Watching a Hercule Poirot murder mystery is a good way to justify this soundbar | Technology News
If I had a bigger house I would have invested in a home theatre system to go with my large-screen TV. At the moment, I don’t want my audio pursuits to become topics of discussion in the apartment Whatsapp groups. But after reviewing the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9, I am inclined to turn rogue… let me tell you why.
The full BRAVIA Theatre Bar 9 set up
The Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 came to me in parts. First came the soundbar, which went under my 65-inch TV easily and made me really happy about how my weekend movie-watching experience had gone up many notches all of a sudden. Then came the subwoofer and the two rear speakers after a few days, giving me an experience that was even more superior and adding new layers. The subwoofer is big and heavy, and can go next to the TV. The cylindrical rear speakers are not too small, but what I really liked about them is how they now have battery backup and don’t need to be plugged in all the time. This means you can avoid a web of wires in the room as well as the need for four power points to run this set up.
Easy set-up and controls
The four speakers can be interlinked easily using the Bravia app in a few minutes — while you can connect the Bar to the TV using HDMI, it can also be paired using Bluetooth. The other three pieces all fall into place once the subwoofer is powered on. The app also lets you configure the throw of the speakers based on where you are usually listening from. And when this process is on, you realise the power of the speakers in creating audio objects in space. Within a few minutes the speakers are optimised for the room they are in and the location of the listeners.
With Sony’s Bravia Theatre Bar 9, one could feel the thunder and roar of a live concert right in the comfort of their living room. (Image: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)
The remote lets you control all aspects of the bar and even switch to presets that amplify the sound field or voice. I loved the night mode button which lets you tone down the bass in one click without creeping out your neighbours as you watch the latest edition of Omen.
A theatre at home
The moment you switch on Netflix to be greeted by that iconic Ta-Da, you know this Bravia set-up means business. I could feel the vibrations go all around the room. The all-encompassing nature of the Kerala monsoon, which is almost a character in the movie Ullozhukku, to the feel of winds lashing the Sri Lankan mountains in Paradise where all playing out in my living room over the next few days. And that is the beauty of this Bravia soundbar — that you don’t need the Mad Max franchise to be immersed in the 360 Audio Reality powered by Dolby Atmos.
It was while watching A Haunting in Vienna that I could really appreciate how an immersive audio experience can make the storytelling itself more impactful. Watching the murder mystery, I was startled along with the characters in the movie and could hear exactly what Agatha Christie wanted Hercule Poirot to hear.
Good for music too
The TV has over the past few years muscled up to become the entrainment hub of your home. And that means this is where you game and this is where you lounge to stream in the melodies you love. And with the Bravia Theatre Bar 9, your Spotify and Amazon game goes beyond what most Bluetooth speakers can offer. The bass boost this set-up can offer, especially with the sub-woofer, will make it really tough for you to go back to speakers that you can carry around from room to room. You can stream directly from app on the TV or use AirPlay to connect from the iPhone like I did most of the days.
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Should you buy the BRAVIA Theatre Bar 9?
While the Bar 9 is good enough for a lot of TV viewing and music requirements, I felt that adding the sub-woofer and rear speakers gives you the best experience. However, this comes at an additional cost as you need to buy these separately. Also, keep in mind that your really need to have the space in your home to justify these extra speakers.
At Rs 1,49,990 the BRAVIA Theatre Bar 9 is a complete home theatre in itself and gives you the ability to get theatre-like audio experiences in your living room.
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Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 |
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| Pros | Cons |
| Immersive Audio Experience | High Price |
| Easy Setup and Control |
Additional Cost for Subwoofer and Rear Speakers |
| Versatile Performance | |
| Night Mode |
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