The Bravia 9 additionally presents new “Calibration” modes for Amazon Prime and Netflix. The Amazon model makes some fascinating modifications for various programming, although the Netflix model appeared to principally simply mirror the dimmer Dolby Imaginative and prescient Darkish image mode within the HDR content material I watched.
Principally Strong Digs
The TV is fairly properly stocked on the function entrance, beginning with audio that rises above the gang. This is among the few TVs the place I don’t thoughts slicing my audio system (with the A95L being one other prime instance). Sound is usually full and clear with out getting tremendous tinny. There’s some noticeable soundstage motion, and even results like explosions come out all proper.
I assumed Sony’s new Voice Zoom 3 dialog booster was principally advertising hype, but it surely works fairly properly. At one level, I passively heard the complete story of a Sylvester Stallone anecdote in Guardians of the Galaxy Quantity 2 which I’d missed in about 7,000 earlier viewings, together with with soundbars and audio system. Dialog remained principally clear and out entrance over a number of days, even when issues bought chaotic.
As anticipated, you may get the newest gaming options, together with help for ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) and VRR (Variable Refresh Fee) at as much as 120 Hz by way of HDMI 2.1. There’s a devoted gaming mode for fast changes and PS5 optimization options like Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Style Image Mode. I’m no aggressive gamer, and a few have famous that the TV’s enter response is comparatively excessive for its worth, however I adored taking part in my favourite RPGs. The shading, the colours, and the general brightness introduced the very best out of video games like God of Conflict Ragnarok.
It is irritating that Sony continues to supply HDMI 2.1 help throughout solely two of the TV’s 4 inputs, not like most TVs at this stage (and beneath)—particularly since a kind of is for eARC the place you’ll doubtless join a soundbar or receiver. The TV’s nice sound means some might not add an audio system, however the potential have to swap cables for a number of consoles is foolish at this worth.
The Bravia 9 additionally omits one of many two major dynamic HDR codecs, HDR10+, providing solely Dolby Imaginative and prescient. For those who can solely decide one, I’d take the extra frequent DV each time but it surely’d be good to get each as you’ll discover in midrange fashions from TCL and Hisense. That’s surprisingly frequent proper now; LG and Panasonic TVs do not help HDR10+, whereas Samsung gained’t pay for Dolby Imaginative and prescient.
Sony is extra inclusive on the audio aspect, providing each DTS:X and Dolby Atmos help. Different notable Bravia 9 options embrace AirPlay 2 and Chromecast streaming, and Google Voice search by way of the distant’s built-in microphone.
Sensibly Surreal
The Bravia 9 is an unadulterated brightness powerhouse. But, with Sony’s measured hand on the wheel, it doles out its energy judiciously, offering subtlety the place warranted and dazzlement when the second strikes. Using a brand new proprietary system that dims its backlighting with spectacular accuracy, this TV is much less a blunt pressure weapon as a mini LED laser beam, placing with white-hot precision. The result’s fabulous distinction combined with next-gen brightness for critical thrills.
Coaching the Bravia 9’s hearth on one among my go-to take a look at movies, Moana, felt like proof of idea for a backlighting system some have clocked at almost 3,000 nits peak brightness (or round double many OLED TVs). I’ve famous earlier than how real looking the movie’s Polynesian solar and surf can look with the finest TVs, however right here issues pushed into the surreal. The solar blazed to close eye-squinting ranges which, when combined with the TV’s quantum dot colours and the stark readability of Sony’s processing, gave me an nearly hallucinatory sensation that I used to be truly on the seaside with Moana and Maui. Different scenes just like the glittering golden crab or the molten lava monster rose to exhilarating new heights as the sunshine appeared to just about bore via the panel.
