I'm not trying to to disregard what you were saying about the wires but I just want to be honest and say that anyone that really likes their home theater set up or their living room set up is going to easily hide these wires and these wires and not be sitting around with 4 speaker stands and wires in the middle of their setup. They like myself will place the speakers in or on a corner shelf or bookshelf or even on top of the subs or on or beside some floor decor. Furthermore if they had surround speakers that were so called wireless they would still have a much bigger wire to be plugged in to an outlet vs the Nakamichi super small wires that can be hidden or tucked between floorboard or footboard and carpet completely unseen.
I got the EARC 9.2.4 a few days ago. I love it. I have had other sound bars and complete surround sound systems. Everyone one that hears it is blown away. My cousin who has a Definitive Audio system, was shocked how good it is. The wires surrounds actually are beneficial since my sofa set is against the wall. This is a straight forward system that is specifically made to make your movies sound like your in a IMAX movie. I really don’t care about streaming apps and since the system is controlled by your TV do you really need an setup app? They put their money where it matters and eliminated the fluff. That’s why the sound to price ratio is insane. Sonos who?????
I have the last version, just upgraded, but yes….. everything works perfect for me, wireless subs, don’t notices the wires, everything is in the back of the room…. I’d rather have this set-up than any a pieced together surround set-up… nakamichi for life… 😎
I disagree about the need for wireless surrounds. When I bought my Nakamichi system two plus years ago, I also viewed the wired surrounds as less desirable. However, I quickly realized that running (and hiding) a thin speaker wire was easier than finding an AC outlet and dealing with a bulkier power cable for each speaker. Why is that reviewers who rhapsodize about wireless speakers never mention the required power cables/bricks and often necessary extension cords or power strips?
If I'm running wires all the way from subwoofer to the rears then I might as well invest in a good Home Theater and work on hiding the wires like you said. The reason power cable is better is because they are easily available for most people near the rears itself.
@@stumbledotcom I have a JBL 9.1 and my rears uses micro USB so the wires are thin and not only that I could use a portable battery pack if I wanted to. I currently have it hooked to just a single dual USB 2A power brick which is plugged into a wemo. I have it on a schedule and timer so that it won't be charging all the time as they are battery powered as well. The battery life is 10 hrs but it's just more convenient for me to have them fixed now vs plugging them into the soundbar again when it needs a charge. In general no one likes wires period. That's why there are a lot of things now that are wireless. Of course there are some cases where being wired is better like for gaming for example. I believe my JBL Bar 9.1 has 2.4GHz rears so if there is a lag it's minimized unlike bluetooth ones. There are lag free bluetooth devices out there though as the tech has gotten better over time. I will admit though that with 2.4GHz you are prone to possible interfere from other devices. To me I will past on this new set as I did with their prior one. They really need to introduce a wireless model as well if they are going to keep their wired solution. If I had this setup I would put both of the subs in the back and run the wires to the back. Subs don't below in the back period.
@@volcalstone Wires are wires whether they're AC, USB, or speaker. With the exception of battery-powered (which add the issues of recharging and limited lifespans), there is no such thing as a truly wireless speaker. Pick your poison. I'm glad you found a solution that works for your situation. For me, traditional speaker wires remain the best choice.
Jonah, So I get home early from Work, Plop Myself down on my Computer Recliner Chair, Turn on my LG TV, Click on the RU-vid App... F**KIN' FINALLY NAKAMICHI!!! So after all the rumors, their new system finally appears. I've had their ShockWafe Pro for over two years now. And it still kicks ASS!!! I don't know what it is about NAKAMICHI Soundbars that other reviewers have ignored over the last few years. But Jonah, I, for One, am glad you're on the case. It was your initial review of the ShockWafe Pro 7.1.4 that influenced my choice in buying the system a few years ago. Though I wish the company was more attentive to firmware upgrades. There hasn't been one for any of their SSE Soundbars since Dec. 2020. Still, I'm happy with my system. And this new one I'll be seriously looking at in the future. GREAT Video Jonah! Especially for Nakamichi Fans like Myself.
Great review, Jonah! The dipole surround configuration is a great option for a lot of rooms. The wireless sub connections for the surrounds can work well if you don’t mind the subs being at the back of the room.
It’s actually a PRO to have wired satellites to the Subs because then you have no wireless interference for satellites and you only have 2 power cords for all 4 satellites/2 subs instead of having 6 power cords for satellites/subs separated, also for realistically what it is a 7.2 channel system you only have 3 total power cords which is even better than most soundbar surround systems that use at least 4 power cords between bar/sub/L sat/ right sat.
360 audio is a headphone format for virtual surround sound, so that kind of explains why it doesn't sound right. Shame you didn't get to test ATMOS with the Apple TV, would have been nice if we got to get an impression of how the system handles a true Dolby ATMOS music track.
Great review as always, but you really can’t have wireless speakers. Either they are wired to sub, or plug into an electrical outlet. I think that would be a personal preference.
Agreed. I'd say one of the major upsides of "wireless" speakers that use an electrical outlet, is that you have more subwoofer placement options. With this system's setup, you basically have to have the subwoofers in the back or sides of the room if you want it to be somewhat simple.
Outstanding in depth review! Thank you for all this information. I plan on having a large home theater in the near future and I still haven’t decided on a sound system. Nakamichi was on my short list and that was for the previous system. I’ll definitely be checking out your other videos in hope of finding a perfect setup for me. Keep ‘‘em coming!
sheesh . if I had a dedicated movie room Id definitely get this! what a simple SETUP! DAMN this is IMPRESSIVE AF! and all for 1900+ DAMN WHAT A STEAL! let's hope it's reliable etc. but honestly for an open concept living room setup this is a bit too much!
Great job. Love your videos. I am looking for a good system for my man cave downstairs. I am using half the basement. So the size of the room is around 12 by 12. The sound that I like is deep base so you hear that nice thunder during car chases and you feel the guns firing or explosions in your bones. I also like to be immerse in the movie so the 360 surround size is important. So I trust your judgement because all the knowledge you have in this field. I am torn between this system you are talking about or the Sony h9 with the larger subwoofer. Which one would you say is more to my liking. Wires aren’t an issue or speaker placement. Thanks for all you do.
I hope Jonah Matthes answers this one I'm torn between these to also. Since I never got a answer I went with svs prime bookshelf, svs center, svs elevations and a svs sb2000 pro with a pioneer lx505 had to adjust the center speaker frequency but over all I love it amazing quality with exceptional customer service. Also check out Ealan Osborne channel. Theirs alot of great youtubers now and do alot of research before you buy.
Going fully wireless means the satelite speakers would have to have rechargeable batteries, thus a limited lifespan before you have to buy a new set...I'd preferrably take the current semi-wireless version any day.
👍👍👍👍 Seriously I watched this video in the afternoon and had to find it again to research it. Your the only person that mentioned the 4 speaker set up on how it really works. I only want the 7.1.2 because I only need 1 8" sub woofer. I also only the 2 surround speakers. I'm glad the speakers are wired. Look at Panasonic and it's a good reason why sound bars are wireless. The speakers will be crap. These speakers have 2 drivers inside them. 😊
I was really surprised with the poor customer service from Nakamichi. I was VERY disappointed they removed my negative feedback on Ebay. It's flat out unethical for them to present themselves with "100 pct positive feed back" They sent me a broken unit, then the wrong part, didn't know what state I'm in, and did a poor job communicating with UPS when the package was late. I spent hours trouble shooting things that were not my fault;I specifically bought this system for ease of set up. Then they wouldn't let me return it without the box, and even if I did have it, they wanted to charge me shipping.
I have the old Nakamichi 9.2.4 with Arc. After watching the video, the only upgrade I feel is eArc. I connect my Nvidia Shield to Nakamichi to get Atmos. If I use the new one, I can connect the shield directly to TV and use eArc for Atmos. The eArc way is better for PS5 or Xbox because of VRR, ALLM features.
I think a good question to answer is for those people (Including myself) who has the previous 9.2.4 Shockwafe should consider upgrading to this one, or not?
If you have the previous version and it still works and sounds great, I don’t think it makes a whole lot of sense to upgrade unless you’re watching tons of Blu-rays and need to utilize eARC. But with the previous version, you can just connect the Blu-ray player directly to the soundbar to get Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio.
@@JonahMatthes OK, thank you for your reply. I guess I'll wait to see if there will ever be one with an app and directly supports wi-fi streaming. So far I am very happy with mine. :)
I would say depends which version you have. I have the 2018 vs the refresh 2019 one and Dolby Vision is bugged. I get dropped outs. Soon as turn dolby vision off no more dropouts. Nak was able to replicate and said they do not think it is fixable via firmware, so this really sucks. Keep dolby vision off or buy 2022 and have a left over system.
I don't know if it works with a "cheap" soundbar, but if you want to listen to sound that has been designed for stereo listening you don't want the other speakers in a surround setup muddying the sound. And that is exactly what they'll do. Then again you'd have to tune your front left and right speakers for a stereo experience as well. I've set that up for myself and it makes a huge difference in the quality of experience when I shut off my surround speakers and center speaker when I listen to music. Only the front left and right speakers alone can build the proper stereo soundstage intended by the artist/publisher.
So confused about positioning, can the surround speakers not be ceiling/wall mounted? Do they have to go on stands? Aren’t the both subs supposed to go around/behind the seating area?
I didn’t see the speaker stands down in the description, would you recommend the ones your using in the video or something else, I’ll be picking up this sound bar Saturday but I would like to have the stands before I do
Wow had the Nakamichi AV10 back in the day monster surround amp and Nakamichi CD player as well. Amazing back in the day now they make sound bars wow interested to hear it
How’s the Base with two subs? Hmm ima base head and just picked this up with a 4 year warranty for $1700 couldn’t pass up that deal. Rather then building my own setup and receiver.
I get that there are 3 surround modes, which include facing 2 of the surround speakers upward. But how is it a 9.2.4 if there are no 4 upward firing speakers? Is it virtualized?
I already ordered mine a few days ago and can't wait to set it all up. Does anyone have a good recommendation on speaker stands? Does anyone know what ones were used in the video? @Jonah Matthes
I would like your opinion and recommendations. After watching your reviews I am still torn. I have been leaning towards either Nakamich 9.2.4 Because of its huge bass footprint since I prioritize music over movies but do not want the components and wiring required with a traditional home theater system. The lack of wifi streaming has kept me at bay with nakamichi. I have a feeling that other systems won't provide the bass response and volume levels that I'm looking for. What do you suggest?
Would you recommend this or the enclave CineHome Pro? How does the CineHome pro’s bass compare? I do have a vaulted ceiling and the right side of my living room is open.
So I'm looking to purchase a new sound bar system. I'm looking at the Nakamichi 9.2.4 system or the Samsung q990b. I can only get access to the Samsung in a local store. I'm looking for something that plays music at a good fidelity. A friend of mine has a Bose 700 and I really liked the fidelity of that. I want good base, but still want to hear the highs. I will be playing music via my Xbox series x most of the time. What are your thoughts?
Question. Is it possible to swap out the surround speakers with other speakers that sound better? I'm getting this, and wondering if there is a way to fix the problems with the surround speakers you mentioned.
Will it be okay to connect my Sony 4k player directly to the soundbar then via earc out to my projector to its regular HDMI input ? The projector doesn’t have earc or arc.
Interesting you mention the center channel dialogue still not being great. I’ve seen some reviews from people that have bought it and they say the center channel seems much improved over the previous version. My biggest gripes with my 7.2.4 Nak is the center dialogue sometimes isn’t the most clear, and I wish it had a wider front left/right sound stage. I am glad they went with all black too. I can’t stand the silver on my system. It’s always looked cheap to me. I do greatly enjoy my system though and without going through the hassle of buying and returning multiple systems, I can’t see how it could get a ton more better than what I have.
Anyone facing issue with the eARC being responsive after a few seconds every time I pause and play a movie? It takes at least 3 to 4 seconds for the sound to pop out. This happens if I pause a movie / anything on TV and just replay it. The video starts moving with a couple seconds of muting; then eventually the sound kicks in. It’s a bit inconvenient. Any setting I can play around with?
Hi! Can anyone tell me the exact name of the app on App Store for this soundbar? I basically want for the controls, etc. Also, how can I see the settings displayed on the tv? I have given an out from the soundbar but when I go to that input, nothing reflects on the screen…
Had 7.2. Subs dropping and popping after 1 year. Tried all nak fixes. Figured component failure. Got 9.2. Same problem happened day 2. Returned. Maybe just my bad luck.
Last year i got the Q950a for my living room and extremely happy with considering i got it at 1100AUD. This year i am planning to invest in a largish room that i will be using as home theatre roughly 12ft x 20ft. Since i am on a budget, a tradition home theatre system is out of question but i am considering another sound bar system which will get loud enough and be clear enough with height channels for Atmos effect. Which would you suggest between another q950(or the newer q990b, Klipsch 1200, Nakamichi 9.2 and Sonos?
As far as power line-up, the 2022 Nakamichi 9.2.4 system sits at 1300W, the Klipsch 1200 is at 1200W, and the Q990B is at 656W, a measly half of what the Nakamichi puts out. If you want a home theater experience and you want to fill a large room with sound, then power is your friend. In this case I would definitely opt for the 2022 Nakamichi, especially considering the dual 10" sub setup. No single sub soundbar system will compare. Klipsch historically makes reliable budget-friendly genuine home theater systems, but it wasn't until more recently they stepped foot in the soundbar industry, which for all we know, could have a totally different set of engineers and budget allotted to development than their other products. I had the Klipsch CInema 600 for about an hour. It sounded 7/10 at best. The sub was powerful but the crossover was very poor, and you could easily distinguish between the sub and soundbar instead of getting a cohesive, linear sound from the whole system. Most notably however, the power supply failed in the FIRST sitting at about 50% volume. I looked it up and many other Klipsch soundbars have power supplies failing in 6-12 months, which is a huge quality control issue. I have not personally heard the Nakamichi system yet, but after much research I've decided it's my next system. I'm just waiting for a sale first ;)
Depends if you want surround speakers or not. A little difficult to do in a bedroom. The Samsung HW-Q950A, Sonos Arc (can add sub and surrounds later if you want), Or the Sony HT-A7000 by itself.
@@brobob52 It's not a huge deal really. It goes into a "sleep" mode when not in use. Not sure if the Alexa or Google Assistant mics are a concern for you or not.
@yuvaraj7270 none yet. I already have a nakamichi 9.2.4 older model in my media room. It's a great system. I was shopping for one for my living room, which I do not want to run wires across the room. I am in no rush. I am waiting for my floors to be redone to the wooden floors. Then I will purchase one, definitely a 💯 wireless one, high likely Samsung
Watching 2 years later. Still worth it? 2. Dialogue is most important. Anyone own this exact system and can share if they understand what’s being said? Thank you
I'll pick wired speakers over wireless speakers any day!! There's reason why you don't use wireless speakers or microphone in a music studio. Huge difference.
Hey Jonah, Love your reviews and insight on everything audio & video. But I’m loving those wall mounted lights you have on each side of your tv. Can you tell me where I can get a pair? Thank you!!!
I don't understand why they went so small on the soundbar length wise. It should be much longer (more speakers). I am torn on this or just building out a home theater set up. Not being able to upgrade firmware over the internet blows. I dig the subs though and 1300 watts RMS is solid. Down to 20hz and slick dome speakers. The hdmi 2.1 is very nice to see.
Interested in how the LG S95QR compares to the Nakamichi Ultra 9.2.4 with earc (1300 watt). Also, does the LG soundbar play well with non-LG tv brands?
You said it comes with 3 HDMI 2.1 inputs which they are all HDCP 2.3 right? So, if my TV only has HDCP 2.2 like most TVs have, I won't be able to connect my NVIDIA Shield or Apple TV to one of the soundbars input and watch 4K content, right? As far as I know, all devices in the chain need to have the same HDCP version in order to play 4K content.
@@guyatones_zone It is! OK. Good to know. I've heard that 2.2 is not backwards compatible with 2.1 but nothing about 2.3. Thank you for the quick reply!
Having 4 power cords in those back speakers is way worse than for RCA cables. In your setup having those 2 speakers sticking up in the air on those stands is not going to work. They will get knocked over way to easy.
I don't do any audio tests in my reviews because it doesn't translate well to RU-vid at all. Any audio tests on RU-vid will never sound even close to what it sounds like in person.
