Sony Announces New Home Theatre Systems And Speakers
July 24, 2021Sony is responsible for several amazing music speakers. The HT-A9 and HT-A7000, which are part of the company’s line up of home theatre systems and soundbars. These aren’t your regular run-off-the-mill sound systems. They are packed with tech that allow sound to cover a wider area for an immersive experience.
These systems can be daisy-chained to optional subwoofers such as the SA-SW5 or SA-SW3 as well as the SA-RS3S wireless rear speakers. This combination creates a richer music listening experience with better bass, depth and clarity.
HT-A9
The quartet of Bluetooth enabled speakers feature an omnidirectional cylindrical block design and a light pearl grey colour scheme. This allows it to blend in with the rest of the décor. It has been designed to sit flush against walls or flat surfaces for an aesthetically pleasing look.
This home theater setup incorporates Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Sound Field Optimization technology. This means the sound that’s produced seems “all-encompassing” and covers a wider area compared to conventional speakers. Each speaker setup has dual microphones.
They are used to measure each speaker’s relative height and position to the others. Sony says by communicating with each other, this group of 4 can performs in away that makes it seem as though the sound is being recreated by a 12-speaker setup. It’s partly responsible for the immersive experience that comes with the A9.
The control box can be connected to a TV via a HDMI cable. But the A9 itself connects to said control box wirelessly. This setup does away with the awful long wires of older generation home theatre systems that run across the entire room.
Inside each speaker are two rectangular X-Balanced speaker units that are spaced in a way to maximize the diagram area for richer bass and sound pressure. The A9 also has a new wide directivity woofer with reduced cavity effect due to the minimal concave shape. The speakers beveled edges help reduce sound diffraction.
These speakers also support 360 Reality Audio tech, which provides an illusion of depth and space, making feel as though you’re in the room with your favorite artist. Now this feature is only available with compatible streaming services like Tidal.
The A9 also comes with DSEE Extreme, which is Sony’s proprietary software that restores rich audio details to compressed digital music formats like MP3s. More details about this tech are available here. Compressed audio formats are used to make music files smaller and more convenient to download and stream online.
Sony says the A9 supports voice activation that is compatible with the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Users can stream music via Chromecast, Apple AirPlay 2 or Spotify Connect. If used in combination with Sony’s BRAVIA line of TVs, the Acoustic Centre Sync feature allows the sound to come from the same direction as the action on screen.
The A9 speakers need to be plugged into an external power source. But as I’ve mentioned earlier, they communicate wirelessly with the main control box, which can be placed near your TV.
HT-A7000 Soundbar
It’s a slender 7.1.2-channel sound bar that sits in front of your TV. There are two up-firing speakers for overhead sound, two beam tweeters and five front speakers and a built-in subwoofer. Featuring Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force PRO Front Surround, the A7000 creates a virtual surround sound experience with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
Vertical Surround Engine project sound vertically to create overhead audio negating the need for in-ceiling speakers. S-Force Pro covers the horizontal delivery of the sound experience, ensuring that both sides of the room are covered equally well.
Like the A9, the sound bar supports 360 Reality Audio, DSEE Extreme. It also supports Bluetooth connectivity and the ability stream via Chromecast, Apple AirPlay 2 or Spotify Connect.
Pricing
The HT-A9 will be available in Malaysia from mid-October 2021 with a price of RM7,299. For a full list of specs and information, visit the following link: https://www.sony.com.my/electronics/sound-bars/ht-a9
The HT-A7000 will be available in Malaysia from mid-October 2021 with a price of RM5,399. For a full list of specs and information, For a full list of specs and information, visit the following link: https://www.sony.com.my/electronics/sound-bars/ht-a7000
The SA-SW5 will be available in Malaysia from mid-November 2021 with a price of RM2,799. For a full list of specs and information, visit the following link: https://www.sony.com.my/electronics/optional-speakers/sa-sw5
The SA-SW3 will be available in in Malaysia from mid-November 2021 with a price of RM1,399. For a full list of specs and information, visit the following link: https://www.sony.com.my/electronics/optional-speakers/sa-sw3
The SA-RS3S will be available in Malaysia from mid-November 2021 with a price of RM1,299. For a full list of specs and information, visit the following link: https://www.sony.com.my/electronics/optional-speakers/sa-rs3s
