While a soundbar might be the best starting point for moving from lower-quality built-in TV speakers to a more dedicated solution, not all setups make it possible.
And then there’s all the surround sound, because while the makers have gracefully created an Atmos effect that wraps around the listener by having transducers firing straight up rather than straight into the receiver, it’s not the same as dedicated units placed all around. are seated
To solve this problem, Sony has created the A9, or HT-A9, an audio system that can be purchased without the bar, and also without a subwoofer, and which simply consists of four wireless speakers that are placed without having to anchor around the user and the TV, creating a real sense of depth and surround sound.
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All four units use Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology, which is a combination of different technologies: Sound Field Optimization and Monopole Synthesis. It’s bland, vague hi-fi parlance to explain that by outfitting each unit with two microphones, they can instantly get a sense of where they are, what the room is like, where other people are, and where the television. In doing so, they create a lattice around their position, providing some symmetry to the sound.
It definitely works wonderfully, and the soundscape that was “woven” for me during the test period was something close to magic, especially after repeatedly encountering the exact opposite horror with other equipment from test on which symmetry or balance was much more difficult to achieve. .
The idea is that the four speakers in each unit – a 19-millimeter tweeter, a full-range X speaker, and a Sonos Arc-inspired speaker – give the impression that there are multiple sound sources around the spectator. This versatility also means that the A9s don’t care about their positioning. They use 360 Spatial Sound Mapping and their transducers to create a custom setup wherever they are, and that goes for both height and distance between them.
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That’s great, because each A9 unit is quite tall, about 12 inches, so they pop into the house, and the slightly matte “Light Pearl” color they come in doesn’t exactly go with modern decor. On the other hand, the installation is totally simple, since it is a small HDMI box that connects to the eARC port of the television like a soundbar, and that’s it.
You’ll also pay quite a bit for it, the A9 set will cost you around €1,800, enough to buy a Sonos Beam, a Sub Mini and two Ones, and you’ll still have around €350 left in your pocket. Is the A9 really better than a slightly cheaper setup with a subwoofer and soundbar? Yes, in some ways the the surround effect is much, much more preciseand the “bubble” that pops up around you as it all sounds is magical to say the least.
To conclude, it must be said that there is a small problem with the dialogues, since there is no central channel as such which anchors the dialogues in front of the television. Consequently, the voluminous dialogues can get lost a little, losing some of their gravity, but it is only at certain times, for example, when Immortan Joe gives his opening speech in Mad Max: Fury Road, he there is more music and real sound. which pierces his baritone voice.
But other than that, the A9 is a great set of speakers that really deliver a different experience from mainstream alternatives, and if you want to somehow avoid the usual subwoofer and soundbar combo, this is the way to go. to be continued.