Sony Electronics Raises the Bar for Best-in-Class Surround Sound with New HT-A9 Home Theater System and Flagship HT-A7000 Soundbar

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Jul 20, 2021, 10:00 ET

SAN DIEGO, July 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Electronics Inc. today introduced the premium HT-A9 home theater system and flagship HT-A7000 soundbar, delivering new and revolutionary multi-dimensional sound experiences. Feel the action happening above and from every corner of the living room with innovative surround sound technologies that create an incredibly immersive home theater and soundscape experience for any music, film or gaming content.

Sony Electronics' HT-A9 Home Theater System

Sony Electronics' Flagship HT-A7000 Soundbar

"The A9 and A7000 represent a new and powerful era for Sony's home audio products," said Daisuke Kawaguchi, Vice President of Home Entertainment & Sound, Sony Electronics Inc. "With best-in-class surround sound that boasts unique optimization features, these new products give anyone the ability to create immersive cinematic experiences without ever leaving their living room."

See below for the A9 and A7000's exciting new features, as well as details on optional SA-SW5 and SA-SW3 wireless subwoofers and SA-RS3S wireless rear speakers¹, which add even more bass and wider surround sound.

HT-A9 Home Theater System Key Features:

Sony's Unique 360 Spatial Sound Mapping Technology: Feel sound from every direction and distance with Sony's revolutionary 360 Spatial Sound and Sound Field Optimization. With Sound Field Optimization, the A9 uses dual microphones in each speaker to ingeniously measure their relative height and position. 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology then creates up to twelve "phantom" speakers from just four speakers by synthesizing sound waves based on positional information. Thanks to the phantom speakers, Sony's widest ever sound field fills every part of the living space, so everyone gets the same sound experience, wherever they are in the room.
The A9 also supports Dolby Atmos® and DTS:X®, so users can experience cinematic surround sound from the comfort of their home.
Versatile Layout with Simple Setup: There's no need to rearrange furniture or precisely position the speakers because Sound Field Optimization allows users to place the speakers at different heights and distances. To activate Sound Field Optimization, perform Easy Setup at any time from the TV's home menu.
The A9 home theater system is also ready to go straight out the box - simply plug it in, connect it to the TV using an HDMI® cable and power on². The surround sound system consists of four speakers that are connected wirelessly with the control box, so there are no cables across the living space³.
Innovative Speaker Design: The A9 features Sony's latest Omnidirectional Block Design. The cylindrical shape represents a single solid block providing 360 spatial sound. It fits perfectly against the wall with a flat rear surface and its light pearl grey color is designed to seamlessly blend with interiors.
The inside of the speakers features rectangular X-Balanced Speaker Units to maximize the diaphragm area for richer bass and sound pressure. They also offer a new Wide Directivity Woofer that has reduced cavity effect by minimizing the depth of its concave shape. The speakers' beveled edges help to further reduce sound diffraction.
Immersive Music, Movie and Gaming Capabilities: Enjoy music the way the artists truly intended with High-Resolution Audio and 360 Reality Audio⁴. 360 Reality Audio immerses users in music as if they were right in front of their favorite artist and can be experienced using Amazon Music HD, TIDAL, nugs.net and Deezer. The A9 also features DSEE Extreme™, which restores the high-range sound of compressed digital music in real-time.
Easily access popular music services like Spotify and stream favorite albums and playlists using Chromecast, Apple AirPlay 2 or Spotify Connect⁵. The home theater system also features voice activation and works with both Google Assistant⁶ and Amazon Alexa⁷. In addition, customers can easily add the A9 to their speaker group using the Google Home app. Whether it's used to watch movies or play games, all of the original picture quality is preserved when playing content through the A9. Gaming is also much more thrilling and realistic as the A9 supports the latest formats such as 8K HDR⁸, 4K 120fps passthrough⁹ and Dolby Vision®¹⁰ to create a best-in-class entertainment experience.
Perfect with Sony TVs: Paired with a compatible BRAVIA™ television¹¹, the A9 offers the ultimate immersive audio-visual experience with Sony's best picture and sound quality. With Acoustic Center Sync, the A9 precisely matching where the audio is coming from with what's on the screen for even deeper immersion.

HT-A7000 Soundbar Key Features:

Supreme Surround Sound: The 7.1.2-channel soundbar features two up-firing speakers for overhead sound, two beam tweeters and five front speakers for wider surround and a built-in dual subwoofer for deep bass. Coupled with Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force PRO Front Surround, the A7000 creates virtual surround sound so customers can fully enjoy the thrill of Dolby Atmos® and DTS:X®.
Thanks to Sony's Vertical Surround Engine, the A7000 can position sound in vertical space to create overhead audio without the need for in-ceiling speakers. With S-Force PRO, the soundbar can virtually reproduce the surround sound field, with audio coming from both horizontal directions. Additionally, the A7000's Sound Field Optimization feature utilizes built-in microphones to intelligently measure the height and width of the room, as well as the position of an optional subwoofer and rear speakers, and perfectly optimizes sound to the room's layout.
Immersive Music, Film and Game Quality: Like the A9, the A7000 also features High-Resolution Audio and 360 Reality Audio⁴. 360 Reality Audio immerses listeners in music as if they were directly in front of their favorite artist, and can be experienced using Amazon Music HD, TIDAL, nugs.net and Deezer. The A7000 also features DSEE Extreme™, which restores the high-range sound of compressed digital music in real-time. Easily access popular music services like Spotify and stream favorite albums and playlists using Chromecast, Apply AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect⁵.
Whether it's used to watch dramatic movies or play action-packed games, all of the original picture quality is preserved when playing content through the A7000. It also supports all the latest formats such as 8K HDR, 4K 120fps and Dolby Vision® to create a best-in-class entertainment experience.
Perfect with Sony TVs: Paired with compatible BRAVIA™ televisions¹¹, the A7000 offers the ultimate immersive audio-visual experience with Sony's best picture and sound quality. With BRAVIA Acoustic Center Sync, the A7000 precisely matching where the audio is coming from with what's on the screen. Additionally, when pairing with BRAVIA TVs, the A7000's settings will automatically appear on the BRAVIA TV's Quick Settings Menu and users can control the volume of the soundbar seamlessly with their BRAVIA remote.
Omnidirectional Block Design: The A7000 and optional speakers have been designed under a common Omnidirectional Block Concept for a fully cohesive look. Its sophisticated rounded edges represent a single solid block providing wide-spreading sound. The combination of rich material textures emphasizes an affinity to any living room environment.
Voice Control: The soundbar also features voice activation and works with both Google Assistant⁶ and Amazon Alexa^{12 7}. In addition, customers can easily add the soundbar to their speaker group using the Google Home app.
Seamless Connectivity: Plug in the A7000, connect it to a TV using the HDMI eARC connection and power on – it's as simple as that. With USB, optical and analogue audio in, as well as HDMI in and out (eARC), users have all the connections they need to enjoy a breathtaking surround sound system.

Go Deeper with an Optional Subwoofer and Rear Speaker:
For even deeper bass, add an optional wireless subwoofer. Having two types of subwoofers allows the built-in subwoofers in the A7000 to handle bass and vocals with the optional wireless subwoofer focusing on low range sound in the A9 and A7000. For rich bass, add the SA-SW5 wireless subwoofer with 300W¹³ of deep bass from a 180mm driver with passive radiator. Or, opt for the SA-SW3 wireless subwoofer with 200W¹⁴ of sound from a compact bass reflex subwoofer with a 160mm driver. For even more cinematic thrills, add the SA-RS3S¹ wireless rear speakers with 100W of wider surround sound and wall mount capability.

Pricing and Availability:
The HT-A9 has a suggested retail price of $1,799.99 and will be available to order in September/October 2021 at authorized dealers. For a full list of specs and information, please visit: https://electronics.sony.com/tv-video/tv-video-home-theater-sound-bars/all-home-theater-sound-bars/p/hta9

The HT-A7000 has a suggested retail price of $1,299.99 and will be available to order in September/October 2021 at authorized dealers. For a full list of specs and information, please visit: https://electronics.sony.com/tv-video/tv-video-home-theater-sound-bars/all-home-theater-sound-bars/p/hta7000

The SA-SW5 has a suggested retail price of $699.99 and will be available to order in September/October 2021 at authorized dealers. For a full list of specs and information, please visit: https://electronics.sony.com/tv-video/tv-video-home-theater-sound-bars/all-home-theater-sound-bars/p/sasw5

The SW-SW3 has a suggested retail price of $399.99 and will be available to order in September/October 2021 at authorized dealers. For a full list of specs and information, please visit: https://electronics.sony.com/tv-video/tv-video-home-theater-sound-bars/all-home-theater-sound-bars/p/sasw3

The SA-RS3S has a suggested retail price of $349.99 and will be available to order in September/October 2021 at authorized dealers. For a full list of specs and information, please visit: https://electronics.sony.com/tv-video/tv-video-home-theater-sound-bars/all-home-theater-sound-bars/p/sars3s

About Sony Electronics Inc.
Sony Electronics is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America and an affiliate of Sony Group Corporation, one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world, with a portfolio that encompasses electronics, music, motion pictures, mobile, gaming, robotics and financial services. Headquartered in San Diego, California, Sony Electronics is a leader in electronics for the consumer and professional markets. Operations include research and development, engineering, sales, marketing, distribution and customer service. Sony Electronics creates products that innovate and inspire generations, such as the award-winning Alpha Interchangeable Lens Cameras and revolutionary high-resolution audio products. Sony is also a leading manufacturer of end-to-end solutions from 4K professional broadcast and A/V equipment to industry leading 4K and 8K Ultra HD TVs. Visit http://www.sony.com/news for more information.


¹ Only compatible with HT-A7000.
² With LAN, HDMI IN and HDMI OUT (eARC) you can enjoy a spatial surround sound experience.
³ Each speaker unit requires AC power outlet.
⁴ Requires download of Sony \| Music Center app. 360 Reality Audio requires subscription to compatible online music service and third-party terms, conditions, account and fees may apply. Compatible services may not be available in certain countries/regions. Please visit www.sony.net/360RA/ to check compatibility of the application and the service.
⁵ Apple Airplay is a registered trademark of Apple. Spotify is a registered trademark of Spotify AB. All other marks are properties of their respective owners.
⁶ Google, Google Home and all related logos are a trademark of Google LLC. The Google Assistant is not available in all languages and countries/regions. User must connect to a Google account to use, including voice to activate linked apps.
⁷ Amazon Alexa and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Amazon Alexa is available in select languages and countries/regions. Amazon Alexa enabled devices (sold separately). Amazon account required. Subscriptions may be required to access certain content. Compatible devices require internet connection. Compatibility available via firmware update.
⁸ 8K: 7,680 x 4,320 pixels. Requires HDR compatible content from supported streaming services or HDR compatible content device connected via HDMI input (sold sep).
⁹ Game title supporting 4K/120fps and/or VRR required.
¹⁰ Dolby Vision content compatible with streaming services or compatible content device connected via HDMI input (sold sep).
¹¹ BRAVIA Acoustic Center sync mode works with the Z9J series, A90J series, A80J and X95J series.
¹² Requires firmware Ver1.1 or above.
¹³ Power output and total harmonic distortion: measured at 2 ohms, from 28 -200 Hz; rated 130 W, minimum RMS power, with no more than 1% total harmonic distortion from 250 mW to rated output. Power output (reference) 300 W (at 2 ohms, 100 Hz).
¹⁴ Power output and total harmonic distortion; measured at 2 ohms, from 28 - 200 Hz; rated 130 W, minimum RMS power, with no more than 1% total harmonic distortion from 250 mW to rated output. Power output 200 W (at 2 ohms, 100 Hz).