The Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 with Speakers + Bass Module is a 2024 model that's the expanded version of the all-in-one Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9. If you have room for a bar, satellites, and a subwoofer, it promises oodles of format support, including Dolby Atmos, IMAX Enhanced DTS:X, and HDMI 2.1 passthrough.
Our Verdict
The Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 with speakers and bass module is very good for mixed use. Its stereo frequency response is balanced with a good amount of low-end and bright treble. It suffers from low-end compression at higher volumes, though. The soundbar supports most audio formats, so you can take advantage of object-based surround sound formats and get the most out of Blu-rays and streaming platforms, but the latency is high enough that you'll likely want to use the A/V Sync function. That said, the stereo soundstage isn't very wide, and in 5.1 surround sound, the frequency response sounds less clear, with not many sound enhancement tools available to shape it. Meanwhile, the up-firing speakers' height is okay and adjustable, but not exceptionally immersive. If you're into gaming, the soundbar supports HDMI 2.1 with passthrough at 4k for a tear-free experience.
Support for tons of audio formats.
Balanced stereo frequency response.
Wireless and wired connectivity for flexible use of different music platforms.
Lacks manual sound enhancements like EQ.
The Sony Bar 9 with SA-SW5 + SA-RS5 is impressive for dialogue and watching TV Shows. It sounds great for stereo and center channel audio reproduction, yielding mostly balanced sound with a good amount of low-end and clear speech. The soundbar supports a myriad of different audio formats and comes with eARC and HDMI In ports for flexible connectivity. There are also 'Night' and 'Voice' modes to alter the sound for different times of the day or to emphasize speech. That said, the audio latency is on the higher end of the spectrum, so you'll likely need to adjust the A/V Sync in the app.
Support for tons of audio formats.
Balanced stereo frequency response.
Lacks manual sound enhancements like EQ.
The Sony Bar 9 with SA-SW5 + SA-RS5 is good for listening to music. Its stereo frequency response doesn't require much tweaking to get a pretty balanced sound with a good amount of low-end oomph and open-sounding vocals and cymbal hits. You're better off not maxing out the bar, though, as it encounters bass-range compression at max volume. While it lacks a dedicated equalizer (you only get a bass adjustment), there are other sound features like room calibration and 'Sound Field Optimization', which can alter the soundstage. That said, the stereo soundstage is alright, but not especially wide and immersive. If you listen to music with different platforms, it has lots of connectivity like Bluetooth, AirPlay, and Wi-Fi, and you can use DSEE Ultimate to 'fill in' lossy audio files.
Balanced stereo frequency response.
Wireless and wired connectivity for flexible use of different music platforms.
Lacks manual sound enhancements like EQ.
The Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 with speakers and bass module is good for watching movies. Its stereo and center frequency responses provide ample low-end to explosions and clear dialogue. Plus, it supports virtually all of the popular audio formats, so you can listen in surround with object-based audio like Dolby Atmos with height control. That said, it's less balanced sounding in 5.1 surround, and you don't get a dedicated EQ to adjust the sound more than just the bass level. You get other features like 'Night' and 'Voice' modes, which alter the sound, though. The bar includes 'Sound Field Optimization' and room calibration, but you're still hemmed in by a lack of control over the frequency response, particularly of the satellites.
Support for tons of audio formats.
Balanced stereo frequency response.
Lacks manual sound enhancements like EQ.
Changelog
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Updated Oct 27, 2025:
We've updated our Sound measurements with Auto Adjust Volume disabled. This reduces max volume, but sidesteps dynamic range issues with the setting enabled.
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Updated Nov 28, 2024:
We've updated the Sound Enhancement Features box to add information about the different Sound Field Settings.
- Updated Oct 18, 2024: Review published.
- Updated Oct 09, 2024: Early access published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
You can buy the Sony Bar 9 with SA-SW5 + SA-RS5 or as a standalone, the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9, which performs differently from the soundbar with the satellites and subwoofer. The soundbar kit with satellite speakers and sub only comes in one color, 'Black' (you can see the labels for the bar, one of the satellites, and the bass module). If you come across another variant of this soundbar, let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 with speakers + bass module shares the same subwoofer as the Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad with Bass Module and Sony HT-A9 with Bass Module. Compared to those, it's a more conventional soundbar configuration with smaller satellites and a sub. Its dedicated center channel produces much clearer dialogue by comparison to both the BRAVIA Theater Quad and HT-A9 with the Bass Module, but for music, its stereo and surround soundstage isn't nearly as immersive. However, for dialogue-heavy media like reality TV and dramas, the discrete center channel on the BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 with speakers and sub produces clearer speech. Its performance and audio format support are similar to the Samsung HW-Q990D, though the Samsung has the edge in connectivity, supporting HDR 10+ and FreeSync video passthrough.
Check out the best soundbars, the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, and the best soundbars with subwoofers to see what fits your space best.
The Samsung HW-Q990D is better for most people than the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 with Speakers + Bass Module thanks to its bigger soundstage and more accurate frequency responses in stereo, surround, and Dolby Atmos. The Samsung offers greater connectivity and more ports, too. Still, the Sony is no slouch and offers a slightly more excited sound by default, with support for IMAX Enhanced DTS:X, but otherwise, the Samsung is more flexible with more manual features to control the sound.
The Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad with Bass Module is a bit better than the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 with Speakers + Bass Module for most people. The dedicated four-speaker and sub bundle of the BRAVIA Theater Quad creates a more immersive surround sound experience and a bigger stereo soundstage with better dynamics. On the other hand, if you watch a lot of dialogue-heavy media, the dedicated center channel of the BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 reproduces clearer speech. That said, the clarity of the BRAVIA Theater Quad's surround speakers is worth it for most people, given that neither comes with an equalizer.
Depending on your needs the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 with Speakers + Bass Module or Sonos Arc with Sub + One SL Speakers could be better. Sony supports a much greater selection of audio formats, as well as HDMI 2.1 passthrough, which makes it more flexible for different kinds of media and gaming. On the other hand, the Sonos has a bigger stereo soundstage and comes with Optical support for older devices. If you want to stay on top of the latest audio formats for immersive movie experiences, the Sony is better, but if you're mostly listening to stereo content or have older devices and less space to fit your setup, the Sonos might suit your needs better.
Whether the LG S95TR is better for most people than the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 with Speakers + Bass Module depends on your primary usage. The LG is capable of reproducing a slightly more balanced stereo frequency response with a wider soundstage. Plus, you can EQ it and the dynamics are a bit better than the Sony's. Both soundbars support tons of audio formats, but if you're into gaming with next-gen consoles, the Sony supports HDMI 2.1 passthrough at 4k, which the LG doesn't. The Sony also has a more immersive Dolby Atmos implementation. On the other hand, the LG gives you more control over the sound, and it's capable of a bit more rumble by default.
Test Results
