When it comes to home entertainment, Sony has always been synonymous with quality and innovation. The Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 is no exception. This flagship soundbar promises to elevate your home cinema experience with its cutting-edge features and sleek design. But does it live up to the hype? Let’s dive in and find out.
The first thing you’ll notice about the Bravia Theatre Bar 9 is its minimalist yet elegant design. The soundbar is crafted with a premium finish that seamlessly blends with any modern living room decor. Its slim profile ensures that it doesn’t obstruct your TV screen, while the subtle LED indicators add a touch of sophistication.
The build quality is top-notch, as expected from Sony. The soundbar feels sturdy and well-constructed, giving you confidence in its durability. The included remote control is equally well-designed, with intuitive buttons that make it easy to navigate through various settings. The soundbar’s sleek design is complemented by its robust construction, ensuring it can withstand the rigours of daily use without any issues.
One of the areas that you need to take special care of is the fabric mesh that covers the front of the bar, housing the drivers underneath. You will need to take special care of the mesh covering, and it kinda makes it difficult to clean the bar. Apart from that, the overall aesthetic is modern and understated, making it a perfect fit for any contemporary living space.
Now, let’s talk about the most crucial aspect – sound quality. The Bravia Theatre Bar 9 boasts a 7.0.2 channel setup, which includes seven front-firing speakers and two upward-firing speakers for Dolby Atmos. This configuration aims to deliver an immersive audio experience that rivals a full-fledged home theatre system.
During our testing, the soundbar impressed us with its clarity and depth. The dialogue was crisp and clear, making it easy to follow conversations even in action-packed scenes. The upward-firing speakers did a commendable job of creating a sense of height, making Dolby Atmos content truly come to life. The soundstage was wide and enveloping, providing a truly cinematic experience.
The soundbar’s performance with music was equally impressive. Whether it was classical, rock, or pop, the Bravia Theatre Bar 9 handled each genre with finesse. The midrange was rich and detailed, while the highs were bright without being harsh. The soundbar’s ability to reproduce vocals with such clarity made listening to music a delightful experience.
However, the lack of a dedicated subwoofer means that the low-end frequencies might not be as punchy as some audiophiles would prefer. You can add one if you want to, like I did. However, do note that while the soundbar does a decent job of handling bass, it doesn’t quite match the impact of a system with a separate subwoofer. This is particularly noticeable in action movies and bass-heavy music tracks, where the absence of a subwoofer can leave you wanting more.
The Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 is packed with features that enhance its versatility. One of the standout features is the 360 Spatial Sound Mapping, which uses phantom speakers to simulate a more immersive soundstage. This technology works exceptionally well, especially when watching movies or playing games. The soundbar also supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, ensuring compatibility with the latest audio formats.
Connectivity options are plentiful, with HDMI eARC, optical input, and Bluetooth support. The soundbar also supports 4K passthrough at 120Hz, making it an excellent choice for gamers who want to enjoy high-resolution graphics without compromising on audio quality. However, it’s worth noting that the soundbar has only one HDMI input, which might be a limitation for users with multiple devices.
The inclusion of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity allows for seamless streaming from your favourite devices. The soundbar also supports voice assistants like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, making it easy to control with just your voice. The integration with Sony’s Music Center app further enhances the user experience, providing additional customisation options and firmware updates.
Setting up the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 is a breeze, thanks to the user-friendly interface and clear instructions. The soundbar can be easily integrated with a Sony Bravia TV, allowing you to use the TV’s remote for seamless control. The Sony Music Center app further enhances the user experience by providing additional customisation options and firmware updates.
One minor gripe we had was the high latency via HDMI, which could be noticeable during gaming sessions. While this might not be a deal-breaker for most users, it’s something to keep in mind if you’re a competitive gamer. The soundbar’s performance in terms of latency was otherwise satisfactory, with minimal delay during regular TV viewing and movie playback.
The remote control is well-designed and intuitive, with all the necessary buttons easily accessible. The on-screen display is clear and informative, making it easy to adjust settings and switch between different modes. The soundbar also comes with a wall-mounting kit, providing flexibility in terms of placement.
The Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 comes with several additional features that enhance its overall appeal. One such feature is the Night Mode, which reduces the intensity of loud sounds while enhancing dialogue clarity. This is particularly useful for late-night viewing when you don’t want to disturb others in the household.
The soundbar also includes a Voice Enhancement feature, which boosts dialogue levels to make conversations more intelligible. This is a great addition for those who struggle to hear dialogue clearly, especially in movies with heavy sound effects and background music.
Another noteworthy feature is the Sound Field Optimization, which uses built-in microphones to analyse the room’s acoustics and adjust the soundbar’s settings accordingly. This ensures that you get the best possible audio experience, regardless of the room’s size and layout.
Also Read: Sony HT-S2000 Soundbar: Perfect for home use, if you are ready for a small challenge
The Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 is a solid choice for anyone looking to upgrade their home entertainment setup. Its sleek design, impressive sound quality, and advanced features make it a worthy contender in the premium soundbar market. While it may not offer the same level of bass as a system with a dedicated subwoofer, its overall performance and ease of use make it a compelling option.
When compared to other soundbars in its price range, the Bravia Theatre Bar 9 holds its own quite well. Its build quality, design, and feature set make it a strong contender in the premium soundbar market. However, the lack of a dedicated subwoofer might be a drawback for some users, especially those who prioritise deep bass.
Competitors like the Sonos Arc and the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 offer similar features and performance, but each has its own strengths and weaknesses. The Sonos Arc, for instance, excels in terms of multi-room audio capabilities and seamless integration with other Sonos products. On the other hand, the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 offers a more refined design and slightly better bass performance.
Ultimately, the choice between these soundbars will come down to personal preference and specific needs. If you’re looking for a soundbar that offers a balanced mix of features, performance, and design, the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 is definitely worth considering.
