Shane, I bought the Quads with the Sony SW5 Subwoofer and Sony BRAVIA 8 OLED 65 inch TV with front firing center. The entire setup works perfect. The sound is phenomenal with the 360 mapping. I was beyond pleased. Sony does things that boggle the mind how much bigger the sound is. It really sounds like home theater without all the extra equipment and expensive setup. I love it!
Sony HT-A9 with 65” A90J OLED as center channel. Effectively a 5.1.4 setup. Sounds amazing and love having the OLED as a center channel as opposed to phantom center. This system slaps a bit harder than you might expect-a nice clean setup with certainly a great deal more W.A.F.
Thank you for the very nice review! I have Sony's BRAVIA 9 85" TV with the BRAVIA Theater Quad 16 Channel audio system and we are LOVING the audio and picture quality of this new high end equipment that pair beautifully together! I purchased from one of your dealer friends, Value Electronics and we also enjoy working with Wendy and Robert who are very friendly and highly technically knowledgeable.
Great review, mate. I have purchased the Quads and will be setting them up next weekend. A question I had for you that you may or may not know the answer to - is it possible to hook up dual subs?
So, if one had these inputs (1) PS5 (2) PC (3) standard Bluray (4) HDMI streaming stick; one would use a HDMI splitter? Can it achieve Atmos in console gaming, without lag? I've heard that can be an issue, so many people use optical adapters to get good surround from a PS5.
Pretty cool Shane. If I didn't already own a system, this would be a cool option. I think 🤔 my only complaint would be how come you can't add your own sub, or subs ❓🤔🤔
Hi Shane, wanted to private msg you but don't know how.... I'm also no internet expert but your link to demo disc isn't working and is revealing some private keys i think?
I have the sound system. The 360 sound is great when its a stereo sound. But for gaming i noticed it sounds better with sound flield off. Watching dolbh atmos content i turn soundfield off to. I had the samsung q990d before this and during comparing there is a way wider soundstage on the sony. The fidelity is also better than the samsung.
It looks like they failed to add that...WTF! I might have to do the same thing, but I'm heavily invested in Sonos and would have to start over with this sony setup...it only does 1 sub too, and the sub isn't nowhere near as the Sonos imo.
I hated my HT-A9 for many months because the speakers kept dropping out. It seems to FINALLY be stable now and I think its fantastic. I use the TV as the center, so i wish I bought a tv with a better speaker.(I have the lower end SONY OLED) I still have never found the phantom center to be very good. Sub is a must.
@@DaveFogel thanks your your quick reply. There is a couple videos here on RUclips that shows you how to add antennas to the A9 box and they said it fixes the issue
Sorry but you are wrong on the height setting. It is actually designed based on where you have your front speakers so that it matches where the sound comes from on the screen if you are using the phantom center. If you have the speakers above say the TV or up high, then you would want to use the lower setting. If you had the speakers placed say below the tv, then you would use the higher setting. If the speakers are placed either side of the TV in the middle then just keep it at default. It doesn't enhance the height effects, it's purely designed to try to make it match dialogue etc so that it actually makes it feel like it is coming from the TV itself.
@@therealshanelee Probably their algorithms. 😅 If you turn sound field off you can match all the channels to the same level with an SPL meter if you wanted to try make it an even balance (but then you can't get Dolby Atmos / DTS:X). With sound field on it boosts the center by about +3db and the heights get boosted by about +5db. Isn't an issue though as still sounds really good but I found matching my rears to my fronts makes the phantom sides come more to life, although mine are now on -3. Sony really needs to update their subwoofers though, I'd say that's the weak point and to follow the curve for my room I have to also set that on -4 or it's just too boomy. Thanks also for taking the time to review.
Thanks Shane, nice review. Do you need a Sony TV or can you get a center channel speaker for that? This is nice for those that can't wire surround sounds or install Atmos speakers. Great for apartments.
@@onlyzach1 It doesn't need a Sony TV. It creates a phantom center that actually sounds just as realistic as a physical speaker. As long as you're not sitting miles off center it works really well and you wouldn't even know you are missing one.
If i was considering this Sony i'd want to check out the AMBEO Max at $700 less before deciding on purchase. Maybe Shane will do a video comparing them, pros and cons.
@@therealshanelee One should be aware of different products and their presentations if undecided how to go about getting a pleasing experience. Comparing two different form factors can be beneficial and fun. Maybe Robinson will do the comparison.😉
@@scruffy8861 it's like comparing a car to a motorcycle cycle. They both get you there but they are totally different and not in the same category at all.
This against TWO Sonos AMPs doing a 4.1setup with more premium speaker - but boy I am so tempted to do this im my office for casual gaming and TV shows…they looks a great - I hope they release bigger better sub or let you pair two.
Enjoying my HTA9, i see the digital app literally has same features as the old physical remote. Still no manual eq option to tweak rear speaker height. I will pass for now and not upgrade.
@@lukasbd4it's incredibly cheap. This is a home theater in a box not a soundbar. Most people spend it's price on just an avr if doing "budget" separates.
You can still buy the Sony A9 for around $1,300, so paying $2500 for the Quad, or $1200 more seems unjustified. You would be far better off buying the A9 and the Sw5 sub and it would still be about five or 6 hundred less.
Wish this had a sub out so you could just add as many as you wanted yourself. Or at least support 2 subs. Maybe that will come with the next subs, whenever that happens. Bit of a miss not releasing new subs with this.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have gone full circle. Let us welcome back Home Theater In A Box. Not a bad thing at all, HTIB do things a soundbar can only dream of.
Hi Shane, could these be wall mounted? If we have the option for a subwoofer, can you also connect another set of surrounds to it? I think it would much better with another set depending on the room size.. How many subs can be connected? Love your videos and appreciate all your help
Sony is so hopeless. Ordered this 3 weeks ago and still haven’t received anything. You would think they’ll step it up for a flagship product. They already cost more than most rivals
Surprising what dsp can do it’s nothing new Yamaha did it 30 years ago. I think for this money I’d rather have a proper amp and separate speakers with a good sub. Although to look at it’s lovely and fits the room perfectly it’s not obtrusive and does the job it’s not as good as Shane’s system or mine by a long shot. Mine is better than any cinema trust me I used to work as a projectionist and rigged up everything kaleidoscope included difference being I had brutal horse power at 5k not a joke the subs were 2000 watts nominal each x 4 this isn’t including the amps 😂
i bought quad, for my appartment , there are 3 issues, a) no excellent atmos , b) bass is not felt in chest , c) centre channel is not good if i watch interstellar movie , overall review , i love my unit still
We have decent amount of negative feedback to still love it lol, my problem with this price is too high and there are many options for given price range
@@frankievictor5863 oh yeah no problem. The 90J still holds up today, even with the release of QD-OLED’s. I didn’t like the HT-A9’s when they released a few years ago, and acoustic center sync didn’t make it any better. But the Theater Quad’s are what the A9’s should have been. They’ve improved in every way, and acoustic center sync has been updated to version 2, and when I toggle it on and off, I can DEFINITELY hear an improvement
@@TravionMusic On the original HT-A9 speakers the TV and speakers played independently so there was quite a bit of a sonic mismatch. On the quads the TV gets included with the calibration and the TV and speakers play in unison. A95L and Bravia 9 definitely sound the best with them though.
Funny, my entire “channel” is pretty much dedicated to the Sony HT-A9. I reviewed it over 2 years ago with 50k views. Reviewed the subs for it as well, speaker stands and how to get the best sound on it. All my movie and game reviews are based around it. I also was able to go to the Sony store here in Japan where they allowed me to review the Quad in their personal theater. Got numerous views on that video as well. I’ve probably sold 100’s of HT-A9’s for Sony due to my reviews. Subscribers write me all the time telling me thank you, I bought one based on your reviews. Contacted Sony numerous times for sponsorship, and said “Hey Sony, send me a Quad to review more and for my movie reviews and guarantee I’ll sell more for you” Sony said “at this time we’ve already sent out all our review units” blowing me off yet it’s 2024 and I still see people getting them for reviews and they barely get any views on it Guess you have to be “part of the system” to receive anything from Sony
Probably pot luck like anything in life. Although I also enjoy your reviews. Personally though I'd upgrade when you can. Quads are so much better than the original HT-A9'S, sound quality with the introduction of the midrange driver just makes such a massive difference. They've also made the subwoofer come more alive and the 360 mapping V2 sound effect placement is also better. If you also have a Sony TV, then it now gets included as part of the calibration and plays in unison with the speakers, whereas on the originals they played independently.
If you want spatial audio the cheapest Sony avr is 7.2 and costs about 750 bucks. Removing the sub as it's sold separately here, that only leaves you 1750 to buy 7 speakers. A good pair of speakers will cost you like 600 plus alone. Could you do it with a cheap 5 channel amp using budget speakers with terrible off axis response? Sure.. but there's every chance the theatre quad would sound better.
Shane, I bought the Quads with the Sony SW5 Subwoofer and Sony BRAVIA 8 OLED 65 inch TV with front firing center. The entire setup works perfect. The sound is phenomenal with the 360 mapping. I was beyond pleased. Sony does things that boggle the mind how much bigger the sound is. It really sounds like home theater without all the extra equipment and expensive setup. I love it!
Yep, I own the A9 and truly impressed with how it makes it seems there are speakers all around you.
@@blazinreviews2393 - i agree. I never wanted, nor could afford a full system anyway.
There are 4 speakers all around you so it should sound good 😂
@@rahulkaran5265 - it is much more than that. It is the imaging and 360 degree Sony process that excels the sound.
Sony HT-A9 with 65” A90J OLED as center channel. Effectively a 5.1.4 setup. Sounds amazing and love having the OLED as a center channel as opposed to phantom center. This system slaps a bit harder than you might expect-a nice clean setup with certainly a great deal more W.A.F.
Thank you for the very nice review! I have Sony's BRAVIA 9 85" TV with the BRAVIA Theater Quad 16 Channel audio system and we are LOVING the audio and picture quality of this new high end equipment that pair beautifully together! I purchased from one of your dealer friends, Value Electronics and we also enjoy working with Wendy and Robert who are very friendly and highly technically knowledgeable.
Brilliant review Shane. Thanks. It looks like an excellent product for setting up a home cinema in a living room.
Great review, mate.
I have purchased the Quads and will be setting them up next weekend.
A question I had for you that you may or may not know the answer to - is it possible to hook up dual subs?
No
Excellent video.
I wonder how it would work with a Sony Bravia 9 (good speakers but in the back)
What stands are you using for the front speakers?
did they not come with wall mount ?
So, if one had these inputs (1) PS5 (2) PC (3) standard Bluray (4) HDMI streaming stick; one would use a HDMI splitter? Can it achieve Atmos in console gaming, without lag? I've heard that can be an issue, so many people use optical adapters to get good surround from a PS5.
Pretty cool Shane. If I didn't already own a system, this would be a cool option. I think 🤔 my only complaint would be how come you can't add your own sub, or subs ❓🤔🤔
Hi Shane, wanted to private msg you but don't know how.... I'm also no internet expert but your link to demo disc isn't working and is revealing some private keys i think?
I have the sound system. The 360 sound is great when its a stereo sound. But for gaming i noticed it sounds better with sound flield off. Watching dolbh atmos content i turn soundfield off to. I had the samsung q990d before this and during comparing there is a way wider soundstage on the sony. The fidelity is also better than the samsung.
Only thing that would put me off is having to buy the Sony sub to go with it. I remember testing it against a Sonos sub big difference in quality
Yes the Sony sub is cheap compared to the Sonos sub.
Can you connect a sony soundbar with the quad? I have an HT-A5000 5.1.2 could I connect them to that for center? Alongside the 200Watt sub.
Have you noticed any latency when used with gaming console? Rtings said something about that.
Love it thanks my dude!…will likely go with this when I move to a teeeeny tiny apartment in Japan!
😂
How did it compare to the PSB PWM's you reviewed?
It's not the same type of product to make a comparison.
No I guess not, just meaning more in terms of sound quality. Thanks!
Are you going to do one for gaming 🤔
I have a Sonos Arc, Sub, Era300s Atmos setup. If Sonos don’t release the Arc2 with DTX support then I’m buying this.
It looks like they failed to add that...WTF! I might have to do the same thing, but I'm heavily invested in Sonos and would have to start over with this sony setup...it only does 1 sub too, and the sub isn't nowhere near as the Sonos imo.
Looks nice! Love the great design that scream SONY👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Great review Shane. Many thanks.
What stands are you using?
amzn.to/3MTIcEE
A Sony rep demoing this in store specifically said do not angle the speakers inwards like you've done.
I hated my HT-A9 for many months because the speakers kept dropping out. It seems to FINALLY be stable now and I think its fantastic. I use the TV as the center, so i wish I bought a tv with a better speaker.(I have the lower end SONY OLED) I still have never found the phantom center to be very good. Sub is a must.
@@DaveFogel what did you do to fix the drop outs? Or did you get a firmware update that fixed your A9 problems? Thanks
@@futile21 I spoke too soon. It was working great for 4 months and now its dropping out all the time again. I kind of hate this system to be honest.
@@DaveFogel thanks your your quick reply. There is a couple videos here on RUclips that shows you how to add antennas to the A9 box and they said it fixes the issue
@@futile21 ill have to check thaf out
Thank you Shane.
Sorry but you are wrong on the height setting. It is actually designed based on where you have your front speakers so that it matches where the sound comes from on the screen if you are using the phantom center. If you have the speakers above say the TV or up high, then you would want to use the lower setting. If you had the speakers placed say below the tv, then you would use the higher setting. If the speakers are placed either side of the TV in the middle then just keep it at default. It doesn't enhance the height effects, it's purely designed to try to make it match dialogue etc so that it actually makes it feel like it is coming from the TV itself.
Mine must be defective. With an Spl meter next to the upfiring driver mine gets louder.
@@therealshanelee Probably their algorithms. 😅 If you turn sound field off you can match all the channels to the same level with an SPL meter if you wanted to try make it an even balance (but then you can't get Dolby Atmos / DTS:X). With sound field on it boosts the center by about +3db and the heights get boosted by about +5db.
Isn't an issue though as still sounds really good but I found matching my rears to my fronts makes the phantom sides come more to life, although mine are now on -3.
Sony really needs to update their subwoofers though, I'd say that's the weak point and to follow the curve for my room I have to also set that on -4 or it's just too boomy.
Thanks also for taking the time to review.
Thanks Shane, nice review. Do you need a Sony TV or can you get a center channel speaker for that? This is nice for those that can't wire surround sounds or install Atmos speakers. Great for apartments.
No center channel. It uses a phantom center channel that sounds great
@@MrUpscaleman Yup, but if you don't have a Sony TV?
@@onlyzach1 phantom center works great
@@onlyzach1 It doesn't need a Sony TV. It creates a phantom center that actually sounds just as realistic as a physical speaker. As long as you're not sitting miles off center it works really well and you wouldn't even know you are missing one.
Why did Shane's wife leve him?
Thanks Shane for a great video review.
Was informative and very helpful.👍
If i was considering this Sony i'd want to check out the AMBEO Max at $700 less before deciding on purchase. Maybe Shane will do a video comparing them, pros and cons.
They're two totally different products.
@@therealshanelee One should be aware of different products and their presentations if undecided how to go about getting a pleasing experience. Comparing two different form factors can be beneficial and fun. Maybe Robinson will do the comparison.😉
@@scruffy8861 it's like comparing a car to a motorcycle cycle. They both get you there but they are totally different and not in the same category at all.
Ok, a closer comparison is the Ambeo AB71 with individual speakers.
This against TWO Sonos AMPs doing a 4.1setup with more premium speaker - but boy I am so tempted to do this im my office for casual gaming and TV shows…they looks a great - I hope they release bigger better sub or let you pair two.
@@Nikita-P it was stupid of them to not allow two subs and the option to add 2 more speakers
Could you not do say, 2 towers/bookshelf connected to the Sonos AMP and a pair of their Era 300s for the rears?
@@juandoe7802 I was thinking about that too, probably
The world top 5 subwoofers
Enjoying my HTA9, i see the digital app literally has same features as the old physical remote. Still no manual eq option to tweak rear speaker height. I will pass for now and not upgrade.
Yea they should offer a bundle where the sub or stands are included, at the current price the Sony Quad just don't seem like a good offer
@@lukasbd4it's incredibly cheap. This is a home theater in a box not a soundbar. Most people spend it's price on just an avr if doing "budget" separates.
Really interesting and definitely worth consideration, thank you. How do they compare to SONOS' flagship setup with a Sony BRAVIA TV?
You can still buy the Sony A9 for around $1,300, so paying $2500 for the Quad, or $1200 more seems unjustified. You would be far better off buying the A9 and the Sw5 sub and it would still be about five or 6 hundred less.
Quad is miles better , I’ve owned both and although the A9’s are good the upgrade is well worth it
The theater quad sounds cool but isn't the Sony CS 5.1.2 setup better (because it's dedicated channels + subwoofer) and less money?
No
@@MrUpscaleman Please explain
@@Pocketkid2 many online reviewers. As far as price comparisons, that's a value choice each person has to make for themselves.
Why did Shane's wife leve him?
I knew I saw them in the background of one of your previous videos lol!
Wish this had a sub out so you could just add as many as you wanted yourself. Or at least support 2 subs. Maybe that will come with the next subs, whenever that happens. Bit of a miss not releasing new subs with this.
I was thinking that would be a $499-699 system.
Thanks Shane
Ladies and gentlemen, we have gone full circle. Let us welcome back Home Theater In A Box. Not a bad thing at all, HTIB do things a soundbar can only dream of.
Unrelated: Beetlejuice 2 IMAX or Dolby?
Pointless to see non IMAX movies in IMAX theaters.
Hi Shane, could these be wall mounted? If we have the option for a subwoofer, can you also connect another set of surrounds to it? I think it would much better with another set depending on the room size.. How many subs can be connected? Love your videos and appreciate all your help
Yes there’s a clip of it in the video. You can only do one sub.
@@therealshanelee thanks Shane! Appreciate you
Price?
Sony is so hopeless. Ordered this 3 weeks ago and still haven’t received anything. You would think they’ll step it up for a flagship product. They already cost more than most rivals
Surprising what dsp can do it’s nothing new Yamaha did it 30 years ago. I think for this money I’d rather have a proper amp and separate speakers with a good sub. Although to look at it’s lovely and fits the room perfectly it’s not obtrusive and does the job it’s not as good as Shane’s system or mine by a long shot. Mine is better than any cinema trust me I used to work as a projectionist and rigged up everything kaleidoscope included difference being I had brutal horse power at 5k not a joke the subs were 2000 watts nominal each x 4 this isn’t including the amps 😂
i bought quad, for my appartment , there are 3 issues, a) no excellent atmos , b) bass is not felt in chest , c) centre channel is not good if i watch interstellar movie , overall review , i love my unit still
We have decent amount of negative feedback to still love it lol, my problem with this price is too high and there are many options for given price range
@@Herofmine
I got it at discount
Need not spend this amount on this system
You can choose avr and speakers separately
That's better option
Did you buy the subwoofer?
@@MrUpscaleman yes
@@abhileshm7216 Grab a 2021 or newer AppleTV 4K and watch Interstellar with Enhanced Dialogue on. That feature is really good
Acoustic center sync sounds much better than the phantom center for me. 2021’s 65” A90J
Same using an 85” Bravia 9. It’s also allowed me to bring the front speakers out wider giving a crazy wide soundstage
Same here. Huge soundstage.
Just the answers I was looking for I have the A90j and was wondering if it would be ok as a centre speaker for the quad
Thanks
@@frankievictor5863 oh yeah no problem. The 90J still holds up today, even with the release of QD-OLED’s. I didn’t like the HT-A9’s when they released a few years ago, and acoustic center sync didn’t make it any better. But the Theater Quad’s are what the A9’s should have been. They’ve improved in every way, and acoustic center sync has been updated to version 2, and when I toggle it on and off, I can DEFINITELY hear an improvement
@@TravionMusic On the original HT-A9 speakers the TV and speakers played independently so there was quite a bit of a sonic mismatch. On the quads the TV gets included with the calibration and the TV and speakers play in unison. A95L and Bravia 9 definitely sound the best with them though.
Funny, my entire “channel” is pretty much dedicated to the Sony HT-A9. I reviewed it over 2 years ago with 50k views. Reviewed the subs for it as well, speaker stands and how to get the best sound on it.
All my movie and game reviews are based around it. I also was able to go to the Sony store here in Japan where they allowed me to review the Quad in their personal theater. Got numerous views on that video as well. I’ve probably sold 100’s of HT-A9’s for Sony due to my reviews. Subscribers write me all the time telling me thank you, I bought one based on your reviews.
Contacted Sony numerous times for sponsorship, and said “Hey Sony, send me a Quad to review more and for my movie reviews and guarantee I’ll sell more for you”
Sony said “at this time we’ve already sent out all our review units” blowing me off yet it’s 2024 and I still see people getting them for reviews and they barely get any views on it
Guess you have to be “part of the system” to receive anything from Sony
Probably pot luck like anything in life. Although I also enjoy your reviews. Personally though I'd upgrade when you can. Quads are so much better than the original HT-A9'S, sound quality with the introduction of the midrange driver just makes such a massive difference. They've also made the subwoofer come more alive and the 360 mapping V2 sound effect placement is also better. If you also have a Sony TV, then it now gets included as part of the calibration and plays in unison with the speakers, whereas on the originals they played independently.
@@S1mmz I’ll probably grab one in the future or wait for version 3
Okay, Sony quad or for the same price a DIY 5.1’sh system? If so, throw out some comparisons.
If you want spatial audio the cheapest Sony avr is 7.2 and costs about 750 bucks. Removing the sub as it's sold separately here, that only leaves you 1750 to buy 7 speakers. A good pair of speakers will cost you like 600 plus alone.
Could you do it with a cheap 5 channel amp using budget speakers with terrible off axis response? Sure.. but there's every chance the theatre quad would sound better.
I thought the height of sound was to adjust the sound field as a whole, not just the atmos height effects.
Like those acoustic panels. Very Van Halen esk!
at this price no sub is crazy, also any samsung soundbar from 2022 onwards is much better deal overall, sounds amazing too.
Good day is it at all possible to run 2 subs cheers
No
For that price you could get a respectable starter home theater surround system with better performance I’m sure.
Not everybody can run wires, like apartment dwellers.
Sounds average, nothing close to JBL and Yamaha. Sony has NO expertise in Audio. Sony is good at TV and DSL Camera only.
My man, Sony has been involved in audio since the 1950s.
how much they pay you m8 ?
$20k
I have a Sony A95L and I use the center channel with my HT A9.
I much prefer it over just the phantoms.
Why do you have the hat on all the time ? Are you balding heavy