The Bravia 9 additionally presents new “Calibration” modes for Amazon Prime and Netflix. The Amazon model makes some attention-grabbing adjustments for various programming, although the Netflix model appeared to largely simply mirror the dimmer Dolby Imaginative and prescient Darkish image mode within the HDR content material I watched.
Largely Strong Digs
The TV is fairly effectively stocked on the characteristic entrance, beginning with audio that rises above the gang. This is likely one of the few TVs the place I don’t thoughts slicing my audio system (with the A95L being one other prime instance). Sound is mostly 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 largely advertising and marketing hype, however it works fairly effectively. At one level, I passively heard all the 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 largely 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 assist for ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) and VRR (Variable Refresh Charge) 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 value, 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 Warfare Ragnarok.
It is irritating that Sony continues to supply HDMI 2.1 assist throughout solely two of the TV’s 4 inputs, in contrast to most TVs at this stage (and under)—particularly since a kind of is for eARC the place you’ll probably join a soundbar or receiver. The TV’s nice sound means some could not add an audio gadget, however the potential have to swap cables for a number of consoles is foolish at this value.
The Bravia 9 additionally omits one of many two essential dynamic HDR codecs, HDR10+, providing solely Dolby Imaginative and prescient. If you happen to can solely decide one, I’d take the extra frequent DV each time however it’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 assist HDR10+, whereas Samsung received’t pay for Dolby Imaginative and prescient.
Sony is extra inclusive on the audio facet, providing each DTS:X and Dolby Atmos assist. Different notable Bravia 9 options embody 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 power weapon as a mini LED laser beam, hanging with white-hot precision. The result’s fabulous distinction blended with next-gen brightness for severe thrills.
Coaching the Bravia 9’s fireplace on one in every of my go-to take a look at movies, Moana, felt like proof of idea for a backlighting system some have clocked at practically 3,000 nits peak brightness (or round double many OLED TVs). I’ve famous earlier than how practical the movie’s Polynesian solar and surf can look with the greatest TVs, however right here issues pushed into the surreal. The solar blazed to close eye-squinting ranges which, when blended with the TV’s quantum dot colours and the stark readability of Sony’s processing, gave me an virtually hallucinatory sensation that I used to be really 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.
