Customer Ratings & Reviews

Easy set up and huge sound for small sound bar....

Purchased on Black Friday due to special pricing when purchased with Sony TV. I have been a Polk / Bose speaker w/ amp user for years, but did not want to spend the $$ for a new amp and speakers or their comparable soundbar and sub system (considerably more $$) since this is not my primary TV / viewing area (mostly for kids). I was also considering Sonos, but their technology is comparatively outdated and subwoofer was $$$$. Good sound quality, user interface looks dated but is effective. Bluetooth pairing for my phone & tablet is very easy and streaming music sounds good. Setup was very easy and refreshing not to deal with speaker wires and a bunch of cables, etc. vs traditional sound system. I wish it had more than 2 HDMI inputs and that I could use a single remote for the TV and soundbar since they are both high-end Sony products. Hopefully, that functionality can be introduced at some point via software update so I can reduce the number of remotes I have to use to operate the TV and Soundbar? Overall, for the price, good product.

sound is fantastic when streaming properly - syncing was a breeze - menus aren't too convoluted paired this and the z9 rears with a Sony 900h, I think it's the TV firmware, but I had issues with speakers cutting out for TV streaming apps - solution was to run a Cat6 cable directly to the TV (others claim using a dedicated 5ghz channel does it as well, but I can't confirm that) - definitely a wifi issue, but the hardwire is an easy fix think this is TV firmware related, but just thought I'd mention that there also appears to be an eARC issue that Sony needs to clean up where sound is lost completely for the TV streaming apps when switching between input sources - current solution is holding the TV power button to restart the TV and all is well again - not real jolly about having to re-boot my TV multiple times a day

Great sound bar. Sounds amazing. Just need the rear speakers and I’ll have a complete set.

The surround sound works really well. The subwoofer makes a big difference on sound quality. Definitely recommend spending the additional money to get this feature. It was very easy to set up only took a few minutes.

I bought a Samsung Q60R soundbar last week and I’m happy switched it for this Sony. The sound quality is amazing compared to the Samsung Q60R. I did purchase the rear speakers with this set and it’s amazing how good the quality is compared to the Samsung Q60R. What I love about the Sony is that it actually works. The Samsung Q60R would constantly cut out sound or video when I would use the built in HDMI ports. I have had not had this issue with the Sony. At first the Sony subwoofer and rear speakers did cutting out but that was fixed after I installed the software update. The Sony feels more like a move theater experience. The Samsung Q60R attempted that but when you compare the 2 you can truly hear how cheap the Samsung sound is (especially the rear speakers). Overall I’m happy with my purchase. The soundbar works properly and the audio quality is amazing.

Sony's vertical sound stage does not disappoint when it comes to the illusion of having overhead speakers for Dolby Atmos. Anyone who is looking in to a sound bar should right off the bat understand that it cannot truly replace a traditional system; however, this system packs a huge punch. Once you fine tune the speakers in settings mode (Do NOT just implement factory settings) this system creates a wonderful sound stage with clarity, and gives the feeling that one is truly in the movie. Dialogue is not lost in the surrounding elements, and the bass is rich enough to be felt. I will say that for this system it is a MUST to invest the extra money in the wireless rears. Amping this up to a 5.1 is truly worth it. For the avid movie watcher I cannot recommend this set up enough. If you are someone that does not have the ability to run wires, place multiple speakers throughout your living room, or simply wants something with ease of setup, look no further. You won't be upset so long as you aren't someone whose looking to replicate a traditional setup, or are an extreme audiophile.

If I've never done anything right in my life I definitely did right by purchasing this. The only downfall it appears I have to have an alexa speaker connected in order for the function to work. I have a yamaha soundbar that has alexa built in so I figured this would work the same. I am still checking to see if I can just use my phone instead to get the alexa functions to work. Sound quality is awesome and let's not talk about the subwoofer OMG!!! I have this in my theater room, and I can only imagine what the more expensive Sony soundbars sound like. I will upgrade soon but I am definitely loving this bar. I got this on sale during black friday.

Clear and loud sound, easy to srt up, it pass though Dolby Atmos but you will need good HDMI cables (the one that comes with this is garbage), easy to instal (wall mount). It complements my Sony X900H perfectly. If you find it at a discount you can’t go wrong.

Okay, everyone says go Z9F. Okay I did. It's a bit painful for the price and looking at those 3 small speakers, it will really make you question your purchase. HOWEVER... pair this system with the rear speakers, and you have a real 5.1 surround system that does a pretty good fake on Dolby atmos. Just to let you know, I bought the HK-SK5000 (?). The big boy.. and yes it cranks, but absolutely "NO" surround sound effect like what the Z9F does with the Rears. So, I have to problem telling anyone to buy this setup. It's good... not Klipsch good, but still very good. And yes.. 4 stars for 3 small speakers and a premium price.

I purchased this sound bar recently and pleased with it's performance. I also purchased the rear speakers. Set up was easy and it worked right out of the box. It has numerous wireless features that are amazing. I also purchased a Sony Bravia TV at the same time. I read in the one star reviews about the speakers cutting out. I experienced the same thing while watching action type movies. I was ready to return this system and buy the 7.1 channel. One last try - I found that when set for Auto Sound the sub and rear speakers would drop in and out. I then selected Cinema on the remote, replayed the same section of the movie, the system worked as it should. Using Auto Sound, it seems to me that the system would lock onto a different setting when there was just dialogue and when the action hit it couldn't react fast enough. Selecting the sound profile manually solved the problem for me, this is why the four star rating - otherwise the product and sound are great. Dialogue is clear and crisp, which I need for my aging ears. I was able to boost the voice and now clearly understand the dialogue without asking "what did they say". This truly is a great system at this price point. If I could do it over again I would buy the 7.2 channel - I know, first world problem...

I purchased the HT-Z9F to replace a 5.1 system in my main TV room. I wanted a system to pass through all the newest audio and video signals. The HT-Z9F does this. The soundbar has a Ultra HD DVD player and a 4K  TV attached in the HDMI in slots. The soundbar is connected to my TV via the HDMI ARC. I️ have not added the rear surrounds yet, but intend to add them soon. The sound is clearer than the system it replaced. The old speakers were nothing special, just some old Panasonic speakers from an old system. I first thought the sub-woofer was weak. After adjusting the volume levels it sounds great and integrates with the soundbar audio very well. Although I wanted the lastest audio signals, ie Dolby Atmos, I knew going in a soundbar would not be able to produce the Atmos environment. Sony included a 5 minute Atmos demo DVD to highlight the Atmos experience. It takes concentration to hear right-left separation, the soundbar is only about 40 inches long. I️ haven’t been able to hear any noticeable overhead sound. If I close my eyes and listen to the demo DVD, I have a harder time hearing the separation. The video enhances the audio in the demo. But I have only had one Atmos source. I was hoping for more adjustability with this unit. The only adjustment I’ve tinkered with is speaker distance from the viewing area. There are built in settings for various uses like cinema, sports, games, etc. The other reason I️ wanted to replace the old system was to get rid of wired speakers around the room. The Z9D is very tidy. I mounted the soundbar on the wall under the TV. Only one cable in sight. So far so good. I get Dolby Vision and 4K ultra HD signals passed from the DVD player and Apple TV through the unit to the TV. Setup is straightforward. I haven’t listened to any music yet. This is primarily for TV and movie viewing. For that use the audio is pretty good. Clear voices, loud if you want it, plenty of low frequency that mixes will with the overall sound output. I look forward to adding the rear surrounds.

Excellent product. It pretty much set it self up with minimal effort. I did pick up the rear speakers on ebay for half the new price, and it's a MUCH better system with the rears. Even the remote is intuitive and easy to use. the only downside of the soundbar is it's price.

Great sound. Purchased to replace a much much older Sony 5.1 bar. Would have liked to have more HDMI inputs but I can live without. eARC/ARC works perfectly with my TCL Series 6 TV. Doesn't have true atmos but I don't really notice much difference.

I’ll keep this so simple! This sound bar is nothing less than incredible. High quality premium sound, Great vocals, amazing highs mids and lows, deep bass, Super easy to setup and is the only Soundbar with an on tv calibration, set every speakers distance from you using a very easy to follow diagram. Extremely premium look and removable front grille. 2 Full Range HDMI In ports, both pass through Dolby Atmos, 4K HDR 60 Frames. Paired with a Sony X900F, UBD-X700 4K player and an Apple TV all plugged directly into the Soundbar, every works seamlessly and switches inputs perfectly, The vertical surround is an excellent substitute for top firing speakers, Make sure to add the Rear Speakers to complete the full 5.1 Surround experience

Tried boss 500 - Clarity doesn't match action scenes, I thought it was better for music than movies. Tried N850 Samsung Kordon - was very impressed with the soundbar good Clarity and bass but it kept turning off and on, another reason I took it back was it didn't tell me what version of dolby was playing or if it was even on. I would like to know what I am hearing. Very happy with the Sony HTZ9F - Clarity was amazing, you can turn dialogue up and down. It will tell you what version of Dolby is playing. The bass on this thing is very good also but not as good as the Samsung N850. Overall I chose the Sony because it made better sense for movie watching. Clarity and experience was top notch, I would definitely recommend it if you're a movie watcher

works great. easy to use. good sound. would recommend

I had an older Sony 2.1 Soundbar (300W) that just didn't seem to have much dynamic range...so went shopping to see what newer systems were out there. I immediately gravitated to the Bose 500 Soundbar (as I am admitted Bose-snob...ever since my original Acoustimass system from the 1990's!), but while listening, the BB Tech showed me this Sony HT-Z9F system that was the exact same price as the Bose 500 with Bose 500 subwoofer). After listening back and forth and talking to the techs, I was getting swayed to the Sony...although still a little hesitant since I was coming to replace my older Sony system. Digging into the specs some more, the Bose's integrated Alexa is cute, but they tout "8 microphones" to better support Alexa. I already have an external Echo Dot and the new Sony firmware supports integrated control with Alexa so on that count, Sony won for me. Why pay extra for integrated Alexa features that don't do anything to improve the sound! My $20 Echo Dot does it's thing very well and the Sony Soundbar does it's thing very well. Also, it turns out the Sony supports both transmit and receive Bluetooth...so I can pair to my wireless headphones as well as send my music via my pair iPhone. According to the Techs, the Bose will not support wireless headphones. So, after quite a while of spec considerations and listening, I purchased the Sony system AND the matching Sony wireless rear satellite speakers. (also the same price as the Bose wireless rear speakers.) NOTE - if just comparing soundbars, the Bose Soundbar has a richer sound (and is more compact) than just the Sony Soundbar, but when comparing complete systems, in my opinion the Sony was the winner. The set up was very easy. The wireless components all paired flawlessly. One mistake I made - by not reading the directions closely - is that when using the TV eARC port - MAKE SURE YOU USE THE HDMI CABLE THAT COMES WITH THE SONY SYSTEM!!. I had just used an older cable at first and wondered why I couldn't see the Sony menu on the TV. Once I read closer and used the correct cable - problem solved. Lesson learned - not all HDMI Cables are created equal!! The room this is in is 16' x 16' and while this system is only spec'd at 200W (100W soundbar, 100W sub) it fills the room far better than my older 300W system. Most impressive is the quality of bass response at lower listening volumes. The bass is proportionally rich and full from low to high volumes which makes the listening experience quite enjoyable. Never had a system with this type of response or dynamic range at lower listening levels. But make no mistake, it has more than enough "oomph" at higher volumes too... at least for this size room. I also think the rear satellites are worth every penny. I think it was the content and quality of effects from the rears that actually sold me in the store and now at home, it is amazing how much audio content I was missing before! The 5.1 set up really enhances the whole listening experience. In addition to great sound, the Sony remote is very well laid out and responsive and the on-screen set up menu is very intuitive and complete. Especially nice is the speaker calibration for distances between speakers and listeners. Pairing between my external Echo Dot and iPhone were a snap and was pairing with bluetooth headphones. Note - out of the box, the LAN connection is needed to update the most recent firmware - which was easy and straightforward. Audio from my iPhone plays in 2.1 mode, but when you enable the Vertical Surround Feature, the audio is enhanced through the rear satellites for an amazing, room filling music quality! Summary - while l still love my Bose earbuds and Bose Mini-Link II bluetooth speaker, this Sony system (with rear satellites) provides absolutely amazing sound quality with an easy user interface and features- I couldn't be happier with this purchase!!

Very happy with the soundbar. Sound is crisp and clear at all volume levels. Anything with Dolby Atmos is where the product really shines. The included demo disc shows this off. However, if you don't have a TV that supports Atmos, I would look elsewhere, as there are less expensive soundbars that still sound very good with non-Atmos content. But if you are looking to add Atmos to your setup, this is a good soundbar for the price.

Did alot of research online & YouTube videos to replace my old Bose 5.1 system containing a mess of wires and speaker stands,didn't even have Hdmi. Wanted modern technology and this was my choice after comparing it to a Samsung & LG. at my local Best Buy. This Sony has everything and more I need. Sales associates were very knowledgable and actually had the 3 models I had narrowed down on display working. I chose this Sony cause of it's crysal clear audio & simple dicreet look, easy setup with wireless sub and a remote with so many ways to tailor your sound. You can even add on a pair of amplified rear wireless speakers later on (I just got them) to make an awesome sound system. So happy with this purchase.