Customer Ratings & Reviews

Let me start started that we purchased this to address frequent sound dropouts from the HT-A9 (which admittedly got better once we deactivated the 160 MHz channel on our WiFi router, but still persisted at over once per hour) - which we otherwise loved for the surreal ‘bubble of sound’ in its Dolby Atmos content rendering, but was just ok for music playback. Below are my thoughts as a home theater/dolby atmos enthusiast/ardent music consumer. Appearance: The new speaker look is highly polarizing, judging from internet AVS forums. Sony tried to come up with a more modern option and veer away from the traditional bland speaker look, and landed with boxy speakers that not everybody is enamored with. I think they look ok and they’re somewhat modern and innovative-looking. But perhaps Sony should consider consulting / hiring hardware designers to work with their engineers, so their products can look a bit more polished and pleasing to the eye. (May I suggest LoveFrom?) But right now, it is what it is, and your only options are to take it or leave it. 7/10 Set-up: Unlike the A9, you now need to download and sign up for the Sony Bravia Connect app, if you want to use your system. Of note (unlike some other reviewers have mentioned), you do not need to agree to all marketing prompts from the app to continue with set up - selecting no will still allow you to proceed to the next step. So setting up the four speakers that came with the box was pretty straightforward, until I tried to hook up the Sony SA-SW5 subwoofer we already owned with our A9. Despite factory resetting it and restarting it several times, the app would just not recognize it was available for about half a dozen restarts and re-set up attempts of the entire Quad. This was a several hours-long exercise in frustration, and the PDF manual (not included in the box) provides only generic information (‘if everything fails, reset to factory settings and restart’). Somehow, it was able to finally recognize the subwoofer on the 7th attempt, and it has remained connected to the system since. I do hope that Sony will get their act together and address these set up issues with a software update, and ensure in the future existing hardware is already updated and able to recognize and work with their new releases. 3/10 App: Probably one of the worse apps you have ever installed on your phone. Even after the initial painstaking set up, for the first 36 hours of usage, it failed to connect to the system every time I turned it on, asking for a re-set up (thankfully it only asked to connect to the phone & the Wifi, instead of setting up and optimizing each speaker from scratch). Sadly, you can’t make any adjustments to the system without the app (the new remote has very limited functionality - you can probably put it in a drawer and forget it exists). And the only way to verify what type of audio content you are getting (Atmos vs Dolby Audio vs LCPM and how many channels) is through the app. Sony, if you are reading this, please consider showing this on the box’s screen. Thankfully, things just magically started working on day two of usage, without changing anything from our end - likely a server-side software update (have the automatic updates to on). 3/10 Center channel sync: Unlike the HT-A9 which was able to do this wirelessly with compatible Sony Bravia TVs, this version now requires a cord (provided). I did connect it to try the sound with and without it, and I would say that it has almost no effect on the sound. Not sure it’s worth bothering with. Although, as stated earlier, it appears that our Sony A80J has not yet been updated with software to make it recognize the Quad. So who knows? Maybe it will sound better after it does. But for now, it neither improves nor worsens the center channel sound. 5/10 Apple AirPlay/Spotify Connect: Just like the connection to the Wifi and the Bravia Connect app that didn’t work for the first day and a half, the Quad wouldn’t appear on the list of available AirPlay speakers on our iPhones. And then, without us having done anything different, it just started working. We haven’t been as lucky with Spotify Connect. The Quad still doesn’t appear in our Spotify accounts, unlike all other compatible speakers from Bose & Sonos we have in the house… 5/10 Overall Sound: Overall, it sounds a little better than the HT-A9. Calibration and the 360 sound mapping worked as described, and ended up creating an even wider, more open, crisper, and more engaging sound bubble. And it should, as each speaker enclosure now comes with one additional tweeter, for a total of 4 (rather than just 3 in the HT-A9). Fidelity is up a notch. The sound feels more robust, with more presence, and the Atmos effects seem to be more precise for a more enjoyable listening experience for movies and atmos-encoded video content. Moving sound objects are more precisely located now in space around you, and their movement feels smoother. (Testing with Top Gun maverick from Apple TV, and Dolby’s testing trailers from Demolandia). The bass is also more powerful now, and music sounds fuller and warmer. Using the same SA-SW5 as with the A9 and at the same setting (8 out of 10), and the neighbors immediately noticed rattling of the shared wall, which naturally made us to immediately lower the bass to 5. I have not tested this without an additional subwoofer, so I cannot comment on whether one will be needed, but the bass output from the Quad speakers alone is definitely higher than of the A9. When it comes to music reproduction, it is still far from being as enjoyable as Bose and Sonos home theater set ups are. Just as with movies, the precise back and slightly above the ears position of the saxophones in Quincy Jones’ atmos-encoded Bossa Nova album could be enjoyed in clarity and detail in a remarkably well recreated soundscape. But the added warmth and fidelity didn’t necessarily translate to a more enjoyable music experience, and Dua Lipa and Taylor Swift sounded a bit muddled on the Atmos versions of their Radial Optimism and Tortured Poets Department albums respectively (tested on Apple Music). As there are no dedicated Modes (Movie, Music, etc) any more, deactivating the ‘Sound Field’ option makes things a bit better for music reproduction. Sadly, an equalizer is sorely missing - hopefully, Sony will provide one via a software update - that could address this major issue. I don’t thing there are many consumers left, at least in the US, who use their home theater set up strictly for TV/movies, and not for music also. The automatic upmixing of stereo content to 360 audio will enhance somewhat your content, with low frequency mostly sounds being conveyed from all 4 speakers and their up-firing twitters, but don’t expect any miracles. A big negative is that the only variables you can adjust is bass and rear speakers, and nothing else really. If you don’t have a compatible Sony TV to use for the center channel sync feature, you will not miss anything. The phantom center speaker works incredibly well. And the new Voice Zoom 3 feature also picks up the voices and raises their volume. While it works very well and does what it’s supposed to do for truly improved voice recognition, the acoustics of the entire soundtrack deteriorate significantly, as if someone took your home theater equalizer and turned up the mid- and high- frequencies all the way up. So whether you use this feature or not, will depend on whether you prioritize voice recognition or overall sound quality. Movies: 9/10 Music: 7/10 (Really hoping Sony will add an 5- or better still a 7-band equalizer to the Bravia Connect app, so the music can at least be fine-tuned) Intra-speaker Connectivity: This is where the Quad is leaps and bounds better than its predecessor (and the main reason for the upgrade in our situation). Over the past week, we haven’t had a single dropout in the sound output, and we live in a densely populated urban area. If you’ve had as many connectivity issues and dropouts with the A9 (I know a lot of people just like us did and still do, based on hundreds of reviews and AVS forum comments), this is a very good reason to upgrade to the Quad. 10/10 System is set up with a Sony subwoofer SA-SW5, a Sony Bravia A80J TV, and an Apple TV 4K. Hope this helps potentially interested buyers!

I purchased the Sony Bravia Theater Quad along with the SA-SW5, I read reviews some great and some not so great. I will give you my honest opinion. Its awesome, I paired it with the 85" Sony Bravia 9. I use the TV as a center channel and the dialect is extremely clear. My ceilings are 8' tall and when Sony made the claim they are bringing Theater home its true. If you want the middle ground in audio file home theater then they over deliver. I was fortunate enough to pickup the speakers from best buy on sale and saved $800.00 shopping during the holidays and signing up for the best buy perks. I recommend this system if you can get a good deal on it. Oh i almost forgot the system works without drop outs and high fidelity music from Tidal sounds better than the reviews I read in my opinion. You wont be disappointed if space and minimal footprint is a factor.

I bought this to replace a Sony soundbar and it is an improvement. Sound quality is very good when watching content on streaming TV and such i.e. surround sound. Atmos immersion is excellent but that is limited by the content you are watching. Simple to set-up, the app is good. The plus is I bought this on sale and an open box. UPS damaged the original item, I had to repurchase a new one and the price matched the original price - good deal!

No need for a sound bar for voices coming from the screen. I have my Quad front speakers 8’ apart and it set up its own phantom center speaker. Voices from actors voices are natural and action on screen was accurate while maintaining its left and right off screen sounds. It’s just Sony’s wizardry is all I can say. I did some research and found out that the Quad does not cut off/ or deactivate its bass when adding a Subwoofer. The previous A9 system did cutoff its bass in each of its speakers when adding the subwoofer. I added the Sony smaller subwoofer the 200w AW3 and it had plenty of bass with the setting on minus 4 with the Sony Connect App. It gives me plenty of thumping power along with the bass in each speaker left engaged. The 360 sound field was totally awesome when watching movies and regular content. Sony has added a mid tweeter in each of the Quads 4 speakers making it a total of 16 speakers. The A9 had only 12 speakers and with each bass speaker deactivated when adding a subwoofer it would go to down to 8 total. Please don’t try this system in a store it would be injustice to it. It’s not be as accurate like it would be in your home. “Buy it and you’ll love it like I do.”❤️

The Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad with 16 speakers is amazing. The sound is rich and powerful, with clear dialogue and deep bass that makes movies and music so much more enjoyable. It’s easy to set up, and the gray design fits nicely with my living room decor. It’s a bit of a splurge, but the quality you get is totally worth it. If you love great sound, this system won’t disappoint!

Don’t mistake my review for a bad one because it isn’t meant to be! These speakers both sound and look aesthetically pleasing to the eyes, especially for someone like me that thinks speakers add to the aesthetic of a living room space. Everyone that has come to my house has seen them mounted on my living room walls and asked me about them to get one for themselves because of how flush to the wall they sit unlike others in the market! The only reason I omitted one star is because the power cable is very clearly visible and sticks out like a sore thumb if these are mounted on the wall! Sony could have easily rectified this by providing a plate that goes below it for people that want to mount it and don’t want the cable visible but I guess someone was being lazy at Sony and couldn’t care less! Also, if this helps you to decide, mine are connected to an LG G4 and they all work harmoniously and you don’t necessarily need a Sony tv to go with them!

Coming from the HT-A9, this is a definite upgrade. The voice/dialogue is a huge improvement. And the overall sound stage is much more robust. I used to have to keep the HT-A9 between 25-30 volume while with this, I get that same level of sound at only 11-12 volume. It’s intense. Only downside is it’s EXPENSIVE at $2500 smh

I opted to include the SW5 subwoofer, which I feel is essential for this system. The sound is wonderful, and the phantom center channel works as advertised. The price is hard to swallow, but still less than an A/V receiver and speakers.

I love watching movies with sony bravia theater quad. It feels like sitting in a theater room.

Amazon sound on this ítem! Glad we picked this option!!

This is a review of a Open Box version from Best Buy. DO NOT ORDER A OPEN BOX OF THIS. I ordered an "excellent" quality, which isn't what i got. Package looked like someone sat on it and ran it over with a truck. A small sheet of bubble wrap was thrown inside the box, but it was so little that it did nothing. The speakers, screws, mounting bracket, cables and receiver were all thrown on top of each other without any protection. The speakers fabric covers had holes everywhere, which was probably caused from the screws scrapping the speakers inside the box. All of that isn't even the worst part. The package was missing 1 speaker and 4 out of 6 cables. Im more amazed than upset at how this even happened, but im never going to order a Open Box from Best Buy again. Would be better off getting it used from another store.

The Sony Bravia Theater Quad is the best sound system I’ve tried. Highly recommend

DESIGN: The Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad with 16 total speakers is a beautifully designed home theater system that adds a touch of elegance to any room. Its minimalist and neutral color palette allows it to seamlessly integrate into various interior styles. The slim profile of the speakers and the ability to wall mount them using the included hardware make it an unobtrusive addition to any living space. This system’s sleek design ensures it complements your living area without overpowering it. SETUP: Setting up the Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad is straightforward, thanks to the app guidance and clearly marked components. Each speaker is well-labeled for easy identification during physical placement and the calibration process. The app streamlines the setup, making it user-friendly even for those who are not tech-savvy. However, it’s important to note that each speaker requires an outlet to plug into, so planning for wire management is essential to achieve a clean and tidy setup. PERFORMANCE: The BRAVIA Theater Quad delivers impressive sound quality, covering a wide area with its compact speakers. However, the system’s performance in delivering low frequencies could be improved. A subwoofer would tremendously enhance the overall audio experience, particularly in larger rooms or spaces with sound dampeners. In smaller rooms, the absence of a subwoofer might be less noticeable, but for a truly immersive experience, adding one is recommended. FEATURES: This home theater system is compact, which is reflected in its premium price. While it is not cheap, the quality and functionality justify the investment. The compact design and high-quality build make it a valuable addition to any home entertainment setup. Connecting to other devices, such as an iPhone, is generally easy and smooth, with few drops or interruptions, adding to the system’s versatility. APP EXPERIENCE: Sony’s Bravia Connect app feels somewhat lacking. Given the cost of the product, one would expect a more robust selection of sound enhancement options. The current app interface and functionality do not fully utilize the system's capabilities, and the remote control also falls short in providing a comprehensive user experience. Enhancing the app with more features and improving its functionality would significantly elevate the overall user experience. CONCLUSION: The Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad is an elegant and functional addition to any home. Its minimalist design, ease of setup, and impressive sound quality make it a standout product. However, to fully enjoy its potential, adding a subwoofer is advisable, especially in larger rooms. The app experience could use some improvement to match the premium nature of the system. Overall, despite a few shortcomings, the Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad offers a solid home theater experience and is a worthy investment for those seeking a high-quality, aesthetically pleasing audio solution. RECOMMENDATION: If you value design and ease of integration into your home decor and are looking for a high-quality audio experience with the potential for further enhancement through additional components, the Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad is a solid choice. Be prepared to manage wire placements and consider investing in a subwoofer for the best experience.

Alright most of my adult life I have been chasing the perfect sound system but too lazy to instal a dedicated system with speakers in my ceiling etc so I’ve been hooked on a brand that makes a soundbar that resembles a biblical ship but still felt ATMOS effects were MIA even with ERA300 surrounds. I was so super excited about the theatre quad because reviews online praise this system and honestly it is really really awesome. Here is my thoughts on the quad Packaging - first system came open box missing parts. Best Buy and Sony were excellent about replacing and made it hassle free Set up - you must download the app and calibrate prior to use. Make sure you have it built ready to go when you start this process App - not the best a few settings like height and rear speaker volume but system lacks EQ adjustments and doesn’t sync up with my streaming music platforms except for airplay Looks - love it hate it.. for me it grew on me but took some time now I love the looks Sound quality- ok this is what matters most. You can except to hear awesome chimes and swishes with this system more than any other soundbar on the market do to its wider soundstage and Sony 360 special mapping. The sound is clear and crisp and channels are well separated. How they do this I have no idea but this system by far has the best dialog I’ve heard and it doesn’t have a dedicated center channel. Whatever it is it works and it works great. Watching movies with the quad especially ATMOS enabled content is 10/10. If you watch TV or movies and that’s you main media.. RUN and buy this right now! Music- this is where I feel underwhelmed with the quad. This is also where you realize you need the sub woofer SW3 or SW5 no way around it. The thin profile and speaker cabinet is simply not big enough to provide room filling music like some other systems. If music is your main media, you might consider an alternate. Music 8/10 Overall - I kept the quad in my home theatre and am not looking back. The crisp sounds and agility of the bravia quad are not matched by any other offering in the market. This thing is amazing and the dialog is crystal clear dispite no center channel. You will hear sounds missed on movies you previously watched and honestly I just giggle because it’s that awesome. This really is a great system it’s only downfall is you can only connect one sub and music is kind of stuck on the mids which is great for movies but for music where are my highs and my lows? Spacial media does better but still underwhelming IMO. Would I buy it again? Heck yes it’s my favorite system avail and its capabilities are not matched by anyone else. Also 16 drivers is a nice upgrade from the HTA9. You will need the sub no matter what though.

Some parts to put the feet on two speakers were missing out the box the box looked like it had been opened, I had to leave town so haven’t had a chance to let you know I hope we can fix this

Background and farewell to classic wired subwoofers: I haven't had a surround sound system in quite some time since my Onkyo 5.1 finally gave up the ghost after 15 years of faithful service and all that was working was the massive wired subwoofer which I kept and used with three subsequent sound bars starting small with a Vizio, upgrading to a Sanyo and finally my current soundbar is a Sennheiser Ambeo Plus 7.1.4 which is about a year old. It has provided me with almost 25yrs of faithful service. I liked that all three sound bars physically connected to my old Onkyo subwoofer which was a beast but alas modern times have caught up to it and the Sony HTA9M2 will only work with Sony branded wireless bluetooth subwoofers. For a complete, immersive experience, properly enriched sound stage along with extended bass, it is better to consider this a $2900 or $3200 based system as the SW3 200w sub and SW5 500w sub cost $400 and $700 respectively. Arrival, unboxing and required app for use: Arriving in a very large box clocking in at 33lbs, inside you will find a classic Sony layout of items with a straight forward guide to get your control box up and running and then speakers setup ready to use. Setting up everything was very straight forward and each speaker has its own compartment in the box with everything you need. Everything is clearly marked (Front L, Front R, Rear L, Rear R) along with place/directional guides. I love that you get the floor stands and optional wall mounts as that will be the eventual placement for our speakers both front and rear. All four speakers come with a very healthy run of power cabling that is thin and flexible making it easy to work with and place. The control box looks and feels like a mix of an older Apple TV and a Mac Mini. Documentation is basic in nature without any detailed explainations past the basic speaker/box cabling setup. Anything else if you need it will have to be via app exploration or online help but everything felt and proceeded intuitively. The speakers are very well made and feel solid and polished. I very much like the grey, industrial look they have. The control box has a nifty display on the front that will show you various text prompts depending on what you are doing and/or what is going on when in use. The remote almost feels like an afterthought because the system is clearly designed around using the app. It is very small with minimal functions but it does have the basics (IE volume, etc..) so once you configure your setup with the app, you could rely just on the remote for rudimentary functionality. For any type of fine tuning, you will have to use the app. Once your hardware is physically setup, all that's left to do is download the Bravia App and get things setup properly. There is a QR Code right on the quick setup portion of the packaging and it will take you right to the app to download. You will need a Sony account which can be created during setup (it uses your mobile browser for this) or if your account was previously via a third party service (Apple, Google, etc..) or even an older Sony account (like mine) you will now need to migrate it to an all enclusive Sony account. This was pretty straight forward too. Lots of Agree/Not Agree terms but kudos to Sony for allowing you to opt out from the bulk of it. There is no auto setup feature like the Sennheiser which could just use your Wifi settings and automatically setup your soundbar. I had to manually authenticate to my router but that was simple. The app really makes it fairly easy to get up and running and after a hefty update to your control box, you set up and test the speakers, have it map the soundstage based on where you primarily sit for tv viewing and off you go. Make sure during initial setup and updating the firmware you're right next to your Sony control box with your phone/tablet so there are no time outs or issues. A few times, the app said it couldn't find/connect to my HTA9M2s, but closing and restarting it fixed the problem each time. Once you have mapped your sound stage, you can then fine tune the settings to your liking. For example, after letting the app map and implement my sound stage, I increased the rear speakers output because the mapping overcompensated for the closeness to our recliners of the rear speakers and pushed bass to max because without a subwoofer everything sounds a bit hollow so pushing bass to max helped enrich the sound and add a bit of body and warmth to it. Since the app is fairly new, refinements and enhancements will roll out over time. I am hoping one is an equilizer so I can really dial in my preferred sound stage past the basic few settings for rear and bass settings. Individual speaker adjusts would be nice too with a fine degree of control. I paired the HTA9M2 to our Sony 65" Z9F Bravia that is now about 5 years old but still performs beautifully and has retained its magnificent picture quality. The last software update was from 2021 but it still had 100% support for the HTA9M2. It has an Arc out port and switching from my Sennheiser was as simply as unplugging the existing 2.1 8k HDMI cable from it and into the Sony control box. I also have a Sony 4k Blu-Ray player and an AppleTV 4k 3rd generation connected to my HDMI2 and HDMI4 ports via 8k 2.1 HDMI cables. The Z9F does have a 1/8" audio jack for center channel, but I will not be using it as it was problematic before and as noted the last software update from Sony for the Z9F is dated 2021. If somehow Sony decides to update the firmware on the Z9F, I will retest and report back here. Performance: So how does it perform when all is said and done? Let's be honest here. Without a subwoofer, it stood no chance against the Sennheiser setup for booming bass and a deep, rich, robust sound stage but that was to be expected. Just as with my Sennheiser without a sub during initial usage, adding a subwoofer is a game changer and I expect the same will be true for the HTA9M2. What I wasn't expecting was how much I had missed a true surround sound system when watching movies and shows that took advantage of it. I also missed the immersive nature of even listening to music in a 360 degree bubble. The Sennheiser is pretty state of the art and mapped the room to project a 3D'esque sound stage, but nothing can match the real thing. For music testing, I decided to just use Kitaro's "Caravansary" as it has fantastic highs, mids and punchy lows to give a complete idea of the audio and I must say the HTA9M2 delivered especially compared to my Sennheiser not only in immersion but the highs were just so clear and sweet and the bass it did have had a type of seperation I have not heard on home speakers before. Is it the best I've heard? No, but it is well above average. I would not purchase the HTA9M2 primarily for music, but it can do a good job in addition to everything else it does. I appreciate good sound but I am not a hardcore audiophile so I am sure there is much better out there for music but for myself? I was impressed with the balance of the highs, mids and lows but the lack of a subwoofer is painfully present to add that extra layer of richness and what I like to call electronic baritone that only a subwoofer can deliver. For program viewing, there is a particular sequence in AppleTV+ Foundation series Season 2, Episode 8 when Sal is trapped in the prison in the ground and she is brought food. The sound of the suppresors along with ambient and insect sounds is very specific, detailed with good separation. The HTA9M2's did an admirable job better than my Sennheiser Soundbar but was still lacking detail that can readily be heard on my Sonos Ace or Apple Airpod Max headphones but that was to be expected as headphones are a different breed but the point was to see what detail the HTA9M2 could produce compared to what is there. Again, I can not emphysize enough the lack of a subwoofer as even with the included bit of bass enhanced via the app, you will never achieve that next level of depth and richness of sound only a subwoofer can bring. One thing I very much like is the app will let you know what type of codec/streaming is being presented to the HTA9M2. When I was watching some basic older TV programs, the app said Dolby 2.0. When I started to stream any newer movies, it switched to Dolby Atmos to let me know what was being played back. Older content, the rear speakers were silent as expected but as soon as something modern played? They came to life in the most delightful way. Watching a movie like Top Gun Maverick or Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning was a joy with the real surround sound and not projected/simulated. A true and proper surround sound experience is completely on another level versus a soundbar even with the newest room mapping. Did I mention the lack of a subwoofer and that extra layer of richness missing? It is present here too. I can not emphysize how much of a game changer it is with a good subwoofer integrated into your sound system even if you are not a huge bass fan. The Sennheiser prides itself on center/dialogue playback, but my wife and I both found the Sony HTA9M2 and its simulated center channel to actually provide better and clearer dialogue than the Sennheiser. Many times we found ourselves with the Sennheiser backing up the program 10 seconds so we could hear what was being said but with the Sony we haven't encountered that problem once. The dialogue/center virtual reproduction is excellent. Networking and conflicts: I know the previous model had problems existing with other Wifi routers in close proximity. I have two routers with Wifi 6 and 6e going along with numerous devices in use and I have had zero drop outs or issues. In fact, the Sony control box is about 3 feet away from my Wifi 6 router and it has been rock solid. Overall, a great performer but a subwoofer is really a must to truly realize its potential.

Want a theatre-like experience at home? Well, if you have a decent TV or projector, combined with the Sony BRAVIA Theatre Quad, you can be confident that you will get an immersive experience like no other. This is my review of the Sony BRAVIA Theatre Quad. *TLDR at the bottom ========================= RECOMMENDATIONS/SETUP: This home theatre surround sound system has everything you need to get started with setting up a theatre-like experience at home. If you get this shipped to your home, I suggest making sure you have everything that is supposed to be included and checking if everything is intact. The box the system arrives in is not the best in protecting the unit and the insides, as a result, things may be all over the place upon opening the box. I am speaking from personal experience. Anyways, the setup does take about half an hour or so, depending on how you plan to set up the system. Sony gives two options. The speakers can be placed on a table/shelf, or the speaker can be wall mounted. I chose the former as I had space available for these speakers in my living room. Once they are in place, download the Sony BRAVIA Connect App and follow the instructions to get the unit set up. While the app does let you skip some steps, I suggest going through the entire setup to get everything setup perfectly. I did run into some bugs with the app that had me set up the unit again, and at other times, the app didn’t recognize the unit. But a simple restart of the app or unit did clear up most of those problems. ========================= SOUND QUALITY (MOVIES, VIDEOS): One of the first things I did with this system was of course watch some trailers that would eventually lead to a film. One of the trailers I watched was Godzilla Minus One. If I had to choose one word to describe this system, it would be immersive. The soundstage on this home theatre system is vast and amazing. Around the beginning of the trailer, the lows of Godzilla stomping seriously echoed throughout the living room and rattled the floor. The dialogue was clear, and the sound of gunfire and carnage sounded great! After getting a taste of what this system could do, I decided to finally watch a film. I decided to go with the first Blade Runner from 1982. The film is a little older and the sound is not as “clean” compared to something from a newer film but luckily, the entire movie still fits into today’s standards really well. The film felt immersive from beginning to end, the soundtrack sounded great, and the dialogue was clean. I did end up turning on voice mode for testing purposes but luckily it did not affect much of the film's other sound too much. While the lows were good, I do think a subwoofer would provide an even more immersive experience. With the current price tag, I do think a subwoofer should have been included. An extra subwoofer would certainly allow this system to reproduce that booming sound that movie theatres have. ========================= SOUND QUALITY (MUSIC): This system has Bluetooth and Spotify Connect which I used to wirelessly stream music. Luckily, both worked flawlessly for me. Spotify Connect can be used while in the Spotify app, simply click on the devices icon and select the Sony Home Theatre System. I suggest making sure your phone and the system are connected to the same network if you run into any issues. I was able to play a variety of genres from Hip Hop, Rock, Electronic, Latin, and Pop. The 360 audio brought an immersive listening experience. For example, this was clear in some of the electronic songs where the different instruments would slowly come in eventually leading to a beat drop. Standing in the middle of this system feels like the band or artist is performing a personal concert for you. Again, lows, while good, could be a lot better with a subwoofer. ========================= FEATURES: One of the neat features of this surround system is the Sound Field Optimization setting. This “sound optimization” can be done in the app, within settings. This feature calibrates the sound of the system based on where you are sitting and the type of room you are in. The app can also be used as a remote control if you happen to lose the one included. (the included remote is tiny) There are also some sound modes available to choose from. Sound field is the default mode, voice mode is self-explanatory, and night mode seems to enhance the lows at low volume. Some features I would love Sony to include within the app are an EQ setting or more modes (music, movie, podcast, etc.). ========================= CONCLUSION/TLDR: Overall, this is an excellent home theatre surround sound system. The setup does take a while but once you are through it, you will be blessed with some great-sounding and immersive speakers. Movies, videos, and music all sound amazing on this system. The highs and mids stand out the most. While the lows are good, the addition of a subwoofer would improve those lows and reproduce that grand sound from the lows that movie theatres have. I do think one should have been included with this system, especially with the current price tag. All of this is controlled with the tiny remote or the app. The app is a little buggy at times but works well for the most part. However, I do wish there were more modes included or some type of EQ to fine-tune your desired sound. Regardless, if you are looking for a home theatre surround sound system, you cannot go wrong with trying this one out!

PROS + Amazing surround sound and 3D audio with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, & 360 Reality Audio. + Great detail, effect placement, and overall sound imaging + Movies are incredibly immersive, with a soundstage and stereo separation most soundbars simply cannot match + Virtual center channel is very effective, with clear dialogue, even without the voice mode enabled + Sound Field Optimization is seamless and automatically optimizes for the placement of the speakers, as well as your seating position by using your phone’s microphone + Flexible speaker placement with only power cords needed to set-up each speaker and main connection box + Includes wall-mounting hardware with speaker table-top stands doubling as wall-mounts + Bravia Connect app is very responsive and simple to use + Low-res music audio upmixing with DSEE Ultimate sounds great + Extra features for other Sony device owners (TVs & PS5) + Completely solid connection with no audio dropouts, static, or other connectivity issues CONS - Really doesn’t feel like a complete system without a dedicated subwoofer to manage the low-end. You have the option to add one though, which is great & sounds amazing, but it does add more cost to an already pricey product - No ability to add a second subwoofer for those who want too - Display on the connection box is a bit on the small side, which combined with the small remote, makes the app more important for functionality - Inputs on the connection box are more limited, with only one extra HDMI input and no RCA or other inputs for devices like record players SO-SO * Slim non-traditional speaker design might not be for everyone or every space, but I personally love it after seeing it them in-person THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT I have owned many soundbars over the last decade, many of which were high-end soundbars which had some truly impressive virtual surround sound abilities. The Sony Bravia Theater Quad are really on another level though when it comes to producing effective virtual surround sound. Having the speakers in separate physical enclosures and being able to place them further apart creates a wider sound field that sounds amazing with films and music. How much you can achieve this effect is going to be dependent on your space and how far you can place the speakers apart in your space. Thankfully the Sound Field Optimization software is more than up to the task of correcting for deficiencies in your speaker placement. I played around with a few different orientations, and found that in general, the optimization software did a more than admirable job of creating a sound field that was wide and detailed. In my case, I settled on having the front speakers facing forward on both sides of my TV, and the rear speakers facing the front of the room behind, and to the left/right, of my listening position. Before I detail the sound quality, a few words on set-up, which is very quick and easy. I used all of my speakers on their tabletop stands, which were extremely easy to set-up and place. All you need is two screws and a power cord and the speakers can be positioned on a tabletop. If you are wall mounting, you can use the included hardware to mount the speakers where their bases double as wall mounts (a very nice touch). In terms of style, the speakers are effectively thin gray rectangles, measuring just under 12” x 12” height and width, and only about 2” deep, with about 1” extra height from the table top stands. When I first saw them in photographs, I wasn’t sure I really liked the minimalist look compared to a normal boxy speaker, but in-person I think these look great! I don’t know how they would look on speaker stands given their width, but on a tabletop or a wall I think they genuinely look fantastic. On my TV stand with the TV wall mounted they look very stylish, without being gaudy or overtly speaker-like,and they blend into the aesthetic of the room better. Everyone’s taste is different, as well as the style of their rooms, but I do think these look much better in-person than in images, and have a style that continues to grow on me. The other area where I was concerned about these speakers' thin design was in their ability to produce deep, robust, and detailed sound. While bigger doesn’t always mean better in the speaker world, it is a trend we sometimes see, especially in the soundbar space. Thankfully these sound incredible, with no limitations from their design as far as I can hear. The sound is full, with great imaging, and they get very loud (I could only bring these up about 50-60% before they reached the upper bound of my listening comfort). Despite not having a dedicated center channel speaker, things like dialogue are almost shockingly clear. It may be hard to believe, but honestly the dialogue is better than most soundbars I have heard with dedicated center channels, which I think is due to a combination of the speakers being housed in separate cabinets, and Sony’s processing doing a great job of lifting dialogue without the rest of the soundstage feeling unnatural. Once everything is set-up and calibrated, I played a wide variety of content on the Bravia Theater Quad, including some of my favorite audio demos. The opening race scene from Ready Player One had sound being thrown around the room as cars crashed and accelerated around the camera, while the T-Rex roar came effectively from overhead. The opening of Blade Runner accurately had sounds moving across the room and overhead, while Jurassic Park had super immersive rain effects when the T-Rex attack occurs. I played games on my PS5, and sound effects were accurately placed and very competitive with dedicated wired surround set-ups. I even played some dedicated 5.1, 7.1, and Atmos speaker tests and audio demos, and I was shocked how well the “virtual speakers” were placed in my room, which is typically not ideal for bouncing sound off of walls. Everything I threw at it, the Quad’s just handled them so well. If there is one area where the sound is lacking, it is in the bass department. Yes the Quad’s can absolutely be used on their own, with impressive bass for their size, but after a bit I paired mine with a Sony SW-5 subwoofer and the low-end really opened up. I personally couldn’t see myself using these without a subwoofer as an amateur audiophile, and so it is a bit of a shame one isn’t included in the package, as it is a game changer. At least you can buy one afterwards, which is itself wireless as well, and so can be placed anywhere in the room. I just wish I could add a second subwoofer as well to really balance the bass throughout my room, but the system only supports one currently. In terms of other flaws, I like the simple connection box that looks almost like a large Apple TV, but it has too few inputs and a small display. I would love to be able to connect my record player or other external audio devices to the box, but unfortunately HDMI eARC and an HDMI input are your primary options. Even so, a few extra HDMI ports would have been nice, but at least the one you get is the full HDMI 2.1 spec and can do 4K 120hz with HDR. But on the whole, these are really incredible speakers, and I am super happy I have them. They aren’t cheap by any means, but they do exactly what they say they are going to do, and so far at least, I have had zero bugs or issues at all. The app and set-up was super quick and easy, and very simple to navigate. The sound quality is excellent for both movies and music (although movies with 3D audio formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X are where these absolutely shine most), and gaming is a treat as well. Everything is wireless except power cords and HDMI cables, and every time I re-watch one of my favorite movies I can’t help but smile at the sound quality. If you can afford these, and have some extra money to spend, I highly recommend getting one of the wireless subwoofers as well, as it really adds so much more to the sound experience and frees up the speakers to do what they do best. But even as they are, there is no doubt these are some of the best speakers to experience 3D audio without a dedicated receiver and wired speakers. In terms of bridging the gap between a fully wired home theater and a simple soundbar, these perform incredibly well. The virtual speaker system is almost like magic, making a sound bubble appear out of nowhere and doing so incredibly well. Highly recommended.

=Comparison to atmos soundbar= The first thing you notice about these speakers is that they are BIG. They’re about one and a half times the size of a bookshelf speaker. If you pulled out the little speakers in a 5.1 soundbar, they would all fit in -one- of these four speakers. As soon as you notice that, the difference between this and a soundbar start making sense. I have been living with an 7.1 setup - LG soundbar, subwoofer and rear speakers. The LG said it had atmos and speaker virtualization, but really? It wasn’t noticeable on the LG. The sound was great, the subwoofer worked, and I’d hear the occasional ‘zap’ or whoosh sound come out of the rear speakers. As an upgrade over TV speakers, it was a lot, but the sound did not. . . surround me. The soundbar speakers were basically up front and the soundstage was not much wider than the TV. The bravia quad is the next level: the jump from TV to soundbar was the same as the jump from soundbar to quad. The quad is much, much closer to going to a movie theater. I’m running this with a Sony A80J TV and an SASW5 subwoofer. The TV serves as an “S-center” speaker and is running from the headphone jack. The sound is astonishing. I had an LG atmos/surround setup before, but it was nothing like this. The rear speakers are the same size as the front speakers, unlike every soundbar setup, and it shows. You do hear stuff go over your head - helicopters, spaceships, the flying monkey from Wicked. You start to notice how much effort is put into these mixes. My kids watched the Lego Movie on the first day with the quad and the sound was nothing short of cinematic. The Lego Movie! =Connectivity= I was a little worried about the wireless connection. Owners of the previous model, HT-A9, complained that dropouts were frequent. My living room has a mesh router in it that interferes with other audio devices (sennheiser wireless headphones hooked up to the tv), and there’s nowhere else I can move the router to reduce intereference. However, the quad has been flawless. No dropouts, no stutters, no glitching at all. I had an issue with my Wii U gamepad controller where -it- would stutter and dropout (sound was uninterrupted), and the quad had an option in “Wireless Speaker Settings” that fixed the interference. There’s an ethernet jack in the back of the control box, but I haven’t felt the need to use it. Some website reviewers have complained about the quality of the TV as a center speaker, and the ‘phantom center’ from the left and right front speakers. I have not had any problem. I also think these people are crazy. Ever listened to a car stereo? Home stereo? A set of headphones? The vocals are in “phantom center” with those devices as far as I know. We listen to “phantom center” all the time. Dialogue on everything I watch has been impeccable, although I have been using my Sony TV as a center speaker. =Setup= All the people on youtube complained about the setup. I had no issues. I had to screw the stands into the speakers, which was easy. I plugged everything in, turned on the sub, installed the Bravia Connect app, and setup took maybe 10 minutes. The longest part was downloading and updating the firmware. I was confused because I was waiting for something to go wrong. The subwoofer connected automatically without me pressing a button. My room is a bit awkward. My couch is up against the wall. I don’t know if I could fit the tall home theater speakers or position everything perfectly. With the bravia quad, I set the front speakers about three feet to either side of the TV. I set the bravia rear speakers a couple feet to the left and right of the couch. In this configuration, I feel like I heard the rear speakers quite a bit more than I should have. I could only tell because I got stands (see downsides below) and it really improved. I was playing a PS4 game, Elden Ring, and when a character is talking, I can turn and move their voice all around the soundscape, including directly behind me. Youtube reviewers seemed to brag that the speakers sounded great no matter where you put them. That wasn't my experience, but maybe they were tweaking other settings. I really wanted to get my money's worth, and placing the speakers correctly accomplished that. =Downsides= The only downside at setup is the amount of plugs. You’ve got to plug in six devices into your wall outlets - four speakers, the control unit, and the subwoofer. That’s a step up from three devices: soundbar + rear controller + subwoofer. It is easier because two speakers are in the back and can be on a separate outlet. I ended up putting my subwoofer in the back too. The uncommon shape of the speakers mean I spent about a week looking for speaker stands. These aren’t supposed to sit under your TV like a soundbar because you lose the stereo separation, but more importantly they can’t fit under my tv because they are Huge. They are, as I mentioned above, about 4-5x the height of a typical soundbar. Just the little plastic bases you attach to each speaker are two inches high. I can’t attach all four speakers to the wall because of the way my room is, and I don’t have furniture they could just sit on. I talked to Sony and they don’t recommend a stand, they don’t make a stand, and they don’t seem to care, which is incredibly negligent for such an expensive product. You’re not supposed to sit it inside a shelf because it will block the up-firing Atmos speakers. The speaker stands I see from Sanus and Vebos that say they will fit are $150.00 for a pair, meaning an extra $300 on the price here. I tried generic $60 speaker stands, and I had to improvise using the screws that came with the Quad and some washers of my own. I used the "bottom and back lock" USX Mount bookshelf stand. Overall, this is an amazing system. It will blow your soundbar out of the water. It sounds great on everything from Dolby Atmos surround to old sitcoms in stereo. If you're like me and weren't satisfied with the occasional "surround sound" pop or zap behind you, this will make you happy.

The Sony Bravia Theater Quad has revolutionized my home theater layout and sound. I’ve used many soundbars over the past 15 years on multiple televisions throughout my house, and none of them compare to the Bravia Quad system. Even without the subwoofer, which is sold separately, this system is the full package, presented in a new, innovative way that improves the sound, and overall look of home theater. The Quad came packaged in a large cardboard box that opens similar to a laptop box. I do think Sony needs to do a little better job securing the contents though, as my box lid was partially open and the speaker stands and leg accessories had moved around in the box. Other than that, everything looked good so I proceeded with unpacking and getting it all set up. For me, the set up took a little longer than I was expecting. The main reason is because there was no obvious quick setup guide included. There is a link to download the app, but I wasn’t sure if I should set the speakers up first, or the app. So I started with the speaker, but ran into some questions I couldn’t answer, so I continued in the app. From there, I realized that I should have my speakers set up more. And I went back and forth a bit. LOL I also didn’t realize each speaker has a designated position. After finding that out, in the app, I had to move some speakers around, which meant detaching the included legs/stand and attaching them to my tall speaker stands that I used for the rear. Attaching the stands is really easy, with a simple screw on each side to hold it down. Once I got it all set up, I looked back in hindsight and realized that what took me almost an hour should have only taken 20-30 minutes, with better guidance. I wasn’t exactly sure how I would like the new layout, with four speakers and a receiver, but it actually worked out really well, and I like having the space under the TV clear. My old system consisted of a soundbar, two wireless rear speakers, and a subwoofer, so I’m swapping four outlets for four new ones. If I add the optional Sony subwoofer, I will be using one more outlet than my old setup, but I have an outlet to spare, so that’s okay with me. I didn’t mount the speakers on the wall; instead, I placed one on each table beside the TV. For the rear speakers, I was able to use the same tall stands from my old system. My old rear speakers were large and tended to tip easily. These new rears are sleek and not nearly as top-heavy. I love them. Speaking of the rear speakers, these are the loudest and most satisfying rear speakers I’ve ever heard from any of my surround sound systems. The Bravia Quad rear speakers are loud and clear, creating a blanket of sound that envelops you as you watch movies and play games. Overall, the sound from the Sony Bravia Quad is premium quality, bringing your content to the next level. If you are playing content that includes 360 spatial audio, you are in for a real treat; with your eyes closed, it sounds like you are transported to the place you hear. 360 spatial sound mapping allows you to experience sound in an entirely new way. However, as amazing as the spatial sound is, if the content is Dolby, you’ll want to enable the “Dolby Speaker Virtualizer” sound field setting from the sound setting menu in the app. It’s great that I can change this using the app, but it's also unfortunate that I have to do so for everything I watch. Why can’t the system choose for me based on the content? Perhaps there is an option for that, but if there is, I haven’t found it. It's important because a lot of the Dolby content doesn't sound good with the “360 Spatial Sound Mapping” sound field setting enabled. Sometimes it sounds okay, but usually, if the content is Dolby, the Dolby sound field setting sounds best in my opinion. And Dolby sounds great on this system, as well as the DTS setting. The speaker “node” design is sleek, modern and innovative. They can blend into your environment and decor, but also stand out as a conversation piece with their unique look and style. I’ve grown to really like them, over the past week, and I hope Sony continues on this route. I love that you can hang these on the wall, sit them on top of a surface or attach them to most speaker stands. One suggestion, for future models, change the plug to a flat or 90 degree plug. I’m always perplexed when high tech and innovative devices use old tech plugins. The bass produced by this system is great, sufficient by itself unless you are an audiophile or someone who wants to rattle the windows. If that's the case, you’ll want to get the subwoofer, which I have not tried yet. Speaking of rattling, I have noticed a minor rattle in a couple of the speakers when I play music with deep bass at a mid to loud level. This does concern me a bit. Reattaching the stand on my rear speakers solved the problem, but I still hear it slightly from the front two speakers from time to time. Overall I really LOVE this system and I’m so happy that I got it. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to experience the next level in sound and design.