Review on 🎵 Sony HT-A9 7.1.4ch High Performance Home Theater Speaker System with 360 Reality Audio and Google Assistant Compatibility by Lonnie Batch

Sony made some big claims about their HT-A9, and they lived up to them. Key benefits include: - Stunning sound. Wow, that really puts you in a sound bubble. Virtual speakers work well. (See placement notes.) -Soundstage. That's why you don't have a soundbar. Good stereo separation and strong phantom center presence. While it's possible to use some Sony TVs as a center speaker, it's not essential. I am very happy with my non-Sony TV. You also have the option to use the voice enhancement feature. Simple and flexible setup. It has built-in audio calibration that allows you to place your speakers in a variety of environments. This only takes about a minute and should be done every time you move the speakers. A big argument for this system. What else do you need to know? Treat yourself to the SW5 subwoofer. This will give you that deep rumble and cinematic punch. It also plays with the sound very well and the bass seems to come from the main speakers. - Accomodation. While it advertises flexible placement, there are a few things that need tweaking. Space the fronts at least 10 feet apart if you can and at ear level. They don't have to be bent inwards, at least not much. Make sure the Atmos speakers facing up have a clear path to the ceiling. The rear speakers should be at least equidistant from each other and at or above ear level. I believe their convergence is fine. Try different placements until you're blown away (calibrate the tone each time) - Sound quality. The sound clarity is top notch. Not audiophile level, but most will find it very good. I have a pair of Fluance A60s, they sound better for music. HT-A9 is better for home theater. Strangely every movie seems to have a drop out every 1 second. Still experimenting how to fix it. Others have been successful. tips. Make sure there are enough power outlets at the intended speaker locations. I had to use splitters and extension cords. Another option is to include longer 15ft C7 (non-polarized) cables. Includes 5 ft.-atmos. Streaming content is catching up and popular compatible devices include: Apple TV 4K, Revain Fire Stick 4K, Roku 4K, Nvidia Shield. Connect one directly to the control box's HDMI input and the TV bow to the HDMI output. Be sure to use an HDMI extender as the two ports are close together and can easily become blocked. Some people report audio dropouts or distortion. They report that disabling "RF Control" helps. The size. The speakers are a good size and are probably larger than expected. Do not put them on the bookshelf (blocks the passage of the atmosphere) - coasters. If you need them as a placement guide, check out Assembling Dream Racks with Rear Brackets and Cable Management. This is the system you should get after you're done with the soundbars and don't want to go through the full AVR setup with receivers and speaker wires. If you don't have either and it fits your budget, get it and do it.