Customer Ratings & Reviews

Let me start started that we purchased this to address frequent sound dropouts from the HT-A9 (which admittedly got better once we deactivated the 160 MHz channel on our WiFi router, but still persisted at over once per hour) - which we otherwise loved for the surreal ‘bubble of sound’ in its Dolby Atmos content rendering, but was just ok for music playback. Below are my thoughts as a home theater/dolby atmos enthusiast/ardent music consumer. Appearance: The new speaker look is highly polarizing, judging from internet AVS forums. Sony tried to come up with a more modern option and veer away from the traditional bland speaker look, and landed with boxy speakers that not everybody is enamored with. I think they look ok and they’re somewhat modern and innovative-looking. But perhaps Sony should consider consulting / hiring hardware designers to work with their engineers, so their products can look a bit more polished and pleasing to the eye. (May I suggest LoveFrom?) But right now, it is what it is, and your only options are to take it or leave it. 7/10 Set-up: Unlike the A9, you now need to download and sign up for the Sony Bravia Connect app, if you want to use your system. Of note (unlike some other reviewers have mentioned), you do not need to agree to all marketing prompts from the app to continue with set up - selecting no will still allow you to proceed to the next step. So setting up the four speakers that came with the box was pretty straightforward, until I tried to hook up the Sony SA-SW5 subwoofer we already owned with our A9. Despite factory resetting it and restarting it several times, the app would just not recognize it was available for about half a dozen restarts and re-set up attempts of the entire Quad. This was a several hours-long exercise in frustration, and the PDF manual (not included in the box) provides only generic information (‘if everything fails, reset to factory settings and restart’). Somehow, it was able to finally recognize the subwoofer on the 7th attempt, and it has remained connected to the system since. I do hope that Sony will get their act together and address these set up issues with a software update, and ensure in the future existing hardware is already updated and able to recognize and work with their new releases. 3/10 App: Probably one of the worse apps you have ever installed on your phone. Even after the initial painstaking set up, for the first 36 hours of usage, it failed to connect to the system every time I turned it on, asking for a re-set up (thankfully it only asked to connect to the phone & the Wifi, instead of setting up and optimizing each speaker from scratch). Sadly, you can’t make any adjustments to the system without the app (the new remote has very limited functionality - you can probably put it in a drawer and forget it exists). And the only way to verify what type of audio content you are getting (Atmos vs Dolby Audio vs LCPM and how many channels) is through the app. Sony, if you are reading this, please consider showing this on the box’s screen. Thankfully, things just magically started working on day two of usage, without changing anything from our end - likely a server-side software update (have the automatic updates to on). 3/10 Center channel sync: Unlike the HT-A9 which was able to do this wirelessly with compatible Sony Bravia TVs, this version now requires a cord (provided). I did connect it to try the sound with and without it, and I would say that it has almost no effect on the sound. Not sure it’s worth bothering with. Although, as stated earlier, it appears that our Sony A80J has not yet been updated with software to make it recognize the Quad. So who knows? Maybe it will sound better after it does. But for now, it neither improves nor worsens the center channel sound. 5/10 Apple AirPlay/Spotify Connect: Just like the connection to the Wifi and the Bravia Connect app that didn’t work for the first day and a half, the Quad wouldn’t appear on the list of available AirPlay speakers on our iPhones. And then, without us having done anything different, it just started working. We haven’t been as lucky with Spotify Connect. The Quad still doesn’t appear in our Spotify accounts, unlike all other compatible speakers from Bose & Sonos we have in the house… 5/10 Overall Sound: Overall, it sounds a little better than the HT-A9. Calibration and the 360 sound mapping worked as described, and ended up creating an even wider, more open, crisper, and more engaging sound bubble. And it should, as each speaker enclosure now comes with one additional tweeter, for a total of 4 (rather than just 3 in the HT-A9). Fidelity is up a notch. The sound feels more robust, with more presence, and the Atmos effects seem to be more precise for a more enjoyable listening experience for movies and atmos-encoded video content. Moving sound objects are more precisely located now in space around you, and their movement feels smoother. (Testing with Top Gun maverick from Apple TV, and Dolby’s testing trailers from Demolandia). The bass is also more powerful now, and music sounds fuller and warmer. Using the same SA-SW5 as with the A9 and at the same setting (8 out of 10), and the neighbors immediately noticed rattling of the shared wall, which naturally made us to immediately lower the bass to 5. I have not tested this without an additional subwoofer, so I cannot comment on whether one will be needed, but the bass output from the Quad speakers alone is definitely higher than of the A9. When it comes to music reproduction, it is still far from being as enjoyable as Bose and Sonos home theater set ups are. Just as with movies, the precise back and slightly above the ears position of the saxophones in Quincy Jones’ atmos-encoded Bossa Nova album could be enjoyed in clarity and detail in a remarkably well recreated soundscape. But the added warmth and fidelity didn’t necessarily translate to a more enjoyable music experience, and Dua Lipa and Taylor Swift sounded a bit muddled on the Atmos versions of their Radial Optimism and Tortured Poets Department albums respectively (tested on Apple Music). As there are no dedicated Modes (Movie, Music, etc) any more, deactivating the ‘Sound Field’ option makes things a bit better for music reproduction. Sadly, an equalizer is sorely missing - hopefully, Sony will provide one via a software update - that could address this major issue. I don’t thing there are many consumers left, at least in the US, who use their home theater set up strictly for TV/movies, and not for music also. The automatic upmixing of stereo content to 360 audio will enhance somewhat your content, with low frequency mostly sounds being conveyed from all 4 speakers and their up-firing twitters, but don’t expect any miracles. A big negative is that the only variables you can adjust is bass and rear speakers, and nothing else really. If you don’t have a compatible Sony TV to use for the center channel sync feature, you will not miss anything. The phantom center speaker works incredibly well. And the new Voice Zoom 3 feature also picks up the voices and raises their volume. While it works very well and does what it’s supposed to do for truly improved voice recognition, the acoustics of the entire soundtrack deteriorate significantly, as if someone took your home theater equalizer and turned up the mid- and high- frequencies all the way up. So whether you use this feature or not, will depend on whether you prioritize voice recognition or overall sound quality. Movies: 9/10 Music: 7/10 (Really hoping Sony will add an 5- or better still a 7-band equalizer to the Bravia Connect app, so the music can at least be fine-tuned) Intra-speaker Connectivity: This is where the Quad is leaps and bounds better than its predecessor (and the main reason for the upgrade in our situation). Over the past week, we haven’t had a single dropout in the sound output, and we live in a densely populated urban area. If you’ve had as many connectivity issues and dropouts with the A9 (I know a lot of people just like us did and still do, based on hundreds of reviews and AVS forum comments), this is a very good reason to upgrade to the Quad. 10/10 System is set up with a Sony subwoofer SA-SW5, a Sony Bravia A80J TV, and an Apple TV 4K. Hope this helps potentially interested buyers!

No need for a sound bar for voices coming from the screen. I have my Quad front speakers 8’ apart and it set up its own phantom center speaker. Voices from actors voices are natural and action on screen was accurate while maintaining its left and right off screen sounds. It’s just Sony’s wizardry is all I can say. I did some research and found out that the Quad does not cut off/ or deactivate its bass when adding a Subwoofer. The previous A9 system did cutoff its bass in each of its speakers when adding the subwoofer. I added the Sony smaller subwoofer the 200w AW3 and it had plenty of bass with the setting on minus 4 with the Sony Connect App. It gives me plenty of thumping power along with the bass in each speaker left engaged. The 360 sound field was totally awesome when watching movies and regular content. Sony has added a mid tweeter in each of the Quads 4 speakers making it a total of 16 speakers. The A9 had only 12 speakers and with each bass speaker deactivated when adding a subwoofer it would go to down to 8 total. Please don’t try this system in a store it would be injustice to it. It’s not be as accurate like it would be in your home. “Buy it and you’ll love it like I do.”❤️

Amazing system… it’s like the earphone with all the special effects/sound filters but for a home theater. But first of all, if you have a 5000+ system, don’t expect this is have warmer sound or stronger bass. What the system excels in is the special effects & sound positioning. There is nothing that’s going to touch this in the price range till the new Yamaha sound system is on the market.

I purchased the Sony Bravia Theater Quad along with the SA-SW5, I read reviews some great and some not so great. I will give you my honest opinion. Its awesome, I paired it with the 85" Sony Bravia 9. I use the TV as a center channel and the dialect is extremely clear. My ceilings are 8' tall and when Sony made the claim they are bringing Theater home its true. If you want the middle ground in audio file home theater then they over deliver. I was fortunate enough to pickup the speakers from best buy on sale and saved $800.00 shopping during the holidays and signing up for the best buy perks. I recommend this system if you can get a good deal on it. Oh i almost forgot the system works without drop outs and high fidelity music from Tidal sounds better than the reviews I read in my opinion. You wont be disappointed if space and minimal footprint is a factor.

Don’t mistake my review for a bad one because it isn’t meant to be! These speakers both sound and look aesthetically pleasing to the eyes, especially for someone like me that thinks speakers add to the aesthetic of a living room space. Everyone that has come to my house has seen them mounted on my living room walls and asked me about them to get one for themselves because of how flush to the wall they sit unlike others in the market! The only reason I omitted one star is because the power cable is very clearly visible and sticks out like a sore thumb if these are mounted on the wall! Sony could have easily rectified this by providing a plate that goes below it for people that want to mount it and don’t want the cable visible but I guess someone was being lazy at Sony and couldn’t care less! Also, if this helps you to decide, mine are connected to an LG G4 and they all work harmoniously and you don’t necessarily need a Sony tv to go with them!

Coming from the HT-A9, this is a definite upgrade. The voice/dialogue is a huge improvement. And the overall sound stage is much more robust. I used to have to keep the HT-A9 between 25-30 volume while with this, I get that same level of sound at only 11-12 volume. It’s intense. Only downside is it’s EXPENSIVE at $2500 smh

I bought this to replace a Sony soundbar and it is an improvement. Sound quality is very good when watching content on streaming TV and such i.e. surround sound. Atmos immersion is excellent but that is limited by the content you are watching. Simple to set-up, the app is good. The plus is I bought this on sale and an open box. UPS damaged the original item, I had to repurchase a new one and the price matched the original price - good deal!

The Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad with 16 speakers is amazing. The sound is rich and powerful, with clear dialogue and deep bass that makes movies and music so much more enjoyable. It’s easy to set up, and the gray design fits nicely with my living room decor. It’s a bit of a splurge, but the quality you get is totally worth it. If you love great sound, this system won’t disappoint!

I opted to include the SW5 subwoofer, which I feel is essential for this system. The sound is wonderful, and the phantom center channel works as advertised. The price is hard to swallow, but still less than an A/V receiver and speakers.

The Sony Bravia Theater Quad is the best sound system I’ve tried. Highly recommend

Amazon sound on this ítem! Glad we picked this option!!

I love the convenience of wireless. The system looks great in my home theater. The overall sound quality watching movies is decent, but ive been unable to get voices as clear as they should be and are often mumbled. From what ive been able to decern, this is because of the lack of center channel. The “phantom” center channel just doesnt cut it for me.

I love watching movies with sony bravia theater quad. It feels like sitting in a theater room.

Design: Unique design that adds a unique look to my home theater. I have all four speakers mounted on the walls and they look great. They would look even better if I can find a solution to hide the power cable. With each speaker having a power cable, placement can be a challenge. The speakers are surrounded by a neutral gray soft cloth and plastic on the top and bottom. The control box looks like an oversized Apple TV with a screen on the front and like the Apple TV, the power button is in the back of the box. It’s made mostly of plastic and not much to look at. As big as it is, not sure why they couldn’t put all the electrical stuff inside and make the plug a regular plug. It has one HDMI IN, one HDMI OUT (eARC/ARC), one ethernet port (100 LAN) and an S-CENTER OUT for Sony TVs with Acoustic Center Sync. The remote is simple which controls volume, bass level, sound field, voice and input. No music controls so you have to keep your other remote handy. Sound Quality: Movies: Unbelievable!!! I’ve never had a sound theater system that filled the whole room with precise sound mapping that produces sound as if there were more than four speakers. To be fair, each channel has four speakers for a total of 16 speakers. Each unit is a 3-way woofer design along with an upfiring speaker which creates phantom speakers throughout the space and it’s mind boggling. It is so immersive and the sound quality that it produces is so clear. The only thing that it is lacking is the low frequencies. Although it does produce good bass, I definitely would recommend adding a sub-woofer for those heart pounding action scenes. Dialog is not lost without a center channel. In fact, with Voice Zoom 3, it is super clear. I usually watch Top Gun when I test sound systems, and with this system it sounded great. I also watched action movies with lots of dialog like The Equalizer and End Game. Music: Listened to music with Spatial audio with the sound field and voice mode on and I didn’t hear anything worth mentioning. I’d rather have the sound field turned off in my opinion because the vocals sounds washed out even with the voice mode turned on. It’s good if you want to feel like you’re at a concert. With just voice mode turned on, I heard a wider frequency band and that’s how I prefer to listen to music. You can hear more stereo separation compared to a soundbar. Bravia Connect app: This app is required to setup and modify system settings. Dislikes: - It didn’t come with a sub-woofer and Sony does not have an updated sub out yet. Gotta go with the SA-SW3 or SA-SW5. - Having to hide the power cables, four of them, is a task and can look very tacky if they aren’t easily hidden. At least, the cables are flat and neutral colored, gray. Sony should have included wire straps to secure the power cords to the wall. - No EQ or bass, treble adjustments. Only bass level adjustments. Notable Specs: - 16 total speakers - Dolby Atmos, IMAX Enhanced, DTS:X, Dolby Vision - 360 Spatial Sound Mapping - Apple Airplay 2 - Hi-Res Audio

This is a review of a Open Box version from Best Buy. DO NOT ORDER A OPEN BOX OF THIS. I ordered an "excellent" quality, which isn't what i got. Package looked like someone sat on it and ran it over with a truck. A small sheet of bubble wrap was thrown inside the box, but it was so little that it did nothing. The speakers, screws, mounting bracket, cables and receiver were all thrown on top of each other without any protection. The speakers fabric covers had holes everywhere, which was probably caused from the screws scrapping the speakers inside the box. All of that isn't even the worst part. The package was missing 1 speaker and 4 out of 6 cables. Im more amazed than upset at how this even happened, but im never going to order a Open Box from Best Buy again. Would be better off getting it used from another store.

=Comparison to atmos soundbar= The first thing you notice about these speakers is that they are BIG. They’re about one and a half times the size of a bookshelf speaker. If you pulled out the little speakers in a 5.1 soundbar, they would all fit in -one- of these four speakers. As soon as you notice that, the difference between this and a soundbar start making sense. I have been living with an 7.1 setup - LG soundbar, subwoofer and rear speakers. The LG said it had atmos and speaker virtualization, but really? It wasn’t noticeable on the LG. The sound was great, the subwoofer worked, and I’d hear the occasional ‘zap’ or whoosh sound come out of the rear speakers. As an upgrade over TV speakers, it was a lot, but the sound did not. . . surround me. The soundbar speakers were basically up front and the soundstage was not much wider than the TV. The bravia quad is the next level: the jump from TV to soundbar was the same as the jump from soundbar to quad. The quad is much, much closer to going to a movie theater. I’m running this with a Sony A80J TV and an SASW5 subwoofer. The TV serves as an “S-center” speaker and is running from the headphone jack. The sound is astonishing. I had an LG atmos/surround setup before, but it was nothing like this. The rear speakers are the same size as the front speakers, unlike every soundbar setup, and it shows. You do hear stuff go over your head - helicopters, spaceships, the flying monkey from Wicked. You start to notice how much effort is put into these mixes. My kids watched the Lego Movie on the first day with the quad and the sound was nothing short of cinematic. The Lego Movie! =Connectivity= I was a little worried about the wireless connection. Owners of the previous model, HT-A9, complained that dropouts were frequent. My living room has a mesh router in it that interferes with other audio devices (sennheiser wireless headphones hooked up to the tv), and there’s nowhere else I can move the router to reduce intereference. However, the quad has been flawless. No dropouts, no stutters, no glitching at all. I had an issue with my Wii U gamepad controller where -it- would stutter and dropout (sound was uninterrupted), and the quad had an option in “Wireless Speaker Settings” that fixed the interference. There’s an ethernet jack in the back of the control box, but I haven’t felt the need to use it. Some website reviewers have complained about the quality of the TV as a center speaker, and the ‘phantom center’ from the left and right front speakers. I have not had any problem. I also think these people are crazy. Ever listened to a car stereo? Home stereo? A set of headphones? The vocals are in “phantom center” with those devices as far as I know. We listen to “phantom center” all the time. Dialogue on everything I watch has been impeccable, although I have been using my Sony TV as a center speaker. =Setup= All the people on youtube complained about the setup. I had no issues. I had to screw the stands into the speakers, which was easy. I plugged everything in, turned on the sub, installed the Bravia Connect app, and setup took maybe 10 minutes. The longest part was downloading and updating the firmware. I was confused because I was waiting for something to go wrong. The subwoofer connected automatically without me pressing a button. My room is a bit awkward. My couch is up against the wall. I don’t know if I could fit the tall home theater speakers or position everything perfectly. With the bravia quad, I set the front speakers about three feet to either side of the TV. I set the bravia rear speakers a couple feet to the left and right of the couch. In this configuration, I feel like I heard the rear speakers quite a bit more than I should have. I could only tell because I got stands (see downsides below) and it really improved. I was playing a PS4 game, Elden Ring, and when a character is talking, I can turn and move their voice all around the soundscape, including directly behind me. Youtube reviewers seemed to brag that the speakers sounded great no matter where you put them. That wasn't my experience, but maybe they were tweaking other settings. I really wanted to get my money's worth, and placing the speakers correctly accomplished that. =Downsides= The only downside at setup is the amount of plugs. You’ve got to plug in six devices into your wall outlets - four speakers, the control unit, and the subwoofer. That’s a step up from three devices: soundbar + rear controller + subwoofer. It is easier because two speakers are in the back and can be on a separate outlet. I ended up putting my subwoofer in the back too. The uncommon shape of the speakers mean I spent about a week looking for speaker stands. These aren’t supposed to sit under your TV like a soundbar because you lose the stereo separation, but more importantly they can’t fit under my tv because they are Huge. They are, as I mentioned above, about 4-5x the height of a typical soundbar. Just the little plastic bases you attach to each speaker are two inches high. I can’t attach all four speakers to the wall because of the way my room is, and I don’t have furniture they could just sit on. I talked to Sony and they don’t recommend a stand, they don’t make a stand, and they don’t seem to care, which is incredibly negligent for such an expensive product. You’re not supposed to sit it inside a shelf because it will block the up-firing Atmos speakers. The speaker stands I see from Sanus and Vebos that say they will fit are $150.00 for a pair, meaning an extra $300 on the price here. I tried generic $60 speaker stands, and I had to improvise using the screws that came with the Quad and some washers of my own. I used the "bottom and back lock" USX Mount bookshelf stand. Overall, this is an amazing system. It will blow your soundbar out of the water. It sounds great on everything from Dolby Atmos surround to old sitcoms in stereo. If you're like me and weren't satisfied with the occasional "surround sound" pop or zap behind you, this will make you happy.

Bravia Theater Quad is only latest flagship home theater system and man this surround system does not disappoint makes me want to watch all previous movies I watched millions of times and continues to enjoy them specially with this new Bravia Theater Quad. Sony decided to drop The HTA9 series and move to a more premium name using their Bravia line up I think it fit perfectly it’s also a name that’s easy to remember, I was never a fan of letters and numbers for a product name sometimes they just not that easy to remember. this new surround system also continues Sonys 360 Spatial Sound Mapping. Design: right from unboxing which very simple and laid out perfect the Bravia Theater Quad was bigger than what I anticipated, its wrap around with this fabric like covers that I would highly recommend being careful taking out of the box and being aware of your surroundings ok where you placing the speaker before installing, it’s because there’s a chance that something might get hooked and could ruin the fabric. I personally wish it more a solid frame but I could see the appeal with some people. each individual speakers comes with the stand and Sony also provided a wall mount as an optional way of displaying these speakers. the remote is also tiny. for a premium price I was hoping for more a premium feel and look for that remote, it’s very basic and zero backlit with limited functionality. the HUB is also simple and lacking maybe an additional HDMI input, you have two total and one for your extra device like a gaming console to be plug on the back of the hub. Audio Quality: now I think this is where this speaker truly shine and wow I was loving, i’m coming from using Sony HT5000 both RS5 rear speakers and the SA-SW5 subwoofer. the Bravia Theater Quad offers 16 total speakers, the amount of bass it produces with this speaker is more than enough of what a small town house I have can handle it’s immersive clear with great audio mix from dolby atmos it does gives my house a more theater like experience. I did pumped up the rear a lot more this just based on my preference i’m not an audiophile expert and just a casual movie loving customer. you can technically position each speaker anywhere you would like in the room each will talk and communicate to each other for calibration. sounds field will be optimized based on your room sizes and where these speakers are located. the one I do need to upgrade is my tv, currently using a 2018 OLED that doesn’t support the current IMAX Enhanced feature the Bravia Theater Quad offer so i’m little sadden about that but dolby atmos is more than enough for me to have a theater like experience at home, Sony said their Voice mode has been I can definitely hear the difference comparing to previous entry. center channel is not an issue at all both front speaker sounds perfect that it truly blends together to create that center effects. App Experience This Bravia Theater Quad doesn’t use Sony sound app, you’ll be required to download the Bravia app, it’s a much better design than previous Sony app, and it has a much better UX design/ layout. a night and day difference from using the old app on my previous HT5000. you have all the functionality the tiny remote offers and way more. it’s also not great for older folks who doesn’t want to deal with an app but would like enjoys a great sound system like these. from calibration when adjusting the speakers around, for firmware updates you will need the app. I wish you have more control in the app on how to explain or show what is the current setting is, because there is high possibility that it won’t be a 1 to 1 of what you see in the app. even the app has more options than the remote the Sony still not perfect there is no other option to adjust beyond volume levels and bass level if you happen to their previous subwoofers. Conclusion I will say this hands down the best sounds system I ever owned there’s just a bit more that I wish sony would do, I wish they would listen to their customers gives us more options to adjust our sound quality, not even treble or equalizer is available for user, and Sony want you to spend a lot of money for these speakers, they are not cheap. also it was nice that their 2 previous subwoofer has the capability to be added. but you’re telling me I cannot even add more speakers? my two RS rear speakers add on that you can buy are absolutely useless with Sony, it’s a terrible decision they like to stand on. like why? they know Sonos exist and Sony continue to not support its user base by letting previous products to be added to create an even more theater experience. i still recommend this sound system but I hope you’re aware on what Sony is offering for your future, meaning these won’t be coming with you in the future.

DESIGN: The Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad with 16 total speakers is a beautifully designed home theater system that adds a touch of elegance to any room. Its minimalist and neutral color palette allows it to seamlessly integrate into various interior styles. The slim profile of the speakers and the ability to wall mount them using the included hardware make it an unobtrusive addition to any living space. This system’s sleek design ensures it complements your living area without overpowering it. SETUP: Setting up the Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad is straightforward, thanks to the app guidance and clearly marked components. Each speaker is well-labeled for easy identification during physical placement and the calibration process. The app streamlines the setup, making it user-friendly even for those who are not tech-savvy. However, it’s important to note that each speaker requires an outlet to plug into, so planning for wire management is essential to achieve a clean and tidy setup. PERFORMANCE: The BRAVIA Theater Quad delivers impressive sound quality, covering a wide area with its compact speakers. However, the system’s performance in delivering low frequencies could be improved. A subwoofer would tremendously enhance the overall audio experience, particularly in larger rooms or spaces with sound dampeners. In smaller rooms, the absence of a subwoofer might be less noticeable, but for a truly immersive experience, adding one is recommended. FEATURES: This home theater system is compact, which is reflected in its premium price. While it is not cheap, the quality and functionality justify the investment. The compact design and high-quality build make it a valuable addition to any home entertainment setup. Connecting to other devices, such as an iPhone, is generally easy and smooth, with few drops or interruptions, adding to the system’s versatility. APP EXPERIENCE: Sony’s Bravia Connect app feels somewhat lacking. Given the cost of the product, one would expect a more robust selection of sound enhancement options. The current app interface and functionality do not fully utilize the system's capabilities, and the remote control also falls short in providing a comprehensive user experience. Enhancing the app with more features and improving its functionality would significantly elevate the overall user experience. CONCLUSION: The Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad is an elegant and functional addition to any home. Its minimalist design, ease of setup, and impressive sound quality make it a standout product. However, to fully enjoy its potential, adding a subwoofer is advisable, especially in larger rooms. The app experience could use some improvement to match the premium nature of the system. Overall, despite a few shortcomings, the Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad offers a solid home theater experience and is a worthy investment for those seeking a high-quality, aesthetically pleasing audio solution. RECOMMENDATION: If you value design and ease of integration into your home decor and are looking for a high-quality audio experience with the potential for further enhancement through additional components, the Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad is a solid choice. Be prepared to manage wire placements and consider investing in a subwoofer for the best experience.

Want a theatre-like experience at home? Well, if you have a decent TV or projector, combined with the Sony BRAVIA Theatre Quad, you can be confident that you will get an immersive experience like no other. This is my review of the Sony BRAVIA Theatre Quad. *TLDR at the bottom ========================= RECOMMENDATIONS/SETUP: This home theatre surround sound system has everything you need to get started with setting up a theatre-like experience at home. If you get this shipped to your home, I suggest making sure you have everything that is supposed to be included and checking if everything is intact. The box the system arrives in is not the best in protecting the unit and the insides, as a result, things may be all over the place upon opening the box. I am speaking from personal experience. Anyways, the setup does take about half an hour or so, depending on how you plan to set up the system. Sony gives two options. The speakers can be placed on a table/shelf, or the speaker can be wall mounted. I chose the former as I had space available for these speakers in my living room. Once they are in place, download the Sony BRAVIA Connect App and follow the instructions to get the unit set up. While the app does let you skip some steps, I suggest going through the entire setup to get everything setup perfectly. I did run into some bugs with the app that had me set up the unit again, and at other times, the app didn’t recognize the unit. But a simple restart of the app or unit did clear up most of those problems. ========================= SOUND QUALITY (MOVIES, VIDEOS): One of the first things I did with this system was of course watch some trailers that would eventually lead to a film. One of the trailers I watched was Godzilla Minus One. If I had to choose one word to describe this system, it would be immersive. The soundstage on this home theatre system is vast and amazing. Around the beginning of the trailer, the lows of Godzilla stomping seriously echoed throughout the living room and rattled the floor. The dialogue was clear, and the sound of gunfire and carnage sounded great! After getting a taste of what this system could do, I decided to finally watch a film. I decided to go with the first Blade Runner from 1982. The film is a little older and the sound is not as “clean” compared to something from a newer film but luckily, the entire movie still fits into today’s standards really well. The film felt immersive from beginning to end, the soundtrack sounded great, and the dialogue was clean. I did end up turning on voice mode for testing purposes but luckily it did not affect much of the film's other sound too much. While the lows were good, I do think a subwoofer would provide an even more immersive experience. With the current price tag, I do think a subwoofer should have been included. An extra subwoofer would certainly allow this system to reproduce that booming sound that movie theatres have. ========================= SOUND QUALITY (MUSIC): This system has Bluetooth and Spotify Connect which I used to wirelessly stream music. Luckily, both worked flawlessly for me. Spotify Connect can be used while in the Spotify app, simply click on the devices icon and select the Sony Home Theatre System. I suggest making sure your phone and the system are connected to the same network if you run into any issues. I was able to play a variety of genres from Hip Hop, Rock, Electronic, Latin, and Pop. The 360 audio brought an immersive listening experience. For example, this was clear in some of the electronic songs where the different instruments would slowly come in eventually leading to a beat drop. Standing in the middle of this system feels like the band or artist is performing a personal concert for you. Again, lows, while good, could be a lot better with a subwoofer. ========================= FEATURES: One of the neat features of this surround system is the Sound Field Optimization setting. This “sound optimization” can be done in the app, within settings. This feature calibrates the sound of the system based on where you are sitting and the type of room you are in. The app can also be used as a remote control if you happen to lose the one included. (the included remote is tiny) There are also some sound modes available to choose from. Sound field is the default mode, voice mode is self-explanatory, and night mode seems to enhance the lows at low volume. Some features I would love Sony to include within the app are an EQ setting or more modes (music, movie, podcast, etc.). ========================= CONCLUSION/TLDR: Overall, this is an excellent home theatre surround sound system. The setup does take a while but once you are through it, you will be blessed with some great-sounding and immersive speakers. Movies, videos, and music all sound amazing on this system. The highs and mids stand out the most. While the lows are good, the addition of a subwoofer would improve those lows and reproduce that grand sound from the lows that movie theatres have. I do think one should have been included with this system, especially with the current price tag. All of this is controlled with the tiny remote or the app. The app is a little buggy at times but works well for the most part. However, I do wish there were more modes included or some type of EQ to fine-tune your desired sound. Regardless, if you are looking for a home theatre surround sound system, you cannot go wrong with trying this one out!

PROS + Amazing surround sound and 3D audio with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, & 360 Reality Audio. + Great detail, effect placement, and overall sound imaging + Movies are incredibly immersive, with a soundstage and stereo separation most soundbars simply cannot match + Virtual center channel is very effective, with clear dialogue, even without the voice mode enabled + Sound Field Optimization is seamless and automatically optimizes for the placement of the speakers, as well as your seating position by using your phone’s microphone + Flexible speaker placement with only power cords needed to set-up each speaker and main connection box + Includes wall-mounting hardware with speaker table-top stands doubling as wall-mounts + Bravia Connect app is very responsive and simple to use + Low-res music audio upmixing with DSEE Ultimate sounds great + Extra features for other Sony device owners (TVs & PS5) + Completely solid connection with no audio dropouts, static, or other connectivity issues CONS - Really doesn’t feel like a complete system without a dedicated subwoofer to manage the low-end. You have the option to add one though, which is great & sounds amazing, but it does add more cost to an already pricey product - No ability to add a second subwoofer for those who want too - Display on the connection box is a bit on the small side, which combined with the small remote, makes the app more important for functionality - Inputs on the connection box are more limited, with only one extra HDMI input and no RCA or other inputs for devices like record players SO-SO * Slim non-traditional speaker design might not be for everyone or every space, but I personally love it after seeing it them in-person THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT I have owned many soundbars over the last decade, many of which were high-end soundbars which had some truly impressive virtual surround sound abilities. The Sony Bravia Theater Quad are really on another level though when it comes to producing effective virtual surround sound. Having the speakers in separate physical enclosures and being able to place them further apart creates a wider sound field that sounds amazing with films and music. How much you can achieve this effect is going to be dependent on your space and how far you can place the speakers apart in your space. Thankfully the Sound Field Optimization software is more than up to the task of correcting for deficiencies in your speaker placement. I played around with a few different orientations, and found that in general, the optimization software did a more than admirable job of creating a sound field that was wide and detailed. In my case, I settled on having the front speakers facing forward on both sides of my TV, and the rear speakers facing the front of the room behind, and to the left/right, of my listening position. Before I detail the sound quality, a few words on set-up, which is very quick and easy. I used all of my speakers on their tabletop stands, which were extremely easy to set-up and place. All you need is two screws and a power cord and the speakers can be positioned on a tabletop. If you are wall mounting, you can use the included hardware to mount the speakers where their bases double as wall mounts (a very nice touch). In terms of style, the speakers are effectively thin gray rectangles, measuring just under 12” x 12” height and width, and only about 2” deep, with about 1” extra height from the table top stands. When I first saw them in photographs, I wasn’t sure I really liked the minimalist look compared to a normal boxy speaker, but in-person I think these look great! I don’t know how they would look on speaker stands given their width, but on a tabletop or a wall I think they genuinely look fantastic. On my TV stand with the TV wall mounted they look very stylish, without being gaudy or overtly speaker-like,and they blend into the aesthetic of the room better. Everyone’s taste is different, as well as the style of their rooms, but I do think these look much better in-person than in images, and have a style that continues to grow on me. The other area where I was concerned about these speakers' thin design was in their ability to produce deep, robust, and detailed sound. While bigger doesn’t always mean better in the speaker world, it is a trend we sometimes see, especially in the soundbar space. Thankfully these sound incredible, with no limitations from their design as far as I can hear. The sound is full, with great imaging, and they get very loud (I could only bring these up about 50-60% before they reached the upper bound of my listening comfort). Despite not having a dedicated center channel speaker, things like dialogue are almost shockingly clear. It may be hard to believe, but honestly the dialogue is better than most soundbars I have heard with dedicated center channels, which I think is due to a combination of the speakers being housed in separate cabinets, and Sony’s processing doing a great job of lifting dialogue without the rest of the soundstage feeling unnatural. Once everything is set-up and calibrated, I played a wide variety of content on the Bravia Theater Quad, including some of my favorite audio demos. The opening race scene from Ready Player One had sound being thrown around the room as cars crashed and accelerated around the camera, while the T-Rex roar came effectively from overhead. The opening of Blade Runner accurately had sounds moving across the room and overhead, while Jurassic Park had super immersive rain effects when the T-Rex attack occurs. I played games on my PS5, and sound effects were accurately placed and very competitive with dedicated wired surround set-ups. I even played some dedicated 5.1, 7.1, and Atmos speaker tests and audio demos, and I was shocked how well the “virtual speakers” were placed in my room, which is typically not ideal for bouncing sound off of walls. Everything I threw at it, the Quad’s just handled them so well. If there is one area where the sound is lacking, it is in the bass department. Yes the Quad’s can absolutely be used on their own, with impressive bass for their size, but after a bit I paired mine with a Sony SW-5 subwoofer and the low-end really opened up. I personally couldn’t see myself using these without a subwoofer as an amateur audiophile, and so it is a bit of a shame one isn’t included in the package, as it is a game changer. At least you can buy one afterwards, which is itself wireless as well, and so can be placed anywhere in the room. I just wish I could add a second subwoofer as well to really balance the bass throughout my room, but the system only supports one currently. In terms of other flaws, I like the simple connection box that looks almost like a large Apple TV, but it has too few inputs and a small display. I would love to be able to connect my record player or other external audio devices to the box, but unfortunately HDMI eARC and an HDMI input are your primary options. Even so, a few extra HDMI ports would have been nice, but at least the one you get is the full HDMI 2.1 spec and can do 4K 120hz with HDR. But on the whole, these are really incredible speakers, and I am super happy I have them. They aren’t cheap by any means, but they do exactly what they say they are going to do, and so far at least, I have had zero bugs or issues at all. The app and set-up was super quick and easy, and very simple to navigate. The sound quality is excellent for both movies and music (although movies with 3D audio formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X are where these absolutely shine most), and gaming is a treat as well. Everything is wireless except power cords and HDMI cables, and every time I re-watch one of my favorite movies I can’t help but smile at the sound quality. If you can afford these, and have some extra money to spend, I highly recommend getting one of the wireless subwoofers as well, as it really adds so much more to the sound experience and frees up the speakers to do what they do best. But even as they are, there is no doubt these are some of the best speakers to experience 3D audio without a dedicated receiver and wired speakers. In terms of bridging the gap between a fully wired home theater and a simple soundbar, these perform incredibly well. The virtual speaker system is almost like magic, making a sound bubble appear out of nowhere and doing so incredibly well. Highly recommended.