The Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad with Bass Module is an Atmos-compatible home theater system made up of four satellite speakers, a dedicated subwoofer, and a control box. This setup is reminiscent of the Sony HT-A9 with Bass Module, though the speakers have taken on a more discrete, rectangular shape that can blend more easily into your home decor. They feature a unique dual stand/mount support, too, that can keep the speakers upright on any surface or allow them to be wall-mounted. As you'd expect from a premium system, there's support for HDMI 2.1, with 4k passthrough at 120Hz. BRAVIA TV owners will appreciate Sony's Acoustic Center Sync technology, which allows you to use the speakers on any compatible BRAVIA TV as a center channel.
Our Verdict
The Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad with Bass Module is good for mixed usage. The four discrete speakers create a wide, immersive soundstage, and they can be positioned to suit your room. Sony's Soundfield Optimization technology allows you to get the best out of your room, too, and the speakers are fitted with up-firing drivers that can help create the impression of height with Atmos content. The dedicated subwoofer adds punch and boom to everything from kick drums to low-frequency rumbles in action sequences, although some users might find the lack of EQ presets to be limiting. Gamers can take advantage of the HDMI 2.1 capabilities, too, using this setup as a hub through which to passthrough higher bandwidth (4k @ 120Hz) signals.
- Room correction feature.
- Immersive and wide soundstage.
- HDMI 2.1 passthrough with 4k @ 120Hz.
- Can't reach top volume without risking damage.
The Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad with Bass Module is very good for dialogue and TV shows. The four discrete speakers can render speech and other mid-frequency sounds crisply and evenly, and the 'Voice Mode' setting can be used to further bring out dialogue. While this system's configuration means there's no dedicated center channel, it's possible to use the Acoustic Center Sync technology to pair a compatible BRAVIA TV and use its speakers as a center channel. While it can get quite loud with minimal compression, we don't advise you to push the system to max volume, as it can damage the speakers.
- Room correction feature.
- Immersive and wide soundstage.
- Voice and dialogue enhancement features.
- Can't reach top volume without risking damage.
- No dedicated center, unless you own a BRAVIA TV.
The Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad with Bass Module is great for music. The default sound is balanced, with detailed mids and warm highs, as well as a punchy bass that's courtesy of the dedicated subwoofer. The four discrete speakers are able to create a wide, immersive soundstage, too, that can really showcase creative panning and binaural flourishes in mixes. While it can get quite loud with minimal compression, we don't advise you to push the system to max volume, as it can damage the speakers.
- Room correction feature.
- Immersive and wide soundstage.
- Voice and dialogue enhancement features.
- Can't reach top volume without risking damage.
- No EQ or presets.
The Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad with Bass Module is very good for movies. The default frequency response is balanced across the entire range, as the dedicated sub adds punch and heft to action sequences and explosions, while the four discrete speakers reproduce dialogue and voices with width and accuracy. The four-speaker configuration makes for an immersive soundstage with great surround performance, bolstered by Sound Field Optimization technology that tunes the surround response to the unique characteristics of your room. While this system is capable of getting quite loud with minimal amounts of compression, we don't recommend you to push the system to max volume, as it can damage the speakers.
- Room correction feature.
- Immersive and wide soundstage.
- Voice and dialogue enhancement features.
- Can't reach top volume without risking damage.
- No dedicated center, unless you own a BRAVIA TV.
Changelog
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Updated Jan 30, 2025:
We referenced the Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad in the Dimensions - Subwoofer box.
- Updated Aug 12, 2024: We've made a minor text edit to the Voice Assistant box to clarify that voice assistant support is reliant on being connected to a third-party device.
- Updated Aug 05, 2024: We've updated this review to indicate that the Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad + Bass Module doesn't feature built-in Chromecast support.
- Updated Aug 01, 2024: We've updated the pros/cons section of this review. While it can get quite loud, pushing it to its max volume resulted in a speaker breaking, which we consider a con.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad with Bass Module only comes in one color variant 'Gray.' You can see our unit's label here. It's worth mentioning that this is our second unit, as our first unit broke while testing the Max SPL. You can read more about this in Stereo Dynamics. If you encounter another variant of this soundbar, let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad with Bass Module is a system of four discrete speakers that comes with a dedicated subwoofer and control box. It's similar in configuration to the Sony HT-A9 with Bass Module, though the design of the speakers has been changed so that they're flat and rectangular and can more easily be placed on surfaces or wall-mounted. While there are similarities in performance and feature set, there are some trade-offs, too. The Theater Quad has a better default frequency response and a better stereo dynamics performance. While we don't expect most users to do this, pushing the volume to max volume can result in the speaker's malfunctioning, as detailed in the Stereo Dynamics test. While both systems feature HDMI 2.1 compatibility, with 4k passthrough @ 120Hz, the Theater Quad's latency performance leaves a lot to be desired and might require some tweaking of the AV Sync feature. For this reason, the HT-A9 has the edge if you plan on using your setup for gaming.
See our recommendations for the best soundbars, the best Sony soundbars, and the best Dolby Atmos soundbars.
Depending on the types of media you mainly consume, either the Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad with Bass Module or the Sonos Ultimate Immersive Set with Arc Ultra may be a preferable choice, as they each have different strengths. The Sony has a wider stereo soundstage, though this depends on how far apart you place its speakers, and it has better connectivity so you can use it as an entertainment hub, thanks to its HDMI 2.1 In port for passthrough. On the other hand, the Sonos gets louder and doesn't compress as much. It also has a discrete center channel, ensuring dialogue sounds clearer and more accurate out of the box. Both soundbars are fairly evenly matched unless you want the Sony's greater connectivity and slightly better format support, though it's easier to add other speakers by the manufacturer to the Sonos.
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.
The Samsung HW-Q990D and the Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad with Bass Module are both top-of-the-line offerings from their respective manufacturers. The Sony is configured as four discrete speakers with a subwoofer and control box, whereas the Samsung is an 11.1.4 setup with a subwoofer, two satellite speakers, and a more conventional bar at the center. While both setups are good options for a home theater system, the Samsung represents better value. It has a more balanced default frequency response, with more sound enhancement options, plus it can get louder with less compression. The Sony's configuration means that it has a wider, more immersive soundstage, but this comes at the expense of clarity in the center. The Sony is also hampered somewhat by high latency across all connection types, which could prove troublesome for gamers.
The Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad with Bass Module is the successor to the Sony HT-A9 with Bass Module. The most immediate difference is in the design of the discrete speakers. The previous generation's were cylindrical and bulky, while the newer model opts for a sleek, rectangular design with dual-function mounts/stands. The Bass Module (subwoofer) remains the same. While there are similarities in performance and features, there are some trade-offs, too. The Theater Quad has a better default frequency response and a better stereo dynamics performance, which is a great fit for movies. That said, pushing the volume too high can result in the speaker's malfunctioning. While both systems feature HDMI 2.1 compatibility, with 4k passthrough @ 120Hz, the Theater Quad's latency performance isn't the best and might require some tweaking of the AV Sync feature. For this reason, the HT-A9 has the edge if you plan on using your setup for gaming.
Test Results
