Customer Ratings & Reviews

Not happy with this unit, constant loss of sound, also do not fee the effect I felt at the store.

This is the worst sound I ever heard. Should not crackle nooses at a volume of 10! I need to return if I have time.

The speaker is awesome, but I spent 3 infuriating hours going in circles trying to log in and/or recover my Sony account. You can't use the speaker without going through the app setup, and the app requires you to merge all existing Sony account IDs (PSN network, etc) but wouldn't let me recover my accounts. You can tell that a lot of thought/effort went into packaging the speaker and the setup experience (after login), but all of that effort gets overshadowed by what should be a painless login experience. I ended up creating an alias account- and after being forced to set 101 passwords, was finally able to get past the login page. The Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 is a game-changer for home audio, especially when paired with Apple devices. As an avid user of AirPlay, I love the seamless integration and immersive sound experience this soundbar delivers. ## Effortless AirPlay Connectivity Setting up the Theater Bar 9 with AirPlay was a breeze. I could stream music, movies, and podcasts directly from my iPhone, iPad, or Mac, without any hiccups or lags. The sound quality is stunning, with crystal-clear highs and deep, punchy bass that fills the room ## Cinematic Dolby Atmos Experience Where the Theater Bar 9 truly shines is its Dolby Atmos and DTS:X capabilities. The 13 speakers, including dedicated up-firing drivers, create an immersive, three-dimensional soundscape that transports you right into the heart of the action. Whether watching the latest blockbuster or binging your favorite TV series, the Theater Bar 9 delivers a cinematic audio experience in a thin package. ## Impressive Sound Mapping Sony's 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology is a game-changer. It simulates multiple "phantom speakers" around you, making it feel like the sound is coming from every direction, even without physical rear speakers. This feature, combined with the Dolby Atmos support, creates an incredibly immersive and enveloping audio experience that will leave you in awe. ## Versatile Streaming Options While AirPlay is my primary streaming method, the Theater Bar 9 also supports Spotify Connect and Bluetooth, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of devices and music services. The streaming/connection options really start to make up for the onboarding experience. Whole home audio is a dream with this addition. ## Sleek Design Aesthetically, the Theater Bar 9 is a stunner. Its sleek, minimalist design blends seamlessly with any home theater setup, and the included wall-mounting hardware makes installation a breeze. Plus, if you have a Sony BRAVIA TV, the soundbar integrates perfectly, with settings accessible directly from the TV's menu. In conclusion, the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 is a must-have for anyone seeking a truly immersive audio experience, especially if you're an Apple user who values the convenience of AirPlay. With its exceptional sound quality, Dolby Atmos support, and innovative sound mapping technology, this soundbar elevates your home entertainment to new heights.

wasn't easy to set up since the hdmi cord that came with it would do the arc stuff

The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 9 is an excellent new entry into the world of premium sound systems by one of the world's premier manufacturers. The setup and sound quality were very good, with a few new things to get used to for owners of previous Sony soundbars. Getting it out of the box, I immediately noticed that it seemed a little more trim than previous systems from Sony. It measures 51.25" wide, 2.5" tall, 4.5" deep, and weighs just over 12 pounds. In the box, there is the soundbar, the power cord, the remote, batteries for the remote, a HDMI cable, a wall mount bracket, a wall mount template, and some paperwork. There have been some changes to the design from past years. Gone is the front display; instead the soundbar is encased in acoustic fabric except for the back. I was able to quickly get the soundbar where I wanted it, hooked up to my TV, and powered on. The back of the soundbar has HDMI IN, HDMI Out (eARC), and a S-Center out. I went with a basic setup and connected a HDMI cord from the HDMI OUT to my TV. It seems like in the past, there were more HDMI options in previous models but this setup will work for most use cases. One critical action I took was to download the Bravia Connect App onto my phone. While there is a basic remote, many of the features and most of the commands can be done via the App. While I am not a big fan of having a soundbar that needs an app to optimize its capabilities, it is quite a nice app and easy to use. One of the features is Sound Field Optimization which takes the characteristics of the room that the unit is in to optimize the sound quality for the conditions. It took some time to get right using the app, but I was able to complete it after a couple tries. The soundbar has 13 speaker units that are facing in many directions under the acoustic fabric, and they do a tremendous job in producing amazing sound. Here are some of the formats that are supported: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and IMAX Enhanced. It also supports 4K HDR, 8K HDR, Dolby Vision, and HDMI 2.1 gaming features like 4K120, VRR, and ALLM. I was able to verify many of the gaming features with my PS5, and I could tell that they made a difference. One of the new things to get used to is that nothing shows the volume level for the sound bar since the front display panel is no longer there. It can be seen on the Bravia Connect App, but otherwise there is now just a small light on the soundbar that doesn't tell the user much. When it comes to the audio itself, the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 9 makes everything sound really good. I cranked it up to watch some orchestra music on YouTube and the level of detail I could hear made me smile. With my PS$, game sound was crisp and clear. With movies from Netflix, dialogue was clear and action scenes sounded like I was there in the scene. I have a soundbar in another room that utilizes a subwoofer and I have to say that I think it handles bass a little better but at the cost of clarity. The Theater Bar 9 may not produce the biggest booms I've ever heard from a sound system, but the fidelity is just so good even with the volume cranked up to a high level. I would recommend the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 9 for any TV watcher, movie watcher, or game player. Make sure you download the app or you won't be able to take advantage of the immense capabilities of this system. It looks good, feels a little smaller and lighter, but still produces a tremendous sound at high quality levels that will please anyone looking to enhance their listening pleasure.

In the box: • Bar speaker • Remote control • 2 AAA Batteries • TV center speaker mode cable • HDMI cable (4K, 8K transmission supported) • AC power cord • Feet • Wall mounting brackets with screws & template Setup: Connected soundbar to HDMI (ARC) port on LG C8PUA 4K UHD TV Setup requires the BRAVIA Connect app and an account with the Sony Home Entertainment & Sound Service. Users should be aware of data and privacy issues related to the associated service agreements. Initial setup efforts (several over 1.5h) stalled after network setup step with a “server unavailable” error. Setup completed as expected the following day. Sound field optimization was guided with the app. It is advised that you remove any case from your phone prior to optimization to prevent any interference with the microphone. Some steps require you to turn the phone so that the microphone is pointed up. The screen prompts conveniently invert so that you can read subsequent instructions. Soundbar Design: There are only two small lights on the front of the unit to indicate its status. The myriad of different color and blinking combinations are impossible to decipher without three pages of information in the Help Guide. The HDMI and power ports are recessed to allow for flush wall mounting. App Design: Aside from the server issue noted above, the app’s setup dialog was straightforward. The app only allows storage of one seating location at a time. Given the limitations of the indicator lights, the app is the only convenient way to determine the status of the soundbar. Operation: While there is a remote, the indicator lights are so cryptic as to make render it useless. The app is needed for almost all operations. Before installing the soundbar, I was able to control my cable box with the LG TV remote. This functionality is retained with another LG TV and Sony soundbar. It is NOT retained with the BRAVIA Theater Bar 8. I now have to use a separate remote to turn on the cable box and change channels. Audio Quality: Once optimized, the simulated surround sound is quite good. The bass is adequate when equalized to its highest level but a subwoofer would be nice addition. The voice enhancement does a very good job of clarifying dialog. Overall: Once optimized, the surround simulation is good. The disabling of my TV remote functionality for cable box power and channel selection is a real inconvenience. Dialog enhancement works very well.

The Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 8, having 11 speakers and supporting both Dolby Atmos and DTS: X is a solid option if you're in the market for home theater sound but don't have the space for an entire set of individual speakers. As with any home audio, what matters most is the overall quality of the sound it produces, No one wants to sit down to watch a Hollywood blockbuster or listen to their favorite albums and be greeted with something sub par and disappointing. Luckily, the Bar 8 handily delivers, especially where Atmos is concerned. In addition to watching films that make use of Dolby Atmos, many of the albums I listen to via my streaming music subscription do also. I was eager to test this out and boy am I impressed. All of the effects present on Harry Styles' "Harry's House" album that I experienced while listening via a friend's multi-thousand dollar discrete speaker system were present and accounted for. I heard it all, loud and clear, and without the clutter of speakers all over the place and hefty expense. Kudos to Sony for figuring out how to pull this off! There is one drawback though. I feel that the bass is a bit lacking for something the size of this device. It's not bad by any means, but I was hoping for a bit more punch. Sure, you can pair this with a wireless sub and have bass to your heart's content, but I have heard the bass from other soundbars with no added sub that came through better. To be fair, their overall sound can't touch the Bravia 8 though. All in all, this is a solid recommend for me. I think anyone, especially in a smaller space, would be 100% satisfied with this product.

Sound quality is questionable, along with total tech.

I was looking for an upgrade to my current Sony theater bar so I decided on this Bravia Bar 8 with 11 speakers. I figured it would add some missing surround sound and maybe a little extra bass. Out of the box, this is mainly plug-n-play which is simple, though maybe not as good as it seems. I have a high end subwoofer from another brand I wanted to connect, but there are no connection for that, only wireless. Setting up the speaker requires an app download and uses your smartphone's microphone to get your seating position. It then sends tones to each speaker group and uses the phone's mic to map the room for spatial surround. It seems you need the phone every time you want to change the sound field settings. My old sound bar had a small digital display telling me what setting I was on. Sounds like I have a lot of cons about this sound bar, but it really adds a cinematic experience to everyday television shows. The neural DTS-X is quite immersive and the up-firing speakers improve the overall effect. When connected to a Blu-ray player, the sound is amazing! You almost don't need a subwoofer. When it's receiving a Dolby Atmos signal, horror films are bone chilling, action films are spellbinding; it's just that much better. Once you play with the settings and get the sound and features just the way you want them, this sound bar rewards you with a great experience.

The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 9 is a home theater sound bar that takes surround sound to the next level just using a soundbar. Traditionally if you wanted a great surround sound experience you needed multiple speakers place around the room in order to experience cinematic quality sound. Sony has done a great job with the placement of the 13 speakers and in combination with their 360 spatial sound mapping technology are able to deliver theater quality sound that can be optimized to whatever room you have set you soundbar up in. In regards to the setup the soundbar itself can be mounted to the wall under your tv or it can be placed on your console. This sound bar is quite long so it may look strange if you mount it on a wall with a TV that is less than 65 inches. Unfortunately the initial setup must be completed via the Bravia connect app which requires you to register for a Sony account. Once registered you pair the sound bar via the app and are able to customize your listening experience. The sound bar can be optimized for your room via the room optimization feature so that your can have the best possible cinematic experience. The soundbar is compatible with DTS:X, IMAX enhance and Dolby Atmos. It worked flawlessly in conjunction with my Apple TV 4K. The only issue I had when first using the soundbar was attributed to my HDMI cable so make sure you are using a good high quality HDMI cable. One thing that I wish was that SONY placed some sort of display or an embedded dot matrix display similar to my old Samsung soundbar so you can see the current mode of the soundbar without relying on the app. Sony does include a remote centrol and wall mount bracket is the box along with the wall mount template. I decided to place my soundbar on the console since it looked nicer in my setup. I also love that I can stream music from my phone via airplay 2, Spotify connect or a simple bluetooth connection. Hand down this soundbar delivered a truly cinematic experience in my family room. I think I will purchase the SA-SW3 or SW5 wireless subwoofer since I am a sucker for bass. You can also pair SA-RS3R or RS5 rear speakers wirelessly if you are looking for a more traditional setup. Overall if you are in the market for a sound bar that will deliver exceptional sound then you can put your trust in the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 9.

My neighbors most likely hate me by now with how many soundbars I have owned over the years, and how they progressively gotten more advanced, more powerful with their wattage, more codecs, more features and more oomph! I have tried soundbars from many different brands and was excited to try out the Bravia Theater Bar 9. I own a 65" LG C2 TV for anyone who is wondering how the compatibility is with LG TVs. Let's go over this soundbar and it's highs and it's lows. INITIAL SETUP: Setup was fairly easy and straight forward. However, like most tech now and days, it requires you to sign into an app on your phone, create an account with the vendor, and go through their configuration process. I had no problems adding the soundbar via the app and everything seemed to connect without a hitch. I also wall mounted my sound bar, and the provided template was very useful in getting it level and in the perfect position below my TV. PROS: - When it works properly, the sound field with 360 spatial audio mapping is pretty neat and really immerses you in the content you are watching. But sadly this PRO is very limited, see more in the cons list... - Incredible soundstage. With 13 speakers including two side tweeters, this thing really can pump out some truly immersive sound. Paired it with a SW-3 subwoofer and the results are incredible paired together. - The app is NOT buggy! This is actually a pretty big deal considering most soundbar apps I have used in the past are trash, they never connect to your device, have constant pairing issues, but not this one. This is the one app that has consistently connected no matter what. - Atmos/DTX content plays without a hitch and sounds incredible. CONS: - Sound field.... while it is a PRO, it honestly is probably more of a con due to how bad it can be sometimes. The only time sound field works well is when you are playing Dolby Atmos or DTX content. If you are playing stereo content, or even 5.1 content with dolby surround, the sound field set to the 360 spatial mapping sounds like trash. It is so incredibly harsh on the high ends, voices sound like they are in tin cans, the mapping gets all weird, it's pretty terrible. It's so bad, that sometimes when I am watching YoutubeTV via my Roku, I have to just turn the soundbar off because I can't hear any dialogue and everything is muddy. But if I launch say netflix and play a dolby atmos movie, man does it sound incredible!! Not only does sound field work half the time, but I find it incredibly annoying that you have to constantly open the app to switch between "360 spatial mapping" and "dolby virtual surround sound" for the sound field type in advanced settings. Everytime I switch between live TV and a movie, I have to launch the app, and then find that setting, change it, wait a few seconds for it to calibrate and then it's good. Sony needs to re-evaluate sound field and optimize it because it only works well on very little content. - No ability to customize EQ. This is such a L for Sony. It really perplexes me that I can't even adjust the level of Highs or Lows or Mids or the center.... the only thing you can do is adjust the bass level. And if you don't have a subwoofer, its either LOW MEDIUM OR HIGH, like really?? If you do have a sub, you get to set a level from 1-10. I hope in a future update they add the ability to EQ certain frequencies because it needs it. - Confusing settings in the app with no explanation of what they do. - Auto volume leveling seems to be required to be enabled if you use the 360 spatial mapping otherwise you won't be able to hear anything - No useful LED information on the soundbar, you get one dot that says its on, but no volume level gauge, nothing! - Bad depth of bass without a subwoofer. You basically need a sub with this bar to get any real use out of it. This is unlike other brands where the built in sub tweeters in the bar themselves are much more powerful, the ones in the Sony are very muddy and weak, I believe it starts at 50hz which is quite high for bass frequencies. All in all, this soundbar has some potential to be the AMBEO killer but it isn't there yet. The very weak center channel, lack of EQ, bad sound field setting, high price point, and marriage to an app are the reasons I have to give this 3 stars.

We have a den that the kids use with a 65” Vizio TV mounted on the wall. The sound from the TV speakers is barely adequate, so I use a high-end 2-channel stereo system that is primarily used for a turntable and streaming music. The sound is good, but being just stereo audio, it lacks the cinema sound I was wanting. I found this BRAVIA soundbar and decided to give it a try. The first thing I noticed about this soundbar was its weight. It’s not too heavy to worry about hanging it on the wall with its included brackets, but it’s definitely no lightweight. It’s about what I expected with it having 13 speakers. The soundbar itself is very sleek and minimalist, which I like. For now, I have it sitting on a table. It has built-in rubber feet for sitting flat. but it also comes with additional legs that will elevate it about half an inch, which can be helpful in case it needs to sit above the feet of the TV’s stand. The included instructions are all but useless. They are so full of various language translations that it’s nearly impossible to read them, and there is twice as much information about the warranty and safety warnings than actual usage instructions. About the only thing you’ll learn from reading the instruction sheet is how to wall-mount the soundbar. You will need to use the QR code to visit Sony’s website in order to get full instructions on attaching the feet, connecting inputs, Bluetooth pairing, controls, indicators, etc. You are required to download The BRAVIA Connect app and register an account before using the soundbar. The app offers no more functionality than the included remote, and it has no guides for connecting or installing the soundbar. I see no reason why it is a requirement for using the soundbar other than giving Sony additional, personal information. Requiring an app like this is a huge hinderance and one of the reasons for my low rating of this speaker. The soundbar only supports HDMI and Bluetooth inputs. There are no optical or analog input options. It does have two HDMI ports, one that is input-only to use for passthrough connections and the another for output/ARC. The passthrough input port is covered so that you are encouraged to use output/ARC port. I did not try using the input-only HDMI port, but the ARC port works just fine, as does Bluetooth. I will note that when I first connected the soundbar to my TV, I was unimpressed with the sound. It definitely did not give me any “surround sound” imagery. Then I realized that my TV was set to output stereo only because that is all my existing 2-channel receiver would accept. Once I changed the TV to bitstream output, the soundbar then recognized the Dolby encoding and produced good surround sound. The ARC connection supports synchronized power and volume via the TV’s remote. Now, for the reason I chose this soundbar – the sound! It’s definitely worlds better than the TV”s built-in speakers, and also much more exciting than my 2-channel stereo’s. The soundbar does a fair job of emulating surround sound. My room is large and has no back wall because it’s a balcony open to the foyer below. I did run the Sound Field Optimization, but it made no real difference that I could tell. My guess is that without nearby walls, the soundbar can’t take advantage of sound reflections to help emulate rear and side speakers. Still, there is definitely a wide sound field being produced that does help immerse you in the movie. This soundbar does a much better job reproducing midrange and highs than lows and bass. There is a surprising amount of bass produced from tis small speakers, but it is quickly overwhelmed and drowned out when the highs and mids takeover. There is two models of optional wireless subwoofers available, as well as two models of wireless rear speakers, which I am sure would make a much better home theater experience. The problem I have with that is cost, and that’s another reason for my 3-star rating. The price of this soundbar has it competing with much higher-end equipment, but it does not perform at that level. Don’t get me wrong, this soundbar is good, but there are so many comparable options at a third of its price. And if you did choose to add the additional wireless subwoofer and rear speakers, you’d have spent enough money to buy a home theater receiver along with wired speakers. I was really expecting more from this soundbar given its price, but it’s not as high-end as it would seem. I really can’t recommend since there are so many other options out there that are as good or even better for less money.

I've been waiting to see what Sony would be cooking up this year coming from the A7000 and I'm pleased to say there's a number of improvements that makes this one of the best soundbars I've every owned but there's also a number of what I consider backsteps that may not be for everybody. Getting into the design, the Theater Bar 9 comes in a much smaller and slender package than the A7000 did. It's entirely wrapped in an acoustic fabric thats vogue nowadays besides the very back of the bar that gives way to a slim metal bezel. For those that were annoyed by the A7000's reflective glass top this will likely be much more palatable. Unfortunately this is where we come to the first of the downsides. Since the entire front half of the bar is wrapped in fabric, that unfortunately means the loss of the front display that has been a staple of sony soundbars for the past few years. In its place, we get an LED dot that has been maligned in the past. Don't expect this LED dot to be useful for providing any sort of info about the source or any other issue, but thats why we have the new Bravia Connect app to save the day. The Bravia Connect app is the new way for both seeing info about your source and also for adjusting settings. Unfortunately, that also leads to the next cut back, no on screen display. Sony has joined the league of products that are fully managed through an app. For some people this is preferred while for other this is a major inconvenience. I personally miss the well designed OSD especially since you could fully control it with your tv remote if you had a bravia tv. Fortunately for Sony, the app is much better than the previous Music Center app. Its well designed with quick, practical placement of settings and source info. Besides some initial connection issues with the app while setting up, I havent had any issues with using it. Moving onto the inputs and supported casting protocols, we get to the last of the negatives of this soundbar. The first of which is that we've moved from 2 HDMI inputs to 1. Especially when Bravia tvs only have 2 HDMI 2.1 ports, reducing the inputs on the flagship bar down to 1 is not ok. In addition, somehow the removal of the 1 HDMi port has made connecting cables harder since the angled gap is much narrower than the A7000. Onto the second cutback, chromecast audio casting has been removed. I cant really forsee any real reason for its removal unless its tied to the removal from the on-screen display since im unsure if products need to actually be able to show visual info for support. With those negatives out of the way lets get to the positives. The audio on this bar is absolutely fantastic. The addition of the sidefiring speakers and the tweeters to fill out the LCR channels lets the bar really sing and fill out the soundstage. For anyone like me, that felt that there was a bit of detail missing from the A7000 in the smaller things like dropped shell casings or wind whistling through the air, the new speakers more than do justice to these more gentle sounds. Onto more positives, I can say that the buzzing that had afflicted previous models when using the acoustic center audio feature is no more. Now you just have a nice, clean sound. Speaking of which, voices have also gotten a clarity boost presumably due to the addition of a tweeter. I've no longer had to baby the volume to balance between intelligibility of dialogue vs loudness of the rest of the soundcape. Trying the voice zoom feature, im somewhat torn. While its supposed to use machine learning now to improve the voice isolation and it does do a much better version than the previous version, it comes at the cost of sounder much more artificially boosted than before. It sounds more like the frequencies voices tend to sit has been raised while the lower end has been lowered rather than any advanced processing to lift voices out of the mix. It definitely works but I do hope that they can somehow work on a version thats more natural and doesnt sound quite as out of place. In conclusion, from a straight audio perspective I think Sony's knocked it out of the park. It's one of if not the best soundbar I've listened to recently and I think it really showcases Sony's current "Cinema is coming home" ethos, I just wish it hadn't come at the cost of the other functionality that Sony has been pretty known for providing.

I thought this small soundbar would not be as powerful as it would be. I was very wrong. For me to explain this for people to understand I hooked it up and used it as is. The theater bar 9 sounds really good, but if you use the app to calibrate the soundbar it becomes a different machine. It was very easy to use. Took no longer than 15 minutes to do. only because I had issues with my wifi router. After the setup I noticed the sound was wayyyy better and it sounded like I was in a bubble. This sound bar has 13 speakers. Some are on top and on the sides they create this bubble effect. The speakers ok top bounce the sound to the ceiling and the side ones to the walls . Then if you're watching a movie or tv show that is dolby atmos you get a more detailed sound . I played my music from Spotify on here and it was just amazing you and use the Spotify app and just select the Sony sound bar as the source to play on. The sound bar was also great for gaming. Especially with the ps5. Now I plugged the ps5 to the soundbar so it can recognize it. I have my headphones but when I'm not in the mood for them I crank the soundbar up. Again it feels like you are in the bubble or like you are actually there .this sound bar is worth it

So if there was a way to go 4.5 stars, that is what I would give it. There is just enough little things, that I can't do 5 starts. But let's get into it. First up, in my setup, this Theater Bar is replacing a previous JVC Soundbar, with Subwoofer. It was time to upgrade, because this is the room with the big 87" TV, and we are watching more and more there, then our theater space (which has the Dolby Atmos already)... so was super excited to put this one in. So to use this the best you need a TV with ARC output on the HDMI, which I already had and knew about... so was ready to rock and role there. So here is the first issue. Setup took WAY WAY too long, for what should have just been a swap of the old bar, with the new one. Why did it take long? Well you have to use an App, to configure and set it up. and to do that you need to setup an account. Sony's account setup was a major drag/pain. Too many prompts, too many questions. I am very adapt to seting up accounts, and mobile apps (I create them for a living), but this one was WAY WAY too clunky, and was really frustrating me. Then after setting up the app, the app then has to connect to the bar, and basically register the BAR. Then the BAR, starts to run a communication test with the TV.. . and that was failing. I ended up having to disconnect the HDMI from both he BAR and the TV, and even then unplug and reboot my TV. then it would FINALLY pass that TV test. This was almost 30 minutes from start to finish. Yes, it is a one time thing, but super annoying and frustrating. After getting that, then there is a series of setup and sound tests (about another 5ish minutes). So from unboxing to ready to watch TV. Once going... Very enjoyable to hear the Dolby Atmos. Did several sample videos, then got into some of my favorite content (like current Disney+ shows), and so much fun to hear the immersive sound. Clear, quality, and just fun to be immersed. The BAR will turn on and off with the TV, so you don't have to fumble with the remote or the app to turn the bar on and off, so that works great. The next nit pick: With my previous bar, volume up on the TV remote, and it would increment the audio on the bar 5% approx. With this bar, it is approx 1% each click, and takes a LONG time to increase or decrease any amount of significants. This is frustrating when shows change volume, not enough to be a deal breaker and could be how it communicates with my LG TV, but just frustrating enough. Lastly, I thought that this 13 speaker bar, would have SOME Base in the bar itself ( I knew it didnt' come with a separate one, and that is what I was hoping for), but the Base quality in the bar itself, is very low. So I will have to eventually add one of the wireless sub-woofers. to get the full sound that I want. So overal, very good quality... some nitpicks, not perfect. But absolutely love the Dolby Atmos and the improved overall sound over my previous JVC... and certainly better then the built in speaker in the TV.

The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 9 (HT-A9000) is the newest iteration of Sony’s line of premium soundbars, and it doesn’t disappoint. After using this soundbar for watching movies, listening to music and gaming, here’s my experience: Design and Form Factor The Theater Bar 9 is designed to be subtle and unobtrusive - it deliberately blends to the background when put next to a TV, and I think that’s how a soundbar should be. The corners are rounded, and most of the surfaces are clad with fabric - giving it a very pleasing feel. Everything is well put together and nothing stands out. Through the top and sides, the 13 speakers, facing different directions, can be made out. There’s no display per se - only a few lights that disappear when they serve their purpose, which makes the presence of this more than 4 feet further invisible. Several times, a few of the friends failed to notice the soundbar and were surprised thinking the TV audio was so good, and I had to correct them and point to the proper source. Connectivity On the HDMI side, the Theater Bar 9 has only 1 in and 1 out which is not the best. However, those HDMI ports are v 2.1, and the output supports eARC. They can pass through 4k@120 from my Xbox Series X with ease. However there are 3.5 mm, Optical or RCA ports to connect legacy audio devices which may be something to look at. However, on the wireless end, Bluetooth codec support for LDAC ensures high fidelity music play, with native support for Spotify Connect and Apple Airplay which is very convenient. The regular run of the mill Bluetooth audio codecs are also supported (SBC, AAC), but there’s no aptX support. All other additional speaker units (subwoofer or real speakers) can be connected wirelessly. With some Bravia TVs, the wired S-Center Out audio port allows using the TV speaker as an additional center speaker (and adds the VoiceZoom functionality) - however my TV didn’t support this. Sound Now the crux of the experience with the Theater Bar 9: the sound quality. And here Sony didn’t disappoint. I’m upgrading from a 3 year old Soundbar system which had a subwoofer, and after setting up, I could hear the sound clarity and crispness is much enhanced. Even without a subwoofer, the Theater Bar 9 sounded well rounded and didn’t fall flat on the bass. For good bass, I still suggest getting a subwoofer, but this is one of the few standalone soundbars where the lack of the subwoofer was not as obvious as I thought. Except for a few “in your face” action movies, I enjoyed my movie nights with my family and friends as before and didn’t think that oh this is missing bass. The 3D immersive sound system, dubbed “Soundfield”, is a mixed bag. In some movies with Dolby Atmos, I could definitely feel the 3D positional i.e. spatial audio in some movie scenes, but not always. I didn’t expect this to blow my mind, so in that sense I was not disappointed. Even though this boasts 13 speakers pointing at every direction (and doing sound optimization based on surroundings), it can’t beat external speakers “physically” located behind the listener or placed on the ceiling. The Soundfield option can be easily toggled on and off with a touch of a button (or a tap on the app). In terms of music, this is not a reference grade hifi speaker system, and from that perspective it’s totally enjoyable. Here turning off Soundfield was the safe bet. I have used the soundbar as a rather loud bluetooth speaker at my home and it worked wonders. Nothing was muffled, the volume was good, and I could definitely feel the richness and depth of the music. Any issues I had were easily solved by EQ. Setup, Control & App Typically setting up and control for a soundbar is rarely a thing of interest unless it refers to a horrible experience. The Theater Bar 9 definitely is not difficult to set up, and nor buggy. However I still was not very happy with the overall experience, due to the Bravia app implementation. The design and functionality of the app has no issues - it’s a standard app with not much fancy features - it helps setup and control the soundbar via the internet which is super convenient. But I could not understand a bit why this needs a Sony online account (or a Playstation account) to do this. I think the account feature should have been optional/opt-in rather than being forced. That alone can be a sore point for not getting this soundbar. Unfortunately some of the options are not changeable with the included remote, and the lack of a display actually acts as a limiting factor here so the app usage can’t be circumvented. I hope Sony listens to this for future iterations. So in essence, this is an almost perfect soundbar available today in the market, except for a few negative issues. I’m enjoying using it, and would’ve been my default recommendation except for the app issue.

The Bravia Theater Bar 8 has truly impressed me after 24 hours of testing. Straight out of the box, it includes a power plug, HDMI cable, mounting brackets, pegs, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The sound quality is exceptional for a standalone soundbar. One standout feature is its HDMI 2.1 compatibility, which allows it to output 4K at 120Hz (perfect for gamers). It also supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, great for both gaming and movie experiences. I connected the Bravia Bar 8 to my LG CX 65-inch TV’s eARC port and my XBox Series X to the soundbar’s HDMI IN port. Watching Bad Boys for Life on 4K Blu-ray was an awesome experience, despite the lack of a subwoofer and rear speakers. The bass is robust yet tempered and the soundstage was is pretty encompassing after calibrating with the Bravia Connect app. The 3D spatial sound mapping worked wonders when watching Stranger Things. I needed to see how it took advantage of Netflix's newly implemented spatial audio feature. Sidebar: Nothing beats the feeling of seeing all those green checks on the Xbox Audio & Visual setting details. Thanks the Bravia Bar 8 for the HDMI 2.1 connection! However, there are some negatives. There is only 1 HDMI-IN connection. While it is not a necessity if your TV has eARC on multiple inputs, 3 is usually what I'd like to see. Also, the cloth mesh material on the speakers tends to collect dust and lacks the easy to clean convenience of a metal grill. However, most frustratingly, the soundbar lacks a comprehensive LED indicator. While there is a small dot LED indicator for Atmos and DTS:X, I need more seeing visibility directly from the bar itself instead of having to reach for my phone. After using my phone all day, I prefer to leave it on the charger when I get home, and during testing, my phone was down to 10% battery. Sony, please address this in next year’s model. The remote is compact but functional, with controls for input, sound field, voice, bass, mute, and night mode. If you have a smart TV from 2016 or newer, you can use its remote for basic soundbar controls via HDMI/ARC technology. Overall, the Bravia Theater Bar 8 delivers warm, room-filling mids and impressive sound dynamics. If you happen to have Bad Boys for Life (IMAX Enhanced) be sure to play the final scene where the Helicopter crashes into the derelict mansion. The glass shattering in that scene is particularly vivid, thanks to the top-firing and wide-angle channels. Priced at $1000, it might appeal more to home theater enthusiasts, but I believe the average TV watcher will be overly very satisfied with its performance (sans sub and rear speakers). I tested it from about 8 1/2 feet away with the volume at 40. At 37 years old, my hearing is decent, so take that into consideration. In conclusion, the Bravia Theater Bar 8 is an excellent choice for anyone seeking high-quality sound without the need for additional subwoofers or rear speakers right away. 4.75/5

Right out of the box you have a 13 speaker dolby atmos surround system with built in subwoofer all in one soundbar. The sound clarity is phenomenal and the easy customization is top notch. This soundbar gives you unbeatable quality and power for the price. This is especially true if you can grab it on sale, or are willing to take advantage of BestBuy open box opportunities. I was able to get mine for $599 plus tax from the Houston area BestBuy outlet store. It was categorized as being "excellent" condition, but was brand new with no damage, no missing parts and no issues whatsoever. If you go for one of the open box options, make sure and price check in person at the store. The "excellent" condition one I was lucky enough to grab was listed at $899.99 on bestbuy.com, but when I got to the outlet store and started talking with them in person I was told that prices in store (at least that outlet) could often be lower than the online listing and lucky me the one they had was avaliable for $599.99+tax. It works incredibly well with my Sony TV (65" BRAVIA XR A80L OLED 4K(2023)) and presumably all other Sony Bravia family products. It is an excellent option for those looking for a mid/upper end sound system. What made it stand out as the best choice for me are the optional addon speakers and subwoofer. Great starter piece of surround sound equipment with easy options for expansion.

First, I should say that the BRAVIA Theater 8 sound bar delivers superb sound, and with its ELEVEN (!) speakers, and with its Sound Field Optimization, does an admirable job simulating surround sound, based on an analysis it does during the initial setup. Once again, another product that requires an app download. I know it’s free and simplifies some things, but most of the time, I end up having to create another account, verify, etc. It features full HDMI, which includes the ability to turn on and off a (downstream) TV. This seems like a nice feature, but doesn’t take into account strict component audio-video systems where all sound is produced by a receiver/amplifier. HDMI is “smart,” and makes incredible home theater possible, but it can also insulates you from more discrete components, such as high-end speakers and the like. It can become more problematic when you have several “smart” devices (like a surround sound receiver/amplifier and a smart speaker system, like the BRAVIA Theater 8). Do they compete for control? Who wins? Can one act in a “slave mode” (relinquishing control) so that something else can control the system? Can a device control everything else, or are there components that just don’t play well together? I say all this because I am “old school” and I question the implementation of HDMI in speakers. Perhaps speakers should simply be component-level devices driven by a surround sound receiver/amplifier. Overall, the BRAVIA Theater Bar 8 is a nice addition to an audio-video system with stereo speakers, and a fantastic choice if you only have a TV. I’d have given 3.5 stars, if that were possible. It’s not, so I focused on its superior sound quality and gave it four stars.

In full disclosure, I am a firm believer in Sony technology and my TV was already a Bravia model. The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 is a natural combination for my living room set. I tested the model for a few days (5 in total) and to be safe with my feedback, I tried all kinds of shows: movies, sports, talk shows, and news. After all those tests, I can affirm that this is the best soundbar that I own (I have 3 right now at home). I love that Sony always includes all the components needed for the use of the product since day one and this is not an exception. The box includes the ARC/HDI cable, the remote (with batteries), and the power cord, all as expected. In this case, it also includes the wall mount brackets and the instructions for a definitive installation on your walls. In case you decide that the bar could be used with other inputs, note that Bluetooth is an option as one audio jack. The initial setup is summarized in four basic steps that are quite intuitive: connect to your TV, sound, and power cords and the Bravia Connect app does the rest. I found it strange that the quick start instructions are not in a separate paper but on one of the cardboards covering the bar you could miss them once you unbox the bar. Note that after installation, the app recognizes the bar, and the setup is launched. After connecting to your home wireless, you will be able to download the last firmware version (that was quick) and optimize the sound delivery, which includes a measurement of the space and your position in that space. This bar has eleven speakers so, the coverage of the entire space is absolutely guaranteed but its capacity to deliver a surrounding sound is out of this world. The bar does not include a separate subwoofer but if you decide to go for it, the bar will connect to them also with Bluetooth. I note that because I own a Bravia TV, my usage of the app or the bar remote is very limited for basic functioning, all goes directly from the TV remote and the TV sound setup. However, I strongly recommend spending some time in the app settings, when you see the different options play extensively with the ‘Sound Settings” when you change your content. The specs are clear the bar, supports all the sound formats in the market: Dolby, DTS, and IMAX but one of the options that worked the best for me is activating the automatic volume adjustment to minimize volume changes when there are changes in the input signals. More obvious options are the adjustment of the 3 Bass levels (min, mid, or max) to obtain a quality sound. This is still a great option even without annexed subwoofers. The final, test was the bar power, it’s clear that this is a monster and complements any TV. It’s so powerful that it’s impossible to stay in a room (mid-size) with more power than 50%. Great quality and great aesthetics complement the package. One single complaint that I hope is not a problem, I wish that Sony would increase the warranty period. For such an investment, more than a year could be nicer. This is a great option and a great addition to your living room.