★ *GET IT HERE: **bit.ly/3AIoyno**, **amzn.to/3kFDjls* ★ *QOTD: Is the future of home theater more speakers or more processing (DSP)?* ★ CLICK ⌄ “SHOW MORE” in the description for answers to many of your questions* ★ *RULES: Please be respectful. NO OUTSIDE LINKS, URLs, email addresses, etc.*
DSP is the way it’s going, especially if you want to reduce the clutter of speakers. I love my Q950A but let’s be honest, it’s a huge sound bar and there’s still the large surround speakers that need decent placement and a sub. This Sony system is truly game changing in the same way the Ambeo is.
cool review - not often that there are potential game changers like this. Gonna have to go take a listen. Thanks for bringing this one up. side note - when kristi is doing her followup.... get her on camera! :) you both can share the space.... It was ok for her to be off camera when it was only a minute or three - but recently her input is becoming more and more (which is awesome!) - and in cases such as this video and one other recent one - it is almost half the timeline! It's strange listening to someone off-camera for almost 10 minutes and only watching the listening half of the conversation. LOL.
I'm sure you already get this a lot but if you don't do voice over gigs or other narrating types of roles, you absolutely should. That voice of yours is a silky smooth goldmine.
Being a traditional surround sound guy, this has been the first Home Theater in a Box that caught my interest and had been looking forward to reviews about it. Thanks for the content 🙏
Same here but I just pulled the trigger on it. The curiosity was eating me up hah. The only thing I'm not too excited about is the speaker clutter it will add to my stereo system, but what the hell that is a compromise I'm happy to make.
Bought this after your review. Fantastic sound even without the sub. This replaces a Denon 4500 7.1.4 Atmos setup with THX Speakers and 4 ceiling speakers. In my small room I think the sound of the HT-A9 is better than my old setup!
@Steve Austin Dude you are crazy ! I have 7.2.4 with duel 15 inch subs and there is no way this is getting close to that kind of output with those small drivers and crappy sub lol 😂
agreed. First time video for your channel, textbook editing and pacing for UA-cam, especially for a ‘content heavy’ channel primarily made up of spoken word. *tips hat*
Also agree. I simply searched soundbar reviews to start some research and landed on this video. First time viewer and was kept hooked the entire time. Very well done.
you're one of the best and most articulate speakers and presenters i've ever seen and heard out of college, the Marine Corps, and even youtube overall. well done, sir.
I've been watching your reviews for the past year or so now and I'm huge fan of your soundbar reviews but this has to be one my favorite reviews of yours yet. I've personally never even heard of these speakers before but I loved the passion you guys had about the product and the way the review was presented, keep doing what you're doing!
The most immersive wireless speakers at the moment! Sold my bose 900 setup for this and its worth it! I had more drop outs and problems in bose than this, tip for the dropout issue, connect directly the devices to hdmi in of the a9 receiver, just use an hdmi switch if you have more device, you will most likely experience drop out if you will rely from the tv , and also make sure the 4 speakers have a clear line of sight from the receiver for a solid connection!
Keen to see how this compares to the full Sonos arc setup. I've got it (arc + sub + ones) and i'm really impressed with how it converts stereo content to surround. It's a bit of wizardry. I think of myself as a bit of a purist but they just do it so well.
This is the review...of all reviews that will happen this year. Both the A9 and added sub, really will change the direction home theater will go from here on in. I haven't heard this machine but all of Andrews and Christy's reviews are both solid and honest . This product, in my opinion, will be the future of home cinema, less fuss and farting around with flex, and cable wires. I think even the audiophiles would concede this was true. Now, when will it become available to the rest of us..? Thanks again you two.
Jim Bailey I had a home trial of Sony HT A9 and I thought that sound quality was not good enough, for the money. Control Box gets Hot which could cause problems. Quite a few sound dropouts and the subwoofers are directional & Boomy Traditional AV Receiver & Wired Speakers would eat Sony HTA9 for Breakfast
We experienced zero drops outs and the HUB did not get hot. Is it possible to do better with more expensive speakers and an AV receiver? Yes, that is possible but at its price, this is VERY competitive with a lot of traditional home theater systems. We have several in house that we listen to regularly and the Sony is by no means embarrassed and can actually be thousands less.
@@KristiWright Each to their own but Sony HT-A9 was not to my licking, l prefer fuller sound from speakers. Not tiny driver speakers. Sticking with my Floorstanders for proper music & movie sound quality
I encountered these on Tuesday, and they used the 10" sub. My first impression was very positive and they put a large smile on my face. The A9 speakers are a true Sonos killer in the wireless speaker category. The speakers are simple and easy to setup and move around. The sound wasn't as detailed as my Martin Logan ESL's or KEF LS50Metas, BUT, the Sony is pretty damn good for audio enthusiasts. Simple surround sound, not needing a traditional receiver, under $3k, no wires/prewires. I would compare the A9 system vs the KEF Meta2 wireless + a sub. The KEF will give you more detail and volume, but you're only getting stereo and you will invest more. All in all, Kudos Sony!!!
I think having Kristi give her feedback is without question my favorite new part to your posts. I wait for it and love it as much as your feedback. Best thing you've added by far to the channel. I am so impressed love you guys
Nice conversation for sure but I find it kind of weird that she refers to Andrew as Andrew and not "you" as she's right there where Andrew is looking at.
Andrew. You’re killin’ me here! You already convinced me to upgrade my 12 y.o. Yamaha receiver last December. Watching this video while my wife was preparing dinner, she caught the “place anywhere” reference, looked up, saw the diminutive size of just 4 speakers as opposed to my floor standing Klipsch’s, and after hearing your positive endorsement, now wants me to “downsize” my HT footprint while upsizing in sound. You’re anything if not convincing! Great review as always. Sony should pay you a stipend!
I’m so happy that this system delivers on its promises. In my living room, I don’t have room for a center channel (unless I’m okay with clutter). With this 4 speaker system living up to its promise, I can go 4.1.4 (with sub) and not be missing out.
Scott Tooley I would try it for yourself don't believe in the Hype, myself. I trialed Sony HT-A9 System sent it back, kept getting sound dropouts and did not enjoy music or movies, sound quality not up to my standards. You can do much better from a wired AV Receiver and Speakers for this sort of money
@Justin Byrne I'm sorry that you had a poor experience with yours but to call our experience "Hype" is about as fair as me saying don't believe this one guys poor experience. Of course, anyone is free to and should make up their own mind about a product...you might even call it our motto.
@@Music.Movies.67 might have problems in wireless traffic heavy environment, but not everyone are in those kind of place. probably something that can be fixed with Fw update as well
I have been following your channel for a while enjoying your reviews. This is the review I’ve been waiting for because like you was sceptical about the claim Sony was saying about the HT-a9. Now that you and your wife both were blown away I’m going to check out this system at my local av store because I’ve been looking for a system with a no fuss set up. I’m from the UK and your channel is one of the better channels from the US Thanks
This is definitely the future of AV sound for the majority of folks especially in the disastrous Atmos era. The savings just from not having to buy a top end Atmos receiver pays for the system. The Marantz SR8015 which is what I would use for my 5.1 costs $3,800 and it has the same power supply as my 2 8002s from 2010 so it's not much of an upgrade other than me paying Marantz $8,000 for the exact same sound (argh!). I didn't even notice that it didn't have a center channel as I was watching this. That's actually a huge plus for a smaller compact system as it can free up the TV stand from having to provide space for a center channel - placing a center channel is one of the biggest challenges and the most common compromise folks make as they opt for the smaller center channel simply to fit it in a stand where it won't perform ideally anyway. As you stated, if you own a Sony A80J or A90J you should be able to use your speakers as a center channel and it should be able to match the sound through an EQ. On top of that, it's wireless (timing may be off but most folks won't notice that) and it offers flexible positioning, no speaker cables, and room correction and optimization. I would love for B&W and KEF to also offer a high-end 4 powered speaker system around $3,000-$4,000 with larger front speakers and smaller surrounds (the size of this unit). The front speakers are so important that I feel they always deserve to be larger than surrounds since they handle almost all the soundtrack. This is the way to simplify Home Theater without the compromises that a soundbar brings. It won't sound like a $15k-$30 5.1 system but it's so easy to screw that up too by mismatching components or not setting it up properly. Plus you really cannot drive those systems in your living room without the family going crazy and they really take over the living space. Very few speakers are nice looking nowadays with the exception of the KEF's R3 and R7 (Walnut) with the blush baffles and woofers and the re-introduction of the B&W 600 series Oak.
One huge advantage, as you point out Andrew, is eliminating wires, amps, processors. It seems to me another huge advantage is eliminating the need for room treatment like absorbers and diffusers. Instead the HT-A9 uses the room to enhance sound. The combination is astounding if it can produce even 80 percent of box speakers sound quality.
This is my first time seeing your channel and hearing your reviews. I am extremely impressed with your ability to describe in accurate detail and articulate your points and observations. As a 30 year audiophile I took great pleasure and comfort in that point alone. Fortunately for me the timing of finding this review and your channel couldn't be more perfect. I have been looking for plug and play surround sound system to replace my current Sony BVD N7200 which I was equally impressed with when originally purchased. Needless to say I'm inclined to embrace your review of the A9s and will be purchasing them large due to your review. Thank you!!
Due to Sony not including a sub and the ridiculous price difference with the sub compared to the Q950A, I went with the Samsung and actually found it on Amazon for $1,300. It arrived today and I can’t wait to get home and check it out!!
I will check out this system soon and look forward to the surprise. My comment is not about the system per say, but rather your incredible word and descriptive delivery of the product and experience. You set the stage in all categories better than any reviewer I have ever watched. The only comparison blow away to this is a show called Top Gear, where the original cast were masters at the art of review. How you present products in word and description is masterful at the least. Andrew I consider you a review Master. Keep up the great work! Watching your reviews is never boring, and max entertaining/informative.
When eARC came out I was surprised that the traditional Home Theater companies didn’t start putting out receivers that only had a single HDMI just for audio input. It’s also a great time to lower the cost of entry for processor / amp separates. If Sony can put out a $2,500 system that has speakers and can do all the decoding, why there isn’t cheap processors is beyond me. Emotiva’s Bas-X amps are a great price begging for an entry processor.
I own this system and BY FAR the best sounding disc I own is MASTER AND COMMANDER on DTS-HD. It blows away ANY of my Atmos discs. This is the real wonder of the HT-A9 system. What the system really needs is the ability to adjust the volume of the bouncing overhead drivers.
I believe the overall trend is to do more with less. Bringing the Theater experience home, on a budget, fitting any space, will allow a manufacturer to reach a much larger consumer base than the Hi-Fi Dad Demo. Well done Sony, and you two for a great review.
Sound like an awesome plug and play solution! To be honest, I'm tired of the guess work of pairing amps & speakers so when my current system finally gives up, I'll definitely look to simply my life, pickup something like this and enjoy! By the way, the effort you guys go to with the production quality of your videos is first rate. I find myself getting happily distracted over your forever changing lounge room! 😁
Novice here. I have a room that is not really ideal for setting up a home theater. I wasn't sure that I could find a solution that didn't involve a soundbar, which honestly, I wasn't sure would give me the HT experience I'm after. I love the fact that this is (mostly) wireless, relatively simple to setup, and it keeps my wall clutter minimal. But the biggest thing for me is to see an enthusiast like you rave about how well this sounds for both movies and music. Feeling immersed in content is king for me. It's why I bother with HT to start with. Barring more research, I feel confident this is what I'm going to get now.
Great review Andrew, refreshing to see an audiophile reviewer with an open mind. Interesting product from Sony wonder when this tech will find its way into a bigger system.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews This. I know people were skeptical but I mentioned before in a comment that I know someone who currently works in the Samsung commercial division and used to work at LG. They told me that everyone in the business was watching with intense curiosity to see how well this product performed as everyone in the home entertainment tech industry was hearing rumblings that Sony had just absolutely nailed it. John is right to suspect that sooner or later, this is going to make it into mainstream technology and not just with Sony. It's not too far of a stretch to realize that the little Sony A9 hub is eventually going to become a full-fledged AV receiver. No matter what purists say, every mainstream user wants wireless speakers. It's only a matter of time before entire AV based Atmos systems are completely wireless. This is the future.
@@lukastemberger Distance involved and the number of cables. It's easier to plug in a single power cable into an outlet or power bar around the room than 2 sets of speaker cable per speaker all the to the receiver. Plus they could be made cordless with rechargeable batteries. A good analogy would be your laptop versus your desk computer. You still need to plug in the laptop but way more convenient than your desk computer with less wires to deal with and the freedom to move around.
@@bronstet Hm, but each individual speaker needs its power cable and outlet, which seems more inconvenient than just having a tidy thin cable running from the receiver to the surround speaker. You don't even need a very thick cable even if you need to cover longer distances. There's no way in hell I want to connect my speakers to the charger every day to get the battery charged.
Having an A9 along with a separate 2ch system for serious music listening seems to be the route I want to go. My setup is 5.0 ch at the moment and was thinking of adding height speakers, but was feeling iffy about turning my living room more and more into a dedicated altar for TV.
same here! Basically a "small" 5.0/5.1 system for the real living room and a 7.2.x system with superb stereo capabilities for the more home cinema room but also some sort of living room Im in search for a replacement for my old Heco 5.0 system, which should be definately look more modern and probably smaller, just ok for TV, casual gaming and some movies with atmos and co. I have anyways a proper 7.2 (soon 9.2/11.2/7.2.4) system in another room. But i really dont want any downgrade despite pretty easy to reach goals, especially if i have to pay like 500$+ (my Heco Victa 5.0 system costed like 200$ long ago already)
Me and you convinced my father to buy the HT-A9 + SW5 Can't wait ! Edit: We went to a store and heard it, it sound reaaaaally good!! We decided to buy a AV receiver from Maranz, and use my older stand speaker Elac FS, after calibrating it sounds better than the HTa9
Wow, did not expect the both of you to love these speakers…I was expecting a negative review. Now, I’m curious to hear these Sony speakers. I currently own the Sonos ARC, and love every minute of it !
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I was thinking it'd be negative because to me it seemed sooo gimmicky. How many times have we heard about "new" surround sound phantom speaker tech blah blah to only be garbage. Pleasantly surprised and very tempted to grab a set.
The reason why Sony makes the sub optional is because of apartment buyers who have neighbors...who don't like booms. So they decided to make the sub optional and keep the price low. Here's hoping for a review of the Roku Streambar Pro, Sub and surround speakers.
Hey Andrew. I think your comment around 15:15 mins said it all... This system's performance made you forget you were in this system, and you were blown away by its realism. THAT'S supposed to be the goal of any system /configuration. Did it FEEL like you were there? Its exciting to think we are progressing with software/ hardware to get closer to reality in sound reproduction. We wanna believe like we were there sometimes... concert, action scene. In theory, a well placed pair of fronts is supposed to be capable of creating a beautiful approximation of a realistic sound stage too,... so by that logic why can't four speakers do the same but for immersive multi channel reproduction? I am more excited to see what an A10 will be, and sound like. Will it have bigger better speakers? Will its decoder/processor kick butt better than this one? All very exciting. I hate that Kristie's ears didn't allow her the same awe that put that glint you had in your eyes as you relayed your experience. The reality is that we all have different bodies and parts, so one machine will unfortunately NEVER do it for everybody. Sad, but true. I might even have ears like hers. Let's agree it ain't over, and hope they keep making more and better so everyone gets to hear that Holy GRAIL moment. Thanks guys.
Great review!! Can you guys call Sony and tell them to make more of these! I’ve been waiting months to try to buy these and they are STILL on back order!!!
Who else has come back here to watch this 2 or 3 times just to revalidate your purchase while you wait 2-3 weeks for your HT-A9 to arrive? Lol. Can’t wait to get this system!
I keep coming back to watch because I can't get my hands on the a9 in Australia, they have halted sales for now until they get stock, when ever that is haha 😐☹️. !!!!
@@joshdimovski4483 keep the faith mate. Very low supply here in Canada but I just called my supplier and he said I will get mine on Monday. We will see. I would place your order with a reputable supplier now if you can to get you in the queue like I did. I have a feeling this will be worth the wait. 🤞
Well, today is 4 weeks since my order and I’ve learned it will likely be another 2 weeks before I see the HT-A9. Received the SW5 subwoofer this week. Can’t wait to pair them up.
I was about to pull the trigger on getting the 7000 sound bar when I came across this. Your refreshing frank and honest review (that touched on the 7000) changed my mind. Long story short, I went out and purchased the bigger sub and my a9 is on its way! (Liked and subbed) Thank you and Kristie :)
I went down the rabbit hole, watching your videos. I am down to Sony HT-A9 and the Sennheiser Ambeo. Still researching, will need to go to a store to listen to them. Thanks for sharing your videos.
I needed to hear a review from an "audiophile" before I purchased this system. I didn't anticipate you reviewing this so soon, Andrew,...but I'm sure glad you (and Kristi) did! Thanks very much! Spectacular job!
So I bought the A9's for my 1-bedroom apartment. Warning for future buyers: all speakers must be able to see each other and see the connecting box, otherwise you will not be able to configure the speakers correctly. I'll need to get speaker stands for the front and mount the rear speakers on the wall beside my couch in order to do just that. Before having done all that, I am underwhelmed by them. I had static noise from connecting the tv as my centre speaker, so I did away with that. Despite the fact that the front speakers' psuedo-center channel made up for that, the rear speakers are WAY too quiet, even after turning them up to max volume and dialogue is crushed, muddled, and hard to make out at times. I will try getting the SW5 and reconfiguring my setup to get the most out of it. I'm hoping I am pleasantly surprised after that, but we will see. Despite my poor experience thus far, as a new discovery in my UA-cam ventures, your reviews have been absolutely amazing and I love how detailed you get and the exposes you give. *Chefs kiss* Brilliant. Thank you for your work!
I like your channel. For the content of course. But honestly more so for your eloquent way of speaking and soothing voice. I can easily enjoy your vids with both eyes shut. Just listening. I learned a lot already.
Just purchased this system along with the SW5 sub, it replaces my Bose 900 sound bar , Base Module 700 and 700 surrounds - have to admit, the jury is still out on it, the phantom centre channel is brilliant and I haven’t watched anything with true Atmos yet. Set up was easy and I had trouble with speaker drop outs but that was only because the speaker stands arrived a day later than the system so two were placed out of line of sight, not had any issues since the speakers have been placed on stands, although there is adjustment for the level of bass, I would prefer to be able to set treble and middle as well, I really hope Sony add it although I suspect they won’t. My only other gripe is the colour, why grey? I would prefer a choice of black or white. The lows from the system including sub, is nowhere near that of my Bose system, so I guess I need to get used to it, although if you turn the Dolby setting on in the audio settings, there is a lot of base (possibly too much). I’m no audiophile so take my criticisms on the sound quality as you wish, although the sound is extremely clear and my hearing may well have been ruined by the Bose system!!!! Overall, it’s a very good system, whether it is worth £2500, is up to the individual
Hey! I’m new to your channel & must say that I absolutely love the both of you. Excellent pairing, honest dialogue. Genuinely authentic. Definitely glad I found you. Will be referencing you as my Go-To for all things Audio.
Andrew and Kristi, great video. Returned the HT7000 and RS5’s, kept the SW5 sub. Got the A9’s today and all I can say is thank you. This system is amazing for movies as well as music. So far, Apple Music through the 4K Apple TV sounds the best. I have the A90J and tried using both the tv’s center channel and then the A9’s phantom center channel. As you stated combining the tv speakers with the A9’s you definitely have a miss match in sound. For my room size as well as seating position, the phantom center channel is great. The dialog sound experience is in the middle of the tv but not hitting you directly like the forward facing sound bar speakers. Thanks again and keep doing what you are doing. Love your transparency.
I definitely think this is the future of home theater, no doubt. It sounds terrific on demo. I ultimately chose the q950a for budget reasons. I personally didn't think dishing around 1500 or more was worth it in comparison and YES! this system needs to include a sub. The future is bright for Sony, I'm sure this system/concept will only get better as time goes on.
Just received today Oct 8 from Bestbuy . Thought they where white but their more light gray than white. Size are a little bigger than a 2 litre plastic soda, hard to tell size from pictures and video. Will set up tomorrow and post my opinion. Really excited and nervous, $2500 ain't no pocket change.
Hi, I was reading your comment very interested, Do you have any 4K disc player or blu- ray player, I wonder if you can test the DTS X Sound, my first home theater was a Sony with 5 little speakers and subwoofer , When this old Sony was playing Dolby Digital sound was great but when it was playing old DVD or Blu-rays disc that comes with DTS it was amazing more powerful more pure sound, If you have a disc player please try it and let us know, I really wonder how the DTS X can sounds with this new system HT A9
A Fresh review of the whole A7000 setup including the newest firmware update and new rears would be so damn nice, I think now the system is probably comparable with the A9 setup and I read here and there it might even be the better choice, what do you think Andrew, btw you should do audio books :)
For a future release / update on this HT-A9 system I would like to see Sony develop a dedicated center channel so that you can adjust dialogue on the fly for greater intelligibility or improve the ability to do so in the current system. The only other thing of noteworthy would be to allow other sub-woofer brands to connect to the hub or at least have an rca out to connect one. This imo would make the system that much more compelling to jump into.
What I love is how you kept it so professional, but you dont have to. I, too was blown away by a Sony product when i got a car head unit: XAV-AX5000 paired with the Focal KX3. The rear speakers are the stock paper cone speakers, btw. But the first time me and my sons heard it, we were just in awe. Let me say, those car trips just became silent where we just gave all our attention to the music. I'm sure a large part of it came from the magoc of the focal speakera, but the Sony head unit also gave out so much detail and the immersion given in a vacumn and confined hatchback car gave was intoxicating. Long story short, the immersion is key here, and Sony knows it. When you feel that sound filling in every single bit of the air, you don't need to analyze the technicalities like Amdrew said. It's just there, and it's euphoric.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Not to my liking I sent Sony HTA9 back for refund, can get much better sound quality from a traditional AV Receiver & Wired Speakers
Although you mentioned the HTA-7000 in this review, it would be appreciated if you could do a separate review of it. I think all of your viewers would like more info on “why” it’s so substandard. Personally, I have pre-ordered the 7000 and now I’m on the fence. If you could go into more specifics, I think it would give all of us the info we need to decide which is best for us. Thanks,
Dw i’m using the a7000 as we speak and i don’t think it’s bad at all 😅. Just test it out when you get it and like they always say it depends on if you like it. If you don’t just keep the box and send it back
@@Zoranurai13 according to an earlier Japanese UA-cam review (TourbillonCafe), the difference between just the A7000 and the full set is huge. Since you have the full set, it probably confirms Andrew only had the A7000 without the frills when he was testing it. Probably A7000 works best with at least the rear speakers.
I think there is Future on both ways. For people who dont want to burn an insane amout of cash but still want an amazing theater and music experience can buy this Sony system. For people who want the absolute best in sound quality theres the traditional way with great amplifiers and recievers and amazing (also expensive) speakers
Just LOVED this review you guys put together. I really didn't want the video to end haha. Thanks a lot! Seriously considering this as an option as I'm looking to get into the hobby.
Another great review. The A7000 package was at the top of my Amazon list but after you brief & brutal review, its the A9 now. I'm sure you can see by other comments here that yours and Kristi opinions carry weight. But I would like you to do a full review of the a7000 so we get the whole picture. BTW, if I could wave a magic wand, I would have Sonos send you and ARC 5.1 system tomorrow to review.
Hi Mr. Andrew. I just picked up this set at Best Buy in Hawaii plus the sw5 300watt sub. My small room is only 9x9x9 very small room, I’m single and a movie buff after listening to your reviews on it, I went out and bought the set. Thanks for your input.😊😊
Thank you guys for such a comprehensive review! May I ask if either of you experienced any ear fatigue/headache with the A9? This is the first "lifestyle" system that has been able to truly reproduce an immersive movie theatre experience for me however after about 10 minutes of watching movies, my ears start to fatigue. By the 20 minute mark, I have developed a headache. I've tried the Sennheiser Ambeo with an older SVS ultra (doesn't reproduce the surround effects to my liking) so switched to the complete sonos arc + sub and surrounds ( great frontstage sound and bass but still lacks the height for surrounds and at times doesn't transition effects as seamless as I'm hoping for). But never had any issues with listening fatigue regardless of sound levels. After receiving my a9 yesterday, I thought I found my holy grail as it provided me the movie theatre experience I've been searching for. The A9 doesn't sound bright or harsh to my ears but simply tires them out quickly followed by a headache. I'm hoping to find a solution to alleviate this problem as I would hate to return them due to this. If you guys have experienced anything similar throughout the testing process, was there anything that was done to resolve similar issue? Unfortunately the A9 doesn't allow us to manually set the EQ as I was hoping to play with different settings. Might it be speaker placement, phase issue, or their new sound mapping used on this system? Any insight and advice will be greatly appreciated! Keep up the good work as always!
I cannot drill holes in the walls of the apartment that I am at now, and I cannot find a stand that is deep enough to accommodate the 65+ inch TV and Samsung Q950A soundbar that I want to purchase (Space between the stands of the TV measure 47 inches apart from one another, while the soundbar measures over 48 inches). This is a perfect solution to my problem.
It’s always a pleasure to watch your reviews they’re so informative and I consider myself to be an audiophile at heart but I’m not very knowledgeable on all the choices that are available and how to best benefit from the information that you give and also how to make a good choice based on the information that you share on your channel. You shared in this video that if you have an AMBEO not to feel the FOMO but I am feeling the FOMO!😂 I decided to purchase an AMBEO based on the review that you gave of it and I am 1000% in love with it after I figured out what room in my home to put it in because the first room I placed I didn’t work out too well I do have a dedicated subwoofer that I used with it as well. And I love it but I don’t know that I’m getting the full Atmos affect that I’m looking for and I do have very high ceilings. I live in Baltimore city and the area that I live in is not too far from the downtown area and those house are very historic and feature pretty high ceilings and I want Atmos so based on your review I’m thinking of trading in my AMBEO but I decided before I do that to leave a comment in hopes that I get a response from you about what direction to go in. I am also a gamer. I have a LG OLED 77 inch C9. I have a PS five as well as a PS VR headset. Ultimately my question is what is the best option for good no not good a great Atmos affect with also the option to play music because I love music it’s the nectar of the gods for me. And my apologies for such a long post by enclosing I do genuinely enjoy your content and your presentation of that content and I feel your sincerity and your honesty and I don’t always feel that from some other contact creators and the same genre. Any suggestions would be helpful about the best direction to go in to get true Atmos without spending true Atmos money which is why I got the AMBEO to begin with. Thank you in advance and keep doing what you guys do you very well.
I just want to be clear that I’m not feeling the First reply. I don’t do drama I’m just asking for help so I’m hoping that you will be able to take the time out to give me some feedback still it would be much appreciated.
great content @Andrew Robinson , as always! what would you chose between Sony ST A9 with Sony SA-SW5 and Sonos system (Sonos Arc + x2 Sonos Five + Sonos Sub) for a 32m2 living room? Note: both pair with an LG OLED TV.
I've dreamt of owning or at least experiencing the A9 for a while now, however there are no demo places anywhere near me. Few days ago I found it for 800€ B-grade, instantly pulled the trigger! So excited for it to arrive! Thanks for all your reviews, I have watched every single soundbar related one. Love Kristi's take at the end, it's nice to get a second sophisticated opinion
Hi Andrew, after watched your review of the A9 system. I went to the Sony Centre and request for the audition. After tested it, I'm straight away purchase it. It sounds phenomenal like you said, it's beyond impressive. I will getting the SW5 sub when Sony Centre has it restock. Thank you for the great review Andrew. One question, will it wireless speakers signal always connected stable and consistently?
Noticed the nice subtle name change to "Andrew Robinson & Kristi Wright". Deservedly so. Andrew speaks from a reviewers/audiophile perspective while Kristi speaks from the average persons perspective.
I’d say you’re underselling her experience with this statement. She has been listening to most if not all of the same equipment he’s been listening to for years. I’d say it’s more like getting 2 reviewers perspectives for the “price” of one, rather than that of a reviewer and an average person.
@@eeyorebill04 I most certainly don't disagree, and in no way was I trying to undersell her. I've been watching Andrews videos since early last year when I randomly stumbled upon them during the pandemic. I myself am not audiophone and can't afford most of the equipment that they review, but there have been several instances where I understood her POV regarding certain aspects more than Andrew.
Curious to hear the A9 since its been sold out in most places, but I'll have to fight you on saying the A7000 is a bad subwoofer. It's spacial audio technology, due to its upscaling processor, blows the majority of the home theater soundbars out of the park. Sure you get clear highs with the Sonos and the Samsung soundbar is great if you need to play loud music at a big party. But the Sony A7000 is generally ranked the best, excluding the mammoth sized Senheisser. Plus you can now use the new rears from Sony which is essentially the same technology as the A9; same size drivers, radiators, and structure. Hard to say the A9 would be better than that whole system.
I always rag on sound bars and home theater in a box type stuff, but when we bought a house, I didn’t have much choice for the living room. I had the basement for my home theater and proper setup, but the living room, I needed something simple, easy… just anything that was good enough really. Man, I was blown away with this. I flinched at the price knowing what I could do with a more traditional setup, but have it a try fully expecting to return it, but it blew my mind and competed with my 10x ($$) Atmos home theater system in the basement. In fact, I sometimes find myself choosing to watch in that room. However for music, no, it does not compete with a good stereo setup. It’s cool for Atmos and 360 audio tracks, but most of my music is still stereo, and this just has that kinda weird “playing stereo through a surround system with surround codecs on” kinda feel. Still, no complaints. As for the sub: the sw5 is definitely better, but it’s not a “definitely get it over the sw3 which isn’t even worth it” as this video suggests. Maybe if you’re a bass head, but if you like proper bass levels, the sw-3 will do just fine in many (most?) circumstances, as long as your room isn’t huge. I’m in a normal sized room. Bought it with the sw5 because of videos like this, but ended up A/B’ing the two and returned it for the 3. Sounds great, honestly no difference other than having to up the bass 2 notches (usually never go passed 5 anyway out of 12)
it was different experience with different setup, but i still think headphones in general have that, not sure how to call it, better instruments gap/space at the cost of detail and clearness which is good for certain usage my experience only based on phones around 3x the price so yeah, its far ahead
@@iikatinggangsengii2471 I'm assuming you mean better soundstage (for what you said you weren't sure what to call it) but worse detail? What exactly were you referring to, though? Are you saying what I described with the HT-A9 sounded similar to how you'd describe experiences with headphones? In a sense, I get what you mean. I had a period where I almost exclusively used high-end cans... I mean, realistically, unless you're incredibly wealthy, you're always going to get better sound out of headphones and a decent headphone amp (doesn't even need to be anything crazy. schitt and topping for instance sound great for the price). In other words... to replicate the sound quality you'd get from, say... $400-$700 headphones and a $200 headphone amp would cost SO much more money to get comparable results from speakers and proper matching amp. But you are right, there is always some kind of distinct sound you lose (room acoustics, I presume) from headphones... but I don't know if I'd say it's a loss of detail. If anything, I think (as long as the source is good), detail retrieval is almost always better on headphones. Soundstage and headroom better, at least on a dollar for dollar basis, too, but just has some kind of unexplainable sound difference, regardless of open back vs closed back vs iem, etc There's also the possibility I completely misunderstood your comment and wrote all of this for no reason at all lol
@@andrewrobinsonreviews After a few months of swapping between the A9 and my 5.1 Denon AVR + Dali speakers/ Klipsch Reference setup, I give it all the A9. Adverts are produced in 360 audio glories, and I find myself watching all of them to the end. Thanks to the A9 and the SW5
Great vid, you guys are really putting out some top shelf content... definitely the best audio reviews on YT. I have never, ever considered buying an HT system, being a tube amp 2 channel guy. I may pull the trigger on this system, since everyone says its killer for music as well. Decisions, decisions... .
Saw this review, was sold immediately. Bought it, straight away, SW5 as suggested also bought, not tested yet, it’s in backorder. Unbelievable even without aub… Old system was a 10 yo 10k surroundset. Wat a difference, cannot wait to receive the sub.
Update, set now complete with SW5… imersive is intens. Really brainbreaking the Sound Seems to Come from anywhere. And Dialog straight from the tv, crisp and bright. Love it
I got theses speaker cuz of your review with the recommended woofer and damn it really awesome paired with my LG CX..never had surround sound before just coming off tv speakers and I’ve just simply been blown away..thanks!
Hey Andrew ! This is your first video I am watching …. and man you are so good at it ! especially seeing so many mediocre reviewers. You really know your stuff ! Respect. And as for the pricy review …. I have never wanted to buy a product so badly , based on somebodies reviews. Will add this to my wish list
Imo cinema theatres have the luxury of adding more speakers as 3D audio gets more and more elaborate because they have space. In home theatres, most home owners do not have that luxury, and DSP processing may become more and more relevant. DSP tech is getting better every year too.
Wow, Andrew. you are really sold me on this unit. I am converting my garage into home theatre and I was looking for something not to big and obnoxious visual in the garage. My garage is mostly white so this system seem to be perfect for what I need. with 4K projector shooting to drop screen. I love the fact that I don't need a center speaker to mount above the entrance door to the kitchen. Listening to you carefully. I trully apperciate how detailed you going through every single detail even small thing. I am so excited to get and install this system and thank you for giving high confident to make my purchase. You know how it is I absolutely hate returning things and install and break down and package it back and return it. Your video really help me in many ways. Again, I thank you!.
Andrew, you have no idea how many ht-a9s you have sold for Sony from this review. I consider myself stingy but from this review, I finally got the A9 and the SW5 sub
How are you finding it so far? It's massively expensive but I'd definitely get this system over something like the Sonos Arc which is still a single bar.
Received and installed the complete set this week. Based on your solid review I decided to buy the HT-A9 together with the SW-5. Luckely I could buy it for a very sharp price (thanks to some nice price-alert apps). The HT-A9 for 1.699 euro and the SW5 for 574 euro. Still not very cheap, but still saved me some money. Initally I also thought to buy the HT-A7000 together with the SW5. I have heard the HT-A7000 in a demo setting. After I have heard the HT-A9 at home at a friend, it was clear to me: buy the HT-A9! It definitely sounds better, although the HT-A7000 is still good. It was very easy to install. When the speakers are configured, it is important that they are positioned freely. If a speaker is placed behind a sofa, for example, this can have a negative influence on the gel sound quality. The speakers should also not be too close to a router or other wireless device, as this will disrupt the signal. Compared to my previous set (a Bose 1-2-3 set from somewhere in 2000..... :-/ ) it’s a big step forward. Wow! What a sound! I have tried some sound settings by using Netflix content in Atmos, but also together with Apple music. It realy sounds good. The quality of the music reproduction is also astonishingly good: highs and mids sound really great. With the SW5, the bass also sounds very good. When playing music, by default the sound is only played over the front 2 speakers. With a press on the AE button on the remote control, sound is also convincingly coming from the rear speakers. With the same remote control, the volume of the rear speakers can be turned up or down. Last year I bought the Sony XR-65A84J, so I can use the TV as a center speaker. To use this, you must consciously set this via the menu. When watching a movie or serie I have the impression that the speech is slightly more in the foreground. What a downside is that it can be used as a center speaker with a cable, while the entire set is wireless.....
HT-A9 was delivered late Dec for an Oct 18th Amazon order. Samsung Q950A is going back after listening to this. The immersive experience with the A9 keeps you in the story and not distracted by specific speakers shouting specific sound bytes, like in sound bar systems. Isn't that the point of object based sound formats like Atmos and DTS:X? Thank you Andrew for your review and helping with the decision.
Thanks for the review. I have the A9 system since a month. 2 weeks without a subwoofer and 2 weeks with the SW3. Tried the system with both subs. I have the SW3 with the sub on 9 out of 12 in setting and its more than enough for my taste. TV is Samsung Q9. I have mixed feelings. I had a hard wired Teufel 5.1 system before from 2008. Due to our new place i wanted to minimize the equipment and cabling. Pro is the setup and the fact that the hub is inside my shelf and it works (with some drop outs). Compared to my old system my finding is the following. With weak sources the old system was better. With Dolby or proper 5.1 stream the new system is better. The reason is the lack of audio settings. In my old system I was able to change the volume of each channel and the frequency of the sub which had a huge influence on the mids and thus the overall balance as well. I was able to tweak around until I found the sweet spot for my individual taste. The sound was more consistent on all sources. The new system is impressive with good quality sources. Very crisp and very punchy base with a much more immersive sound compared to my old system watching the ususal streaming on the Samsung apps (by the way TV is from 2018 and the embedded apps are NOT supporting Atmos - will need to work around probably with Apple TV 2021). What I dont like is the performance on normal TV audio. The presets are not precise enough. I have always the feeling that the voices are not present enough especially on low volume. A bit annoying. Hope that Sony will update the firmware with options to customize. Overall i will keep it. My advice: If you want to buy this setup for some home entertainment cinema experience then go for it. If you want to upgrade your TV speaker for daily routine then you should rethink your expectations. Of course its a huge upgrade but in this budget range you might find a setup which fits better to your needs.
For better or for worse, SONY is one of the few brands that still dares to innovate, to take risks. It often goes wrong, like with the HT-A7000, and sometimes it hits like the HT-A9 and a95K TV.
I wonder why your review of 7000 soundbar is dramatically bad comparing to other non sponsored reviews. Would be so kind and consider updated review late this year with SA-RS5 and the latest firmware upgrade to soundbar itself? I think you could may have preproduction device. Thank you. I am a big fan of your channel. Sincerely.
@Not Apply There's no way of telling if this speculation is true or not (please correct me if AR is "on the record" re this potential issue) but based on my assessment of the performance of the 7000 I think the DRC was activated on AR's set up. I have a Sony X95J and it came from the factory with DRC on. Once I turned it off, it was a night and day difference in quality in my opinion.
I have been impressed with the HT-A9 that I got from Value Electronics recently - including with older 2.0 content. Andrew's review here played a big role in my decision to get it and risk paying close to $300 in restocking fees for a return to Value Electronics. They have special arrangements with SONY and get these in limited quantities when others can't. Rarely had drop outs and no phantom centre issues. Dialogue volume can be low for some content and I have to turn the volume up to 50+ sometimes (even with Voice on). Playing with advance audio settings like DTS Neural is a mixed bag. I do have DRC off as it tends to make things sound louder in general. Most of what I watch involves TV shows and movies streamed via Apple TV 4K. I don't listen to music and rarely turn on my Oppo 203. Given that audio quality of the source content I am watching is hardly impressive (especially HBO Max), is there any advantage to go for a traditional wired solution (my budget is around 4K - including a receiver)? Thanks.
Why no comparison to Sonos?its clearly the only competitor to this, the Sonos does calibration with iPhone, uses similar speakers for surround and sun around the same price, Sonos arc, plus two Sonos one for rears and Sonos sun is a little cheaper
nice review - I'm one of the high end audio snobs you quietly referenced here and I've enjoyed your review so much that I would actually consider looking into one of these for my home.
Tech will always lean towards innovation and compact size. So I have a feel systems like this are going to be the move. This came just in time for me moving into a new apartment!
★ *GET IT HERE: **bit.ly/3AIoyno**, **amzn.to/3kFDjls*
★ *QOTD: Is the future of home theater more speakers or more processing (DSP)?*
★ CLICK ⌄ “SHOW MORE” in the description for answers to many of your questions*
★ *RULES: Please be respectful. NO OUTSIDE LINKS, URLs, email addresses, etc.*
I predict DSP is going to be huge for the average HT consumer. 2 channel purists will resist as long as possible.
DSP is the way it’s going, especially if you want to reduce the clutter of speakers. I love my Q950A but let’s be honest, it’s a huge sound bar and there’s still the large surround speakers that need decent placement and a sub. This Sony system is truly game changing in the same way the Ambeo is.
Perhaps not MORE processing (DSP) but rather BETTER processing! 😉 This Sony system is a step in the right direction! 👍
Super thanks for your review! Great Chanel! I hope you can answer my two questions ;)
cool review - not often that there are potential game changers like this. Gonna have to go take a listen. Thanks for bringing this one up.
side note - when kristi is doing her followup.... get her on camera! :) you both can share the space.... It was ok for her to be off camera when it was only a minute or three - but recently her input is becoming more and more (which is awesome!) - and in cases such as this video and one other recent one - it is almost half the timeline! It's strange listening to someone off-camera for almost 10 minutes and only watching the listening half of the conversation. LOL.
I'm sure you already get this a lot but if you don't do voice over gigs or other narrating types of roles, you absolutely should. That voice of yours is a silky smooth goldmine.
Wow, I came here to say exactly that... Bro, your voice is mesmerizing
Same
Being a traditional surround sound guy, this has been the first Home Theater in a Box that caught my interest and had been looking forward to reviews about it. Thanks for the content 🙏
Thank you so much, The Mongstradamous! We appreciate you watching.
Same here, this feels like the future of HT. After seeing this the first time I lost all interest in any sound bar.
@@davebrochu i do have same feeling, i use Vizio Sound bar setup with 5.1.4 and i have connection issues.
Same here but I just pulled the trigger on it. The curiosity was eating me up hah.
The only thing I'm not too excited about is the speaker clutter it will add to my stereo system, but what the hell that is a compromise I'm happy to make.
@@Nagarjunapathuri Visio sounder don’t compare to luxury soundbars like Bose and Samsung, they both make amazing soundbars,
Bought this after your review. Fantastic sound even without the sub. This replaces a Denon 4500 7.1.4 Atmos setup with THX Speakers and 4 ceiling speakers. In my small room I think the sound of the HT-A9 is better than my old setup!
So curious how it outperformed your old system (7.1.4) is, would you mind elaborate it?
@Steve Austin Dude you are crazy ! I have 7.2.4 with duel 15 inch subs and there is no way this is getting close to that kind of output with those small drivers and crappy sub lol 😂
You're the only reviewer who could actually make me wanna try something like this. You always do a really solid job with your videos. Kudos!
Mate - a huge shout-out to you for being SO engaging in your delivery. Held my attention for the entire clip! Nice work!
Much appreciated!
agreed.
First time video for your channel, textbook editing and pacing for UA-cam, especially for a ‘content heavy’ channel primarily made up of spoken word.
*tips hat*
Also agree. I simply searched soundbar reviews to start some research and landed on this video. First time viewer and was kept hooked the entire time. Very well done.
And not one like during the entire pitch You are obviously a voiceover artist.
you're one of the best and most articulate speakers and presenters i've ever seen and heard out of college, the Marine Corps, and even youtube overall. well done, sir.
That’s very kind of you, John!
I've been watching your reviews for the past year or so now and I'm huge fan of your soundbar reviews but this has to be one my favorite reviews of yours yet. I've personally never even heard of these speakers before but I loved the passion you guys had about the product and the way the review was presented, keep doing what you're doing!
Thanks so much. I think you can tell by now we're not so secret fans of soundbars.
I’ve been waiting about 10 years for this based on the size of my living room and acceptance factor. Great review. Thanks.
The most immersive wireless speakers at the moment! Sold my bose 900 setup for this and its worth it! I had more drop outs and problems in bose than this, tip for the dropout issue, connect directly the devices to hdmi in of the a9 receiver, just use an hdmi switch if you have more device, you will most likely experience drop out if you will rely from the tv , and also make sure the 4 speakers have a clear line of sight from the receiver for a solid connection!
Thanks for the Advice I will definitely be putting it in the HDMI in .I’m just Waiting for it to come in a couple of days.
Keen to see how this compares to the full Sonos arc setup. I've got it (arc + sub + ones) and i'm really impressed with how it converts stereo content to surround. It's a bit of wizardry. I think of myself as a bit of a purist but they just do it so well.
This is the review...of all reviews that will happen this year. Both the A9 and added sub, really will change the direction home theater will go from here on in.
I haven't heard this machine but all of Andrews and Christy's reviews are both solid and honest . This product, in my opinion, will be the future of home cinema, less fuss and farting around with flex, and cable wires. I think even the audiophiles would concede this was true.
Now, when will it become available to the rest of us..?
Thanks again you two.
Jim Bailey
I had a home trial of Sony HT A9 and I thought that sound quality was not good enough, for the money. Control Box gets Hot which could cause problems.
Quite a few sound dropouts and the subwoofers are directional & Boomy
Traditional AV Receiver & Wired Speakers would eat Sony HTA9 for Breakfast
We experienced zero drops outs and the HUB did not get hot. Is it possible to do better with more expensive speakers and an AV receiver? Yes, that is possible but at its price, this is VERY competitive with a lot of traditional home theater systems. We have several in house that we listen to regularly and the Sony is by no means embarrassed and can actually be thousands less.
@@KristiWright
Each to their own but Sony HT-A9 was not to my licking, l prefer fuller sound from speakers. Not tiny driver speakers. Sticking with my Floorstanders for proper music & movie sound quality
@@Music.Movies.67 so you didnt get the sub then
@@Music.Movies.67 You probably should've listened to them instead of "lick"ed them.
I encountered these on Tuesday, and they used the 10" sub. My first impression was very positive and they put a large smile on my face. The A9 speakers are a true Sonos killer in the wireless speaker category. The speakers are simple and easy to setup and move around. The sound wasn't as detailed as my Martin Logan ESL's or KEF LS50Metas, BUT, the Sony is pretty damn good for audio enthusiasts. Simple surround sound, not needing a traditional receiver, under $3k, no wires/prewires.
I would compare the A9 system vs the KEF Meta2 wireless + a sub. The KEF will give you more detail and volume, but you're only getting stereo and you will invest more.
All in all, Kudos Sony!!!
How did you find the vocals in movies and music? I have the latest Sony tv and it needs better vocal sound for me.
I think having Kristi give her feedback is without question my favorite new part to your posts. I wait for it and love it as much as your feedback. Best thing you've added by far to the channel. I am so impressed love you guys
😍
Bingo!
They are doing more processing with different formats. And with the speakers you just have to find what receiver work best
Nice conversation for sure but I find it kind of weird that she refers to Andrew as Andrew and not "you" as she's right there where Andrew is looking at.
why is she offscreen? that's really weird
Man critically honest review, love it when people like you rip the review pointers, thanks Andrew, you're doing an awesome job.
Andrew. You’re killin’ me here! You already convinced me to upgrade my 12 y.o. Yamaha receiver last December. Watching this video while my wife was preparing dinner, she caught the “place anywhere” reference, looked up, saw the diminutive size of just 4 speakers as opposed to my floor standing Klipsch’s, and after hearing your positive endorsement, now wants me to “downsize” my HT footprint while upsizing in sound. You’re anything if not convincing! Great review as always. Sony should pay you a stipend!
Just make sure you get the big sub if you do switch to this system. Thanks for watching!
I’m so happy that this system delivers on its promises. In my living room, I don’t have room for a center channel (unless I’m okay with clutter). With this 4 speaker system living up to its promise, I can go 4.1.4 (with sub) and not be missing out.
Scott Tooley
I would try it for yourself don't believe in the Hype, myself. I trialed Sony HT-A9 System sent it back, kept getting sound dropouts and did not enjoy music or movies, sound quality not up to my standards.
You can do much better from a wired AV Receiver and Speakers for this sort of money
@Justin Byrne I'm sorry that you had a poor experience with yours but to call our experience "Hype" is about as fair as me saying don't believe this one guys poor experience. Of course, anyone is free to and should make up their own mind about a product...you might even call it our motto.
@@Music.Movies.67 might have problems in wireless traffic heavy environment, but not everyone are in those kind of place. probably something that can be fixed with Fw update as well
I have been following your channel for a while enjoying your reviews. This is the review I’ve been waiting for because like you was sceptical about the claim Sony was saying about the HT-a9.
Now that you and your wife both were blown away I’m going to check out this system at my local av store because I’ve been looking for a system with a no fuss set up.
I’m from the UK and your channel is one of the better channels from the US
Thanks
This is definitely the future of AV sound for the majority of folks especially in the disastrous Atmos era. The savings just from not having to buy a top end Atmos receiver pays for the system. The Marantz SR8015 which is what I would use for my 5.1 costs $3,800 and it has the same power supply as my 2 8002s from 2010 so it's not much of an upgrade other than me paying Marantz $8,000 for the exact same sound (argh!).
I didn't even notice that it didn't have a center channel as I was watching this. That's actually a huge plus for a smaller compact system as it can free up the TV stand from having to provide space for a center channel - placing a center channel is one of the biggest challenges and the most common compromise folks make as they opt for the smaller center channel simply to fit it in a stand where it won't perform ideally anyway. As you stated, if you own a Sony A80J or A90J you should be able to use your speakers as a center channel and it should be able to match the sound through an EQ.
On top of that, it's wireless (timing may be off but most folks won't notice that) and it offers flexible positioning, no speaker cables, and room correction and optimization.
I would love for B&W and KEF to also offer a high-end 4 powered speaker system around $3,000-$4,000 with larger front speakers and smaller surrounds (the size of this unit). The front speakers are so important that I feel they always deserve to be larger than surrounds since they handle almost all the soundtrack.
This is the way to simplify Home Theater without the compromises that a soundbar brings. It won't sound like a $15k-$30 5.1 system but it's so easy to screw that up too by mismatching components or not setting it up properly. Plus you really cannot drive those systems in your living room without the family going crazy and they really take over the living space. Very few speakers are nice looking nowadays with the exception of the KEF's R3 and R7 (Walnut) with the blush baffles and woofers and the re-introduction of the B&W 600 series Oak.
The quality of commentary with your wife, at the end, is what brings me back! X95J + A9 . . . sounds like a win.
One huge advantage, as you point out Andrew, is eliminating wires, amps, processors. It seems to me another huge advantage is eliminating the need for room treatment like absorbers and diffusers. Instead the HT-A9 uses the room to enhance sound. The combination is astounding if it can produce even 80 percent of box speakers sound quality.
This is my first time seeing your channel and hearing your reviews. I am extremely impressed with your ability to describe in accurate detail and articulate your points and observations. As a 30 year audiophile I took great pleasure and comfort in that point alone. Fortunately for me the timing of finding this review and your channel couldn't be more perfect. I have been looking for plug and play surround sound system to replace my current Sony BVD N7200 which I was equally impressed with when originally purchased. Needless to say I'm inclined to embrace your review of the A9s and will be purchasing them large due to your review. Thank you!!
Due to Sony not including a sub and the ridiculous price difference with the sub compared to the Q950A, I went with the Samsung and actually found it on Amazon for $1,300. It arrived today and I can’t wait to get home and check it out!!
Nice review and thanks for the cameo ♥ 10:33
I will check out this system soon and look forward to the surprise. My comment is not about the system per say, but rather your incredible word and descriptive delivery of the product and experience. You set the stage in all categories better than any reviewer I have ever watched. The only comparison blow away to this is a show called Top Gear, where the original cast were masters at the art of review. How you present products in word and description is masterful at the least. Andrew I consider you a review Master. Keep up the great work! Watching your reviews is never boring, and max entertaining/informative.
When eARC came out I was surprised that the traditional Home Theater companies didn’t start putting out receivers that only had a single HDMI just for audio input. It’s also a great time to lower the cost of entry for processor / amp separates. If Sony can put out a $2,500 system that has speakers and can do all the decoding, why there isn’t cheap processors is beyond me. Emotiva’s Bas-X amps are a great price begging for an entry processor.
Great review
Holy (insert swear words) it’s a crossover of my favourite UA-camrs
I own this system and BY FAR the best sounding disc I own is MASTER AND COMMANDER on DTS-HD. It blows away ANY of my Atmos discs. This is the real wonder of the HT-A9 system. What the system really needs is the ability to adjust the volume of the bouncing overhead drivers.
I believe the overall trend is to do more with less. Bringing the Theater experience home, on a budget, fitting any space, will allow a manufacturer to reach a much larger consumer base than the Hi-Fi Dad Demo. Well done Sony, and you two for a great review.
Sound like an awesome plug and play solution! To be honest, I'm tired of the guess work of pairing amps & speakers so when my current system finally gives up, I'll definitely look to simply my life, pickup something like this and enjoy! By the way, the effort you guys go to with the production quality of your videos is first rate. I find myself getting happily distracted over your forever changing lounge room! 😁
Novice here. I have a room that is not really ideal for setting up a home theater. I wasn't sure that I could find a solution that didn't involve a soundbar, which honestly, I wasn't sure would give me the HT experience I'm after. I love the fact that this is (mostly) wireless, relatively simple to setup, and it keeps my wall clutter minimal. But the biggest thing for me is to see an enthusiast like you rave about how well this sounds for both movies and music. Feeling immersed in content is king for me. It's why I bother with HT to start with. Barring more research, I feel confident this is what I'm going to get now.
Great review Andrew, refreshing to see an audiophile reviewer with an open mind. Interesting product from Sony wonder when this tech will find its way into a bigger system.
Thank you @John Walsh. I have a feeling Sony will be leaning HARD on this tech for some time. I would welcome it in bigger speakers any day!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews This. I know people were skeptical but I mentioned before in a comment that I know someone who currently works in the Samsung commercial division and used to work at LG. They told me that everyone in the business was watching with intense curiosity to see how well this product performed as everyone in the home entertainment tech industry was hearing rumblings that Sony had just absolutely nailed it. John is right to suspect that sooner or later, this is going to make it into mainstream technology and not just with Sony. It's not too far of a stretch to realize that the little Sony A9 hub is eventually going to become a full-fledged AV receiver. No matter what purists say, every mainstream user wants wireless speakers. It's only a matter of time before entire AV based Atmos systems are completely wireless. This is the future.
@@bronstet Don't you still have to plug them into power? What's the difference with having a power cable lying around or a speaker cable?
@@lukastemberger Distance involved and the number of cables. It's easier to plug in a single power cable into an outlet or power bar around the room than 2 sets of speaker cable per speaker all the to the receiver. Plus they could be made cordless with rechargeable batteries. A good analogy would be your laptop versus your desk computer. You still need to plug in the laptop but way more convenient than your desk computer with less wires to deal with and the freedom to move around.
@@bronstet Hm, but each individual speaker needs its power cable and outlet, which seems more inconvenient than just having a tidy thin cable running from the receiver to the surround speaker.
You don't even need a very thick cable even if you need to cover longer distances.
There's no way in hell I want to connect my speakers to the charger every day to get the battery charged.
Having an A9 along with a separate 2ch system for serious music listening seems to be the route I want to go. My setup is 5.0 ch at the moment and was thinking of adding height speakers, but was feeling iffy about turning my living room more and more into a dedicated altar for TV.
same here! Basically a "small" 5.0/5.1 system for the real living room and a 7.2.x system with superb stereo capabilities for the more home cinema room but also some sort of living room
Im in search for a replacement for my old Heco 5.0 system, which should be definately look more modern and probably smaller, just ok for TV, casual gaming and some movies with atmos and co. I have anyways a proper 7.2 (soon 9.2/11.2/7.2.4) system in another room. But i really dont want any downgrade despite pretty easy to reach goals, especially if i have to pay like 500$+ (my Heco Victa 5.0 system costed like 200$ long ago already)
Me and you convinced my father to buy the HT-A9 + SW5
Can't wait !
Edit:
We went to a store and heard it, it sound reaaaaally good!! We decided to buy a AV receiver from Maranz, and use my older stand speaker Elac FS, after calibrating it sounds better than the HTa9
Wow, did not expect the both of you to love these speakers…I was expecting a negative review. Now, I’m curious to hear these Sony speakers. I currently own the Sonos ARC, and love every minute of it !
May I ask why you thought we'd hate it?
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I was thinking it'd be negative because to me it seemed sooo gimmicky. How many times have we heard about "new" surround sound phantom speaker tech blah blah to only be garbage. Pleasantly surprised and very tempted to grab a set.
The reason why Sony makes the sub optional is because of apartment buyers who have neighbors...who don't like booms. So they decided to make the sub optional and keep the price low. Here's hoping for a review of the Roku Streambar Pro, Sub and surround speakers.
Im a bad neighbor I have dual SVS PB-3000 in a 1000sq ft apartment lol.....
I stopped counting the number of times i heard you say "incredibly", i'm sold. Thanks for this review, I'm skipping Klipsch and getting this instead.
Hey Andrew. I think your comment around 15:15 mins said it all... This system's performance made you forget you were in this system, and you were blown away by its realism. THAT'S supposed to be the goal of any system /configuration. Did it FEEL like you were there? Its exciting to think we are progressing with software/ hardware to get closer to reality in sound reproduction. We wanna believe like we were there sometimes... concert, action scene.
In theory, a well placed pair of fronts is supposed to be capable of creating a beautiful approximation of a realistic sound stage too,... so by that logic why can't four speakers do the same but for immersive multi channel reproduction?
I am more excited to see what an A10 will be, and sound like. Will it have bigger better speakers? Will its decoder/processor kick butt better than this one? All very exciting. I hate that Kristie's ears didn't allow her the same awe that put that glint you had in your eyes as you relayed your experience. The reality is that we all have different bodies and parts, so one machine will unfortunately NEVER do it for everybody. Sad, but true. I might even have ears like hers. Let's agree it ain't over, and hope they keep making more and better so everyone gets to hear that Holy GRAIL moment. Thanks guys.
This is one of the reviews I've really been waiting for. Insanely interesting system.
Thanks for watching!
Great review!! Can you guys call Sony and tell them to make more of these! I’ve been waiting months to try to buy these and they are STILL on back order!!!
Probably stuck on a freighter or dock somewhere?
Who else has come back here to watch this 2 or 3 times just to revalidate your purchase while you wait 2-3 weeks for your HT-A9 to arrive? Lol. Can’t wait to get this system!
I keep coming back to watch because I can't get my hands on the a9 in Australia, they have halted sales for now until they get stock, when ever that is haha 😐☹️. !!!!
@@joshdimovski4483 keep the faith mate. Very low supply here in Canada but I just called my supplier and he said I will get mine on Monday. We will see. I would place your order with a reputable supplier now if you can to get you in the queue like I did. I have a feeling this will be worth the wait. 🤞
Well, today is 4 weeks since my order and I’ve learned it will likely be another 2 weeks before I see the HT-A9. Received the SW5 subwoofer this week. Can’t wait to pair them up.
I was about to pull the trigger on getting the 7000 sound bar when I came across this. Your refreshing frank and honest review (that touched on the 7000) changed my mind. Long story short, I went out and purchased the bigger sub and my a9 is on its way! (Liked and subbed) Thank you and Kristie :)
So glad you found the review helpful. We hope that you enjoy your system when it arrives!
I went down the rabbit hole, watching your videos. I am down to Sony HT-A9 and the Sennheiser Ambeo. Still researching, will need to go to a store to listen to them. Thanks for sharing your videos.
I needed to hear a review from an "audiophile" before I purchased this system. I didn't anticipate you reviewing this so soon, Andrew,...but I'm sure glad you (and Kristi) did! Thanks very much! Spectacular job!
Oh no am I an audiophile 😂 JK. I appreciate you watching and I hope you're as pleased with this system as we have been.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I've followed your written reviews for years through my journey. I appreciate your kind reply.
So I bought the A9's for my 1-bedroom apartment. Warning for future buyers: all speakers must be able to see each other and see the connecting box, otherwise you will not be able to configure the speakers correctly.
I'll need to get speaker stands for the front and mount the rear speakers on the wall beside my couch in order to do just that.
Before having done all that, I am underwhelmed by them. I had static noise from connecting the tv as my centre speaker, so I did away with that. Despite the fact that the front speakers' psuedo-center channel made up for that, the rear speakers are WAY too quiet, even after turning them up to max volume and dialogue is crushed, muddled, and hard to make out at times.
I will try getting the SW5 and reconfiguring my setup to get the most out of it. I'm hoping I am pleasantly surprised after that, but we will see.
Despite my poor experience thus far, as a new discovery in my UA-cam ventures, your reviews have been absolutely amazing and I love how detailed you get and the exposes you give. *Chefs kiss* Brilliant. Thank you for your work!
Any update after the sub yet,sir?
Did u get it working ?
I like your channel. For the content of course. But honestly more so for your eloquent way of speaking and soothing voice. I can easily enjoy your vids with both eyes shut. Just listening. I learned a lot already.
Thank you so much, Tom M! We appreciate you watching.
Wow, $3400 with the sub in Australia. That’s a tough sell, even after such an awesome review
Just purchased this system along with the SW5 sub, it replaces my Bose 900 sound bar , Base Module 700 and 700 surrounds - have to admit, the jury is still out on it, the phantom centre channel is brilliant and I haven’t watched anything with true Atmos yet.
Set up was easy and I had trouble with speaker drop outs but that was only because the speaker stands arrived a day later than the system so two were placed out of line of sight, not had any issues since the speakers have been placed on stands, although there is adjustment for the level of bass, I would prefer to be able to set treble and middle as well, I really hope Sony add it although I suspect they won’t.
My only other gripe is the colour, why grey? I would prefer a choice of black or white.
The lows from the system including sub, is nowhere near that of my Bose system, so I guess I need to get used to it, although if you turn the Dolby setting on in the audio settings, there is a lot of base (possibly too much).
I’m no audiophile so take my criticisms on the sound quality as you wish, although the sound is extremely clear and my hearing may well have been ruined by the Bose system!!!!
Overall, it’s a very good system, whether it is worth £2500, is up to the individual
Hey! I’m new to your channel & must say that I absolutely love the both of you. Excellent pairing, honest dialogue. Genuinely authentic. Definitely glad I found you. Will be referencing you as my Go-To for all things Audio.
Andrew and Kristi, great video. Returned the HT7000 and RS5’s, kept the SW5 sub. Got the A9’s today and all I can say is thank you. This system is amazing for movies as well as music. So far, Apple Music through the 4K Apple TV sounds the best. I have the A90J and tried using both the tv’s center channel and then the A9’s phantom center channel. As you stated combining the tv speakers with the A9’s you definitely have a miss match in sound. For my room size as well as seating position, the phantom center channel is great. The dialog sound experience is in the middle of the tv but not hitting you directly like the forward facing sound bar speakers. Thanks again and keep doing what you are doing. Love your transparency.
Check out the Klipsch Cinema 800 or 600, thank me later 💜
I definitely think this is the future of home theater, no doubt. It sounds terrific on demo. I ultimately chose the q950a for budget reasons. I personally didn't think dishing around 1500 or more was worth it in comparison and YES! this system needs to include a sub. The future is bright for Sony, I'm sure this system/concept will only get better as time goes on.
Just received today Oct 8 from Bestbuy . Thought they where white but their more light gray than white. Size are a little bigger than a 2 litre plastic soda, hard to tell size from pictures and video. Will set up tomorrow and post my opinion. Really excited and nervous, $2500 ain't no pocket change.
Hi, I was reading your comment very interested, Do you have any 4K disc player or blu- ray player, I wonder if you can test the DTS X Sound, my first home theater was a Sony with 5 little speakers and subwoofer , When this old Sony was playing Dolby Digital sound was great but when it was playing old DVD or Blu-rays disc that comes with DTS it was amazing more powerful more pure sound, If you have a disc player please try it and let us know, I really wonder how the DTS X can sounds with this new system HT A9
A Fresh review of the whole A7000 setup including the newest firmware update and new rears would be so damn nice, I think now the system is probably comparable with the A9 setup and I read here and there it might even be the better choice, what do you think Andrew, btw you should do audio books :)
For a future release / update on this HT-A9 system I would like to see Sony develop a dedicated center channel so that you can adjust dialogue on the fly for greater intelligibility or improve the ability to do so in the current system. The only other thing of noteworthy would be to allow other sub-woofer brands to connect to the hub or at least have an rca out to connect one. This imo would make the system that much more compelling to jump into.
What I love is how you kept it so professional, but you dont have to. I, too was blown away by a Sony product when i got a car head unit: XAV-AX5000 paired with the Focal KX3. The rear speakers are the stock paper cone speakers, btw. But the first time me and my sons heard it, we were just in awe. Let me say, those car trips just became silent where we just gave all our attention to the music. I'm sure a large part of it came from the magoc of the focal speakera, but the Sony head unit also gave out so much detail and the immersion given in a vacumn and confined hatchback car gave was intoxicating.
Long story short, the immersion is key here, and Sony knows it. When you feel that sound filling in every single bit of the air, you don't need to analyze the technicalities like Amdrew said. It's just there, and it's euphoric.
As a Best Buy home theater worker I've been curious how this system would preform ever since it was announced. Thanks Andrew!
I think it will be quite popular with consumers.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews
Not to my liking I sent Sony HTA9 back for refund, can get much better sound quality from a traditional AV Receiver & Wired Speakers
@@Music.Movies.67 The official release is still a few days in the future. Why would you buy a pre-release setup?
@@Music.Movies.67 How many times are you going to reply to comments saying how much you dislike the system? Leave a comment and move on with your day.
Although you mentioned the HTA-7000 in this review, it would be appreciated if you could do a separate review of it. I think all of your viewers would like more info on “why” it’s so substandard. Personally, I have pre-ordered the 7000 and now I’m on the fence. If you could go into more specifics, I think it would give all of us the info we need to decide which is best for us. Thanks,
Dw i’m using the a7000 as we speak and i don’t think it’s bad at all 😅. Just test it out when you get it and like they always say it depends on if you like it. If you don’t just keep the box and send it back
@@Zoranurai13 - Just wonder - are you using a7000 by itself or with their rear speakers and/or subwoofer?
@@alau0115 full set obviously
I had it pre order and cancelled…I’m ordering the A9 now
@@Zoranurai13 according to an earlier Japanese UA-cam review (TourbillonCafe), the difference between just the A7000 and the full set is huge. Since you have the full set, it probably confirms Andrew only had the A7000 without the frills when he was testing it. Probably A7000 works best with at least the rear speakers.
I think there is Future on both ways. For people who dont want to burn an insane amout of cash but still want an amazing theater and music experience can buy this Sony system. For people who want the absolute best in sound quality theres the traditional way with great amplifiers and recievers and amazing (also expensive) speakers
Just LOVED this review you guys put together. I really didn't want the video to end haha. Thanks a lot! Seriously considering this as an option as I'm looking to get into the hobby.
That is so kind! Thank you for watching.
Another great review. The A7000 package was at the top of my Amazon list but after you brief & brutal review, its the A9 now. I'm sure you can see by other comments here that yours and Kristi opinions carry weight. But I would like you to do a full review of the a7000 so we get the whole picture.
BTW, if I could wave a magic wand, I would have Sonos send you and ARC 5.1 system tomorrow to review.
Hi Mr. Andrew. I just picked up this set at Best Buy in Hawaii plus the sw5 300watt sub. My small room is only 9x9x9 very small room, I’m single and a movie buff after listening to your reviews on it, I went out and bought the set. Thanks for your input.😊😊
Thank you guys for such a comprehensive review! May I ask if either of you experienced any ear fatigue/headache with the A9? This is the first "lifestyle" system that has been able to truly reproduce an immersive movie theatre experience for me however after about 10 minutes of watching movies, my ears start to fatigue. By the 20 minute mark, I have developed a headache. I've tried the Sennheiser Ambeo with an older SVS ultra (doesn't reproduce the surround effects to my liking) so switched to the complete sonos arc + sub and surrounds ( great frontstage sound and bass but still lacks the height for surrounds and at times doesn't transition effects as seamless as I'm hoping for). But never had any issues with listening fatigue regardless of sound levels. After receiving my a9 yesterday, I thought I found my holy grail as it provided me the movie theatre experience I've been searching for. The A9 doesn't sound bright or harsh to my ears but simply tires them out quickly followed by a headache. I'm hoping to find a solution to alleviate this problem as I would hate to return them due to this. If you guys have experienced anything similar throughout the testing process, was there anything that was done to resolve similar issue? Unfortunately the A9 doesn't allow us to manually set the EQ as I was hoping to play with different settings. Might it be speaker placement, phase issue, or their new sound mapping used on this system? Any insight and advice will be greatly appreciated! Keep up the good work as always!
I cannot drill holes in the walls of the apartment that I am at now, and I cannot find a stand that is deep enough to accommodate the 65+ inch TV and Samsung Q950A soundbar that I want to purchase (Space between the stands of the TV measure 47 inches apart from one another, while the soundbar measures over 48 inches). This is a perfect solution to my problem.
It’s always a pleasure to watch your reviews they’re so informative and I consider myself to be an audiophile at heart but I’m not very knowledgeable on all the choices that are available and how to best benefit from the information that you give and also how to make a good choice based on the information that you share on your channel. You shared in this video that if you have an AMBEO not to feel the FOMO but I am feeling the FOMO!😂 I decided to purchase an AMBEO based on the review that you gave of it and I am 1000% in love with it after I figured out what room in my home to put it in because the first room I placed I didn’t work out too well I do have a dedicated subwoofer that I used with it as well. And I love it but I don’t know that I’m getting the full Atmos affect that I’m looking for and I do have very high ceilings. I live in Baltimore city and the area that I live in is not too far from the downtown area and those house are very historic and feature pretty high ceilings and I want Atmos so based on your review I’m thinking of trading in my AMBEO but I decided before I do that to leave a comment in hopes that I get a response from you about what direction to go in. I am also a gamer. I have a LG OLED 77 inch C9. I have a PS five as well as a PS VR headset. Ultimately my question is what is the best option for good no not good a great Atmos affect with also the option to play music because I love music it’s the nectar of the gods for me. And my apologies for such a long post by enclosing I do genuinely enjoy your content and your presentation of that content and I feel your sincerity and your honesty and I don’t always feel that from some other contact creators and the same genre. Any suggestions would be helpful about the best direction to go in to get true Atmos without spending true Atmos money which is why I got the AMBEO to begin with. Thank you in advance and keep doing what you guys do you very well.
@@morespinach9832 what is a shill?
@@morespinach9832 Just google the definition never mind
I just want to be clear that I’m not feeling the First reply. I don’t do drama I’m just asking for help so I’m hoping that you will be able to take the time out to give me some feedback still it would be much appreciated.
great content @Andrew Robinson , as always! what would you chose between Sony ST A9 with Sony SA-SW5 and Sonos system (Sonos Arc + x2 Sonos Five + Sonos Sub) for a 32m2 living room? Note: both pair with an LG OLED TV.
I've dreamt of owning or at least experiencing the A9 for a while now, however there are no demo places anywhere near me. Few days ago I found it for 800€ B-grade, instantly pulled the trigger!
So excited for it to arrive!
Thanks for all your reviews, I have watched every single soundbar related one. Love Kristi's take at the end, it's nice to get a second sophisticated opinion
Hi Andrew, after watched your review of the A9 system. I went to the Sony Centre and request for the audition. After tested it, I'm straight away purchase it. It sounds phenomenal like you said, it's beyond impressive. I will getting the SW5 sub when Sony Centre has it restock. Thank you for the great review Andrew. One question, will it wireless speakers signal always connected stable and consistently?
Noticed the nice subtle name change to "Andrew Robinson & Kristi Wright". Deservedly so. Andrew speaks from a reviewers/audiophile perspective while Kristi speaks from the average persons perspective.
I’d say you’re underselling her experience with this statement. She has been listening to most if not all of the same equipment he’s been listening to for years. I’d say it’s more like getting 2 reviewers perspectives for the “price” of one, rather than that of a reviewer and an average person.
@@eeyorebill04 I most certainly don't disagree, and in no way was I trying to undersell her. I've been watching Andrews videos since early last year when I randomly stumbled upon them during the pandemic. I myself am not audiophone and can't afford most of the equipment that they review, but there have been several instances where I understood her POV regarding certain aspects more than Andrew.
Curious to hear the A9 since its been sold out in most places, but I'll have to fight you on saying the A7000 is a bad subwoofer. It's spacial audio technology, due to its upscaling processor, blows the majority of the home theater soundbars out of the park. Sure you get clear highs with the Sonos and the Samsung soundbar is great if you need to play loud music at a big party. But the Sony A7000 is generally ranked the best, excluding the mammoth sized Senheisser. Plus you can now use the new rears from Sony which is essentially the same technology as the A9; same size drivers, radiators, and structure. Hard to say the A9 would be better than that whole system.
Sony HT A9 vs Samsung Q950A would be very interesting to watch
I always rag on sound bars and home theater in a box type stuff, but when we bought a house, I didn’t have much choice for the living room. I had the basement for my home theater and proper setup, but the living room, I needed something simple, easy… just anything that was good enough really.
Man, I was blown away with this. I flinched at the price knowing what I could do with a more traditional setup, but have it a try fully expecting to return it, but it blew my mind and competed with my 10x ($$) Atmos home theater system in the basement. In fact, I sometimes find myself choosing to watch in that room.
However for music, no, it does not compete with a good stereo setup. It’s cool for Atmos and 360 audio tracks, but most of my music is still stereo, and this just has that kinda weird “playing stereo through a surround system with surround codecs on” kinda feel. Still, no complaints.
As for the sub: the sw5 is definitely better, but it’s not a “definitely get it over the sw3 which isn’t even worth it” as this video suggests. Maybe if you’re a bass head, but if you like proper bass levels, the sw-3 will do just fine in many (most?) circumstances, as long as your room isn’t huge. I’m in a normal sized room. Bought it with the sw5 because of videos like this, but ended up A/B’ing the two and returned it for the 3. Sounds great, honestly no difference other than having to up the bass 2 notches (usually never go passed 5 anyway out of 12)
it was different experience with different setup, but i still think headphones in general have that, not sure how to call it, better instruments gap/space at the cost of detail and clearness which is good for certain usage
my experience only based on phones around 3x the price so yeah, its far ahead
@@iikatinggangsengii2471 I'm assuming you mean better soundstage (for what you said you weren't sure what to call it) but worse detail?
What exactly were you referring to, though? Are you saying what I described with the HT-A9 sounded similar to how you'd describe experiences with headphones?
In a sense, I get what you mean. I had a period where I almost exclusively used high-end cans... I mean, realistically, unless you're incredibly wealthy, you're always going to get better sound out of headphones and a decent headphone amp (doesn't even need to be anything crazy. schitt and topping for instance sound great for the price). In other words... to replicate the sound quality you'd get from, say... $400-$700 headphones and a $200 headphone amp would cost SO much more money to get comparable results from speakers and proper matching amp.
But you are right, there is always some kind of distinct sound you lose (room acoustics, I presume) from headphones... but I don't know if I'd say it's a loss of detail. If anything, I think (as long as the source is good), detail retrieval is almost always better on headphones. Soundstage and headroom better, at least on a dollar for dollar basis, too, but just has some kind of unexplainable sound difference, regardless of open back vs closed back vs iem, etc
There's also the possibility I completely misunderstood your comment and wrote all of this for no reason at all lol
After watching this for more than ten times, I finally bought my HT-A9. Arriving Saturday. Hope it’s as good as this this review says
If you did not purchase the A9 with the specific sub seen here amzn.to/3kFDjls, please note that you will not have the experience noted in the review.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews After a few months of swapping between the A9 and my 5.1 Denon AVR + Dali speakers/ Klipsch Reference setup, I give it all the A9. Adverts are produced in 360 audio glories, and I find myself watching all of them to the end. Thanks to the A9 and the SW5
@@NuclearPhysix How does the music experience compare between your old setup and the new Sony?
Awesome video! For soundstage and cinema, how would you vote for the (Samsung Q950A plus Samsung Q Symphony TV) vs Sony HTA9?
Great vid, you guys are really putting out some top shelf content... definitely the best audio reviews on YT. I have never, ever considered buying an HT system, being a tube amp 2 channel guy. I may pull the trigger on this system, since everyone says its killer for music as well. Decisions, decisions...
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Thank you so much, Jimminy Christmas! We appreciate you watching.
Saw this review, was sold immediately. Bought it, straight away, SW5 as suggested also bought, not tested yet, it’s in backorder. Unbelievable even without aub…
Old system was a 10 yo 10k surroundset. Wat a difference, cannot wait to receive the sub.
Update, set now complete with SW5… imersive is intens. Really brainbreaking the Sound Seems to Come from anywhere. And Dialog straight from the tv, crisp and bright. Love it
I just purchased the HT-A9 based on this review.
I got theses speaker cuz of your review with the recommended woofer and damn it really awesome paired with my LG CX..never had surround sound before just coming off tv speakers and I’ve just simply been blown away..thanks!
Have same tv and was wondering about this. Right now I have 5.1 4 Vizio.
Hey Andrew ! This is your first video I am watching …. and man you are so good at it ! especially seeing so many mediocre reviewers.
You really know your stuff ! Respect.
And as for the pricy review …. I have never wanted to buy a product so badly , based on somebodies reviews.
Will add this to my wish list
connectivity issues are scary for the system priced at $2k.
Imo cinema theatres have the luxury of adding more speakers as 3D audio gets more and more elaborate because they have space. In home theatres, most home owners do not have that luxury, and DSP processing may become more and more relevant. DSP tech is getting better every year too.
Wow, Andrew. you are really sold me on this unit. I am converting my garage into home theatre and I was looking for something not to big and obnoxious visual in the garage. My garage is mostly white so this system seem to be perfect for what I need. with 4K projector shooting to drop screen. I love the fact that I don't need a center speaker to mount above the entrance door to the kitchen. Listening to you carefully. I trully apperciate how detailed you going through every single detail even small thing. I am so excited to get and install this system and thank you for giving high confident to make my purchase. You know how it is I absolutely hate returning things and install and break down and package it back and return it. Your video really help me in many ways. Again, I thank you!.
Most UA-camrs have annoying voices, but you and your wife both have great voices.
Andrew, you have no idea how many ht-a9s you have sold for Sony from this review. I consider myself stingy but from this review, I finally got the A9 and the SW5 sub
How are you finding it so far? It's massively expensive but I'd definitely get this system over something like the Sonos Arc which is still a single bar.
@@TheBlooRayChannel It's suitable for surround audio but not so great for 2-channel audio. I do not sense the 360-audio hype - perhaps that's just me.
@@NuclearPhysixhows the vocals and sound clarity
Received and installed the complete set this week. Based on your solid review I decided to buy the HT-A9 together with the SW-5. Luckely I could buy it for a very sharp price (thanks to some nice price-alert apps). The HT-A9 for 1.699 euro and the SW5 for 574 euro. Still not very cheap, but still saved me some money. Initally I also thought to buy the HT-A7000 together with the SW5. I have heard the HT-A7000 in a demo setting. After I have heard the HT-A9 at home at a friend, it was clear to me: buy the HT-A9! It definitely sounds better, although the HT-A7000 is still good.
It was very easy to install. When the speakers are configured, it is important that they are positioned freely. If a speaker is placed behind a sofa, for example, this can have a negative influence on the gel sound quality. The speakers should also not be too close to a router or other wireless device, as this will disrupt the signal. Compared to my previous set (a Bose 1-2-3 set from somewhere in 2000..... :-/ ) it’s a big step forward. Wow! What a sound! I have tried some sound settings by using Netflix content in Atmos, but also together with Apple music. It realy sounds good.
The quality of the music reproduction is also astonishingly good: highs and mids sound really great. With the SW5, the bass also sounds very good. When playing music, by default the sound is only played over the front 2 speakers. With a press on the AE button on the remote control, sound is also convincingly coming from the rear speakers. With the same remote control, the volume of the rear speakers can be turned up or down.
Last year I bought the Sony XR-65A84J, so I can use the TV as a center speaker. To use this, you must consciously set this via the menu. When watching a movie or serie I have the impression that the speech is slightly more in the foreground. What a downside is that it can be used as a center speaker with a cable, while the entire set is wireless.....
Which apps did you use to find a good price?
Thanks for the videos you two. The A9 is something I’ve been eyeing since its announcement. This video does not help my wallet.
Pray for me. 😀
Don't understand that the subwoofer is black while the speakers are white..
What an excellent and refreshing review! Total integrity. Makes me certainly want to check out this system. Many thanks!
Would love to hear a comparison with the Sonos Arc/Sub setup.
HT-A9 was delivered late Dec for an Oct 18th Amazon order. Samsung Q950A is going back after listening to this. The immersive experience with the A9 keeps you in the story and not distracted by specific speakers shouting specific sound bytes, like in sound bar systems. Isn't that the point of object based sound formats like Atmos and DTS:X? Thank you Andrew for your review and helping with the decision.
Happy to know you are enjoying it!
Thanks for the review. I have the A9 system since a month. 2 weeks without a subwoofer and 2 weeks with the SW3. Tried the system with both subs. I have the SW3 with the sub on 9 out of 12 in setting and its more than enough for my taste. TV is Samsung Q9. I have mixed feelings. I had a hard wired Teufel 5.1 system before from 2008. Due to our new place i wanted to minimize the equipment and cabling. Pro is the setup and the fact that the hub is inside my shelf and it works (with some drop outs). Compared to my old system my finding is the following. With weak sources the old system was better. With Dolby or proper 5.1 stream the new system is better. The reason is the lack of audio settings. In my old system I was able to change the volume of each channel and the frequency of the sub which had a huge influence on the mids and thus the overall balance as well. I was able to tweak around until I found the sweet spot for my individual taste. The sound was more consistent on all sources. The new system is impressive with good quality sources. Very crisp and very punchy base with a much more immersive sound compared to my old system watching the ususal streaming on the Samsung apps (by the way TV is from 2018 and the embedded apps are NOT supporting Atmos - will need to work around probably with Apple TV 2021). What I dont like is the performance on normal TV audio. The presets are not precise enough. I have always the feeling that the voices are not present enough especially on low volume. A bit annoying. Hope that Sony will update the firmware with options to customize. Overall i will keep it. My advice: If you want to buy this setup for some home entertainment cinema experience then go for it. If you want to upgrade your TV speaker for daily routine then you should rethink your expectations. Of course its a huge upgrade but in this budget range you might find a setup which fits better to your needs.
For better or for worse, SONY is one of the few brands that still dares to innovate, to take risks. It often goes wrong, like with the HT-A7000, and sometimes it hits like the HT-A9 and a95K TV.
What's wrong with the HT-A7000? They were on my wishlist.
I wonder why your review of 7000 soundbar is dramatically bad comparing to other non sponsored reviews. Would be so kind and consider updated review late this year with SA-RS5 and the latest firmware upgrade to soundbar itself? I think you could may have preproduction device. Thank you. I am a big fan of your channel. Sincerely.
@Not Apply There's no way of telling if this speculation is true or not (please correct me if AR is "on the record" re this potential issue) but based on my assessment of the performance of the 7000 I think the DRC was activated on AR's set up. I have a Sony X95J and it came from the factory with DRC on. Once I turned it off, it was a night and day difference in quality in my opinion.
As a die hard Sony afficienado, this review warms my heart.... Thank you Andrew.
Thank you for watching!
I have been impressed with the HT-A9 that I got from Value Electronics recently - including with older 2.0 content. Andrew's review here played a big role in my decision to get it and risk paying close to $300 in restocking fees for a return to Value Electronics. They have special arrangements with SONY and get these in limited quantities when others can't. Rarely had drop outs and no phantom centre issues. Dialogue volume can be low for some content and I have to turn the volume up to 50+ sometimes (even with Voice on). Playing with advance audio settings like DTS Neural is a mixed bag. I do have DRC off as it tends to make things sound louder in general. Most of what I watch involves TV shows and movies streamed via Apple TV 4K. I don't listen to music and rarely turn on my Oppo 203. Given that audio quality of the source content I am watching is hardly impressive (especially HBO Max), is there any advantage to go for a traditional wired solution (my budget is around 4K - including a receiver)? Thanks.
Why no comparison to Sonos?its clearly the only competitor to this, the Sonos does calibration with iPhone, uses similar speakers for surround and sun around the same price, Sonos arc, plus two Sonos one for rears and Sonos sun is a little cheaper
nice review - I'm one of the high end audio snobs you quietly referenced here and I've enjoyed your review so much that I would actually consider looking into one of these for my home.
Keeps seeing this all over the internet.....looks it up.....cries a bit. Guess I'll save up
Bro, got me hook on your video. Like how you talk to your audience. You have my subscription
I appreciate that!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews your made for this 😁
Agreed
Tech will always lean towards innovation and compact size. So I have a feel systems like this are going to be the move. This came just in time for me moving into a new apartment!
I don’t think I’ve EVER disagreed with anything more then your opinion about the ht-a7000 … it’s easily the second best standalone soundbar I’ve heard
What’s the best one?
I think he tested it before the major firmware updates of a7000
@@MrApostolicman Ambeo
@@abhi4ify HE must have because it's absolutely crazy some of the things he says in his written review
@@abhi4ify i just got the gt700 how does the a7000 compare