Have had this system for 10 months .. first few months without sub and then with sub sw5 .. sub is definitely needed as it offloads bass duty from A9 to sub and frees up A9 to use its power on everything else .. spatial audio is amazing but needs appropriate content and movie scenes to experience it fully .. Had just 1 audio dropout in 10 months .. Phantom center is awesome, at just 40% volume the system is enough clear .. also a lot of the dialogue problem is due to production as highlighted in a recent VOX video also, even native english speakers are finding it hard to hear .. I keep my system on Cinema mode for all content but you can adjust for your taste .. SW5 is also great .. I have mine behind my seating position within 5 feets and feel the vibrations in my couch .. For absolutely great height effects content watch movie NOPE from 1hr:16min to 1hr:24min .. system will blow your mind .. For surround sound effects watch the first car chase from No Time to Die .. When BOND is surrounded by cars, first there is a bell toll which will make your head turn and then when bullets start firing when BOND is in the car, you can literally feel bullets firing from all directions .. For music the spatial audio from apple and spotify don't do full justice .. You need to hear the 360RA tracks from amazon music or TIDAL and you will know the true potential of the system
I've had this system sub included for over a year now. I would give it a B+ overall grade. The sub is needed even then I wish I could feel the thump in my chest even more. Also, there are some movies my family asks "what did they say?" meaning the dialogue in quiet scenes are difficult to hear. However, the spatial sound and ease of setup are phenomenal. I've had friends turnaround and look up during many scenes. Also, we use it for karaoke and music (depending on bitrate quality) sounds great as well. Overall, I'm more than satisfied with the HT-A9s after having soundbars for many years. The only system I consider upgrading to is the Nakamichi Dragon once I go to UST projector and ALR screen.
i've found on forums and i am looking also into this option. You can take the SW5 board and put it on a SVS PB-1000 Pro using the speaker-level connection. here's some ideas from there: "For those interested in a neat integration, I replicated the connector using the following parts plus a crimping tool and speaker wire: JST SALES AMERICA INC / VHR-4N (the white plug) JST SALES AMERICA INC (VA) / SVH-21T-P1.1 (the pins) The benefits of using my own sub instead include: * Sound reproduction below 35-40Hz. I have a list of songs that I use as a benchmark where I know there is bass that I can't hear with the SW5. * The ability to do some sort of room correction to smooth out the frequency response. The HT-A9 only does room correction for the 4 speakers, not the sub. Some frequencies in my room have larger humps that make the sub sound boomy, and there's no way to correct that with the SW5 short of moving it around (which I don't have the luxury of doing). The SVS subwoofer has a built-in parametric eq to help with this."
@@michael-4k4000 If Kef speakers are ceiling mounted, I would opt for dedicated system. However, I would love to try the Nakamichi Dragons. I've always like Sony's "sound" and opted for the ease of install/use.
I’ve had this system with the SW3 sub for a little over a year now and love it. I did a review for it over on my channel and do all my movie reviews using it.
Should have tried with a 4k blueray player as the OTT platforms only supports DDP + Atmos which is compreseed. Blueray player provides you with the actual mix (lossless) Dolby trueHD + Atmos which will sound way better and I guess the immersion is going to be outstanding by using the full potential of the HT - A9 .
Hello! In the video you talk about the ceiling not exceeding 10 feet for an optimal result. Are we talking about 10 feet from where they are installed to the ceiling or 10 feet from floor to ceiling? Thank you very much for your answer !
I have a Sony A95K and use it on the stand. I don’t currently use a sound system as I have a smaller space. This speaker may be a way of making an improvement to my set up and you can definitely use the tv as a centre speaker.
Not mentioned in the video is the speakers are prone to cutting out due to wireless interference. Not everyone experiences this and you can fix this in the menu but it is one of the downsides to using wireless speakers.
I love mine. Had this issue, but resolved easily with the center unit placement. Replacing it with the Dragon when it's finally released, but no other sound bar has ever come close to my HTA9
@@AudioAdvice Speakers without a wired connectivity option are guaranteed to run into issues. The wireless environment is getting more and more overcrowded all the time. Amongst networks engineers mantra is "if it doesn't move, wire it". We ignore that at our peril.
@@uberseehandel We agree and try to hard wire whenever possible. These probably use their own network as they talk to the little box that comes with them.
I love the HT-A9 as they're wireless, but would these be a better choice in comparison to a 5.1.2 dolby atmos using Klipsch in-ceiling and Elevate setup?
Hallo, I am having Sony X75L TV, purchased in 2023, whether HT A9 synchronises and works. I want to purchase a sound system to my TV. Is there any better choice
ON THE HT-A9 advanced menu; DSEE Extreme: Off / Audio DRC: Off / Sound Effect: Sound Mode On / Advanced Auto Volume: Off / Link Mode: Auto / RF Channel: On Wireless Playback Quality: Sound Quality / Height of sound field: Default (middle selection) / Sound from subwoofer: 3 to 5fts/ Direction of sound field - TV position: TV is in the middle Rear speaker volume : Between 9-10 Subwoofer volume: Between 9-10
Sonys XR OLED models that use the screen as a speaker works very well as a centre channel. Their XR LED models:, while compatible; are no where near as good.
@@grabateabsolutely right! I don't have the A9, but have the A7000 with RS5 rears. The defining factor when initially installing this was the 77"A80K acoustic panel for center channel. It's been an incredible setup!
Very nice video...very enticing. But how would the sound measure up to a traditional 5.1 surround system....like maybe the Klipsch or Deftech?....Yes I understand they're more $$.
Thanks again. A traditional one if you can set it up properly would be preferred. It sounds like you really should reach out to our team to talk about your home theater options.
@@AudioAdvicesomeone sharing with a9 hdmi mode using ps5 as hdmi in , his non sony tv connect to 3.5mm jack of other brand speaker can spund out just want to clarify. By the way can you tell me more about hdmi mode and tv mode show on the a9 hub. Tq
Thank you very much for the insightful video. I'm thinking back and forth between this system and a 5.1.2 system with the Sony AN1000 receiver. Apparently he can also carry out the 360° sound calculation. Have you been able to compare that yet? Does a dedicated system perhaps produce an even more beautiful three-dimensional sound? Immersion in video games and films is very important to me. I want to have the feeling of being in the middle of the scene and I'm looking for the best setup for that.
If you're able to, go with a 5.1.2 system. This will most likely be much better than this system. While this system is very good and convenient, it won't beat a dedicated system. Chat or call our team of experts at audioadvice.com and they can help you pick the best match for you!
@@AudioAdvice wow thanks for your fast reply. I already have a 5.1 system. Wharefedale Crystal 3 5.0 and a Yamaha SW320 Sub. I would not consider me audiophile, but I’m totally into immersion. Which this system cannot deliver. It’s like the rears are too weak, or the speakers in general too far away from each other. I don’t know, but there is nothing like any sound bubble which I am searching for. This is why I thought that maybe the new Sony receiver N 1000 could deliver this experience to maybe my or an updated speaker system. I would totally love to add to hight channels then. Thanks again for your advice and have a great day :-)
Can you also retest the Sony HT-A7000’s using the new RS5 surrounds which are basically mini HTA9’s? I returned my HTA9 system for the A7000+RS5+SW5 sub setup and IMO it’s a better overall setup. The dialogue/center channel is much better with almost the same spatial performance.
Hi and Happy New Year! May it sounds the best! :) May I kindly ask if it’s worthy to pay more than double for the ht-a9 with sw5 than for the q990c. I try to decide over our first ht system, me being more a stereo audiophile person. :) Thank you so much!
@@AudioAdvice Hi! Thank you so much for your advice. Actually, I would like to go for the best cinema/dolby/surround experience, but I’m not sure how the A9 will fit without a sony tv. I have a projector and the apple tv 4k. So no central speaker. Is it worthy the A9 without a sony tv? Thank yoi!
@@anmic3590 You will want to reach out to our team at www.audioadvice.com to discuss You will need a soundbar with inputs and an out for the projector.
@@AudioAdvice Hi! Indeed, I have to think more than twice before taking the final decision. I need to take in consideration as well the layout of the living room. A long one, around 60sqm, but only half of it is used for entertainment, with the screen on the long side, without space behind the back wall. Still trying to figure out if I should move the screen and take advantage of the long livingroom for placing a system like the A9, with more room for the rear speakers. Thank you again!
Got my HT A9 and Sw5 2 years ago paired with Sony A90J and still i get amazed this setup. Exorcist 4k uhd dolby atmos is one the best tracks i have heard. Iam still scared after that one. 😂
They both sound great! We'd recommend reaching out to our team of experts at audioadvice.com to analyze your setup and see which one would be best for you.
Please reach out to our team at www.audioadvice.com to discuss options. If you have a Sony OLED, those work really well as a center. That will be a deciding factor. Thanks for watching
Just got the HT A9 for Christmas replacing the Roku sound bar pro with the Roku subwoofer and 4 surround speakers which makes it a 5.1 home theater system. I'm a little worried about the dropouts that I've read on a lot of the reviews. The verdict is still out on if the A9 is an upgrade from my Roku. But what I can say is I don't understand what's all the fuss about a center channel because this sounds really good with out a dedicated center speaker. Although this is replacing a Roku system, I have a dedicated theater room with a 5.2.4 the two sub are svs PB 3000. So I'm a little familiar with home theater and I'm not saying that I don't like the way the A9 sound, it's that I'm not getting that WOW factor yet also I do have the SW5 subwoofer and have been moving it around trying to find the best location but I'll have to wait until the Christmas tree is taking down to really find the best location for the two rear speakers and the sub. So again, the verdict is still out.
Why oh why, when the whole point of an external speaker system is better sound than the tv is capable of, would you ever hand the tv the responsibility of playing back the most important channel (the center of course)? So you’ve got this slick speaker system, but over half the sound is coming from….the tv? 🤷♂️ I’m glad Audio Advice advised phantom center.
This is a great problem solver for space issues. The better Sony TV's with the acoustic center actually do a decent job, but we agree, dedicated separate components will always be better
I have a Sony TV with just ARC and I have a Sony UBPX800M2 4k player. Can I connect the 4k player to the control box then connect the control box to the TV and still get Dolby Atmos, DTS X etc and the 4k picture?
You honestly don't need a centre channel even without it hooked up the TV it's superb, As you focus isn't focused on dedicated centre channel and you just follow the voices on the screen and it seems like it's coming directly from their it's mad
We assume you must have a TV that does not support Dolby Atmos, if so, we have not tested any switchers with this unit, although it would seem a good one should work.
Can you use them for playing music with Apple AirPlay2/Spotify when connected to the TV with eArc? Because apparently you can't do that with a Sonos home theater system. Thanks!
Never had one issue with connection in a year and a half, Amazing simple Home Theater in a box, Obviously not in a league of home theater that cost £25000 but that's not be expected
It is pricey, but honestly, the Atmos and surround processing competes with my ~$15,000 home theater system in the basement. Like... reallllly competes. I was blown away. I HATE soundbars, home theater in a box type stuff, all of it, and only bought it because I wanted something "wife-approved" in the living room (since she wouldnt want a receiver and 7 to 13 channels in the living room) that'd at least be respectable enough to watch a movie with her in the living room. At the end of the day, I actually sometimes prefer it instead of going downstairs into the theater (granted, my true system is much better, with in-ceiling, 11.2.4, but this genuinely is impressive, and I was expecting to hate it and just return it for a cheap soundbar and call it a day). It gets blown away by my true system for music, though, but for movies/tv and surround applications, it's well worth the pricetag. You'd have to spend 5x this amount on a an AVR (and really, you wanna spend more to get a processor and power amp/separates), and at least a 7.1.4 (in-ceiling) to get anything comparable. Before my really high-end HT downstairs, I had a... good one, probably costing around 4 to 5 grand. A nice Yamaha RX series Atmos AVR in a 5.1.2 Atmos setup, and the Sony was better than that.
@@n.s.3812 completely agreed, for what you spend, this is far and away the single best bang-for-the-buck home theater system on the market today - and nothing else even comes remotely close for the price. Now, here's the best part: you wouldn't really think of it, but this comes very close to being considered a "portable" audio solution in the sense that you can easily move it into another room in the house, hook it up, do an optimization sequence and be up and running there again in a matter of minutes. You could never even DREAM of doing such a thing with a traditional receiver and speaker based set up. Sony really does have an absolute home run on their hands with this product.
For £2.500 for a Home Theater in a box that's gonna give you that experience I'd say it's cheap, You'll struggle to build a sperates system for that money
@@AngellMessiahIt will work great with LG, I have an LG oled and use it all the time. You can’t use the TV as the center channel speaker but the A9’s Phantom Center channel is way better anyways. Watch my review for this system over in my channel
I have the A-9 system. The demo set-up sounds AMAZING but, because the unit is wireless, the sound frequently drops out, or stops working altogether, requiring you to stop what you're watching, and re-set the entire system. My advice: not worth the cost so look elsewhere for a quality sound system!
It does not appear so. You go through a linking process to add it and once you have added one, it does not look like you can add another. Thanks for watching
We reviewed this when it came out with the Sony 5000 and 7000 soundbars in a comparison review but we never actually did a dedicated review to this system. Recently, we heard this setup again and were really impressed and decided to do a dedicated review on it. And the fact that it still is an amazing system and not brand new, really says a lot! Plus it's at a great price right now, making it even more worth the purchase!
Just purchased the full system 2 weeks ago at BestBuy for 4th of July sale at a nice price $1499 for A9 and $399 for SW5 Sub. I am very impressed after coming from a Nakamichi Shockwafe 9.2.4 which was good but it was time for an upgrade Love the sound quality although I’m not getting a lot of overhead effects , my ceilings are about 9-10ft , not sure if it’s because my living room is open concept but I still am very happy with the quality.
It is very difficult to actually hear how a system sounds through a microphone and then put on UA-cam. It will all depend on the mic used and the how UA-cam compresses it. We highly recommend trying to hear it in person.
@@AudioAdvice I understand that, but I've watched videos on the Amazon studio sub and speakers with Dolby Atmos and it sounded amazing with headphones on of course, you should at least try it. Just set a disclaimer that it won't sound as it will in person and to use headphones.
@@UA-camuser1aaYes, there’s a setting you can turn on for this issue, I had drops in the past and this solves it. Start by pressing the Menu button and a small yellow circle is under settings.
The Bravia TV will have some benefits but isn't needed. We actually enjoyed the phantom center in some use cases rather than using the TV as the center channel.
It was the deciding factor for me, as I didn’t want to mess up my media wall with a speaker so invested in a Sony TV as well as the ht-a9. It’s really incredible
Testing using Netflix is suboptimal. There is a dramatic, absurd difference between streaming & physical media. For some stupid reason… streaming services sacrifice Audi over video… especially dynamic range… Dune is an excellent example… completely different viewing experience with physical media. 7.2.4 surround in 600sqft room with 11.5’ ceilings. It sounds a bit expensive…. $2k including sub. Except when you consider it includes the AV receiver as well as speakers. I have some friends I’d recommend it to vs sound bar.
We agree with you on the physical media vs streaming, but 95% of our clients use streaming so we test that way. The good news is we just found out Netflix has ordered a half dozen top of the line Trinnov processors as they are making a push into higher channel counts and less audio compression. We hope it comes true! Thanks for watching
It is a nice system that is simple to implement, but we do agree, a dedicated receiver with 5 good speakers is a better way to go, albiet more complicated. Thanks for watching
@@peteholliday1927 What I meant was to remove the presence of the 5G wifi source from the immediate area where the HT-A9 is. In my case (since my modem sits by the TV) I used to just turn off the 5G band on my Asus wifi router whenever the HT-A9 would be in use. However, updating to the latest firmware and changing the setting "Wireless Playback Quality" to "Connection" (in speaker settings) seem to have fixed the audio dropout issue, even with the presence of 5G wifi.
Haha, they have some decent movies with Atmos. Any Netflix Atmos is pretty good compared to other streaming services. Not quite the same as a Kaleidescape though!
Probably sounds great but i am not a fan of a system that uses a set up box. That will age etc and Sony unfortunately has terrible after sales so they will probably ask you to buy a new one.🙃 Plus they are only available in white 😉
I did not think much of the Sony HTA9 system, had a lot of sound drop outs and dialogue was not very clear, Without a centre speaker, Subwoofer was too Boomy. Music did not sound very good compared to book stand speakers Better off with a AV Receiver book stand speakers and svs Subwoofer
We would agree a system using an AVR and separates would be better, but you may have a setup/settings issue. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts
Same I actually returned it for the Sony HT-A7000 sound bar with the new RS5 surrounds which are basically mini HTA9’s. I’m much happier with this system and have decided to keep it. The dialogue/phantom center speaker was the deal breaker for me with the A9’s.
(Sonys problem) i wont buy and many others without knowledge of all components $2k is too much ($1500 sale price is still borderline hesitant) stores dont want returns for something that could be avoided from the start. *Nobody has images/video of the power cords.* A major downfall. Size of plugs, length of wires... If it be powered with a standard USB port. (no video of the physically setting up= some have reviews of the software setup which you did *too wordy* with manufacturer tech = people can just go to product webpage) _____ My opinion the rear soundbar version with built-in battery would be a better option (2 wired with possiblity of 4 completely wireless power) White/silver is another major downfall (should also come in black which would be more popular) _____ Too much tech talk (not a real review but a sales pitch) better revews out there
6 months later and I'm still impressed. Amazing bit of kit.
It sure is! Thanks for watching!
1 year later. I am still impressed
How is the speakers ? Is it wroth ?
Spatial Sound Mapping... what a time to be alive! :) Great vid, guys!
Thanks! 😃
Sony portable theater surround does it without plug ins.😊
No better time to be alive, no better time
I have it for 1 year and a half and i love it. I also recommend listening to 360 reality audio tracks on Tidal.
Awesome, thanks for sharing!
Have had this system for 10 months .. first few months without sub and then with sub sw5 .. sub is definitely needed as it offloads bass duty from A9 to sub and frees up A9 to use its power on everything else .. spatial audio is amazing but needs appropriate content and movie scenes to experience it fully .. Had just 1 audio dropout in 10 months .. Phantom center is awesome, at just 40% volume the system is enough clear .. also a lot of the dialogue problem is due to production as highlighted in a recent VOX video also, even native english speakers are finding it hard to hear .. I keep my system on Cinema mode for all content but you can adjust for your taste .. SW5 is also great .. I have mine behind my seating position within 5 feets and feel the vibrations in my couch .. For absolutely great height effects content watch movie NOPE from 1hr:16min to 1hr:24min .. system will blow your mind .. For surround sound effects watch the first car chase from No Time to Die .. When BOND is surrounded by cars, first there is a bell toll which will make your head turn and then when bullets start firing when BOND is in the car, you can literally feel bullets firing from all directions .. For music the spatial audio from apple and spotify don't do full justice .. You need to hear the 360RA tracks from amazon music or TIDAL and you will know the true potential of the system
Thanks for sharing! Sounds like a great setup. We will definitely test that out!
Is this system worth buying without a subwoofer?
@@michael-4k4000 yes it is
@@abhi4ify thanks,
I've had this system sub included for over a year now. I would give it a B+ overall grade. The sub is needed even then I wish I could feel the thump in my chest even more. Also, there are some movies my family asks "what did they say?" meaning the dialogue in quiet scenes are difficult to hear. However, the spatial sound and ease of setup are phenomenal. I've had friends turnaround and look up during many scenes. Also, we use it for karaoke and music (depending on bitrate quality) sounds great as well. Overall, I'm more than satisfied with the HT-A9s after having soundbars for many years. The only system I consider upgrading to is the Nakamichi Dragon once I go to UST projector and ALR screen.
Thanks for sharing!
i've found on forums and i am looking also into this option. You can take the SW5 board and put it on a SVS PB-1000 Pro using the speaker-level connection.
here's some ideas from there:
"For those interested in a neat integration, I replicated the connector using the following parts plus a crimping tool and speaker wire:
JST SALES AMERICA INC / VHR-4N (the white plug)
JST SALES AMERICA INC (VA) / SVH-21T-P1.1 (the pins)
The benefits of using my own sub instead include:
* Sound reproduction below 35-40Hz. I have a list of songs that I use as a benchmark where I know there is bass that I can't hear with the SW5.
* The ability to do some sort of room correction to smooth out the frequency response. The HT-A9 only does room correction for the 4 speakers, not the sub. Some frequencies in my room have larger humps that make the sub sound boomy, and there's no way to correct that with the SW5 short of moving it around (which I don't have the luxury of doing). The SVS subwoofer has a built-in parametric eq to help with this."
Do you think this is better then a dedicated system with an Atmos Receiver and Kef speakers?
@@michael-4k4000 If Kef speakers are ceiling mounted, I would opt for dedicated system. However, I would love to try the Nakamichi Dragons. I've always like Sony's "sound" and opted for the ease of install/use.
Is this better than the Samsung 11.1.4 speaker one ?
I’ve had this system with the SW3 sub for a little over a year now and love it. I did a review for it over on my channel and do all my movie reviews using it.
Glad you liked it
If they had released an HT A10 with updated speakers with a possible center channel opportunity that you can choose, it would have been a purchase
We will have to wait and see if they have anything coming up with that capability. It sure would be cool!
I've had mine for a year or so and I don't think it needs a centre channel.
Should have tried with a 4k blueray player as the OTT platforms only supports DDP + Atmos which is compreseed. Blueray player provides you with the actual mix (lossless) Dolby trueHD + Atmos which will sound way better and I guess the immersion is going to be outstanding by using the full potential of the HT - A9 .
Good suggestion. We'll give it a try! It can only make it even better!
Hello! In the video you talk about the ceiling not exceeding 10 feet for an optimal result.
Are we talking about 10 feet from where they are installed to the ceiling or 10 feet from floor to ceiling? Thank you very much for your answer !
Good question, floor to ceiling
This is a great alternative to a soundbar.
It sure it! We'd go as far as to say it's better than any soundbar we've heard 🫣
I have a Sony A95K and use it on the stand. I don’t currently use a sound system as I have a smaller space. This speaker may be a way of making an improvement to my set up and you can definitely use the tv as a centre speaker.
Yes, you should give it a try. www.audioadvice.com/sony-ht-a9-high-performance-home-theater-system
I would love to see someone comparing it with Nakamichi Dragon. That’s one beast of a system!
We have not done that comparison. The HT-A9 solves a lot of problems though with its compact size. Thanks for watching
Absolutely liked your detailed review of the song A9. Have seen many videos but you just nailed it with details. Will buy it soon 😊
Glad it was helpful!
@@AudioAdvice I’m planning to get X82L as the hall is not that big. So will the A9 system with the S5 be a good option?
@@maamajhigouri1207 Yes, the SA-SW5 is a good sub to match with them.
@@AudioAdvice thanks so much
Not mentioned in the video is the speakers are prone to cutting out due to wireless interference. Not everyone experiences this and you can fix this in the menu but it is one of the downsides to using wireless speakers.
Wireless can have issues, but it is a great problem solver when you can not run wires.
I love mine. Had this issue, but resolved easily with the center unit placement.
Replacing it with the Dragon when it's finally released, but no other sound bar has ever come close to my HTA9
Do you own one set? How you fixed it?
I guess one of the cons of adopting new tech. Still this issue is usually fixed by optimizing in the box. This system is awesome.
@@abhi4ifyI own one and there’s a setting to turn off then on (by pressing HOME on your controller) then it fixes the issue.
Really hope Sony will release a wired version of this home theater system.
We do not expect to see that anytime soon. Thanks for watching
@@AudioAdvice Speakers without a wired connectivity option are guaranteed to run into issues. The wireless environment is getting more and more overcrowded all the time. Amongst networks engineers mantra is "if it doesn't move, wire it". We ignore that at our peril.
@@uberseehandel We agree and try to hard wire whenever possible. These probably use their own network as they talk to the little box that comes with them.
@@uberseehandellooks like you are facing a lot of problem with your HT A9
@@abhi4ify
😂
I'm just an old engineer who has all too frequently investigated what happens when "stuff" happens.
TBT I prefer fibre to copper.😎
Some great detail in this review. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
Are you using any subwoofer?
I love the HT-A9 as they're wireless, but would these be a better choice in comparison to a 5.1.2 dolby atmos using Klipsch in-ceiling and Elevate setup?
Great question, probably not. Call or chat with our team at audioadvice.com to see what might be best for you!
Hallo, I am having Sony X75L TV, purchased in 2023, whether HT A9 synchronises and works. I want to purchase a sound system to my TV. Is there any better choice
This would be a great choice
Is Sony sound bar better or home theater, I want to use it for my Sony TV and PS5. Please help
We think this system sounds better than a soundbar, especially if you add a sub. Thanks for watching
Can you please make a video about best settings for This speaker.
ON THE HT-A9 advanced menu; DSEE Extreme: Off / Audio DRC: Off / Sound Effect: Sound Mode On / Advanced Auto Volume: Off / Link Mode: Auto / RF Channel: On
Wireless Playback Quality: Sound Quality / Height of sound field: Default (middle selection) / Sound from subwoofer: 3 to 5fts/ Direction of sound field - TV position: TV is in the middle
Rear speaker volume : Between 9-10
Subwoofer volume: Between 9-10
This sounds good. You will want to play with it to make it the best for your room and personal preference.
I find using my Sony a90j oled tv as the Centre channel for the ht a9 pretty good. It makes the dialogue more centred for all seating positions.
Thank you for sharing!
Sonys XR OLED models that use the screen as a speaker works very well as a centre channel. Their XR LED models:, while compatible; are no where near as good.
@@grabateabsolutely right! I don't have the A9, but have the A7000 with RS5 rears. The defining factor when initially installing this was the 77"A80K acoustic panel for center channel. It's been an incredible setup!
Very nice video...very enticing. But how would the sound measure up to a traditional 5.1 surround system....like maybe the Klipsch or Deftech?....Yes I understand they're more $$.
Thanks again. A traditional one if you can set it up properly would be preferred. It sounds like you really should reach out to our team to talk about your home theater options.
Seems like a great system and this is such a nitpick but I wish it came in black as well.
It really is! Yes, that would be very cool if it did.
Agree.. Like sonos
Do I only need one Sony subwoofer for the ideal setup or two?
I’ve had this system for over a year now, you’ll definitely want either the SW3 or SW5 sub and sadly can only have one.
It only accepts one
Can you pair this system with the HT-A5000 or HT-A7000? Would it make for a more complete system along with the sub or would it be overkill?
No, you can not, sorry
I have vaulted ceilings in the tv area I would like to use the A9...would that create any issue with performance or the mapping tech?
They will be an issue with any speaker using upward firing drivers, but the A9 should work as well as any, their tech is good
You chose to use phantom center when the Sony tv didn’t match quality. Did you test this with acoustic surface oled models?
The acoustic surface ones will work well.
looking forward for your review on Nakamichi dragon 11.4.6
Not sure we plan on reviewing it. We will try it out first. Thanks for the suggestion!
I have buy it today, and i am non sony tv (lg)user, can you teach me how to make my tv have s center sound.
You can not do that.
@@AudioAdvicesomeone sharing with a9 hdmi mode using ps5 as hdmi in , his non sony tv connect to 3.5mm jack of other brand speaker can spund out just want to clarify. By the way can you tell me more about hdmi mode and tv mode show on the a9 hub. Tq
How good is it with gaming? For example open world games and egoshooter?
It should be fine
@@AudioAdvice thanks for your answer.
Thank you very much for the insightful video. I'm thinking back and forth between this system and a 5.1.2 system with the Sony AN1000 receiver. Apparently he can also carry out the 360° sound calculation. Have you been able to compare that yet? Does a dedicated system perhaps produce an even more beautiful three-dimensional sound? Immersion in video games and films is very important to me. I want to have the feeling of being in the middle of the scene and I'm looking for the best setup for that.
If you're able to, go with a 5.1.2 system. This will most likely be much better than this system. While this system is very good and convenient, it won't beat a dedicated system. Chat or call our team of experts at audioadvice.com and they can help you pick the best match for you!
@@AudioAdvice wow thanks for your fast reply. I already have a 5.1 system. Wharefedale Crystal 3 5.0 and a Yamaha SW320 Sub. I would not consider me audiophile, but I’m totally into immersion. Which this system cannot deliver. It’s like the rears are too weak, or the speakers in general too far away from each other. I don’t know, but there is nothing like any sound bubble which I am searching for. This is why I thought that maybe the new Sony receiver N 1000 could deliver this experience to maybe my or an updated speaker system. I would totally love to add to hight channels then.
Thanks again for your advice and have a great day :-)
Can you also retest the Sony HT-A7000’s using the new RS5 surrounds which are basically mini HTA9’s?
I returned my HTA9 system for the A7000+RS5+SW5 sub setup and IMO it’s a better overall setup. The dialogue/center channel is much better with almost the same spatial performance.
That would be a great test. We will look into it! Thanks for sharing!
I'm so glad to see this comment I almost traded in the same A7000 setup for the HTA9
Same
Hi and Happy New Year! May it sounds the best! :) May I kindly ask if it’s worthy to pay more than double for the ht-a9 with sw5 than for the q990c. I try to decide over our first ht system, me being more a stereo audiophile person. :) Thank you so much!
That is up to you. Or if you are more of an audio person, some of the powered stereo speakers with HDMI ARC might be a good option.
@@AudioAdvice Hi! Thank you so much for your advice. Actually, I would like to go for the best cinema/dolby/surround experience, but I’m not sure how the A9 will fit without a sony tv. I have a projector and the apple tv 4k. So no central speaker. Is it worthy the A9 without a sony tv? Thank yoi!
@@anmic3590 You will want to reach out to our team at www.audioadvice.com to discuss You will need a soundbar with inputs and an out for the projector.
@@AudioAdvice Hi! Indeed, I have to think more than twice before taking the final decision. I need to take in consideration as well the layout of the living room. A long one, around 60sqm, but only half of it is used for entertainment, with the screen on the long side, without space behind the back wall. Still trying to figure out if I should move the screen and take advantage of the long livingroom for placing a system like the A9, with more room for the rear speakers. Thank you again!
Is it worth to get it for a home theatre in house?
Depends on your budget and what you are trying to achieve. Please reach out to our team at www.audioadvice.com to discuss. Thanks for watching
Got my HT A9 and Sw5 2 years ago paired with Sony A90J and still i get amazed this setup. Exorcist 4k uhd dolby atmos is one the best tracks i have heard. Iam still scared after that one. 😂
Haha, that sounds like an epic setup!
Do you use the A90J for the center channel?
I might've missed it, but what model TV did you test with?
New Sony A80K
This or the ENCLAVE wireless 5.1 ? Pick in order your favorite
Sony HT-A9
Just bought an 83" sony a80l. Should i go with ht a9 with sub or sonos arc with sub and a pair for era 300's ? Thanks
They both sound great! We'd recommend reaching out to our team of experts at audioadvice.com to analyze your setup and see which one would be best for you.
What happens to center audio? 5.1 surround sound channels voice to the center right? Can other non sony tvs be the center channel?
It mixes the center channel to mono in the left and right, but it can work with any TV that has an S-Center input
I’m still debating whether to get the ht A9 maxed out or the ht A7000 maxed out
Please reach out to our team at www.audioadvice.com to discuss options. If you have a Sony OLED, those work really well as a center. That will be a deciding factor. Thanks for watching
A9, trust me… You’ll love it
Superb job simplifying this and being clear about whats great about them and that they are not as good as a dedicated theater system
Thanks for watching 😁
He never said they are not as good as a dedicated system
Can I hook up the HT-A9 High Performance Home Theater System with my HT A7000 soundbar together?
no, thanks for watching
Just got the HT A9 for Christmas replacing the Roku sound bar pro with the Roku subwoofer and 4 surround speakers which makes it a 5.1 home theater system. I'm a little worried about the dropouts that I've read on a lot of the reviews. The verdict is still out on if the A9 is an upgrade from my Roku. But what I can say is I don't understand what's all the fuss about a center channel because this sounds really good with out a dedicated center speaker. Although this is replacing a Roku system, I have a dedicated theater room with a 5.2.4 the two sub are svs PB 3000. So I'm a little familiar with home theater and I'm not saying that I don't like the way the A9 sound, it's that I'm not getting that WOW factor yet also I do have the SW5 subwoofer and have been moving it around trying to find the best location but I'll have to wait until the Christmas tree is taking down to really find the best location for the two rear speakers and the sub. So again, the verdict is still out.
Thanks for sharing, let us know your finaly eval.
Why oh why, when the whole point of an external speaker system is better sound than the tv is capable of, would you ever hand the tv the responsibility of playing back the most important channel (the center of course)? So you’ve got this slick speaker system, but over half the sound is coming from….the tv? 🤷♂️ I’m glad Audio Advice advised phantom center.
This is a great problem solver for space issues. The better Sony TV's with the acoustic center actually do a decent job, but we agree, dedicated separate components will always be better
Do you have an idea how you can inconspicuously connect the hub to a ceiling-mounted projector?
Chat or call our experts at audioadvice.com and they can help you see if there is a way. Cheers!
I have a Sony TV with just ARC and I have a Sony UBPX800M2 4k player. Can I connect the 4k player to the control box then connect the control box to the TV and still get Dolby Atmos, DTS X etc and the 4k picture?
We are not sure what you mean by "control box"
Pls compare the HT-A9 to the Nakamichi Dragon
Does this have to be hooked up to a Sony TV ?
No. Thanks for watching
Great review. Only one question. Why didn’t you do a traditional speaker placement as a control test?
We have heard this system in a traditional setup and we know it sounds great. We should have mentioned that. Thanks for bringing it up! Cheers!
In a Future does Sony will be launch extra surround speaker and Centre Chennai speakers for A9 ????
That we have no idea on, thanks for watching
Don’t think so, it’s been over a year and they promote the “Phantom center channel” for this system. Which honestly, works very nicely
You honestly don't need a centre channel even without it hooked up the TV it's superb, As you focus isn't focused on dedicated centre channel and you just follow the voices on the screen and it seems like it's coming directly from their it's mad
Is this better then Samsung q990?
In our opinion, yes.
I own this with the sub, love it
Love to hear it!
I face a problem with the connection between the speakers. Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not work. Only one earphone works
How to adjust?
We'd recommend doing a hard reset and setting them up from the start again. This can usually solve connection issues.
With the HT-A9 having a single Input slot, what 2.1 HDMI switch would work so i dont break atmos?
We assume you must have a TV that does not support Dolby Atmos, if so, we have not tested any switchers with this unit, although it would seem a good one should work.
Wonder if this can be applied outdoor ??
Its not weather resistant at all.
@@AudioAdvice i mean the sound effects still the same or not, the sound bubble
i have x74k 2022 sony tv edition ,,is it support sony ssm 360° spatial??
It should yes
Can these speakers works on Samsung Tv?
Yes. You just need an eARC HDMI connection.
audioadvice.io/YTsubscribe
Nice review!
Thanks!
Can you use them for playing music with Apple AirPlay2/Spotify when connected to the TV with eArc? Because apparently you can't do that with a Sonos home theater system. Thanks!
Yes you should be able to. Thanks!
Yep.
Heard a lot of issues with the wireless connection. Linus was one of them.
When was this? I thought it was solved with updates after the release.
We have 0 issues with connectivity. We believe that has been solved.
Had this system over a year now, the dropouts have been solved with firmware updates. Got a review for it over on my channel
Never had one issue with connection in a year and a half, Amazing simple Home Theater in a box, Obviously not in a league of home theater that cost £25000 but that's not be expected
Linus re public the privated video of the sony, prob cuz he doesnt meet the problem anymore
Can i plug in a center unit speaker in S-Center out instead connect to TV?
It needs to work with the Sony TV
Yeah can’t do that, only works with Sony TV’s. However, the A9’s phantom center channel is so good you don’t need to anyways.
Hopefully the second generation gets better 💯
I'm sure they have a lot in store for the next one :)
Better how?
The only issue being the price for the system especially with the subwoofer. Other than that seems like a wonderful product imho.
It is not inexpensive but it certainly works very well! And it'll be a perfect solution for some people. Thanks for watching 😁
It is pricey, but honestly, the Atmos and surround processing competes with my ~$15,000 home theater system in the basement. Like... reallllly competes. I was blown away. I HATE soundbars, home theater in a box type stuff, all of it, and only bought it because I wanted something "wife-approved" in the living room (since she wouldnt want a receiver and 7 to 13 channels in the living room) that'd at least be respectable enough to watch a movie with her in the living room. At the end of the day, I actually sometimes prefer it instead of going downstairs into the theater (granted, my true system is much better, with in-ceiling, 11.2.4, but this genuinely is impressive, and I was expecting to hate it and just return it for a cheap soundbar and call it a day). It gets blown away by my true system for music, though, but for movies/tv and surround applications, it's well worth the pricetag.
You'd have to spend 5x this amount on a an AVR (and really, you wanna spend more to get a processor and power amp/separates), and at least a 7.1.4 (in-ceiling) to get anything comparable. Before my really high-end HT downstairs, I had a... good one, probably costing around 4 to 5 grand. A nice Yamaha RX series Atmos AVR in a 5.1.2 Atmos setup, and the Sony was better than that.
@@n.s.3812 completely agreed, for what you spend, this is far and away the single best bang-for-the-buck home theater system on the market today - and nothing else even comes remotely close for the price. Now, here's the best part: you wouldn't really think of it, but this comes very close to being considered a "portable" audio solution in the sense that you can easily move it into another room in the house, hook it up, do an optimization sequence and be up and running there again in a matter of minutes. You could never even DREAM of doing such a thing with a traditional receiver and speaker based set up. Sony really does have an absolute home run on their hands with this product.
For £2.500 for a Home Theater in a box that's gonna give you that experience I'd say it's cheap, You'll struggle to build a sperates system for that money
this system is 1900 usd with the sw5 on crutchfield now.
What Is The Sensitivity of the HT A9 ???? With sw5
The sensitivty spec only applies to passive speakers. Thanks for watching
Does it work the same with other TV brands
Sony has TV'w where the TV screen is a speaker.
@AudioAdvice I got that from the video. But I don't have a Sony Bravia, I have an LG oled, are these still worth checking out?
@@AngellMessiahIt will work great with LG, I have an LG oled and use it all the time. You can’t use the TV as the center channel speaker but the A9’s Phantom Center channel is way better anyways. Watch my review for this system over in my channel
@@blazinreviews2393 thanks 👍🏾
this system is 1900 usd with the sw5 on crutchfield now.
Could you provide a link? We do not see that deal.
Beautiful music Sony homthtr🎉
Thanks!
I have the A-9 system. The demo set-up sounds AMAZING but, because the unit is wireless, the sound frequently drops out, or stops working altogether, requiring you to stop what you're watching, and re-set the entire system. My advice: not worth the cost so look elsewhere for a quality sound system!
Sorry to hear you are having troubles. They did release an update to address this issue, so be sure your's is up to date.
This system replace Home theatre setup?????
Not quite the same as a real home theater setup but will be a great alternative!
@@AudioAdvice thanks for your reply ☺️
Can two of the subs connect?
It does not appear so. You go through a linking process to add it and once you have added one, it does not look like you can add another. Thanks for watching
I bought one but had to return. Only one speaker was recognized by yhe hub.
Buy again
Seems like a faulty set. We'd recommend you give it another try with a new set.
hows this compared to a7000
Please reach out to our team at www.audioadvice.com to help decide which is best for your situation. Thanks for watching
Good Sony home theatre Sund product
Agreed!
Why the delayed review? been over an year.....
We reviewed this when it came out with the Sony 5000 and 7000 soundbars in a comparison review but we never actually did a dedicated review to this system. Recently, we heard this setup again and were really impressed and decided to do a dedicated review on it. And the fact that it still is an amazing system and not brand new, really says a lot! Plus it's at a great price right now, making it even more worth the purchase!
Just purchased the full system 2 weeks ago at BestBuy for 4th of July sale at a nice price $1499 for A9 and $399 for SW5 Sub. I am very impressed after coming from a Nakamichi Shockwafe 9.2.4 which was good but it was time for an upgrade
Love the sound quality although I’m not getting a lot of overhead effects , my ceilings are about 9-10ft , not sure if it’s because my living room is open concept but I still am very happy with the quality.
@@AudioAdvice Makes sense. Thanks for the wholesome review.
@@emulatorXwhich movie or scene you tried?
For the price I will pass for the sony portable theater system with two puck like speakers and i love the price i got it at.
To each his own, thanks for watching
@@AudioAdviceJust looks like to much clutter and looks very tacky with plug ins but ty for gracefully disagreeing.
@@alexander2685 sure thing, enjoy your system
Bluetooth hasn't been able to match cable connection level of data. So this is for some one who isn't crazy precise.
Yep, you won't be able to get the same without cables!
Price details
www.audioadvice.com/sony-ht-a9-high-performance-home-theater-system
give me a suggestion friends which one is best for spatial + dialogue delivers 360°
This will be a great option!
First time I've ever watched a video about a surround sound and didn't get any video of the actual sound coming from the speakers 🤦🏾♂️
It is very difficult to actually hear how a system sounds through a microphone and then put on UA-cam. It will all depend on the mic used and the how UA-cam compresses it. We highly recommend trying to hear it in person.
@@AudioAdvice I understand that, but I've watched videos on the Amazon studio sub and speakers with Dolby Atmos and it sounded amazing with headphones on of course, you should at least try it. Just set a disclaimer that it won't sound as it will in person and to use headphones.
Claearly a ryan reynolds fan
We sure are!
Sony❤️
Thanks!
fk those speakers r huge, i thought they were tiny
They are pretty big!
Mine has RF drop outs :(
We didn't have any issues with ours. Hopefully you are able to exchange it for a new one.
@@AudioAdvice do new ones have better RF? I thought there was a firmware update that was supposed to help but don’t know if the HW has been improved
We heard there was a firmware update but we believe the hardware has stayed the same.
@@UA-camuser1aa in settings: HT-A9 advanced menu; Link Mode: Auto / RF Channel: On
@@UA-camuser1aaYes, there’s a setting you can turn on for this issue, I had drops in the past and this solves it. Start by pressing the Menu button and a small yellow circle is under settings.
So, if you don't have a Bravia TV means you won't get the full benefit of this system
The Bravia TV will have some benefits but isn't needed. We actually enjoyed the phantom center in some use cases rather than using the TV as the center channel.
It was the deciding factor for me, as I didn’t want to mess up my media wall with a speaker so invested in a Sony TV as well as the ht-a9. It’s really incredible
Testing using Netflix is suboptimal.
There is a dramatic, absurd difference between streaming & physical media.
For some stupid reason… streaming services sacrifice Audi over video… especially dynamic range…
Dune is an excellent example… completely different viewing experience with physical media.
7.2.4 surround in 600sqft room with 11.5’ ceilings.
It sounds a bit expensive…. $2k including sub. Except when you consider it includes the AV receiver as well as speakers.
I have some friends I’d recommend it to vs sound bar.
We agree with you on the physical media vs streaming, but 95% of our clients use streaming so we test that way. The good news is we just found out Netflix has ordered a half dozen top of the line Trinnov processors as they are making a push into higher channel counts and less audio compression. We hope it comes true! Thanks for watching
That's a good consumer level solution but I prefer a mono five way horn system ANYDAY.😊
It is a nice system that is simple to implement, but we do agree, a dedicated receiver with 5 good speakers is a better way to go, albiet more complicated. Thanks for watching
Sony ht a 7000 good
That is a good soundbar too!
The nakamichi dragon maybe for a minority of people because its waaaayyyy too expensive $4000 🤪😜🙄
Very true!
Just keep the HT-A9 away from 5G wifi to avoid audio interference.
Thanks for sharing!
When you say away how far is 'Away"?
@@peteholliday1927 What I meant was to remove the presence of the 5G wifi source from the immediate area where the HT-A9 is. In my case (since my modem sits by the TV) I used to just turn off the 5G band on my Asus wifi router whenever the HT-A9 would be in use. However, updating to the latest firmware and changing the setting "Wireless Playback Quality" to "Connection" (in speaker settings) seem to have fixed the audio dropout issue, even with the presence of 5G wifi.
This sounds like marketing material
Thank you for the feedback. We try to give as much background and details as possible.
The choice of movies to test, coming from Netflix, shows just how horrible the movie selection on Netflix is 😂
Haha, they have some decent movies with Atmos. Any Netflix Atmos is pretty good compared to other streaming services. Not quite the same as a Kaleidescape though!
All this functionality and compatibility, yet...
No tone controls.
Why Sony?
We would have loved to see tone controls. The presets work alright on the remote though. Thanks for watching!
What are folks doing for stands? Surprised SONY hasn't designed and offered a proper stand.
Unfortunately Sony did not make one. We think they envision them sitting on tables and such.
I would love to get this but cant justify having to pay to add a sub to this. Its a deal breaker.
Ah yes, we really do recommend it. It does go on sale every now and again so keep an eye out!
What would you buy instead?? Whatever else you buy for lesser price will give you the lesser experience
It isn't wireless. You have to plug in all 4 speakers ffs
Probably sounds great but i am not a fan of a system that uses a set up box. That will age etc and Sony unfortunately has terrible after sales so they will probably ask you to buy a new one.🙃 Plus they are only available in white 😉
Fair enough! Thanks for watching
Thats the worst excuse i read
@@abhi4ify ?
Im glad to get those in white every other colour would be awful
@@mirkomilicic7898 No black would be great, this colour is so plain and boring looking. The whole speaker is really uninteresting to look at.
I did not think much of the Sony HTA9 system, had a lot of sound drop outs and dialogue was not very clear, Without a centre speaker, Subwoofer was too Boomy.
Music did not sound very good compared to book stand speakers
Better off with a AV Receiver book stand speakers and svs Subwoofer
We would agree a system using an AVR and separates would be better, but you may have a setup/settings issue. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts
Same I actually returned it for the Sony HT-A7000 sound bar with the new RS5 surrounds which are basically mini HTA9’s. I’m much happier with this system and have decided to keep it. The dialogue/phantom center speaker was the deal breaker for me with the A9’s.
(Sonys problem) i wont buy and many others without knowledge of all components $2k is too much ($1500 sale price is still borderline hesitant) stores dont want returns for something that could be avoided from the start.
*Nobody has images/video of the power cords.* A major downfall. Size of plugs, length of wires... If it be powered with a standard USB port. (no video of the physically setting up= some have reviews of the software setup which you did *too wordy* with manufacturer tech = people can just go to product webpage)
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My opinion the rear soundbar version with built-in battery would be a better option (2 wired with possiblity of 4 completely wireless power)
White/silver is another major downfall (should also come in black which would be more popular)
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Too much tech talk (not a real review but a sales pitch) better revews out there
Thanks for the feedback
I really wish this sound system had a center channel that's the only reason I won't buy this system. And also doesn't have enough HDMI options
It does a great job without a center channel but we agree, that would be really great! Thanks for watching!
@@AudioAdvice No problem :)
Oh ok.. What did you watch on A9 that sounded low for you to wish for a center?
2k and you dont even get a center speaker.
The phantom center works pretty good actually. But yes, we'd love to see a dedicated center.