louder and has a more open sound than the bar 8. thanks for the review Andrew. i don't know if i can justify an extra $500 to upgrade to the bar 9.
Oof! You made a big mistake my friend. I implore you to return the rs3’s and get another pair of rs5’s. You definitely had faulty hardware. These systems sound so good when you get them set up correctly. And the rs5’s are like the key piece of the puzzle that glues it all together with Sony’s 360 spatial mapping magic. I am not sure about the bar 8, but the a5000 wouldn’t even do 360 mapping without the rs5’s. If you aren’t running with the calibrated 360 mapping sound field thing, you’re getting a pretty mediocre experience from your setup. The only thing that makes Sony’s soundbar systems actually competitive is the 360 sound field. And I can assure you, your connection issues aren’t normal. My rs5’s have zero connectivity issues whatsoever. Perhaps it was a firmware thing? Anywho, you’re missing out on what your money paid for if you don’t give the rs5’s another shot man. Those things and that sound field button take my system from “this is okay, I guess” to “holy shit! It sounds like I’m sitting in the middle of the actual scene in this movie!”
@@Gubers my A5000 does 360 SSM with the rs3
"locating baddies"😂. Doesn't mean the same these days
Always appreciate watching your reviews, but would never consider a sound bar. If I dont have enough room for some small bookshelf speakers and a receiver, that room doesn't get a tv.
Thank you for listing the movies you show. Sometimes the movie clips look great and I want to see the movie but have no idea what it is. After seeing a great scene from Baby Driver, I really wanted to watch the moviebut It took me ages to find out what it was.
You'll also find those details (and more) in the video's description.
18:00 okay in cases like this with sound bars. Anybody even in smaller places would be better off with a full setup with av receiver's And slowly build up to something that not only you could live with. But when you do move to a bigger space or purchase your own house, you now have a full system. Instead of a soundbar that won't fill the space. In my opinion it's better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it! Just my opinion!
@jamesmichael900 It makes perfect sense You're not always going to have a smaller living space, which is why I said that towards the end when you move you will still have something better with an AV receiver and budget speakers than you would with a soundbar.
You can get a receiver and a set of budget bookshelves and have a better sound than what you're going to get from a very expensive soundbar
@@paulcox2447 agree 💯
I got to say that, music bar prices are insanely outta control. Klipsch 9ines in the same ballpark sonicly comparable
Hey there! Happy Sunday once again!
Thanks for tuning in Max! Hope you enjoy the video.
You don’t need a noise when you put something on the screen, this is TH-cam not a bad casino
I appreciate this video. I'm not sure the Sony quad would work for my space, so I had been thinking about getting the bar 9, but hearing there are better options, perhaps I need to look at the Sonos or the Samsung.
Sounds like Sony still has work to do. Andrew, big ups to the editing you do. I don't think you get enough credit for it. ✊🏼
I appreciate that!
💯
What about a Bravia 9 85" TV in an apartment with neighbors behind the wall?
Bravia Theater 9 or Quad?
another Quality review Andrew....Thank you
Thanks Andrew I wanted to buy the Bravia Theater Bar 9 but I'm afraid it will be the Samsung (for Sony anyway)
What about ambeo max or plus?
I might have some insight into what is going wrong with the soundbar when you have the RS5 rears. I have a Bar 8 (so similar to the Bar 9, but not identical). With the RS5's included, the mapping is all wrong. The most flagrant is that when you have the 360 sound field turned on (necessary if you want to use the TV center sync), the right front speaker is mapped to the right rear RS5. And that's just one example.
I contacted Sony support, and they basically acknowledged that these new soundbars are a buggy mess. They basically told me that I'm lucky that I have been able to connect to the bar at all, and that other people can't even do that. Presumably they can fix some of this with software/firmware, but although they told me updates were coming, they had no idea about when.
Bravia Quad is the way to go
👍
The Theater Quad is literally in a class by itself. At around $2,500 for a setup with wireless sub, you would have to spend upwards of $25,000 on other equipment to match its same level of surround sound performance. It absolutely takes the cake!
I’ve just ordered this bar after all the other reviews I’ve seen and now this review has given me bad post but anxiety and I want to cancel my order 🤣
Let me know what you end up doing. I’m in the exact same boat as you. Plus I have a Sony tv, so what put me over the edge for the theatre bar was convenience.
Any update on this?
@@jamesangell6027
Same here. I just ordered the Bravia 9 tv and I was planning to get the theatre Bar 9 soundbar to go with it but I keep on seeing very mediocre reviews about it. It’s making me hesitate and look elsewhere, like the Samsung bars. I may just try out the Theatre bar 9 and see for myself….
Would be interested in your thoughts on the new LG S95TR as it would make the most sense to go with an LG OLED for wow orchestra. Other options are the sony quad after your last review or the q990d.
I'm finding the calibration process to be incredibly temperamental. Even a two inch adjustment makes a major difference in the final result.
Sonys new tv line up the bravia 7 8 9 support acoustic cetre 2.0 and voice zoom 3 so that may chnage your review if using the corresponding tvs 😊
And what I really want to know is how this compares to the HT-A7000. I have the SR5 surrounds and SW5 sub already, although, I rarely have the sub even on, as I feel the bass from the A7000 is plenty enough for my needs. The rears are just overpriced and add little to nothing for me, but they are there and they dont detract from the experience. The sub is sometimes, just too much, especially for late night watching. My reasoning for the A7000 was to get a soundbar that produced a full, rich sound without the complexity of a receiver and it does that, with the added bonus of extremely clear and audible dialog, something I appreciate very much. I have never had difficulty understanding dialog on the A7000 and it produces enough low end to hear low brass and deep rumbling without shaking the pictures off my wall. What I cant seem to find is any information on how this bar performs compared to the A7000.
I've demoed the Bar 9 at no less than 4 different shops, including a Sony Store. Suffice it to say, I was rather underwhelmed with its overall performance. As a standalone bar, it was lacking in both impact and body; it sounded lifeless and anemic. Hell, when paired with the SA-RS5 and the SA-SW5, I felt greater presence from the rear speakers than I did with the Bar 9 itself. Very strange, indeed. It could be an issue with its settings, but for lack of a better word, the impressions that I derived across my multiple auditions were thoroughly pedestrian. Thankfully, I was also given the opportunity to test the Bravia Theater Quad. Like Andrew mentioned, they are a night and day apart in both presentation and quality. Ultimately, I feel that the Bar 9 is a step down from the HT-A7000, a product that I came awfully close to purchasing last year. Thankfully, a year's wait has brought me a better product in the Theater Quad, but the ex-flagship soundbar still provides a better all-in-one package than the Bar 9, I feel.
By the way, thanks for the review, Andrew. I definitely concur with your opinions of the Bar 9's performance, or the lack of it.
This is the first in depth review of the Bar 9 so far and it was excellent. I was contemplating purchasing it seeing as how Sony has heavily touted its improvements over the A7000 in its advertising. Thanks to your review the shortcomings of the Bar 9 have competently been revealed. There has been only one other review of the Bar 9 and that reviewer was also left unimpressed with its performance. I don't need to purchase a new soundbar system but it is nice to be aware of whats out there for the offering. As always, an excellent review.
@@kingkobra1956 NeverEnough on his channel liked it a lot.
@@wellyboot he hasn’t played it properly and Andrew is a proper pro
4:55 the new Sony TVs don't have the tonality issue since it uses the same drivers
Thank you Mr. Robinson. I've been waiting to hear a detailed review of this Bar 9. Especially as it compares to the Theatre Quad. My question of, "Is the Quad worth that much more?", has been answered. Now I will wait for your full review of the Samsung Q990D before I make a purchase. Thanks again
My pleasure!
The Quad is literally amazing. Now, it's not cheap at around $2,500 for a full setup with a sub, but it produces an experience that would cost you around $25,000 to replicate the quality of using other equipment. I just got to hear the Theater Quads last week and they are mind-altering when you hear them. You don't feel like you are watching the movie with them, you feel like you are IN the movie with them. Yeah, it's THAT good of an experience. By far the most immersive home theater surround system you can buy for anything less than 10x the price. They absolutely do not disappoint!
Have an older Sony sound bar with sub in our MB. Will be interesting to see how far they have come.
What bar do you have?
@@andrewrobinsonreviews htz9f mid-mid tier
Andrew, it's safe to assume that any sound bar set-up is just to improve on the TV speakers and give an acceptable, casual experience.
If u compare it with sony theatre 2024..what would u pick?
Thanks for the review.
My pleasure!
Good morning Andrew & Kristi. Good thorough review. Frankly probably the best deal right now is the previous generation Samsung Q990C currently available from Amazon (via Beach Camera) for less than $1,000. From my understanding there's not much difference performance or feature wise between the latest Q990D and the previous Q990C.
Q990C link bit.ly/43OfVWi
I haven't gotten far enough into the 990D to comment. Physically, there doesn't appear to be any difference(s).
Andrew can you explain the difference between this soundbar being compatible with Google assistant and not having Chromecast built in? Will I be able to cast TH-cam Music to the Bravia 9 sound bar?
I don't get it, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire has indeed Dolby Atmos and sounds amazing on 4K disc. Is this a streaming thing going on?
As stated in the video, GB Frozen Empire, streams in 5.1 on AppleTV. GB Afterlife is in Atmos, so I do not know what Empire is different.
I've really enjoyed these soundbar videos, there will come a time when my living room no longer has a full hifi setup and a bar is enough for me, something like the ambeo may already be there.. I would personally enjoy more options around subwoofers for soundbars as thats where i find them the most lacking.. In every system ive built ive ended up always needing more subwoofer than I originally thought I did, and the ability to swap it out made that an easy move. What would you like to see in a sound bar in the future?
I wanted to get a Sony Soundbar to match my Sony TV. Thanks for saving me from making this mistake! I think I'll check out the Sonos.
Hi, I will be interested in knowing the performance of bar 8. My space is smaller so I can’t use any system with surrounding speakers, and even bar 9 may be overkill. Will you review the bar 8 by any chance, or recommend a solution at its price range?
Cheers from Nobleton-Ontario Andrew! Another legit & honest review. I feel, with Sonos launching a few new items if anything at all, every good “chunk” of years, they really spend the time & money to ensure the next iteration of their soundbars is a good few notches better than the generation before it …the few products they make, they make sure they can make better. Just my thoughts. I think if Sony launches a version 2.0 of this bar in a few years it will be awesome in the same sense.
Thanks for the review! I’m just gonna go on a tangent and says I want the Arc II to be released already! And hoping it’s gonna be more than just the same with “AI” slapped on 😅
Sony: I would love a Quad with this bar as a center channel and two subwoofers: please make it happend.
Cheers Andrew!
The Quad's center image is arguably better than the one put out by the Bar 9, so I'm not sure this combo would benefit you the way you think it might. Thanks for watching!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Thanks!
I don’t know why it is funny to think that there is just casual McIntosh equipment that eclipses the cost of everything else in the video make me laugh (minus the 801s)
@@drummingdrumtech9642 Very astute but obvious observation 💯
Wow great and useful product review which people ARE GONNA BUY keep it up guys awesome work❤
Thanks!
Very interesting review. I was hoping this would be an improvement but sadly it seems Sony hasn’t used the same team as the ones who did the theater quads. 🥺
Wow. That is unreal how Sony can make the HT A9 and Bravia Theatre Quad but mess up with their soundbars. Great review but if I ever go Soundbar I will be going Samsung. Cheers!
I was planning on getting one but after hearing this I will pass.
I have a $99 Microsoft headset which supports Dolby vision/atmos and DTS. Will stick with that.
I was going to buy the Corvette, but I have a Chevette that has an engine. Will stick with that.
SAMSUNG S990D OR JBL 1300 OR NAMKICHI
ALL 3 BETTEER
Not for me. Dont care for everything must be done thru a phone and no front readout just for starters. The A7000 was far superior in usability and high quality construction. Bought the A7000 on clearance when I heard this turkey was its replacement
Depressing. I own the HT7000..and the surrounds and SW3. I'm happy with that. I used to own high end surround sound 5.1 and 7.1 systems with dedicated AV amps. It's nowhere near as good as those. Of course not. But it's not a bad product either...😢
If you are content with what you have, I don't see what there is to be depressed about @syanhc.
Is STR-AN1000 with Klipsch R-605FA or R-600F's with R-40's as rear speakers going to give better, more precise sound quality than this Bar 9?
I'll add that I have A7000 and I hate its distorted, low quality mono mp3 compressed-like sound when Sound Field is applied. Without Sound Field it sounds somewhat precise, but soooo narrow and way too focused - it doesn't give any room feeling from all sides sound.
I bought the A7000 with the rear speakers and the sub thinking it could replace my str-dh790 with andrew jones speakers, absolutely not.
This is both a great and disappointing review. Based on this review, it seems that if you want to go with Sony, the A7000 is superior to the Bar 9.
Andrew, do you think all these issues you shared can be solved with a software update?
Also, does Sony take in consideration feedback from reviewers as yourself?
I’ll answer for you: yes. A7000 sounds totally different today than it does in 2021. The same can happen here too.
Yeah the A7000 really is an amazing bar, updates over the years have benefited it very much@@XavierWoodsofIndianapolis
Yes. Sony Absolutely knows who Andrew Robinson is and they absolutely do listen to his reviews and factor in his thoughts and considerations. Sony probably does this better than ANY other company out there in the HT space. No company is perfect and any company can make mistakes. Sony is certainly no exception to that rule, but they do try - and they never give up or stop.
Happy Sunday to ya both man ✌️
Same to you!
How does the Bravia 9 compare to the HTA7000?
Sound quality is much better but u lose 1 hdmi slot and the remote sucks. also no display panel on the Bar 9 just dots.
You should listen to them both and then decide which one you like better as they do have two different sound presentations to them.
Thanks guys! Great review. Question, are you going te review the HomePods? Keep up the great work!
No plans at this time. We ordered a pair of Home Pods however they were stolen by our UPS driver (true story). We have not tried to buy a new pair.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Oh man! Thanks for letting me know and keep doing what you guys do!
I’m glad you did a review on the Bar 9! Thank you!! Would still be interesting to see the bar 8/9 vs last years Sony 7000 soundbar… 🎉. However, I think you’re review pretty much NAILED it! 🎉
Get the Bar 8/9 IF you need a Sony soundbar to go with your Sony tv! Especially the B7/B9. I’ve tested both at BB and can attest to the new Bravia TVs having decent sound quality!! 🎉 thank you!
Ps. Based on reviews and actual devices I have seen, I do feel as tho the Bar 8/9 without the sub for moms would be just about perfect!! Aka, a quality soundbar with good voicing options and “some” surround effects for someone who is not into atmos and everything else. 🎉 I think the Sony 360 effect would be great for moms 75” tcl etc. (also she doesn’t like bass) haha 🎉
That's a lot of money for a so so soundbar. I'll stick with my component sound system.
Informative and awesome as usual. A curiosity though, was that a glitch or a legit stutter at 5:38?
Actually got called over to a friend's home because he thought he had set the Bar 9 up incorrectly (bar + sub, no surrounds) and experienced much the same of what you're describing. Even went to the point of exchanging it because we suspected he may have gotten a bad unit, but the replacement was identical in performance, or lack thereof. Took that one back and replaced it with a Q990D. After spending a little time setting the Samsung up, the difference was night and day, and my friend is completely satisfied - even with having surround speakers that he had never planned to own.
That tracks with our experience 100%.
What sound field did you use? The Bar 9 sounds totally different with it engaged vs off.
@@wellyboot Sounds different, how?
@@KristiWright with Sound Field turned on the 360 Spatial Mapping produces a totally different, more engaging and wider sound field. With it turned off I believe you hear the raw audio track. It is a night and day difference.
I have Sound Field on and 360 Spatial Mapping selected. Content like The King, Top Gun Maverick, The Batman all sound fantastic and there’s notable height effects in our room.
I did a test on The Creator during a scene where a tannoy system announces a flight, with these settings and it’s mapped that sound to front height which is correct vs someone with 7.1.2 setup. However with Dolby Virtualizer engaged it mapped it rear height. There’s definitely something going on with the Dolby Virtualizer. I have found DTS Neural X is similar to 360 Spatial Mapping.
I have found the RS5s are better integrated with the 9 than the previous models, which were criticised for making the rears sound non-existent. I have mine on -3 and they’re fairly close to our sofa.
I only have the SW3 sub but I’ve been very impressed, coming from the Sennheiser Ambeo Plus and KEF KC62. Admittedly the SW3 doesn’t go as low as the KEF and voices (particularly male) don’t sound quite right but it’s not enough for me to regret my decision. I’ve put a few thoughts on AV Forums as I appeared to be one of the few early adopters.
Disappointed to hear quite a negative review, as I’ve had a great experience so far. In fact it sounds (to me at least) like my last 5.1.2 system which was powered by a Denon X2700H.
@wellyboot I cannot say we had your experience, and I'm utterly shocked to hear you prefer the Sony over the Sennheiser/KC62. Regardless, I'm pleased you found something that works for you.
Happy Sunday!! Let’s go🎉🎉🎉
Thanks for joining us! Saw you posted a review, too. Going to have to check that out in a bit.
I received one for free to test. I really like it, but I would go for the Sonos system over this. It is better than the Bose Ultra soundbar. Not having Alexa control or built in Alexa really annoys me.
based on Rtings, the Arc and Bose Ultra are basically a tie
@@Redridge07 I don’t like the Bose surrounds because they have separate power sources making them harder to mount in on a wall though. Sonos it is
I just tried this bar and unfortunately very disappointed. With rears and sub just not able to get a good sound. I want Sony to come through on these products as I am a Sony Fanboy when it comes to their TVs. However, their soundbars since the Z9F have been disappointments. Besides less impactful performance of overall sound, a huge issue for me on all their soundbar products is how they compress audio to adjust volume levels (AAV) It is often needed to get some volume on different movies or shows. However, it will adjust and reduce volume (thus impact) of a dramatic theater scene or the "hook" in a song. Therefore, have to choose or constantly change settings (now in the app). going to try the 990d, found an open box for really cheap.
I think the soundbar JBL BAR 1300X is better than this SONY BRAVIA THEATRE 9
It’s you, not the soundbars.
You need to set it up correctly, run 360 special mapping and get the right surround speakers. Paired with either sw3/5 sub spending on your sub lust and ONLY the sa-rs5 surrounds, this bar is incredible. As is the previous generation 5000 and 7000.
Unfortunately you really have to dig in and do your research to realize the potential of Sony sound processing. Out of the box all of this sounds mediocre. And the cheaper rs3 surrounds are kind of bad. But get the right ones and set it up correctly and you’ll go from “this is mediocre” to “this is bonkers good”.
How I judge soundbars: ah, this one doesn't sound bad enough to he distracting.
Samsung q990d best soundbar.
the Bar 9 is about 7lbs lighter than the a7000, I don't care what improvement they can make to make it lighter. they probably took out a lot of parts just to lower the cost. No wonder the bar 9 doesn't sound that good.
On average the Bar9 is better than A7000, not by much like how their TV and Quad lead the market, but they Are better
Andrew hated the A7000 as well.😅
@@wellyboothe tested it very early pre any software updates, the A7000 is miles better 2024 than what it was 2021
I have to ask out of curiosity, is this better than the ht-a7000.
I can't say if it's better because, on the one hand, it's been two-plus years since I reviewed the A7000, and on the other, I didn't care for the A7000 bar when I reviewed it.
(7000A review bit.ly/3a4khPk) linked for you in the description.
Thanks both.
What surprises me how bose ultra which is 2.5kg has equally impressive sound as 7kg ht 7000... what does thay say bout these products?
I've just sold my Sony STR860 receiver and I'm undecided between the (BAR 9 No More) Samsung 990C and the Sony AN1000, both of which are similarly priced. I already own a 5.1 Q Acoustics 2000 series speaker system. I mainly watch movies (70%) and listen to music (30%). What are your thoughts for a room measuring 23 by 19 by 8 feet? Quad is out of reach for me
Since you already own the Q Acoustics, go with amzn.to/3If2veo.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I had listen Q Acoustic 2000 series with Onkyo receiver. I read many positive reviews. I had possibility to buy these used stuff for about $750. For me it was something like dryness, and without deeph. I didn't like it. The same day went to local Samsung shop and test 990C. Soundbar sound much clearer and better in movies and even in music. Maybe the bas was worst, sometimes in music was better but in movies 990C wons definitely.
So, it was so bad, you went and bought one to see if it was just a bad unit? I’m guessing? Appreciate ya AR
We couldn't rule out that maybe the sample Sony sent us was defective, so I bought another sample at full retail from BB to make sure. both bars performed the same, so our initial unit was not defective.
Finally? The previous generation ht-a5000 and ht-a7000 are far superior to anything else. That is, if you actually take the time to set them up correctly with the sw3 or sw5 sub and sa-rs5 surround speakers. That is the key. Unfortunately the firmware/software for these soundbars on release was a bit of a mess. But they since resolved that. Also, the rs3 surround speakers option really should just not exist because the cherry on top necessary to bring these soundbars to the top of the pack is the sa-rs5 wireless surrounds. Then you set up and calibrate 360 Spatial Audio. Then, finally, you have the sounbar system king of surround.
Believe me guys It is unbelievable what Sony’s 360 shenanigans does for these soundbars. Admittedly, the 5000 and 7000 aren’t the best stand-alone soundbars. Sonos and Bose and Samsungs flagships do a lot more funky processing to make their bars sound surroundy and big out of the box. And they’re all enjoyable and impressive with their respective subs and surrounds. But none of them provide the sphere of sounds coming from a dozen phantom speakers that don’t exist like the Sony system. I have no idea how they do it. On my quest to find the best system for my space I’ve tried Sonos Arc, Bose 900 and Samsung q990 with subs and surrounds. Nothing beats the Sony bars when setup properly IMO.
That said, my use case is primarily theatre. I’m more of a headphone guy for music so I don’t really much care about that. But I’d definitely agree Sonos is much better tuned for music in general. But then who buys an expensive home theatre setup for music? Theres tons of excellent speakers for music lovers. Don’t buy a home theatre system for that. That’s just silly! I guess if you must have all-in-one for both theatre and music listening, then you just choose based on what is more important to you. You’ll never find the best music and theatre system in one though. But you can get close to your personal best speakers for music, probably without spending a ton unless you insist on buying absurdly expensive speakers and Amps and all that. And you can find the best theatre setup. Just not going to be both at once.
I highly suggest people serious about a sounbar based theatre system at least try the ht-a5000. I just saw it on sale at Costco for $500. Get that, a Sony SW-3 sub which, trust me, kicks way above its weight class, and the sa-rs5 surrounds. Set that up. Do your research. Map the 360 spatial fairies. Tune it up and tinker with it. Run the mapping software. Turn on the sound field. Sit back and watch something like Bladerunner 2049. You’ll be so impressed you’ll return the ht-a5000 because you know the 7000 or new bar 9 is going to be somehow better. And they are. Well, I can say the 7000 is as I have not tried the new bar 8 or bar 9 as Sony calls them. Or just keep it and enjoy the best sound you can buy for $1200.
My HT-A5000 is constantly stuck on "Hello", requiring to unplug and replug, despite installing all firmware updates and resetting the system defaults. I'm hoping these will have less firmware flaws. Lots of people reporting this problem online, but no solution.
@@mmstick Is it new? If so, return it or exchange it. If not, call Sony support I guess. I haven't had any such problem. Only problem I've experienced is the Bravia Sync (HDMI-CEC) stops working every once in a while and I have to reset Bravia sync on my A80J Sony TV and cycle HDMI control on the soundbar to get it working again. It is super annoying but can't say I haven't experienced some kind of issue with everything else I've ever owned lol. Sounds like you got a dud or maybe a corrupt firmware or something.
@@Gubers It's right at the 2 year mark. Unplugging worked momentarily, until it eventually got stuck in a 4 second HELLO boot loop. Out of warranty, so I'll take a chance with the Bar 9.
I presume you're getting no audio through the soundbar as well, unplug all HDMI cables turn all power off and leave a few minutes , turn tv on and then connect soundbar power and hdmi's @@mmstick
@@joshdimovski4483 I had already unplugged everything for 24 hours before giving up. The firmware is simply stuck in a boot loop that restarts the system every 4th second. Doesn't matter if it is connected to a TV or not. AC plug with no HDMI cables connected still boot loops. I'm suspecting hardware failure, and the system being frozen on HELLO when the soundbar goes into standby mode is an early symptom. Be wary because this issue is widely reported. I've already replaced it with the Theater Bar 9, and thankfully the original HT-A5000 remote is compatible with it. The overall sound quality is much improved for both bar and rears.
Had a technical discussion with a knowing group and unless one uses 2 identical up and down centers in IMAX it sucks and the TV speakers are to never be used! Yes, I am in that 0.01% that is A/V crazy! lol
Care to elaborate on this discussion? Your comment is intriguing but kind of confusing (to me).
@@andrewrobinsonreviews It was a United Audio instillation training meeting and nobody could support the TV speakers as viable in any complex speaker set up, with IMAX having 2 front centers being driven the worst. One man admitted if he had to mount a speaker above his screen he would have to deal with the wrath of his wife.
Afternoon Andrew, Kristie & Kadie👍👍👍
Good morning as always KJ! Thanks for joining us.
@@KristiWright 👍👍👍