Wow. I feel like you covered everything I had commented on in previous videos! 🎉 thank you! Awesome review!! Seriously! Top notch! Can’t wait for you to get the Bravia 7/8 in to find out how it compares to the Q-Symphony! Ps. Loved your comparo with dragon! 🎉
The fact that you spend so much money and have to use sw3 or sw5 is a mistake from Sony. They should have launched a new 8”-12” sub along with the quad for extra power.
It will probably be updated next year. With the quads, then the Bravia 8/9 bars just out, most will buy a sub which is money in their pockets. BAM, next year a new sub comes out, we all upgrade, even more money in their pockets. Well played Sony, unlucky us suckers. 🤣
@JL careful there, you're risking getting heavily trolled for saying that, haha. Well, I was when I made essentially same remark at some other reviewer's den ( hint: Ealan referenced him in this review many times 😉 ).
@@Sas-wk9ljGiven a few more weeks of reviews by the rest of the on-line community, I suspect there’ll be more consensus with the numerous critiques Andrew and Kristi delivered in their review. I’ve owned numerous pieces of Sony gear in my over 50 years in the audio / video hobby, and while I could never complain about the build quality or performance in the various price categories, sometimes they definitely miss the target in terms of features, etc.
I really appreciate that you moved speakers all over the place and kept retesting to see how it sounded. This is something Sony is advertising these speakers can handle, but most reviews don't really dig into that fact. I have a great location for the front speakers, but the rear speakers are going to be in weird places to make it work for my living room. Seems like these could be a good choice and I also like how clear the dialog was.
It's my understanding that systems like this don't do well with call outs, same with the Sennheiser Ambeo, due to how they process the information. Don't quote me but I think Chana's call outs are channel based, not object based, which is why it doesn't "place" the sounds properly. As for subs, if you could pair a pair of subs or if it had a dedicated subwoofer out I'd be more interested
Yeah, it is the case due to their algorithms and I've owned the Sennheiser Ambeo plus and I now have the quads. Should have tested it with an actual movie rather than call outs and pink noise and would have been a better test.
Thanks for the review, always appreciated the dedication :) While i already own the system, it's nice to see other people's take on it. One thing i can confirm, having the system in a more dedicated room, rather than open plan really does enhance it a lot more (tried and tested in my mates room who is similar to yours as he was on the fence buying it). Sounded much more alive in my closed off one and definitely bests some traditional wired systems.
Ok thanks and Last question is the subwoofer. I already have a 15 inch subwoofer is there anyway I could modify the Sony subwoofer to make it work with mine?
@@HPMIKE55 Not a clue sadly. I sold my Kef KC62 sub when I moved over. Would have loved to have kept it. They seem to have sorted the bass response out a bit better though. Sony subs used to always sound boomy but seem to be a lot better with them getting the IMAX enhanced certification.
Only Sony wireless subs will work with Sony speaker systems like this. They have their own unique tech to make them talk to one another. Only the Sennheiser AMBEO Max has a wired subwoofer connection, so you can use whatever sub you want with that one. 👍
@@ealanosborne I have the max i’m not sure if it’s gonna sound a little bit better or the same. that was the question I was trying to ask you guys. lol 😂
I'm waiting for more reviews before making any decision. I do expect some companies to make advancements in the future as it pertains to wireless offerings as wires in your home suck. In a dedicated display/theater room, the sky is the limit. I presently have a Sennheiser Ambeo Plus which I'm pleased with. Admittedly, I purchased this fully expecting that they'd at some point introduce rears or true wireless height speakers as the system allows a connection for up to 4 wireless subs. Who on the planet would need that? None the less, the sony offering has me a bit intrigued. The Sennheiser is phenominal less no rear channel, but voice clarity at low volume on the newer tracks is unappreciated. Things need to be at 16 to 18 to be able to hear everything at all times and also, volume increments by 2. I am not totally satisfied with the sennheiser and anxiously await Bose, Sony or one of the other top contenders to bring forth a wireless solution with true wireless height channels, multiple subs and the like. If I get to hear the sony, I could be influenced to upgrade sooner.
Where is that fashion that TV is put so hight? America I quess 😂 I wouldn't never like watch tv like that hight. Welcome to learn things in Scandinavia and Europa 😉 of course u have fireplace what doesn't even warm that house, I think.
Great and what's very rare to find, honest review. I get your PoV 100%. It's a no for my taste. Appreciate your diligence btw. I own HT-A9+ SW5 but don't listen to it for about a year now. They are shelved somewhere at the corner of my store room. Reason? except for very latest audio codecs ( Dune 1 Dolby Atmos track) they aren't any impressive to my taste. I mostly watch SDR movies between 80's and 2015. Non Dolby Atmos or DTS-X tracks feel anemic to me on A9's. I'm coming from traditional HT setup with custom Sub so I know I can't do with the SW5, which feels rather weak and muddy, sometimes boomy ( missing clarity or that agile, tight bass). I can bet, if you ever get to review Samsung Q990 series SB, you'll be able to clearly distinguish the overall, all rounder performance and particularly the superiority of Samsung's Atmos height effects and bass response. Be it latest Atmos or DTS-X track, or 90's audio codecs, Q990B handles everything so well, and yes with exceptional dialogue clarity. ( I can't forget the fulfillment of real Atmos experience from the movie 10 Cloverfield lane. You must review the Q990D once to see if your 10 feet celing is falling short for Atmos. I acknowledge that if you want tha room filling enveloping dome experience in audio, HT-A9 or its next generation quad system can be probably next to none in getting you those nuances as well as good rumbling bass when you are watching Dune for instance ( please try it once on the quad), but that's it. You try something from 10 years ago, it'd feel anemic (at least to me).
Not that I would ever replace my dedicated HT AVR/speaker system with them, but I have the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 8 AND 9 Sound Bars en route for product testing. Now if they'd only send me a TV haha :)
I agree sony atmos and surround effect may be good, but sony lacks in the bass output. The sw3 and sw5 does not hits low. We cannot feel the oomph in the bass. The bass that feels as thumping in your chest. Sony does not wins the low end theory.
I have same tv and setup. I still have occasional difficulty with center channel voice (with in and off). Thinking of disconnecting the s-channel. Overall I’m pretty happy with the results
Do I have to turn on my tv to play music on this? Can I connect it (for example) to a streamer so the tv doesn’t have to be on? Seems not doable since there is only one input.
Technically, no. Since it was connected to the TV, if I started playing music via Bluetooth, it would turn the TV on for a few minutes, but then would turn off due to inactivity. So not bad, I’d say. 👍
Hi, and thanks for your neat review. What I'm wondering is this: In their manual, Sony suggest that the rear speakers are either flat on a wall behind the listening position or behind the listening position with just a little bit of tow-in. In my case, there's a window behind the listening position, and if I want to be able to open the window, I cant have the rear left speaker behind the listening position (lined up parallel to to back of the sofa or with just a bit of tow-in). The only spot feasible spot is the wall left to the listening position - which means lining up the speaker of perpendicular or -depending on the bracket - almost perpendicular to the back of the sofa. Can you tell me how this would affect the quality of the sound bubble? Does this system recognize that the fronts and rears are not facing each other or that they are not towed in ideally, and can they effectively mitigate the issue? Thanks in advance for your input on this.
True, ideally you’ll want the surrounds a little behind, but that’s the whole idea behind Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping, so accommodate some less-than-ideal scenarios and still making the bubble sound decent. I think in your situation, it isn’t TOO bizarre, so I think it’ll still be an effective bubble. 👍
I love my quads, especially after testing out ATMOS and DTS watching Bad Boys 3. My quads and SW-5 are paired with an 83 inch Sony OLED (A90J). I'm using a Harmony remote. So I can use it or my Sony tv remote to make audio adjustments. Since my quads are on Sanus stands and I have a Sony tv. The app never asked where my speakers are located in relation to my tv. Interesting 🤔.
With the latest update the TV gets calibrated with the speakers. You should get a prompt saying "Experience the enhanced acoustic center sync" then you can do the optimisation. Quads have been updated for it but might not have reached your TV model yet as they pushing them out via firmware updates at the moment.
@@S1mmz I have a Sony tv as my center channel. That's why it already knows where my speakers and subwoofer are located. It has nothing to do with firmware.
@@Slick1020 I didn't say it didn't. I said on the new firmware update that was released for the Quads the TV now gets calibrated with the speakers. As an example before the update and on the original HT-A9 speakers, the TV and speakers would play together but they would play independently which is why some people preferred to just use the phantom center. With the new update the TV and speakers now play in unison and will sound miles better. This was a recent update on the Quad speakers and your TV will also need the firmware update.
Do Quads support max volume limit in the app? I live in an apartment and don’t want to accidentally spike the volume beyond 30%. Sonos app has this feature. I hope Sonys do too.
I personally think it comes down to your future plans for your home theater. Traditional setups are much easier to upgrade piece by piece over time, and I think will sound better in the end, once properly dialed in and calibrated, with its larger woofers and speaker cabinets. But I totally understand the appeal of the easy setup of a system like the Quad. It really does sound good for what it’s worth, but can’t be upgraded. So it comes down to this: Would you rather be able to upgrade piece by piece? Or have a one-and-done system that you would have to replace the entire thing when you wanted something better down the road? 🤔
No drop outs for this guy when starting movies or shows. Like you said, it could be your tv. FYI: Sony had the SW-5 on sale from $699, down to $599. If you bundle it with the quads you'll save $100 exta so $200 in savings.
Yeah, they’re still alive and kicking. Just not enough people have really latched onto their tech as a necessity. Everyone favors convenience over audio quality, mostly, so their claim to have hi-res 24 bit wireless audio doesn’t resonate with the vast majority of consumers. Bummer.
@@ealanosborne It’s to bad, that tech really didn’t take off. You need a huge marketing budget to get people to understand and buy the tech. Bose is excellent at that, probably half their budget goes to marketing, I know people bash them for this, but if they didn’t spend a lot of marketing and advertising then no one would have known about there gear nor buy their products. Most people need to be told which is best for them in the home theater market, us here are the minority. I’ve never even seen a RU-vid review on WISA products, at least not a full video. Digital Trends have mentioned WISA and a few others have, but not one person showed how they work and how easy or difficult it is to set up. I have a LG C9 65” and it’s WISA compatible, but I have to buy an additional adapter and then then the limited speakers with the tech. Hopefully Dolby Flex does a better job getting the word out. The idea that u can add speakers as u go and the mixing will be applied by Dolby is really cool. A lot of people can use a sound bar or big speakers or run ceiling speakers.
It would be nice if Chromecast was supported and not just Airplay, Spotify connect and BT. Having the TV on, when you just wanna play music is pretty dumb.
Thanks for talking about the audio drop outs. That's one of those things where if it happens even once, i'm ripping out the system and selling everything. Going wireless would be a dream, but i've had experiences of a back right speaker that stops working haflway through a movie, and will only work after a power reset, and I refuse to do that again.
(( important )) Hello congrats on your channel, I have a problem I have the Sony HT-A7000 soundbar together with SA-SW5 subwoofer, and SA-RS5 surround speakers, The problem is when I select 360 Spatial Sound Mapping the front speakers of the sound bar play monophonically, it does not switch the sound left to right, Why is this happening???
I have no idea, sorry. I would try and perform a factory reset to start off troubleshooting, or perhaps double check that you have the latest firmware.
Two things: 1. Why does the remote not have a pause/play button? For Spotify listening, I'd quickly like to pause music if, say, I get a visitor. 2. Are there modes where you can save your bass/treble settings to? As you said for music you reduced the bass. I would not like to do this everytime when switching from movies to music.
Thank you for your review! I currently have a Bose Lifestyle 650, but I'm considering switching to Bravia Quad. Would this be an upgrade or a downgrade? My main reasons for considering this change are that my current system doesn’t support Dolby Atmos and lacks wireless capability.
We know (because you told us) that the Dragon uses the receiver level Dolby Atomos, and I assume that the Quad does not. So wouldn’t that cause a MAJOR DIFFERENCE in how they compare in sound quality?
Apparently not as much as I had hoped (for the Dragon’s sake) since Sony’s 360 Spatial Audio is one fantastic bit of virtual surround sound technology. 🤷♂️
My Sony a95l speakers sounded so great I retired my pair of Apple HomePods, considering that they’ve made the Bravia range even better, you should be in for a treat!! I can vouch for their tv speakers at the high end (and I was VERY skeptical about that) I have hearing problems & this is great for me Thanks for the hard work!
Funny, I have similar setup with the OG Apple speakers. My wife and I both love how they sound. However, when using them for the TV they do disconnect a lot. I’ve contacted Apple about this many times and there a very little help. Wonder if the newer version fixed this issue. Like if I’m using an app such as Disney or Plex the sound just drops then I have to back out of it and then restart the program. It’s very frustrating. From what I understand the sound on the a95L is incredibly good for tv speakers. Too bad you couldn’t connect the Sony sub and perhaps a pair of Sony wireless surround speakers that would be a nice little set up, without full-blown sound bar and all the other accessories.
@@michael-4k4000 happy to report that the 2nd gen didn’t have this problem (for me) It’s not all rosy though Playing Atmos through the ATV 4k on the Sony can sometimes have a slight crackle (in Dolby Atmos) and requires a tv reboot… Annoyingly, they are both aware of this & am waiting to see it solved in a future update, it never happens on anything else, tv normal channels, Sony Bravia Core app or music etc, bit weird but still worth the trade-up in general
I did watch Andrew Robinson’s review and have watched him for many years. Gotta say, first time on your channel and you can count me in as a sub (pun intended). Really like your review style!! But TV above the fireplace! 🥴 At least you do have a dedicated theater. Thanks.
Hey, you recommended keeping the sub level between -3 & -5. Andrew Robinson also recommended this with the SW3. At that sub level what would be the difference between the SA-SW3 & the SA-SW5 & would you recommend one over the other as this will be my first home theater set up with the Quad? Cheers and awesome review.
It depends on your personal preference of bass response. Obviously the SW5 will give you more bass/higher output power if you tend to lean into more bass, or if you have a fairly large living room. I felt the SW5 gave me a more cinematic vibe than the SW3, being larger and more powerful. But if you just want some added bass that fills in the low frequencies well, the SW3 is probably good for you.
My question is why the system has to be tied to hardware in the first place. The speakers are good, but not amazing. Its the software doing all the work. Im real curious if rear speakers are required at all. Just use a pair of big towers up front that are,atmos configured.
Convenience, really, for those who don’t already have speakers and just need a “home theater in a box” solution. What you’re referring to is any of the newer Sony ES series receivers with 360 Spatial Audio built in. Connect any speakers you want. Boom. Golden. 🤘
Great review! Thanks! Did you play around with the rear speakers? I wonder if putting them on the ground would still work - I don't have much space and speaker stands is not an option due to an incoming toddler...
Thanks! 😊 And yeah, I guess you could put them on the ground if they were in a position where they were aimed at the back of your head so you at least get some surround effects. Although in that position, it would mean rear Atmos effects would be compromised a bit. 🤷♂️ Better than nothing, though!
Bonjour j’aime beaucoup vos test détaillé malgré que j’ai regardé la revue complète sa ne me répond pas a ma question je compte acheter dans quelques jours un home cinéma j’hésite entre un sonos arc era 300 et sub ou le théâtre quad et sub lequel me conseillez vous et pourquoi ?
I haven’t personally reviewed the Sonos system, but Andrew Robinson has, and he compared it to the Theatre Quad 👇 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-vTh2ayFeGlg.htmlsi=pc9u6y67W0IqjDMb
No. You want that extra power turned down, rather than getting a smaller sub that might struggle to get to the same volume level, or have the same impact. 👍
Hi there! A general question, please. I have a 2020 TV with ARC (not eARC). I use Xbox Series X as the source for everything I watch on the TV. If I were to plug the console in a pass through Atmos capable soundbar, will I receive Dolby Atmos signal?
I have 8 foot ceilings and have outlets placed about a foot from the ceiling. Would having these setup at that height work or would you suggest having the light stands and placing at near ear level?
1) So the Quad does not have couch to rear surround adjustment found on HT-A9 because its replaced by the Phone's mic. 2) The rear surrounds will always be subdued even at max levels hence the 3 to 6-foot rear placement recommendation? Are you also saying that the atmos speakers are at different angles between the front and rears? 3) I thought receivers have a setting for true surround with equal volume speaker outputs when it comes to music? That is the problem that I have with HT-A9. 4) I'm surprised by your comment on height adjustment is only related to higher phantom center. I thought it is to boost the Atmos effects. Did you confirm this with Sony? I think this will change with Bravia 7 or 8. I would like to know if theres a huge difference between Acoustic Multi Audio and Acoustic Surface Audio+.
It's always been that way even on the original. The height just effects the center. It's designed if your TV is like on a lower stand or up high so that you can still keep the sound like it's coming from the center of the TV.
I pickedup this system today watching Jurassic Park now replacing Klipsch RP 8000F's, their newer 1200 sub, PD240 slims for rears and a Denon AVRX-4300H. I cannot believe this system is real. It's at least as good, maybe better in some ways at actually giving a great movie experience. I was afraid that it wasn't going to be 'loud' or fill the room enough based on past 'soundbar' experiences. Completely wrong. I don't think for one minute you're wrong that these kinds of systems with great positional software are the future for most home Theater setups . It even used my cellphone microphone instead of a stand-alone which was super fun .It's definitely replacing my Klipsch reference system without question. My only gripe is the last of HDMI ports but I can sort of see Sony's position on this that their A/V receivers fill that need and, if pairing with a TV, the idea should be to use the TV as the 'receiver' . For me, I just use 1 Apple TV and a Blu-ray player so it wasn't a big deal.
I had the Dragon for a few weeks but ended up returning it. The sound was loud, but I felt it was brittle and shrill no matter what I did with the settings. This was particularly true on non-Atmos content, like classic movies that only have mono or stereo tracks (I don’t do upmixing, I like to hear the sound as it was originally intended). With that in mind, since the Quad is neck and neck with the Dragon as depicted here (more “accurate”), would that maybe be the superior pick for someone like myself? And what about the Bravia Theater Bar 9?
Can’t say for the Bravia 9 Bar, but I believe I’m having one sent to me eventually for review. But yes, I believe the Bravia Qaud would be more up your alley with the preferences you’ve mentioned. 👍
Great review, thanks for all the hard work you put into your videos. In your trials, would mounting the speakers higher and slightly tilting them towards the viewer improve the surround capabilities on 12 foot ceilings?
You are correct with that assumption, having 12 foot ceilings. 👍 Not the most ideal height for bouncing audio off the ceiling, but compensating by raising the speakers may help. Although it also depends on where your TV sits. Since mine is higher than ideal, I could get away with putting my front speakers on light stands.
Yes get the SW5 subwoofer. Will it sound better than your tv without the subwoofer, Yes. But you need the subwoofer to get the lower end frequencies. So the system with the subwoofer cost more like $3200, and that’s a lot of cash for a home theater in a box. The system should really come with the subwoofer for $2500.
Hi Ealon, Hey, I have an interesting question. So, my current theater setup involves: TV: LG G1 (Doesn't Support DTS-X) Streamer: Apple 4k TV (Doesn't support DTS-X) AV: Just updated to the new Sony Quad from the HT-A9s. (Which has DTS-X support & IMAX Enhanced ) How can I enjoy the Imax Enhanced DTS-X audio that Disney has added since May 15th? Is there a special way of connecting or bypassing to get DTS-X? I also have an Oppo 203 player, which has everything DTS-X.. Can I connect the player in any special way to allow DTS-X from my Apple 4k TV to play? I think I may need to update my LG G1 TV to an LG G4, which now supports DTS-X. However, will I even get DTS-X if my Apple 4k TV doesn't support this feature? One of the main reasons for my audio upgrade, besides dropsouts on HT-A9 to the Sony Quad, is that it's an IMAX Enhanced feature. However, after connecting all the devices above, I still do not see the option to enjoy DTS-X on the selected movies on Disney+. I have my Apple 4k TV HDMI connected directly to the Sony Quad theater yet, not seeing the DTS-X option on the Disney + movies (Marvel Movies) Appreciate any feedback. Thank you!
Yeeeaaahhh, unfortunately with this initial rollout, it is EXCLUSIVELY only possible on select Sony, Hisense or TCL TVs that support DTS:X output. 😩 That being said, newer LG TVs (like the G4 you mentioned) will support DTS:X later this year (at least it’s rumored to be that soon). And streamers (like AppleTV 4K) won’t get support until 2025. So - for now - only using the built in streaming apps on Sony, Hisense and TCL TVs can get you IMAX Enhanced support on Disney+. 😭
@@ealanosborneUPDATE: I returned the Sony Quads to the Best Buy store and picked up the Nagamichi Dragon 11.4.6 system. Although the Sony Quads are an upgrade from the HT-A9s, I'm so pleased I switched to the Dragon. It honestly sounds like a theater with true power! One question that I'm having difficulty finding online. I have an oppo 4k player, and when playing the 40th anniversary ET disk, my Dragon AV displays DTS-X MA but doesn't display DTS-X Pro. Is the movie playing on DTS-X Pro even though it's displaying DTS-X MA?
Now that the Dragon is on sale and so happens to match the price of the Quad w/sub. What’s best for movie tv entertainment with focus on dialogue and height effects?
Oh another question. If i put rear speakers at ear level then the distance from the upfiring speakers to the ceiling is 5.5 feet. Do you think thats a deal breaker?
I wonder if a.i can make atmos sound better from fewer smaller speakers? I hope they are working on that rather than the other destructive crap you read about.
Very detailed review. I really appreciate the amount of work and thought that went into it. Minor quibble: Too bad you didn’t audition the system in a room with an average ceiling height. I feel like maybe you could have gotten a truer sense of the system’s capabilities wrt to height effects.
I have a question I have a 5.1 system that was working fine at my previous house I set it up in the new house and my rear satellite speaks crackle a little when I first start a show or movie but it cleans up after 1 minutes or 2 it all so does it if a pause or extended time the only thing I've change in the system is the two rear speaker wires are from a new wire roll that a thicker gauge wire.
🤷♂️ Although Andrew Robinson commented that the Quad bested an Arc + Era 300’s + Sub system. Although 2 Sonos subs I imagine would win in the LFE department…
Great review. Any chance of doing a roku streambar pro 5.1 review? Its a true 5.1 (front left, center, front right, rear left, rear right, and sub) wireless system with a sealed 10 inch sub. It doesn't have atmos, but its only $700 for the whole system. I'm really interested in your opinion of how a true 5.1 compares to a faux atmos system (upfiring speakers instead of ceiling mounted) Thanks.
@@ealanosborne Thanks for the reply. Few youtubers take the time to reply. Im looking forward to the review of the Quad with a Bravia 7/9 as a center channel.
Can I place the bravia quad rear speakers on the wall above my couch or should i place them on a stand to the side of my couch. Lastly since im implying that my couch is against the wall which it indeed is, would that make this system obscelete for me? My room is tiny btw so also very close to the TV.
If your room is as tiny as you say it is, the Quad may even be a little overkill, TBH. But you could get by with the surrounds being on either side of your couch, regarding the layout.
@@ealanosborne I currently have the samsung Q990C. Just been trying to figure out if the samsung is technically more overkill than the Sony quad system or not.
Using the Sony center only sounds good with the sony acoustic surface as center speaker. Which was only available on the OLED models. I haven’t checked this years TVs to see which use it.
Yeah, exactly. I believe that same tech is built into the new 2024 TVs, and even more speakers in the Bravia 9 TVs. That’s why I want to still test it out once that Sony TV arrives. 🤘🎉
@@ealanosborneThe Bravia 9 uses side and top beam tweeters, however, the OLED acoustic surface audio is still much better. The mini led can't use this technology unfortunately. So if want the best center TV experience you will need to test with either the A95L or the Bravia 8.
Amazing job once again so to ask one last time do you think I should invest in this Sony wireless or wait to see if Sennheiser come out with rear speakers?
See the only issue I have with the Sony is my couch that we sit in does not have enough space in the back for enough distance for those rear speakers. so that means the speakers would be at least 4 feet away from our ears.😢
You might be waiting a long time haha. If they don't announce in September (when they always announce their Ambeo stuff) I don't personally think it will happen. That being said, the amount of people having drop out issues with their wireless subwoofer, doesn't bode well for the rears not doing the same.
@@HPMIKE55 Can you place them to the side of your seating position rather than directly behind as the mapping works wonders and still will sound great in that position.
@@ealanosborneAR seems to be on the accuracy camp. He was saying the subs don’t go down to 20hz, is this true and are you gonna get the new subs Nakamichi just launched for more power?
@@JL-ku7wo I had to send the Dragon back right after I reviewed it. And the Dragon subs only work with the Dragon. So no, I will not be getting the Dragon 12” subs.
Nope. I still prefer discrete height speakers mounted up high over bouncing audio off the ceiling any day. And being able to dial in distance, timing, EQ, etc. I like ultimate control, rather than trusting an algorithm to do it for me.
@@garretts431 The firmware had already been updated to its latest version (at the time of recording) so I didn’t need to perform an update on my own. But yes, it can be a little tricky if you’re not used to reformatting a USB thumb drive, etc.
2 questions: Great video! Do you know if the base station be placed in the rear of the room, instead of the front? (my AV sources are in the rear of the room) Also, do the speakers need line-of-sight to the base station?
Thanks for the kind words! 1) Sure! It’s all wireless anyway, so in back of the room would still work. 2) No. I had mine in the cabinet at the front of my room behind a door at times, so it doesn’t need line of sight. 👍
@@ealanosborne also, I see you have a Crutchfield affiliate link. I’m going to use that to purchase… you basically made the sale for them. 😊 Thanks again.
Sw3 is a joke, sw5 is barely doing it's only job if you have a medium or large living room. They are best for apartment dwellers ( which everyone will be within 10 yrs. ) but who rents and has an extra $3,500 for some special effects speakers? Very niche product, oh and it is HIDEOUS! not putting something that estheticly vulgar in my Living room.
Horrible sound quality and very difficult to manage speakers unless you wall mount or use floor stand. The 360 sound envelope feels artificial and incapable. I still feel my Bose lifestyle 650 is the best speaker to date. I am stuck with this sony quad system feels like I wasted my money.
The quads are a lot better. I had the original but it went back after a few weeks. Sound was just too tinny and the center wasn't that great alongside voices. The introduction of the midrange driver has made a big difference. Sound quality is much more refined and powerful, voices are absolutely incredible and the center more pronounced, alongside all the drop out issues being fixed, although I never had that issue.
Did you find if you didn't sit centre to the 2 front speaker's the phantom centre wouldn't perform and you would hear the speaker you were closer to more for vocals ?
It actually performed better than I thought it would. Sure, the closer I got to one speaker, the more it sounded like dialog was coming from one speaker, but slightly off center wasn’t bad. 👍
@@ealanosborne Having the ht A9 I'm lucky I have a Sony OLED to make the Centre channel more Centre as when I used it without I found it annoying sitting on the couch closest to one speaker , the Phantom Centre was lost . Totally agree with the fact the speaker drivers and sub should be bigger, the 360 performance is there but not the shears Power and grunt .
