Sony Bravia Theater Quad Speakers with Dolby Atmos

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 ... MorePROS+ 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 issuesCONS- 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 playersSO-SO* Slim non-traditional speaker design might not be for everyone or every space, but I personally love it after seeing it them in-personTHE LONG AND SHORT OF ITI 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.

The Bravia Theatre Quad is a superb home theatre system.This was my first time setting up a system such as this and it really was very easy with my Bravia TV. The speakers all have their designated positions marked on them for you, for example 'Front R', (see photo), so you can place them in their correct positions straight away.Please note Front and Back speakers means from the perspective of looking at your TV.Each speaker comes with quite a generous length power cable too which helps when positioning them in your room. I currently have the back ones set up on tables behind the couch and the front ones are either side of the TV on its stand. Due to the dimensions of the room though I will be wall mounting them very soon, which also seems to be a simple ... MoreThe Bravia Theatre Quad is a superb home theatre system.This was my first time setting up a system such as this and it really was very easy with my Bravia TV. The speakers all have their designated positions marked on them for you, for example 'Front R', (see photo), so you can place them in their correct positions straight away.Please note Front and Back speakers means from the perspective of looking at your TV.Each speaker comes with quite a generous length power cable too which helps when positioning them in your room. I currently have the back ones set up on tables behind the couch and the front ones are either side of the TV on its stand. Due to the dimensions of the room though I will be wall mounting them very soon, which also seems to be a simple process.The system controller box that comes with the speakers is quite small and unobtrusive. It connects to your TV's eArc / ARC HDMI input and you can also make your TV the centre speaker by using the S-Center connection on the back of the controller box and connecting it to your TV with the supplied cable. The great thing about connecting the speakers to the box is that it is all done wirelessly via Bluetooth.In order to set the Theatre Quad system up you have to use the Bravia Connect app on your mobile phone. Again, this really is a very simple process. The app guides you through each step for sound optimization by identifying your speaker positions. It also uses your mobile phone to identify your viewing position and optimises the sound field to that position. On completion of setup you are then given a demonstration of the 360 spatial sound mapping in a jungle setting which was genuinely amazing! (360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology creates up to 12 phantom speakers around the room, enabling cinema-style surround sound with just four physical speakers.)The Theatre Quad system does come with a small remote control, however you can alter the sound settings and levels etc. using the app or your TV remote too.The sound quality is excellent, although some may want to upgrade the system by purchasing a separate subwoofer such as the wireless SA-SW3 or SA-SW5 as the Theatre Quad package doesn't include one. Regarding music, the system has built in support for Spotify Connect and Apple AirPlay and can be used as a music system on its own. For any gamers out there, the immersive sound you feel when you connect your PS5 to it is superb.I'm really impressed by the Bravia Theatre Quad system. The build quality is great as are the aesthetics of the system and the sound quality is fantastic.

I own two different home theater systems, 5.1 system in the main living area and a 5.2.4 Atmos system in My Home theater area. I’m coming from a little bit of knowledge and enthusiast in this area. I wanted to get an easy home theater set up for my kids playroom and media room connected to a PS five. I found that The Sony Bravia, quad 4 Might be the perfect solution. It’s a smaller lofted room about 11 x 11 with the back open To an office below. The set up was quite easy First connecting the base box and then downloading the app and following the instructions. Assembly is quite easy for the four speakers and the bases. And power plugs. I would recommend assembling that first before running the set up Due to the fact that the set up would time out while it prompted ... MoreI own two different home theater systems, 5.1 system in the main living area and a 5.2.4 Atmos system in My Home theater area. I’m coming from a little bit of knowledge and enthusiast in this area. I wanted to get an easy home theater set up for my kids playroom and media room connected to a PS five. I found that The Sony Bravia, quad 4 Might be the perfect solution. It’s a smaller lofted room about 11 x 11 with the back open To an office below. The set up was quite easy First connecting the base box and then downloading the app and following the instructions. Assembly is quite easy for the four speakers and the bases. And power plugs. I would recommend assembling that first before running the set up Due to the fact that the set up would time out while it prompted me to assemble the stand stand on the speakers. After that set up, I found it quite easy to run the calibration software from the app which uses your phone as a microphone to Received test signals from each speaker and subsequently it runs its calibration. After running the calibration, The magic began to happen. Without any center speaker it does create a pretty good center image with the two front speakers. The sides surrounds are fairly immersive, and I do think that each atmos speaker that is upward firing does create a decent Atmos affect from the reflected sounds. Most likely has to do with the small room and that’s what I bet this speaker system would best shine. This does appear to be a decent immersive solution if you want simplicity. I don’t think this place is my 5.2.4 home theater set up whatsoever which has dedicated floor speakers, for overhead in ceiling, Atmos speakers and two separate subwoofers. But if space is a constraint and wiring is a big concern this speaker system does a good job probably for most people. I’m only giving it four stars because this system is quite expensive and only comes with the four main speakers in no subwoofer. You have to buy that separate and select either the Sony three or five. This system does a moderately decent job at creating loose sounds but there’s no way you can expect from the system without a subwoofer. Movies, gaming, and music are enjoyable with the system, and if you’re looking for simplicity, space, saving then consider this system and buy the subwoofer separate.