📌Considering the QUAD HOME THEATER? Find it here bit.ly/4a7RW7k • bit.ly/3Wqie1w 🔌Watch our SONY QUAD REVIEW to get caught up on today’s UNPLUGGED! czcams.com/video/vTh2ayFeGlg/video.html 🔌Still want more? Catch up on all the latest UNPLUGGED episodes here bit.ly/43NnDkT 😀Thank you for watching! If you enjoyed this video, please hit the 👍Like button! 🙏 Please stay on topic and be respectful. 🚫No links, self-promotion, or personal info.
❤ Love the work you 2 are doing. Now I am really just a stereo only sort of guy, as I just don't see a way to place more than two or 2+1 speaker setup in my home. So I am more interested in all things stereo, plus also the TV reviews as who doesn't watch a movie or game a little. Only you manage to make the multi-channel stuff interesting and, as the sort of go to tech guy in my circle, a little general knowledge never hurts. Kudos.
No I still don't agree that SONY BRAVIA QUAD can be considered as a replacement for actual dedicated multi channel setup. I set up two rooms for my uncle one with HT-A9 + SW5 and other with KEF Qseries 5.4 + 2x Dayton SUB Kits + Onkyo 797. Yes dedicated setup was $300 more than SONY setup. But the difference was night and day. No kidding. He then returned the SONY setup and got the same setup for that second room as well. So yes there is a huge difference. And now that the price of BRAVIA QUAD going up by $1000 I think for that difference we can easily get good 7.2.4 Setup which far outclasses the Quad. Now please don't think that this guy always drops in just to disagree with us or drop negative comment. I always watch your content and I do that because I love it. It is same as when mom asks me and dad why we only complaint when something is wrong with the food and not compliment when it is good. As she cooks to perfection 99% of the time we really don't need to point out the obvious of how good it really is. But that 1% when it is not good we just let her know. Similarly all your content I mostly agree with and love it. Just when I think that something stated is not right or something I just point it out. But yes I do love your content and enjoy watching it keep it up guys.
In your opinion, though these are different types of speakers, which is a better setup and your preferred? Sony Bravia Theatre Quad + SA-SW5 300W Wireless Subwoofer Vs. Sonos Arc + Sub gen 3 + 2x Era 300.
Your discussion of the phantom vs dedicated center issue is EXACTLY what I wanted to know. I feel so much better informed after watching this Thanks guys!
Don’t believe it blind and test it for yourself … for me it was the reason to sell my ht a9 after I bought it because of the review from Andrew … so buy it and test it
JFC, of course, you should always test something for yourself to see if it's a good fit. Take ownership of your decisions. You sold it because it wasn't for you, NOT because we told you to go buy it.
@@KristiWright I don’t know why you getting so emotional the last row of videos … I Bought it because I trust in Andrew and wanted to test it for myself … and after I found out it was not like I expected I sold it - so that’s all of the storie… and if someone has over 300.000 Abos yes it’s possible that someone is buying something tech because of Andrew’s words and opinion … that’s only a reason how good Andrews videos are that some people getting these tech of his reviews .. and I think the people should know that the phantom centre is not working for everybody so why so mad?
Thanks for answering my question! I've only had the A9 for under a year, and I don't think upgrading to the Quad is something I can justify. I wonder how much stock is left of the A9, because I think the reduced price will be attractive for a lot of people.
I barely have ever commented on YT ever. I figured out my old log in just to chime in. I used to work at an electronics store in the 90's and I have had at least 15 completely different set ups from 5.1 to atmos and then some. From $1500 to $12,000 systems. I have the A9 now and it blows all of the past systems out of the water! NOT EVEN CLOSE no matter the price of the set ups. The cohesive sound from the Sony OLED tv Center channel mode with the front two speakers is JUST INCREDIBLE AND PRECISE. I am absolutely selling my A9 I bought last year to get this updated version. I don't care if you think your $15k sound system is better. Your wrong. Period. This is the future. The future looks less cluttered and sounds better than ever. Like he says, if you haven't heard one in a home yet then you need to stop. It's absolutely spectacular. PERIOD. A new SONY OLED with this system is the BEST thing I have purchased in years.
I just got them today too, just to test out. They’re amazing, and center sync sounds much better on my A90J than it did w/ the A9’s. Gonna send them back, and buy them for much less around Black Friday. Holding on to my Sonos system until then. Great system though!
@@TravionMusic On the original version the TV and speakers play independently. On the new version with the recent update the TV gets calibrated and the speakers play in unison.
@@JL-ku7wo I have the arc, era 300’s, and sub mini. Sonos sub is better, but the mini and gen 3 are better than sw3/5, and the Atmos is a bit better than Sony’s too, but this is mainly because you have control of your height speakers with the Sonos. Everything else, Sony beats it. Better separation. Better voice clarity, and if you have an AppleTV 4K, idk what it is, but LPCM sounds much better on any other system I had over Sonos. You’d have to hear it to believe it, and this is coming from someone who did NOT like the A9’s at all, the theatre quad is what the A9 should have been at launch
I change my HT A9 speakers to the Theatre quad due to continuing dropouts despite a major software update that improved 90% of them. so far the Theatre quad has not dropped out once and I believe it just sounds better. I sold my HT A9’s privately so I got the Theatre quad equivalent to a 35% discount. I’m very happy
Greetings from Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦. Love your show. I'm sitting up my HT and decided on the Quad+SW5 and Sony 98" X90l like (fw-98bz50l) because it's the only Sony 98" tv offered here. Wish me luck.. 🙏
I am all for any product, which puts the "cinematic" experience closer and more livable for home use. I am a convert to Soundbar and rear speakers with 2 subs in our living room and it sounds AMAZING! My wife, who before she met me, never even used anything out side of the TVs internal speakers. She Is now a home theatre convert. Loves it and can't understand how people simply get by without some form of external speaker system! Bravi(o)! Sony for this innovation.
Good Friday morning Andrew and Kristi. Another great informational product discussion. These Friday deeper dives into your product reviews definitely help elevate them to another level and differentiate your channel from all the others. Keep up the great work and looking forward to Sunday. Thanks again.
Totally love this channel!!! Please don’t change or stop doing these unplugged videos… or the regular ones too ha. I’m on the fence to replace my Klipsch r800 towers and center: with this kit! My room is 98% theatre use. My only concern is that should I save $1000 with the older a9. Or bite the bullet and go onto these quads. Especially since unfortunately I’m a newly diagnosed stage 4 cancer user. This will be my last upgrade. Wrapping up thank you again!!!
Any product that gets people the best sound they can get into their room, and especially any product that can raise the bar for what people are willing to put in their room, are fine by me. I'm certainly not gonna lose sleep over whether the Quads can compete with what I have in my living room, just to maintain some sense of a level of superiority. Go Sony
I've been watching your videos for quite awhile and I really do enjoy them. I really don't understand why some people make nasty comments. Some seem to thrive at intentionally being rude and disrespectful; I don't get it. Home theater is a hobby of mine and I do have some high-end equipment. The only way I'm able to afford this stuff is to save up for it. When I finally do make a purchase, I pay it off immediately. Yes, I could pay for it over a period of time but that also means that I'll be throwing away (potentially) thousands of dollars; money that could be used to get something 'really nice'.
you hit it on the head with your placement advice. since i have watched a ton of audio-tubers and taken your advice, i have experienced tremendous differences in the overall sound of my equipment by simply moving it, in very small increments until i got the sound i was looking for and it cost me nothing but some time, which i have no problem with considering i love investing my time in this hobby.
Thank you both for your reviews. I appreciate the simplicity and flexibility of a system like this. I’m no audiophile, but I used to spend time and money on components, speakers, wiring…etc. I was always fidgiting, tweaking and fussing with components in an effort to find some magical, mystical sound. I found myself doing this stuff on family movie nights with our kids and taking away from everyone’s experience. Then we bought a fixer upper house and had no system for a while…we ended up having the best movie nights using our temporary tv w no system and it was because it was no fuss. I sold my components and bought a Bose soundbar 900 and sub based partly on your review. The family loves the simplicity and the fact that I’m not sweating about crossovers, amp settings…etc. Now we just have fun watching movies on a simple setup that sounds pretty darn good. When the time comes for a change, I won’t hesitate to look into something like the Quad.
Did you test the Quads on the latest firmware Andrew? The new firmware only came out a few days ago which did the following: Improved Acoustic Center Sync Supported VoiceZoom3 feature (only available on 2024 tvs and the A95L) Other minor feature improvement The new acoustic center sync now actually calibrates the TV alongside the speakers so that it plays in unison with the speakers instead of independently like the previous model. The update for this is available for the following tv models below and you'll get a prompt in the app to run an additional calibration with the TV included. 2024 - Bravia 7/8/9 2023 - A95L/A80L/X95EL/X90L/91L 2022 - A95K/A90K/A80K/Z95EK/X90K/X91K/Z9K 2021 - A90J/A80J/X95J/Z9J Might be worth having a play if you still have the speakers and you have one of those tv models :)
I’ve so come around on phantom centers. I had a really surround system with mammoth center by Golden Ear, sold it for a high quality two channel and thought it sounded way better. That said, I’m waiting for that perfect Sony release, and I don’t quite think they have it there yet for me. Third times the charm is gonna be the one that gets me there, and I can’t wait! I just hope Sony makes the changes y’all suggested. Thanks as always, team!
I am loving this format. The review on Sunday and this follow-up is such a cool way to do it. I appreciated your Phantom Center topic discussion. I was a home theater nerd for many years. When I changed to focus more on 2--channel music about 4-5 years ago, I changed to phantom center and have never looked back. I agree whole-heartedly that the phantom is just better in so many ways. Keep up the great work!
Just wanted thank you both for hours of videos I have already watched. I just pulled the trigger on the ht a9’s based on your info. The price difference of a clearance set of a9’s vs the quads is huge right now. Thanks again!
I have 2 sub 700s with my Bose home theatre and it makes a big difference. At that price the option should be made available and not left to a possibility for the future.
Great Unplugged episode. I was having a beer with a buddy of mine yesterday and he kind of regrets buying his Ambeo so I showed him this review. He is more into aesthetics than I am, so this could be a better solution. He was intrigued. I hope you can do a dedicated video to the changes you made in your livingroom. I'm going to do some remodeling in november and I'm really interested in what you did to the wall regarding acoustics (and why). Keep up the great work!
Thank you, sensible review! I just bought a Sony Bravia 9., and ordered the Quads based on multiple reviews. I wanted a traditional system, but don’t want to go into my ceiling, and finally decided if I wanted to listen to atmos And 5. Remasters of music, I would try this and avoid the substantial price of upgrading traditional, plus wiring placement ! One question for you, can you incorporate vinyl somehow, with some at least decent sound and reliability, maybe Bluetooth turntable. Suggestions!
I own the HTA9 and don't feel there's enough improvements in the sound for upgrade. I have it in my computer room and love how great it works for PC gaming and movies. Blows out the competion when you look at what's available for PC surround speakers. But for home theater, this doesn't replace a proper home theater system with bass management and I'm saving for something more premium.
what inputs did you use to connect to the pc? any delay in sound or dropped connection? How's the quality is sound? I'm considering this system however, no sub out keeps me from buying as I have my own sub.
@@Nokturnal33 HDMI cable to monitor for the EARC connection. Zero delay issues. Drop connection is rare like once a month or two but is fixed by going through the wifi settings RF toggle routine.
@davidmcgillivray2676 I can vouch for the a95l speakers (I have that tv model) they are seriously great, I think your experience with the quads with this tv as a centre channel will be fantastic as a package, not to mention QDoled being amazing
I’m so excited for the future of audio convenience. I’m not the type of audiophile that likes to hunt and hunt for something that works. I’m looking forward to the days of completely wireless sets of speakers that are as good as mid to high end surround sound systems and that excel with movies and music. It should be possible right now with aptx-lossless.
I have listened to both within days of each other in my home. The Quad is better in terms of frequency response, to my ears. The highs are still articulate, but much smoother. I did not experience dropouts with the Quad. I did with the HTA9. If you have the HTA9 and you are thinking of upgrading to the Quad, I think it is a worthy upgrade. I would wait for a price drop.
Loved the review and both your comments as always. I was fascinated by your review and comments about the A9 and now the Quads. Most interesting is the phantom centre and it's dialogue quality. On my list for when I upgrade. Awesome work as always. Love the always professional reviews and both your balanced comments. Well done. Again! 👏👍
Loved this discussion. Thank you. This product seems like something both my wife and I can appreciate. SHe doesn’t care for the aesthetics of our current 5.1 speakers in the living room and I really like the surround experience. It would be nice if other standalone subs could be used since that’s often a high ticket item that someone may already own. Maybe a Sony signal receiver that could go inline on speaker inputs.
It's somewhat ironic that Sony announced the Quads about a week or so after I finally decided to go from the Q990C to an Onkyo 5100 (which has 5 way binding posts for all channels now, btw) and separates for my bedroom. I've always been impressed with Sony's DSP, but to be fair, I'm REALLY happy with the 5100.
I am enjoying this episode as much as I did Andrew's singular review. I'm sorry that some people don't watch AND listen to the entire episode because it's a lack of respect directed towards the two of you and the work that you two do. Keep up the work.
Had the a9 forever, just put in the quads, same placement, the vocal clarity? General clarity in the midrange, bass presence, spacial mapping, everything is better imo. But it isn't night and day. It's an upgrade. It's kef q series to r series. It's VASTLY better, but you wouldn't say it's 2x the price better(current Best buy in store pricing between open box a9 vs new quads)
I use an Apple TV 4K exclusively on a Sony tv and use 2 Apple Original HomePods with a svs subwoofer connected via an Apple express. Switching to the quads will it be seamless with the Apple TV? Also, how will the Apple Music sound thru quads? Also, our room only has 2 walls. Do you think it would still be worth it?
Thanks for going in depth on a cool new product. And yes, you both are amazing! I'm curious how well that phantom center will be when the front speakers are wall mounted as opposed to being on speaker stands toed in to the listening position.
I run 4.2.2 setup and am looking forward to getting rid of my setup for something like this. I just don't like the look of these speakers and the sub seems underpowered. But I find this encouraging. Things are moving in the right direction. Fingers crossed i can dump my system for something like this in 2 years.
Loved to see the review, it was very good as always! I'm a Sony A9/SW5 MK1I user and I'm staying put as I'm not comfortable going to thinner speakers with a "weaker" upfireing speaker. In my line of work less is less and more is more.
Working as a music producer for Rock and metal records. I use Genelec and Focal stereo speakers for reference and rarely is smaller or thinner better for the music I work with. Might be different for Jazz or soft listening music for definitely not for Rock. You can check out my latest work with the band: The murder of my sweet and listen to "A gentleman's Legacy" if there is any interest. I've done countless other records in my studio Sound vs. Science. Again awesome review, it's very hard to find amazing reviews online. What you guys do is really out of the ordinary , very good quality but what happened to the sound quality on Andrews voice? The first A9 review had a better voice quality than on this video, did you guys change the mic or pre-amp? Just curious 😂 Cheers!
With all the annoyances with streaming services downgrading audio formats, HDCP handshake problems forcing lower bit rate formats, wireless connectivity issues, and Dolby of the week processing, I am going back to an old-school home theater processor with separates that can take a lossless stereo signal or AC3 standard 5.1 digital signal and mix it to 7.1, and I’m just gonna be happy with that. Nothing is more frustrating than paying for extra features that get locked behind pay walls in the form of mandatory hardware upgrades, or the ever stratifying tiered streaming service model. Lexicon logic seven processors used to cost 5000$, now you can get them for 200-500$ all day long on eBay.
Sony HTA9 + A90J using the TV as the center channel is amazing, never had a problem understanding dialogue. Unfortunately not all HTa9 users have a Sony OLED with that option and the full potential of the speakers are not being met by their setup. Which is why a true home theater setup might be a safer option for some with dedicated speakers. Idk.
@@ScottSterling21 I'm still using the Sony DVD/home theater combo 1000w and it doesn't want to die 🤣 just want to upgrade the audio to feel that $5000 spent on the new tv! TBH, I considered the A9 and it is half the price of the quad in where I live ... But the disconnectin issues with many makes want to buy the quad 🥴
I only wish that people who are time challenged (work more than 40 hrs, hold down multiple jobs) and relish their downtime would see Andrew's review on the Quad. It might actually work for them especially with shrinking living spaces that are the future. Home audio as a home owner hobby has a very limited future. And Sony if you're reading this.. bring this tech to headphones !
Well done guys great video and very thorough, your video has really made me consider buying the Sony Bravia Quad but I’m still torn between this setup or the Sonos arc with the Era 300’s as surrounds just concerned wich setup will be better with height effects with a 8ft ceiling any buying advice would go a long way
I have the Arc + Era at my parents and the Quad. The Quad is significantly better in my opinion. Sonos also really dropped the ball with their new software update.
Great content 👌 👏 👍 Question, is there anyway to make this quad system part of a multi room system 🤔, maybe get a sonos port or plug the quad into a heos amplifier to utilize heos system 🤔 Thanks for your hard work 👍👍
Good Friday afternoon Andrew, Kristi and everyone else. I've been looking forward to this episode. My son says I need this set over a full 7.2 set. I'll try to be as open minded as I can but I still have to give it a "Carl eye" just to be certain.
I purchased the A9 over a year ago but I returned it after owning a dedicated theatre setup. The biggest problem was that it was 'pants' at low to medium volume, which most people will use it for 90% of the time! However, at high volume it fantastic. I would like to hear more about how good the new version is at low volume please?
@@KristiWright i did watch the videa first time and i acknowledge you mention the dialogue in detail, but it is the whole surround effect at lower volumes i was requiring. When i had a seperate setup it still sounded fantastic at lower volumes but the A9 did not. The a9 completely lost all of its magic and sent it back. Hence why i ask about the Quad. Great reviews by the way and i know it is hard to cover every aspect!
21:51 I'm not done with the whole video yet but as an old school audiophile speaker placement is important. I played with my setup with rotating brackets and found the perfect placement for my listening position.
Placement is key and among the more overlooked aspects of "good sound." Too often, people or enthusiasts think another piece of equipment will solve all their problems. It rarely does. It's the room/speaker/listener interaction and position that is often the key to unlocking nirvana.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I absolutely agree placement is something I learned as a kid as my dad is a huge audio head! It's just back in the days it was much simpler due to the 5.1 setup remember those days 😂 36:38
Great video as always. How does this system compare to Dirac which I used to set up my system and very impressed as in similar situation as you with no wall. Thanks as always.
Rocking the Sony Quads, Sony 83 inch OLED A90J, and Sony SW-5 subwoofer. My TV is the center channel. I upgraded from my ZVOX Soundbase 670. I don't need the tv up as loud despite my soundbase being pretty phenomenal over the years. Especially the output leveling for noisy commercials or loud CZcams videos. I've only watched Top Gun Maverick and Avatar 2 with the quads. Watched some basketball too. I'm like it's cool for the $2.8K spent on the quads and subwoofer.
Seriously! I was hoping Andrew could pull the clip of her during the last season. It would've been even better! Did you watch the ending of that show? 👎
I love my HT-A9 system with the SA-SW5 subwoofer, but placement is key! I've experimented extensively with positioning, and I couldn't agree more that it makes a huge difference. My furniture is against the wall, so I can't place the rear speakers directly behind me. When I mount the speakers flat against the wall, the rear sound seems to fade, and the '360 sound' doesn't quite come through. But when I use stands and angle the speakers toward my listening position, it's like stepping into a whole new audio experience-something you'd expect from top-tier home theater systems. Aside from the occasional cut-out from the rear right speaker, I don't see any reason to upgrade just yet. I love seeing the continuous improvements, and I'm really hoping for a third version with more HDMI-IN ports!
Totally agree with the phantom center. Every time I mention to a sales guy that I'm building a surround system without a center channel, they go crazy about it's importance etc.
I agree with your takes on the phantom center. I was forced to turn off my center channel on my HT because it was installed too high above the tv and messing up voice location. No one ever notices or mentions the lack of a center channel.
I bought the A9 after y'alls review and when it works, its amazing! But Sony burned me hard with the whole signal dropouts. They never did fix that problem plaguing so many people. 100% not your fault because you mentioned after your review that y'all didn't experience that issue. If that problem is fixed with the new quads, I'm very confident they are totally worth the money but personally, I'd hold off on these a little while to let user feedback build up to confirm. Keep up the excellent reviews and great dialog about all the different levels of A\V!
Good video. Will you be reviewing the Bravia 9? If so, could you try the Bravia 9 as a center with the Quads? Im seriously considering getting the Bravia 9 and the Quads individually and lm wondering if the Bravia 9 improves the sound of the Quads. Thanks.
This is fantastic, I have a 2.0 receiver/turntable/streamer setup and looked into home theater without hassle. Since I can wall mount the speakers and this is standalone system, I don't need to mess around with integration of my vintage stuff. I rarely watch TV, but this is tempting. Any issue you see with a dedicated audio and a dedicated home theater in one larger space?
Thank you so much for this video. I bought the quads today because of this. Will the quads attach to those Kanto stands via the included hardware from either the speakers or the stands?
I've had the HT-A9s for a couple of years now based on AR's review. For not having a complete separate dedicated components, the sound is very good. On a grading system, the sound for me is a solid B/B+. The ease of installation and use, is an A-. We do everything from music, movies even sing karaoke. I've seen guests look up and back to see where the sound was coming from. I don't plan on upgrading but if I had no sound system or upgrade from a mid-level soundbar, I would give the Bravia Theatre a try. The only soundbar that really piques my interest is the Ambeo although the Nakamichi Dragon if I wanted my neighbors to wonder what we were watching. That's a win in my book.
When I heard the sw5 I was let down by the bass quality is. I tested the a7000 with it against Sonos arc and sub. Bass quality of the Sonos felt a lot better in the same demo room
A "phantom" center might be a better solution than the mediocre dedicated centers manufacturers include with systems at this price point. However, for larger scale systems, a phantom center is not going to come close to a high quality dedicated center speaker.
Really enjoyed watching your video. From your explanation of how the Sony works , the way I think of it is that it's about as far as you can take it until you go with 11 channel receiver, seven ear level speakers, four height speakers and two plus sub woofers. I love my 990C at a third the price, but if the gap was a lot narrower it would have been the Sony.
I still think the idea of this system is the future of accessible home theatre entertainment. I would really like to give it a listen. On the other hand i have had some bad experiences with Sony's aftersales/ warranty in my life time and that is what holding me back of buying this. I'm wondering what other brands are working on this kind of systems. A simple soundbar isn't cutting it anymore these days.
Re the phantom center issue, I have 2.1 system in my bedroom using Magnepan LRS+ and Arendal sub and never feel the need for a center channel- dialogue sounds super clear yet natural.
Never listen to this but I believe there is credence to your point of using all four speakers to create the center image. That was how I imagined it would prior to your comment
I heard something years ago that the easiest way to find the best place for your sub is to put the sub at your seating location, then you go and sit on the floor in the locations where you want to put the sub/think you’ll put the sub, whichever location sounds best is where you should put the sub. I can’t remember if you should do something like flip the phase while it is in your seating position, maybe it doesn’t matter?
What you describe is commonly called the "subwoofer crawl". I believe there is an older video on this channel regarding subwoofer placement that discusses it.
Regarding the question about product longevity. The question is not about whether Sony continues to update the speaker software with new features, but about whether they even maintain that software going forward. What happens if Sony decides to stop supporting the Quad in the Bravia connect app in a few years? Without app support they can't even be set up. Will users be able to source legacy versions of that software? Will that software work with newer devices, or will they need to keep a legacy phone handy just to set the Quads up? Conventional speakers have a lifespan that is measured in decades, but the reliance on external software means that these could be bricks if that software support disappears. Consider the recent case of Sonos dropping features from their app, this could just as easily happen for legacy products.
@@bocrux Just went through the manual for these on Sony's site, you can probably plug them in and get sound, but all settings seem to be controlled through the app. There's no on screen menus like you might get with an AVR.
@@bocrux Sony's online help guide for the HTA9 details TV menus, but the same guide for the Quad only talks about the app. Hard to know for certain without actually using them. (I'd love to be wrong because being locked into an app means that this is no longer a stand alone product)
@@ryanmole6758 Okay you may be onto something. I checked the online manual myself and it looks like this model indeed has no onscreen menu, so color me surprised.
anyone and everyone complaining about phantom center don't own HT A9 and posting bogus comments .. I never ever felt I'm missing a center.. The phantom center is that good and always always feels like the sound is coming directly from the actor's mouth
Hi Kristi and Andrew. I have a question for you. Would the quad (or the a9 for that matter) work with front the speakers being wall mounted and at 220cm height ( in room with 270cm height) ?
I’m excited to see how they compare to the inevitable new Sonos soundbar and era 300s. I was able to have the 300s for a while with my beam gen 2 (had to return the 300s unfortunately) but that was already a very immersive system.
With the 360 feature on at higher volumes is there any hissing sounds from the speakers? I ask as I have the ES STR-AZ500ES and when I am listening at louder levels (not crazy levels like -20 not 0) there is some hissing that occurs unless you turn off 360 and it goes away. My room is an odd shape and smaller so thinking about getting the Quad to keep good sound and clean up some space to make things nicer. But the hissing would be a big deciding factor.
Thanks for platform and outstanding content. I live in townhome with common walls. Have you noticed how much speakers vibrate or how much back sound is produced? I'm concerned with sound and vibration if wall mounting speakers. Thanks!
Hello Andrew & Kristi, I really enjoyed your videos about the Bravis Theater Quad system where here in France, we are slow to benefit from reviews. I have a quick question, is the quad suitable for a room with a high ceiling between 9 and 16 ft? I want to move towards a wireless and flexible system and only Sony offers that apparently. Do you also know if we can combine two quads or add additional speakers. Thank you in advance for your answers. 😊
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❤ Love the work you 2 are doing.
Now I am really just a stereo only sort of guy, as I just don't see a way to place more than two or 2+1 speaker setup in my home. So I am more interested in all things stereo, plus also the TV reviews as who doesn't watch a movie or game a little. Only you manage to make the multi-channel stuff interesting and, as the sort of go to tech guy in my circle, a little general knowledge never hurts. Kudos.
No I still don't agree that SONY BRAVIA QUAD can be considered as a replacement for actual dedicated multi channel setup. I set up two rooms for my uncle one with HT-A9 + SW5 and other with KEF Qseries 5.4 + 2x Dayton SUB Kits + Onkyo 797. Yes dedicated setup was $300 more than SONY setup. But the difference was night and day. No kidding. He then returned the SONY setup and got the same setup for that second room as well. So yes there is a huge difference. And now that the price of BRAVIA QUAD going up by $1000 I think for that difference we can easily get good 7.2.4 Setup which far outclasses the Quad.
Now please don't think that this guy always drops in just to disagree with us or drop negative comment. I always watch your content and I do that because I love it. It is same as when mom asks me and dad why we only complaint when something is wrong with the food and not compliment when it is good. As she cooks to perfection 99% of the time we really don't need to point out the obvious of how good it really is. But that 1% when it is not good we just let her know. Similarly all your content I mostly agree with and love it. Just when I think that something stated is not right or something I just point it out. But yes I do love your content and enjoy watching it keep it up guys.
In your opinion, though these are different types of speakers, which is a better setup and your preferred?
Sony Bravia Theatre Quad + SA-SW5 300W Wireless Subwoofer Vs. Sonos Arc + Sub gen 3 + 2x Era 300.
Your discussion of the phantom vs dedicated center issue is EXACTLY what I wanted to know. I feel so much better informed after watching this Thanks guys!
Heck yeah! Thanks for watching!! I mean it..for actually watching!
Don’t believe it blind and test it for yourself … for me it was the reason to sell my ht a9 after I bought it because of the review from Andrew … so buy it and test it
JFC, of course, you should always test something for yourself to see if it's a good fit. Take ownership of your decisions. You sold it because it wasn't for you, NOT because we told you to go buy it.
@@KristiWright I don’t know why you getting so emotional the last row of videos … I Bought it because I trust in Andrew and wanted to test it for myself … and after I found out it was not like I expected I sold it - so that’s all of the storie… and if someone has over 300.000 Abos yes it’s possible that someone is buying something tech because of Andrew’s words and opinion … that’s only a reason how good Andrews videos are that some people getting these tech of his reviews .. and I think the people should know that the phantom centre is not working for everybody so why so mad?
Thanks for answering my question! I've only had the A9 for under a year, and I don't think upgrading to the Quad is something I can justify. I wonder how much stock is left of the A9, because I think the reduced price will be attractive for a lot of people.
I barely have ever commented on YT ever. I figured out my old log in just to chime in. I used to work at an electronics store in the 90's and I have had at least 15 completely different set ups from 5.1 to atmos and then some. From $1500 to $12,000 systems. I have the A9 now and it blows all of the past systems out of the water! NOT EVEN CLOSE no matter the price of the set ups. The cohesive sound from the Sony OLED tv Center channel mode with the front two speakers is JUST INCREDIBLE AND PRECISE. I am absolutely selling my A9 I bought last year to get this updated version. I don't care if you think your $15k sound system is better. Your wrong. Period. This is the future. The future looks less cluttered and sounds better than ever. Like he says, if you haven't heard one in a home yet then you need to stop. It's absolutely spectacular. PERIOD. A new SONY OLED with this system is the BEST thing I have purchased in years.
I got the Quads today and they are much better than the original A9's for me personally.
I just got them today too, just to test out. They’re amazing, and center sync sounds much better on my A90J than it did w/ the A9’s. Gonna send them back, and buy them for much less around Black Friday. Holding on to my Sonos system until then. Great system though!
@@TravionMusic On the original version the TV and speakers play independently. On the new version with the recent update the TV gets calibrated and the speakers play in unison.
@@TravionMusic This is the kind of behavior that will see your return opportunities slowly disappear.
@@TravionMusicIs your sonos system the full with the 300s rears and it sounds better than that?
@@JL-ku7wo I have the arc, era 300’s, and sub mini. Sonos sub is better, but the mini and gen 3 are better than sw3/5, and the Atmos is a bit better than Sony’s too, but this is mainly because you have control of your height speakers with the Sonos. Everything else, Sony beats it. Better separation. Better voice clarity, and if you have an AppleTV 4K, idk what it is, but LPCM sounds much better on any other system I had over Sonos. You’d have to hear it to believe it, and this is coming from someone who did NOT like the A9’s at all, the theatre quad is what the A9 should have been at launch
I change my HT A9 speakers to the Theatre quad due to continuing dropouts despite a major software update that improved 90% of them.
so far the Theatre quad has not dropped out once and I believe it just sounds better. I sold my HT A9’s privately so I got the Theatre quad equivalent to a 35% discount. I’m very happy
Still enjoying the unplugged series every week. Keep up the great work!
Greetings from Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦.
Love your show.
I'm sitting up my HT and decided on the Quad+SW5 and Sony 98" X90l like (fw-98bz50l) because it's the only Sony 98" tv offered here.
Wish me luck.. 🙏
I own the HT-A9 largely because of your review and I like them a lot. I have zero connection issues so I stay and wait. 🙂
I am all for any product, which puts the "cinematic" experience closer and more livable for home use. I am a convert to Soundbar and rear speakers with 2 subs in our living room and it sounds AMAZING! My wife, who before she met me, never even used anything out side of the TVs internal speakers. She Is now a home theatre convert. Loves it and can't understand how people simply get by without some form of external speaker system! Bravi(o)! Sony for this innovation.
Good Friday morning Andrew and Kristi. Another great informational product discussion. These Friday deeper dives into your product reviews definitely help elevate them to another level and differentiate your channel from all the others. Keep up the great work and looking forward to Sunday. Thanks again.
Thank you! I'm glad you are enjoying them as much as we are!
Heya Kristi and Andrew! Thank you for this format and insight. And thank you Kristi for your opinion on the Quad.
Didn't knew your channel before this video, loved it! You guys talk clearly, with a nice listening tone, it's a real pleasure listening to you guys!
Thanks so much!
Totally love this channel!!! Please don’t change or stop doing these unplugged videos… or the regular ones too ha.
I’m on the fence to replace my Klipsch r800 towers and center: with this kit! My room is 98% theatre use. My only concern is that should I save $1000 with the older a9. Or bite the bullet and go onto these quads. Especially since unfortunately I’m a newly diagnosed stage 4 cancer user. This will be my last upgrade.
Wrapping up thank you again!!!
I am an industrial designer by profession and the design is truly stunning.
Great Review Andrew! Let the fight begin Samsung Q990D VS Bravia Quad Home Theater
I think we may be able to test them head-to-head in the near future.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews thank you appreciate it take care :)
Kristi, your commentary on the comments that make no sense and the whole "real audiophiles" makes me laugh so hard. It's so funny
They are a source of pure entertainment! So glad you get my sense of humor!
@@KristiWright And the replies to the comments on the comment section also make me laugh, pure humor
When the new Sonos soundbar comes with the era 300s I’d love a comparison to that
Any product that gets people the best sound they can get into their room, and especially any product that can raise the bar for what people are willing to put in their room, are fine by me. I'm certainly not gonna lose sleep over whether the Quads can compete with what I have in my living room, just to maintain some sense of a level of superiority.
Go Sony
I've been watching your videos for quite awhile and I really do enjoy them. I really don't understand why some people make nasty comments. Some seem to thrive at intentionally being rude and disrespectful; I don't get it. Home theater is a hobby of mine and I do have some high-end equipment. The only way I'm able to afford this stuff is to save up for it. When I finally do make a purchase, I pay it off immediately. Yes, I could pay for it over a period of time but that also means that I'll be throwing away (potentially) thousands of dollars; money that could be used to get something 'really nice'.
you hit it on the head with your placement advice. since i have watched a ton of audio-tubers and taken your advice, i have experienced tremendous differences in the overall sound of my equipment by simply moving it, in very small increments until i got the sound i was looking for and it cost me nothing but some time, which i have no problem with considering i love investing my time in this hobby.
Placement is everything. Not sure why more people don't heed that advice. Thanks so much for watching and for sharing your experience!
Thank you both for your reviews. I appreciate the simplicity and flexibility of a system like this.
I’m no audiophile, but I used to spend time and money on components, speakers, wiring…etc. I was always fidgiting, tweaking and fussing with components in an effort to find some magical, mystical sound. I found myself doing this stuff on family movie nights with our kids and taking away from everyone’s experience. Then we bought a fixer upper house and had no system for a while…we ended up having the best movie nights using our temporary tv w no system and it was because it was no fuss.
I sold my components and bought a Bose soundbar 900 and sub based partly on your review. The family loves the simplicity and the fact that I’m not sweating about crossovers, amp settings…etc. Now we just have fun watching movies on a simple setup that sounds pretty darn good.
When the time comes for a change, I won’t hesitate to look into something like the Quad.
Did you test the Quads on the latest firmware Andrew?
The new firmware only came out a few days ago which did the following:
Improved Acoustic Center Sync
Supported VoiceZoom3 feature (only available on 2024 tvs and the A95L)
Other minor feature improvement
The new acoustic center sync now actually calibrates the TV alongside the speakers so that it plays in unison with the speakers instead of independently like the previous model. The update for this is available for the following tv models below and you'll get a prompt in the app to run an additional calibration with the TV included.
2024 - Bravia 7/8/9
2023 - A95L/A80L/X95EL/X90L/91L
2022 - A95K/A90K/A80K/Z95EK/X90K/X91K/Z9K
2021 - A90J/A80J/X95J/Z9J
Might be worth having a play if you still have the speakers and you have one of those tv models :)
I’ve so come around on phantom centers. I had a really surround system with mammoth center by Golden Ear, sold it for a high quality two channel and thought it sounded way better. That said, I’m waiting for that perfect Sony release, and I don’t quite think they have it there yet for me. Third times the charm is gonna be the one that gets me there, and I can’t wait! I just hope Sony makes the changes y’all suggested. Thanks as always, team!
I am loving this format. The review on Sunday and this follow-up is such a cool way to do it. I appreciated your Phantom Center topic discussion. I was a home theater nerd for many years. When I changed to focus more on 2--channel music about 4-5 years ago, I changed to phantom center and have never looked back. I agree whole-heartedly that the phantom is just better in so many ways. Keep up the great work!
Just wanted thank you both for hours of videos I have already watched. I just pulled the trigger on the ht a9’s based on your info. The price difference of a clearance set of a9’s vs the quads is huge right now. Thanks again!
I have 2 sub 700s with my Bose home theatre and it makes a big difference. At that price the option should be made available and not left to a possibility for the future.
Big ups on another great episode, ya’ll!
Great Unplugged episode. I was having a beer with a buddy of mine yesterday and he kind of regrets buying his Ambeo so I showed him this review. He is more into aesthetics than I am, so this could be a better solution. He was intrigued.
I hope you can do a dedicated video to the changes you made in your livingroom. I'm going to do some remodeling in november and I'm really interested in what you did to the wall regarding acoustics (and why).
Keep up the great work!
Thank you, sensible review!
I just bought a Sony Bravia 9., and ordered the Quads based on multiple reviews. I wanted a traditional system, but don’t want to go into my ceiling, and finally decided if I wanted to listen to atmos And 5. Remasters of music, I would try this and avoid the substantial price of upgrading traditional, plus wiring placement !
One question for you, can you incorporate vinyl somehow, with some at least decent sound and reliability, maybe Bluetooth turntable. Suggestions!
"It's not like the Quad is in your shopping cart!" 😂😂 Quote of the day. LOL
My guy, there are still people here in the comments acting as if their finger is hovering over the buy now button. We all know it ain't.
🤣🤣🤣
Absolutely Love Your Reviews and Relative Format! Perfect Amount Of Data and Opinion in all the right moments 👏👏👏
Much appreciated!
Thank you!
In a small bedroom setup, having the rears to the right and left pointing forward, is that optimal setup?
LOVE this format (!), and it was a pleasure to "smashy smash smash" the like button!
Much love, from Suzy and I, in the UK 😁💛😁
Always a pleasure to see you and Suzy in the comments! Hope all is well on your side of the world.
This was a very well explained episode. I believe people should appreciate the detailed level of information you guys provide.
I own the HTA9 and don't feel there's enough improvements in the sound for upgrade. I have it in my computer room and love how great it works for PC gaming and movies. Blows out the competion when you look at what's available for PC surround speakers. But for home theater, this doesn't replace a proper home theater system with bass management and I'm saving for something more premium.
what inputs did you use to connect to the pc? any delay in sound or dropped connection? How's the quality is sound? I'm considering this system however, no sub out keeps me from buying as I have my own sub.
@@Nokturnal33 HDMI cable to monitor for the EARC connection. Zero delay issues. Drop connection is rare like once a month or two but is fixed by going through the wifi settings RF toggle routine.
Great video! Answered alot of questions I had. I'm planning to get the quads and a A95L soon after watching this.
@davidmcgillivray2676 I can vouch for the a95l speakers (I have that tv model) they are seriously great, I think your experience with the quads with this tv as a centre channel will be fantastic as a package, not to mention QDoled being amazing
I’m so excited for the future of audio convenience. I’m not the type of audiophile that likes to hunt and hunt for something that works. I’m looking forward to the days of completely wireless sets of speakers that are as good as mid to high end surround sound systems and that excel with movies and music. It should be possible right now with aptx-lossless.
Thank you for the opinion/video, I love my HTA9M2 system with SW5, steps beyond my HTA9, Now its time to se'll my old A9 :)
I have listened to both within days of each other in my home. The Quad is better in terms of frequency response, to my ears. The highs are still articulate, but much smoother. I did not experience dropouts with the Quad. I did with the HTA9. If you have the HTA9 and you are thinking of upgrading to the Quad, I think it is a worthy upgrade. I would wait for a price drop.
Thanks for sharing your personal experience!
Loved the review and both your comments as always. I was fascinated by your review and comments about the A9 and now the Quads. Most interesting is the phantom centre and it's dialogue quality. On my list for when I upgrade. Awesome work as always. Love the always professional reviews and both your balanced comments. Well done. Again! 👏👍
I am waiting for the BRAVIA Theatre Bar 9 review
Loved this discussion. Thank you. This product seems like something both my wife and I can appreciate. SHe doesn’t care for the aesthetics of our current 5.1 speakers in the living room and I really like the surround experience. It would be nice if other standalone subs could be used since that’s often a high ticket item that someone may already own. Maybe a Sony signal receiver that could go inline on speaker inputs.
I was waiting for the last question to be asked and answered.. Well done :)
Nice job, guys! Between the two videos I have all the info I could need without having to dive into the deep and scary rabbit hole! Appreciate it!
Awesome! Thank you!
It's somewhat ironic that Sony announced the Quads about a week or so after I finally decided to go from the Q990C to an Onkyo 5100 (which has 5 way binding posts for all channels now, btw) and separates for my bedroom. I've always been impressed with Sony's DSP, but to be fair, I'm REALLY happy with the 5100.
The only thing I wish the Quad had was ethernet ports on each speaker, making hardwiring to a network switch (and not relying on 2.4ghz) a possibility
I'm curious if the new Sony AVR's will receive an update making them compatible with the new Bravia Connect app
I am enjoying this episode as much as I did Andrew's singular review. I'm sorry that some people don't watch AND listen to the entire episode because it's a lack of respect directed towards the two of you and the work that you two do. Keep up the work.
@jamesmichael900 Word.
Had the a9 forever, just put in the quads, same placement, the vocal clarity? General clarity in the midrange, bass presence, spacial mapping, everything is better imo. But it isn't night and day. It's an upgrade. It's kef q series to r series. It's VASTLY better, but you wouldn't say it's 2x the price better(current Best buy in store pricing between open box a9 vs new quads)
I use an Apple TV 4K exclusively on a Sony tv and use 2 Apple Original HomePods with a svs subwoofer connected via an Apple express. Switching to the quads will it be seamless with the Apple TV? Also, how will the Apple Music sound thru quads?
Also, our room only has 2 walls. Do you think it would still be worth it?
Thanks for going in depth on a cool new product. And yes, you both are amazing! I'm curious how well that phantom center will be when the front speakers are wall mounted as opposed to being on speaker stands toed in to the listening position.
Video watched.
Like button smashed.
Loving this format.
Like a boss! Thank you.
YES.
Maybe I'm just interested in this topic but, to me, a very impressive video that discusses the pluses and minuses of this unique system.
I run 4.2.2 setup and am looking forward to getting rid of my setup for something like this.
I just don't like the look of these speakers and the sub seems underpowered.
But I find this encouraging. Things are moving in the right direction. Fingers crossed i can dump my system for something like this in 2 years.
Loved to see the review, it was very good as always!
I'm a Sony A9/SW5 MK1I user and I'm staying put as I'm not comfortable going to thinner speakers with a "weaker" upfireing speaker. In my line of work less is less and more is more.
Your line of work?
Working as a music producer for Rock and metal records. I use Genelec and Focal stereo speakers for reference and rarely is smaller or thinner better for the music I work with. Might be different for Jazz or soft listening music for definitely not for Rock.
You can check out my latest work with the band: The murder of my sweet and listen to "A gentleman's Legacy" if there is any interest.
I've done countless other records in my studio Sound vs. Science.
Again awesome review, it's very hard to find amazing reviews online. What you guys do is really out of the ordinary , very good quality but what happened to the sound quality on Andrews voice? The first A9 review had a better voice quality than on this video, did you guys change the mic or pre-amp? Just curious 😂
Cheers!
With all the annoyances with streaming services downgrading audio formats, HDCP handshake problems forcing lower bit rate formats, wireless connectivity issues, and Dolby of the week processing, I am going back to an old-school home theater processor with separates that can take a lossless stereo signal or AC3 standard 5.1 digital signal and mix it to 7.1, and I’m just gonna be happy with that. Nothing is more frustrating than paying for extra features that get locked behind pay walls in the form of mandatory hardware upgrades, or the ever stratifying tiered streaming service model. Lexicon logic seven processors used to cost 5000$, now you can get them for 200-500$ all day long on eBay.
Imagine if they would llet you add the HT-7000 as a Center channel to the Squad
I have the A9 I love it. I don’t have any problems with it and it sounds great.
Sony HTA9 + A90J using the TV as the center channel is amazing, never had a problem understanding dialogue. Unfortunately not all HTa9 users have a Sony OLED with that option and the full potential of the speakers are not being met by their setup. Which is why a true home theater setup might be a safer option for some with dedicated speakers. Idk.
I have the A95L 77 ... Results should be better?
@@zootopiashow from what A95L owners have told me yes, the center channel is way better with your model than mine. Noticeable improvement.
@@ScottSterling21 Thanks a million ... Placing my order now 🥳
@@zootopiashow I also have my HT-A9 paired with the SA-SW5 sub. Highly recommended it 👍
@@ScottSterling21 I'm still using the Sony DVD/home theater combo 1000w and it doesn't want to die 🤣 just want to upgrade the audio to feel that $5000 spent on the new tv!
TBH, I considered the A9 and it is half the price of the quad in where I live ... But the disconnectin issues with many makes want to buy the quad 🥴
Congrats on 11 of these. I love this format.
I only wish that people who are time challenged (work more than 40 hrs, hold down multiple jobs) and relish their downtime would see Andrew's review on the Quad. It might actually work for them especially with shrinking living spaces that are the future. Home audio as a home owner hobby has a very limited future. And Sony if you're reading this.. bring this tech to headphones !
Well done guys great video and very thorough, your video has really made me consider buying the Sony Bravia Quad but I’m still torn between this setup or the Sonos arc with the Era 300’s as surrounds just concerned wich setup will be better with height effects with a 8ft ceiling any buying advice would go a long way
I have the Arc + Era at my parents and the Quad. The Quad is significantly better in my opinion. Sonos also really dropped the ball with their new software update.
Great content 👌 👏 👍
Question, is there anyway to make this quad system part of a multi room system 🤔, maybe get a sonos port or plug the quad into a heos amplifier to utilize heos system 🤔
Thanks for your hard work 👍👍
Good Friday afternoon Andrew, Kristi and everyone else.
I've been looking forward to this episode. My son says I need this set over a full 7.2 set.
I'll try to be as open minded as I can but I still have to give it a "Carl eye" just to be certain.
Do they work well with 25 feet roofs?
I purchased the A9 over a year ago but I returned it after owning a dedicated theatre setup. The biggest problem was that it was 'pants' at low to medium volume, which most people will use it for 90% of the time! However, at high volume it fantastic. I would like to hear more about how good the new version is at low volume please?
I discuss lower-volume listening here 14:16
Watch the video and you will!
@@KristiWright i did watch the videa first time and i acknowledge you mention the dialogue in detail, but it is the whole surround effect at lower volumes i was requiring. When i had a seperate setup it still sounded fantastic at lower volumes but the A9 did not. The a9 completely lost all of its magic and sent it back. Hence why i ask about the Quad. Great reviews by the way and i know it is hard to cover every aspect!
21:51 I'm not done with the whole video yet but as an old school audiophile speaker placement is important. I played with my setup with rotating brackets and found the perfect placement for my listening position.
Hey Nick!
@@KristiWright good afternoon Kristi
Placement is key and among the more overlooked aspects of "good sound." Too often, people or enthusiasts think another piece of equipment will solve all their problems. It rarely does. It's the room/speaker/listener interaction and position that is often the key to unlocking nirvana.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I absolutely agree placement is something I learned as a kid as my dad is a huge audio head! It's just back in the days it was much simpler due to the 5.1 setup remember those days 😂 36:38
@@andrewrobinsonreviewsyou may want to tune in on Sunday I found a new reference film that knocked it out of the park! 🫡
Once they release the Quin, with an actual center, I'm in.
That should be the new name! The Quin.
Thank you both for the time you have put in for this review excellent time listing to you both.
Thank you, Issac. We really appreciate your kind words.
Great video as always. How does this system compare to Dirac which I used to set up my system and very impressed as in similar situation as you with no wall. Thanks as always.
Rocking the Sony Quads, Sony 83 inch OLED A90J, and Sony SW-5 subwoofer. My TV is the center channel. I upgraded from my ZVOX Soundbase 670.
I don't need the tv up as loud despite my soundbase being pretty phenomenal over the years. Especially the output leveling for noisy commercials or loud CZcams videos.
I've only watched Top Gun Maverick and Avatar 2 with the quads. Watched some basketball too. I'm like it's cool for the $2.8K spent on the quads and subwoofer.
Hey guys, fun video today! Just wondering if there will be a forthcoming review of the Sony ES 5000 versus your ES 7000?
We have it and the 3000, so yes.
@@KristiWright Cool, i’m looking forward to it! Thanks!
Those square speakers have a Bang and Olafson vibes
"Mom in La Brea"!!!! :) You two are a great pair for this wonderful series!
Seriously! I was hoping Andrew could pull the clip of her during the last season. It would've been even better! Did you watch the ending of that show? 👎
I didn’t see anything after the first season. Should I have hung in there?
@@markhamrick6554 Nah, you didn't miss anything...It goes from bad to worse to WTF. LOL
Wow! Good to know! Our son lives in the neighborhood. So it was fascinating to see how the neighborhood showed up.
I love my HT-A9 system with the SA-SW5 subwoofer, but placement is key! I've experimented extensively with positioning, and I couldn't agree more that it makes a huge difference. My furniture is against the wall, so I can't place the rear speakers directly behind me. When I mount the speakers flat against the wall, the rear sound seems to fade, and the '360 sound' doesn't quite come through. But when I use stands and angle the speakers toward my listening position, it's like stepping into a whole new audio experience-something you'd expect from top-tier home theater systems. Aside from the occasional cut-out from the rear right speaker, I don't see any reason to upgrade just yet. I love seeing the continuous improvements, and I'm really hoping for a third version with more HDMI-IN ports!
Totally agree with the phantom center. Every time I mention to a sales guy that I'm building a surround system without a center channel, they go crazy about it's importance etc.
I agree with your takes on the phantom center. I was forced to turn off my center channel on my HT because it was installed too high above the tv and messing up voice location. No one ever notices or mentions the lack of a center channel.
How to setup a projector with HT-A9 S-Center, any help for the center speaker enjoy the atoms ? thanks a lot
I bought the A9 after y'alls review and when it works, its amazing! But Sony burned me hard with the whole signal dropouts. They never did fix that problem plaguing so many people.
100% not your fault because you mentioned after your review that y'all didn't experience that issue. If that problem is fixed with the new quads, I'm very confident they are totally worth the money but personally, I'd hold off on these a little while to let user feedback build up to confirm. Keep up the excellent reviews and great dialog about all the different levels of A\V!
I like these kind of products for what they do for the hobby… but they are also mass market “lifestyle” products not intended for enthusiasts.
Good video. Will you be reviewing the Bravia 9? If so, could you try the Bravia 9 as a center with the Quads? Im seriously considering getting the Bravia 9 and the Quads individually and lm wondering if the Bravia 9 improves the sound of the Quads. Thanks.
This is fantastic, I have a 2.0 receiver/turntable/streamer setup and looked into home theater without hassle. Since I can wall mount the speakers and this is standalone system, I don't need to mess around with integration of my vintage stuff. I rarely watch TV, but this is tempting. Any issue you see with a dedicated audio and a dedicated home theater in one larger space?
Thank you so much for this video. I bought the quads today because of this. Will the quads attach to those Kanto stands via the included hardware from either the speakers or the stands?
I've had the HT-A9s for a couple of years now based on AR's review. For not having a complete separate dedicated components, the sound is very good. On a grading system, the sound for me is a solid B/B+. The ease of installation and use, is an A-. We do everything from music, movies even sing karaoke. I've seen guests look up and back to see where the sound was coming from. I don't plan on upgrading but if I had no sound system or upgrade from a mid-level soundbar, I would give the Bravia Theatre a try. The only soundbar that really piques my interest is the Ambeo although the Nakamichi Dragon if I wanted my neighbors to wonder what we were watching. That's a win in my book.
When I heard the sw5 I was let down by the bass quality is. I tested the a7000 with it against Sonos arc and sub. Bass quality of the Sonos felt a lot better in the same demo room
A "phantom" center might be a better solution than the mediocre dedicated centers manufacturers include with systems at this price point. However, for larger scale systems, a phantom center is not going to come close to a high quality dedicated center speaker.
Really enjoyed watching your video. From your explanation of how the Sony works , the way I think of it is that it's about as far as you can take it until you go with 11 channel receiver, seven ear level speakers, four height speakers and two plus sub woofers. I love my 990C at a third the price, but if the gap was a lot narrower it would have been the Sony.
The A9 is on clearance at some retailers, if that helps.
How would the quad compare to a klipsch onkyo home theater setup ?
I still think the idea of this system is the future of accessible home theatre entertainment. I would really like to give it a listen. On the other hand i have had some bad experiences with Sony's aftersales/ warranty in my life time and that is what holding me back of buying this. I'm wondering what other brands are working on this kind of systems. A simple soundbar isn't cutting it anymore these days.
Re the phantom center issue, I have 2.1 system in my bedroom using Magnepan LRS+ and Arendal sub and never feel the need for a center channel- dialogue sounds super clear yet natural.
Never listen to this but I believe there is credence to your point of using all four speakers to create the center image. That was how I imagined it would prior to your comment
I heard something years ago that the easiest way to find the best place for your sub is to put the sub at your seating location, then you go and sit on the floor in the locations where you want to put the sub/think you’ll put the sub, whichever location sounds best is where you should put the sub. I can’t remember if you should do something like flip the phase while it is in your seating position, maybe it doesn’t matter?
What you describe is commonly called the "subwoofer crawl". I believe there is an older video on this channel regarding subwoofer placement that discusses it.
Regarding the question about product longevity. The question is not about whether Sony continues to update the speaker software with new features, but about whether they even maintain that software going forward. What happens if Sony decides to stop supporting the Quad in the Bravia connect app in a few years? Without app support they can't even be set up. Will users be able to source legacy versions of that software? Will that software work with newer devices, or will they need to keep a legacy phone handy just to set the Quads up?
Conventional speakers have a lifespan that is measured in decades, but the reliance on external software means that these could be bricks if that software support disappears.
Consider the recent case of Sonos dropping features from their app, this could just as easily happen for legacy products.
You don't need a phone to setup these speakers.
@@bocrux Just went through the manual for these on Sony's site, you can probably plug them in and get sound, but all settings seem to be controlled through the app. There's no on screen menus like you might get with an AVR.
@@ryanmole6758 I know with my HTA9 the settings menu was output to the TV. I would be shocked if it wasn't the same here.
@@bocrux Sony's online help guide for the HTA9 details TV menus, but the same guide for the Quad only talks about the app. Hard to know for certain without actually using them. (I'd love to be wrong because being locked into an app means that this is no longer a stand alone product)
@@ryanmole6758 Okay you may be onto something. I checked the online manual myself and it looks like this model indeed has no onscreen menu, so color me surprised.
anyone and everyone complaining about phantom center don't own HT A9 and posting bogus comments .. I never ever felt I'm missing a center.. The phantom center is that good and always always feels like the sound is coming directly from the actor's mouth
Hi Kristi and Andrew. I have a question for you. Would the quad (or the a9 for that matter) work with front the speakers being wall mounted and at 220cm height ( in room with 270cm height) ?
I’m excited to see how they compare to the inevitable new Sonos soundbar and era 300s. I was able to have the 300s for a while with my beam gen 2 (had to return the 300s unfortunately) but that was already a very immersive system.
Me too!
With the 360 feature on at higher volumes is there any hissing sounds from the speakers? I ask as I have the ES STR-AZ500ES and when I am listening at louder levels (not crazy levels like -20 not 0) there is some hissing that occurs unless you turn off 360 and it goes away. My room is an odd shape and smaller so thinking about getting the Quad to keep good sound and clean up some space to make things nicer. But the hissing would be a big deciding factor.
Thanks for platform and outstanding content. I live in townhome with common walls. Have you noticed how much speakers vibrate or how much back sound is produced? I'm concerned with sound and vibration if wall mounting speakers. Thanks!
Hello Andrew & Kristi, I really enjoyed your videos about the Bravis Theater Quad system where here in France, we are slow to benefit from reviews. I have a quick question, is the quad suitable for a room with a high ceiling between 9 and 16 ft? I want to move towards a wireless and flexible system and only Sony offers that apparently. Do you also know if we can combine two quads or add additional speakers. Thank you in advance for your answers. 😊
I like these simplicity keeps me interested.