Newsletter
Sony today announced its lineup of 2024 soundbars, which includes the Bravia Theater U, Bravia Theater Bar 8, 9, and Bravia Theater Quad—offering something for everyone at just about every price.
The new flagship sound system from Sony is the Bravia Theater Quad. This is a surround sound system that brings movies to life. The design fits in just about any space and includes 16 total speakers and heart-pounding bass. There is also an optional subwoofer that does not come with the Theater Quad but can be purchased separately.
The Bravia Theater Quad is expected to go on sale in Spring 2024, with a retail price of $2,499.
Bravia Theater Bar 8 and 9
The Bravia Theater Bar 8 and Theater Bar 9 are pretty similar, aside from their size. The Bravia Theater Bar 8 comes with 11 speakers and will transform any space into a movie theater. While the Bravia Theater Bar 9 has 13 speakers inside, it is excellent for a larger room with a larger-screen TV.
Both the Bravia Theater Bar 8 and 9, along with the Quad, all support Sony’s proprietary 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology, which provides multiple phantom speakers in locations even when no physical speakers are present. It’s optimized for a specific home setting, with a wide sound field that surrounds listeners with audio from various directions, mirroring the cinema experience, with no installation needed.
Sony says that both the Bravia Theater 8 and 9 will be available in Spring 2024, with prices starting at $999 and $1,399, respectively.
Bravia Theater U
The Bravia Theater U isn’t a soundbar in the most traditional sense. This is a speaker that you can wear, and it sounds really good. I got the chance to check it out last month with Sony, and it’s really impressive. The user wearing the Theater U can hear the sound perfectly fine, but those around that person don’t hear it as much. And that’s by design. This is meant for someone who wants to watch TV, maybe play some Call of Duty on PlayStation 5 in bed without waking their partner.
Bravia Theater U is expected to go on sale in the Spring of 2024 and be priced at $299.
