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Given its premium pricing, the lack of a subwoofer on the Sony HT-A9 might inconvenience bass lovers, but the surround sound experience delivered is stellar, culminating in a very immersive listening experience.
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Table of Contents
Product Snapshot
Overview
First launched in late 2021, the Sony HT-A9 is a top-end speaker system with a 4.0.4 channel setup and four satellite speakers.
It doesn’t have a rumbling bass depth because of its lack of a subwoofer, but its soundstage is good since the system can accurately project sound from specific locations, and this can also be improved by adjusting where the speakers have been placed according to the room size.
The sound system can render Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, and Dolby Digital Plus content, and like most top-tier speakers, its wireless playback options are impressive since owners will be able to stream audio content through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay, and Chromecast.
As far as physical inputs go, the sound system offers three HDMI inputs, and while this is not up to par with what the best soundbars have to offer, it is good enough for everyday home use.
With a superior soundstage that gives sounds the impression of coming from a specific direction, the Sony HT-A9 with Bass Module produces clear, accurate, and room-filling audio.
The vocals and instrumentals are well-detailed, but its bass is unsatisfying. Connectivity is top-notch, with dependable WiFi and Bluetooth.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t get loud, and there’s no center channel for more realistic vocals and instruments or a graphic equalizer for sound modification.
Nevertheless, its port selection includes an Ethernet connector, a Full HDMI In, and an Optical Audio In.
Also excellent is the latency, tested at 74 ms over ARC and 54 ms over HDMI. In conclusion, the HT-A9 is an easy choice for those that desire a more immersive experience, but the lack of a subwoofer might have bass lovers look elsewhere.
ReasonS to Buy
Good sound quality
The HT-A9’s sound is well-balanced, clear, and loud enough to fill a room
Impressive surround sound
The HT-A9 is great for immersive music listening at home, courtesy of its class-leading surround sound features. However, bass heads won’t be impressed with its bass levels.
Good vocal clarity
The HT-A9’s vocals are clear and easily discernable, and this, plus its dialogue-enhancement setting, makes it suitable for listening to dialogue-focused content.
Great surround sound performance
The HT-A9 ships as a set of four speakers, creating an all-around surround sound experience. The four satellite speakers adjust automatically with respect to their placement for the perfect surround sound experience.
Smart Features/Connectivity
Owners will be able to stream to the HT-A9 through either Bluetooth or WiFi easily, but the soundbar also has physical inputs such as a Full HDMI port and an Ethernet port. Smart homeowners will also be able to integrate it into their setup, as it is compatible with both Google Home and Amazon Alexa.
Reason to Avoid
Low bass levels
The low bass levels and the lack of a subwoofer may disincentivize bass heads from purchasing the HT-A9.
Average max volume levels
With its max volume rated at 86.4dB, the HT-A9 is below average compared to how loud other alternatives can get.
Sony HT-A9 Specs
Bluetooth Enabled
Yes
Depth
5.78"
Dialogue Enhancement Feature
Yes
Energy Star Certified
No
HDMI ARC
Yes
Height
12.3"
Number of Audio Channels
12
Subwoofer
Optional (sold separately)
Surround Sound Supported
Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus
Voice Assistant
Amazon Alexa
Wall Mountable
Yes
Weight
30.86 lbs
Width
6.29"
Wireless Connectivity
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Wireless Subwoofer Connectivity
Yes
Works With
Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
All Specs
Test Results
These are the most important criteria to test for Soundbars based on our comprehensive Testing Methodology.
Low End Roll Off (Hz)
92.428
High End Roll Off (Hz)
13,279.637
Max Volume Test (db)
86.4
Latency (ms)
74
THD @ 80dB
0.41
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First launched in late 2021, the Sony HT-A9 is a top-end speaker system with a 4.0.4 channel setup and four satellite speakers.
It doesn’t have a…
First launched in late 2021, the Sony HT-A9 is a top-end speaker system with a 4.0.4 channel setup and four satellite speakers.
It doesn’t have a rumbling bass depth because of its lack of a subwoofer, but its soundstage is good since the system can accurately project sound from specific locations, and this can also be improved by adjusting where the speakers have been placed according to the room size.
The sound system can render Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, and Dolby Digital Plus content, and like most top-tier speakers, its wireless playback options are impressive since owners will be able to stream audio content through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay, and Chromecast.
As far as physical inputs go, the sound system offers three HDMI inputs, and while this is not up to par with what the best soundbars have to offer, it is good enough for everyday home use.
While the Sony HT-A9 is a 4.1.4 sound system, the Samsung HW-Q990B is an 11.1.4 channel setup, so the Samsung speaker system can produce a…
While the Sony HT-A9 is a 4.1.4 sound system, the Samsung HW-Q990B is an 11.1.4 channel setup, so the Samsung speaker system can produce a much more immersive surround sound experience. Still, the HT-A9 ships with a total of four satellites, while the HW-Q990B only has two.
The Sony HT-A9 also has two more satellites than the Samsung HW-Q950A, so its surround sound performance is slightly better. However, the HW-Q950A ships with…
The Sony HT-A9 also has two more satellites than the Samsung HW-Q950A, so its surround sound performance is slightly better. However, the HW-Q950A ships with a subwoofer, while the HT-A9 does not. This means that the Samsung sound setup has a lower bass depth than the Sony sound system.
The Sony HT-A9 doesn’t match up to the bass depth that the Sony HT-A9 with Bass Module can put out, and this is because it…
The Sony HT-A9 doesn’t match up to the bass depth that the Sony HT-A9 with Bass Module can put out, and this is because it does not ship with a subwoofer. Otherwise, the two are similar in that they have four satellite speakers and a box-shaped center control.
