Linus Tech Tips Upgrades Home Theater Audio to Wired System, Comparing Sony HT-A9 Wireless to Sony AV Receiver with SVS Speakers

Linus Tech Tips

Summary:

Linus details his ongoing frustration with the Sony HT-A9 wireless surround sound system, which, despite its impressive spatial audio and flexibility, suffers from persistent wireless audio dropouts and cracking. This unreliability prompts an upgrade to a traditional wired home theater setup. The new system includes a Sony STR-AZ5000ES AV receiver, SVS Prime Satellite and Elevation speakers, and an SVS 3000 Micro subwoofer. The video covers the challenging installation process, including running wires and calibrating the new system, which utilizes the TV as a center channel. A comparison reveals that while the HT-A9 offered slightly better sound positioning, the new wired system provides superior clarity, significantly deeper bass, and crucially, reliable, uninterrupted audio, making it a preferred "side-grade" despite the increased cost and effort.

The Persistent Problem with Wireless Home Audio [0:00]

Linus expresses ongoing dissatisfaction with the audio setup in his family room, citing issues like echoing hardwood floors, challenging speaker placement, and an angled room.

• The Sony HT-A9 wireless surround sound system, despite its advanced 360 spatial sound mapping technology and microphone-equipped speakers designed to adapt to any room, suffered from consistent wireless audio cut-outs and cracking.

  

• After over a year of issues, including a failed firmware update, Linus decides to abandon the wireless system in favor of a wired setup for reliability.

  

Evaluating the Sony HT-A9 System [1:24]

The HT-A9 system had notable advantages but critical flaws.

• Pros of HT-A9:
  • Aesthetically pleasing design.
  • Surprisingly good sound quality, especially considering the difficult room acoustics.
  • Exceptional flexibility in placement and renter-friendly due to its wireless nature.
  • When functional, it delivered a genuinely great and unique surround sound experience.
• Cons of HT-A9:
  • The fundamental issue was the unreliable wireless audio, leading to cut-outs and a ruined movie experience.
  • A major design flaw was the lack of an option to connect speakers via wires, which would have resolved the connectivity problems.

    

• Initial Audio Demonstration (HT-A9): An audio demo using a Head and Torso Simulator (HATS) showcased the HT-A9's impressive surround sound capabilities when it was working correctly.

  

The Transition to a Wired System: Components and Challenges [3:25]

Sony provided a new AV receiver, the STR-AZ5000ES, which claims to feature similar 360 spatial sound mapping technology, but designed for traditional wired speakers.

• New Components:
  • Sony STR-AZ5000ES AV Receiver.

    

  • SVS Prime Satellite Speakers.

    

  • SVS Prime Elevation Speakers (for height channels).

    

  • SVS 3000 Micro Sealed Subwoofer (compact yet powerful).

    

• Installation Challenges:
  • The room's angled walls and architectural features made running wires and placing speakers discreetly difficult.
  • The "Wife Approval Factor" was a significant consideration, particularly for placing ceiling-mounted height speakers.

    

  • Jamie Pilkey, an LMG Inventory Master and former Geek Squad Technician, assisted with the installation.
  • Solutions involved using thin cable channels that blend with the wall to hide wires.

    

    

  • Accidental damage to drywall occurred during installation.
• Speaker Placement:
  • Front and surround speakers were positioned.
  • Height speakers (SVS Prime Elevations) were planned for ceiling installation, firing downwards.
• Center Channel: The Sony A95K QD-OLED 65" TV was integrated as the center channel, a feature supported by this specific TV model, allowing speaker wires to connect directly to the receiver.

Calibrating the New Wired Setup [12:05]

The calibration process for the new receiver was more involved than plug-and-play.

• Multi-Point Calibration: The receiver used an included microphone for room correction, requiring measurements from two different positions in the listening area for its 360 spatial sound mapping.

  

  • The Sony STR-AZ5000ES AV receiver costs $2,099.99 USD.

    

  • Room measurements, including distance from the screen and screen height, were manually entered into the system.

    

• Speaker Configuration:
  • The TV was selected as the center speaker.
  • The system allowed for "phantom surround back" speakers, simulating rear audio despite no physical speakers being present in the back.

    

  • It also offered options to optimize frequency characteristics based on Sony's listening room profile, with the "Engineer" setting replicating Sony's developed listening room.

    

• Manual Adjustments:
  • The auto-calibration initially set all speakers to "large," which means bass is not routed to the subwoofer. This was manually corrected to "small" for all speakers to ensure optimal bass performance from the subwoofer.

    

  • The crossover frequency was manually set to 70-80Hz, slightly above the speakers' rated minimum frequency response (e.g., 69Hz for Prime Satellites).

    

    

Performance Comparison and Conclusion [16:49]

After calibration, the new system underwent testing and a direct comparison with the old HT-A9.

• New System Audio Demo: The new system provided a more immersive and smoother sound experience, with convincing virtual rear effects, despite the absence of physical rear speakers.
• Top Gun Maverick Demo: Highlighted the excellent immersion but also revealed a slightly weak center channel from the TV, suggesting a dedicated center speaker might be beneficial.
• Blind Listening Test: Linus correctly identified the HT-A9 as having better sound positioning (due to its native 360 mapping), but overall preferred the new system.
• Frequency Response Analysis:
  • A graph comparing the frequency response showed the new system (green line) had significantly better bass extension (reaching down to 25Hz compared to 40Hz for the HT-A9, red line).
  • The new system also exhibited slightly improved treble and a frequency response curve that was closer to the target (dotted white line) across the spectrum, indicating a "really well balanced" sound.

    

• Final Verdict:
  • While the HT-A9 offered superior sound correction and positioning when it worked, its unreliability (audio cut-outs) was a critical failure.
  • The new wired system delivered enhanced clarity, dramatically better bass, and, most importantly, consistent, uninterrupted audio.
  • Linus considers the switch a successful "side-grade," prioritizing reliability and overall sound quality over the HT-A9's theoretical positioning advantage, even if it meant higher cost and more installation effort. The effectiveness of the virtual rear channels in the new system was a pleasant surprise.