Sony SA-RS5 surround speakers REVIEW & HT-A7000 Soundbar update

[@crunchyfrog555]

Matt, I've a lot to thank you for. Not so much pushing me to go after my Minidsc love more, and 8 track too, and generally giving more love to older media, but for offering reviews like this for stuf I want to play around with. For good or ill, you hit that niche of us older people who have had older tech and want to play nice with newer tech too. You've saved me considerable time fiddling around with research . Now, if you don't mind, I have an 8 track recorder to fix :)

[@S7EVE_P]

Must make movie nights so good. I like the modular design of this and the fact Sony keep improving this system.

[@TRUMP_2024_PREZ]

A90J + PS5 + A7000 + SUB + RS5 = 3D A/V PARADISE 🔊😃

[@TRUMP_2024_PREZ]

NOT JUST MOVIE NIGHT....BUT EVERYTHING AND WORTH EVERY PENNY 🔊🤑

[@joshdimovski4483]

@@TRUMP_2024_PREZ are your rs5 speakers playing low volume compared to the front . I can barely hear 360 a surround with music and movies. Should i be doing the manual speaker settings to try and improve ???

[@TRUMP_2024_PREZ]

@@joshdimovski4483 NO COMMENT ❓️

[@joshdimovski4483]

@@TRUMP_2024_PREZ 😂

[@RCAvhstape]

As someone who watches movies on my laptop, I doubt I'll ever be in the market for this kind of stuff, but I will faithfully watch every Techmoan video on the subject, just in case.

[@NicholasPaulFranks]

The perfect compliment!

[@mrd5024]

The elephant in the room of KZbin are the "tech" reviews that are just ads. Thank goodness for Techmoan

[@stockicide]

I'm glad that people find reviews like this useful, but I'm just happy to see Mat enjoying his new setup.

[@stephengreen6338]

Matt, you have nothing to apologise for, or to anyone, your reviews are always balance, fair, whether good or bad. Has you explained comprehensively, everyone s situation is going to be different, you got what suited you , and thanks as always for your opinion, and I think you have a point about people who don't want to feel they have an inferior product, your reviews and honest opinion will always be my go to place, good health to you.

[@markjames8664]

Thank for all of this info. We are in US but don’t have one of those enormous rooms, so your setup is a lot more like what I would have if I bought this. And the battery powered rear speakers would be quite useful as our old house doesn’t have a lot of outlets and I’d like to avoid having extension cords trailing everywhere.

[@Safetytrousers]

@@lucasrem Like other comments have said, if you think soundbars are 'crap' you have not heard the good ones.

[@Ojisan642]

I bought this system based on your original review and I’ve been quite happy with it. I have a Sony 77” TV and one of those large American living rooms with a high ceiling. I think the sound for home theater has been fantastic, but the one thing that has been a bit lacking is just playing music, it doesn’t seem to have that room filling sound when I’m not sitting on the couch in the middle of all the speakers. So I may end up buying these just since they’re putting out additional power with a wider frequency range.

[@fluxquantations]

Some great points that I wish didn't have to be made in this video, like how some of us have small spaces where a soundbar makes the most sense.

[@simonrussell4986]

Yep. I'm lucky enough to have a dedicated room for making noise/watching movies, and my small front room doesn't need rafts of equipment. For many, a soundbar is the perfect upgrade over (appalling) stock TV speakers. 20 years ago there was a hi-fi system, speakers and a bulky CRT in the corner. Now, just a screen on the wall, wi-fi and a soundbar.

[@mattbilderback6168]

Weather it's something from 1922 or 2022 it is always nice to get a "visit" from you. You're videos are informative and entertaining, however it is you that truly sets them apart. You're attitude that every one is entitled to their own opinion and none are wrong or right is refreshing in today's world. Thank you for being the person that you are. And for sharing your hobbies with us.

[@veb6814]

I can remember when they first started coming out with Dolby surround and how awesome it was . Looking back now it was pretty basic lol . But for the time it was cool!

[@thesteelrodent1796]

the demos of Pro Logic when it came out were all spectacular for a home audio system, but compared to proper Dolby Digital it was really underwhelming. And since DVD were designed for Dolby Digital it's only natural that Pro Logic was shortlived. Once you've experienced proper surround it's very difficult to watch movies with basic 2 channel stereo; they just don't sound right.

[@rBennich]

@@thesteelrodent1796 Wouldn't it be nice if there was a real-time software decoder for pro logic? It's the only format that just ends up in stereo if you play it on a PC or Mac. If you don't re-route everything through a receiver.

[@KevReillyUK]

@@thesteelrodent1796 Try explaining that to my wife. "We don't need extra boxes and wires," and then, ten minutes into the movie, "What did he say? Why is everything so unclear in modern films?" 😉 It's all relative, compared to what you're used to. Everything sounds fine until you hear something better. I remember getting my first stereo VHS deck, early 90s, and having a work colleague dismiss it as a pointless novelty. "Stereo is for music," he scoffed. "Why would I want it on the TV?" So I took my VCR to his house, hooked it up to his hi-fi and his telly, and played the submarine crash sequence from The Abyss. Next day he went out and bought a stereo VCR. (To be fair that is one terrifically sound-edited scene. I just re-watched it on KZbin and it still sounds amazing even through a pair of PC speakers.)

[@andrewmcewan9145]

@@thesteelrodent1796 I mean prologic 1 with the single rear with a smaller frequency range and no lfe channel vs DD is probably pritty noticeable. But going from PLII (5.1) or PLIIx (7.1) (compressed to a stereo signal) to a pure dd signal on the same system would probably be hard for a avrage person to pick out. There is another verson of prologic PLIIz that adds hight to the front from a stereo source. So a 7.2.1 from 2 rca cables. I really haven't seen anything use this yet. Also never herd the sound quality so I cant comment. But we have to be close to running out of bandwirh. For people looking for a cheep speeker upgrade for there pc I can highly recommend grabbing a PLII recever and going 5.1 that way. The native windows audio driver has support for PLII called virtual sorround. If your sound card does not have digital out. I believe this also works with the apple dongle for a super cheep setup.

[@Devo_gx]

@@KevReillyUK That would be like people not thinking they needed a subwoofer until you showed them U-571. Oh MAN was that an experience!

[@Jmcinally94]

I think Sony's wireless speakers are really coming along nicely. Soundbars are becoming more and more popular for smaller spaces and wireless rear speakers are quite a handy combination if you're looking for sleak, plug and play options. Now we just have to wait for the prices to come down out of the enthusiast range and into the general consumer budget 😬

[@TRUMP_2024_PREZ]

$600 IS NOTTING TO ME...LOL

[@TorstenLif]

@@TRUMP_2024_PREZ Let me guess - you live in NOTTING Hill?😁

[@Balthazare69]

I just realised im watching this channel over 6 years, time flies really fast!!! I even remember the first video i watched in here "Retro-tech: When HD movies came on VHS" 😄😄😄

[@equinoxe3d]

It's just a shame the battery couldn't be disconnected/removed IMO. It would make more sense to me to offer the batteries as optional add-ons (clipping on the bottom of the speakers maybe) than having one inside going to waste in a permanent plugged-in installation.

[@OrenCollaco97]

I'm sure Sony has considered that most people will be using it plugged in so if it detects that the speaker is plugged for a certain days ( a week maybe), the firmware will automatically keep the battery at a lower charge level (85%?) to sustain the battery health. Just storing the battery at this charge level pretty much prevents affecting the life too much.

[@mrrandomperson3106]

@@OrenCollaco97 It would still have made more sense to do something like selling a model without batteries.

[@MarkGodfrey73]

@@OrenCollaco97 good idea Oren, hope Sony firmware coders are reading this

[@rastislavzima]

Agree. It is mainly environmental issue to produce something that is not used at all, especially because the source of lithium is limited and afterwards it contributes to the waste.

[@joshuaewalker]

At least when your dog or cat knocks the power brick away from the wall socket behind the couch you won't lose sound in the middle of your movie or show.

[@n.s.3812]

Looks similar to the speakers in the Sony HT-A9. I swapped my entire A7000 out for the A9 system (honestly expecting to return it) and was just floored. It honestly might sound better (for home theater, not music) than my full Atmos setup that cost at least 10x the price of the Sony. Incredibly what they’re able to do now

[@spaceodds1985]

Was always interested in seeing these A9 in action

[@n.s.3812]

@@spaceodds1985 and I even have no problem admitting I'm an audio-snob lol, so I'm quick to criticize soundbars or any kind of "hifi in a box" type system (this includes the A9). I have one in the bedroom only because it's an upgrade from built in tv speakers, and then the living room I just wanted... something good enough that the wife would approve of, but also sounded good enough (I didn't want to be at a point where I'd refuse to watch up there or anywhere other than my home theater), but never in my life did I expect to find anything that actually sounded genuinely great in that kind of form factor. I considered getting the Nakamichi only because my dad has one and it wasn't awful. And "not awful" was what I previously thought was going to be the best I could get without getting separates, 7+ speakers, room treatment, etc. Anyway, I know this isn't much a review, but I thought it was at least worth sharing that I'm "that" guy - the obnoxious audio guy that hates almost everything and is impossible to please lol, and the ht-a9 genuinely has me impressed, to where I often even choose to watch in that room over my main system because it handles Atmos *that* well

[@TRUMP_2024_PREZ]

I LOVE MY NEW SONY A7000 SOUNDBAR WITH 83" A90J OLED...PERFECT MATCH 🔊🖥

[@joshdimovski4483]

I found that the HT a9 performed better with music than the HT a7000 with rs5s rears. The HT a9 plays music louder from the back and sounds more balanced .

[@ntube7]

The A9 speakers are much larger than the RS5 rear speakers.

[@ScylesTheDespaired]

"Well, they can _actually_ shut their face this time" The sudden savagery caught me off guard, but those little moments of your humor and personality are part of what make your commentaries great lol Great work as always!

[@CantankerousDave]

Hah, nothing will ever shut up the “you’re enjoying it wrong” corner of the internet.

[@jamesangell6027]

Really appreciate how thorough this review was and how the person reviewing them was just your average Joe consumer like most of us and bought them. Most reviews are made on big budget channels where they’re gifted the product and give a glowing review. I’m happy with the authenticity of this man’s opinions and believe they’ll be a nice addition to my HT-A9000 soundbar 😃

[@alb8758]

Another review of a product I expect I will never have a use for, but I enjoy your presentation and just find your videos entertaining. Thanks for keeping it up.

[@Bu11etSp0ng3]

I bought the HT-A7000 after your no-nonsense review. Was really impressed with the system over my old 5.1 setup. By the time I purchased mine, they had already announced the RS5 rears but they were still not available. I haven't really been watching for it, but it seems I'm going to be making this upgrade soon enough lol. Thanks Techmoan!

[@tentotwo8290]

I’m just glad I haven’t fallen down into this Rabbit hole of surround sound technology. Nice to know it is out there if I fancy it. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@thedddemon]

Saturday morning Techmoan is reassuring pleasure. Cheers

[@driver8sk]

The critics aren't taking into account that purchasing a component system that sounds this good isn't cheap either. Beyond the electronics, you're running cable, cutting/patching holes in walls, buying AV furniture to house said equipment, and many hours/days installing.

[@Devo_gx]

….and then tweaking everything so it’s juuuuuuust right. Soundbars are convenient for sure and have gotten a lot better.

[@TRUMP_2024_PREZ]

@@Devo_gx I NEVER THOUGHT SUBWOOFERS ON A SOUNDBAR COULD SOUND SO INSANE....LIKE THE A7000 🔊😃

[@leew8812]

Hit the nail on the head there with peoples search for positive affirmation.

[@seanpquinn]

OMG, thank you! I have an LG Atmos soundbar that used to turn on and off with my LG TV. It worked perfectly until earlier this year. Since then I now have to walk up to the TV and turn it both on and off. I’ve gone through the setup again, checked the settings, turned things on and off, and finally just unplugged everything for half an hour and nothing has helped. It was a firmware update to my OLED all along? I don’t know how to feel. It’s great that I finally know what has been causing the problem, but it’s been so long I’m thinking there will never be a fix. At least I know I’m not crazy!

[@coffeekatk4067]

Updates are supposed to help not hinder! I hold off on updates for my Sony 4k just for that reason! Let em' sort out the bugs first!

[@nickwallette6201]

I have never updated the firmware on my TV. I don’t use the network features, and I have always assumed that they would just as likely break stuff that worked as fix anything that didn’t. It seems to work more or less as expected now, and without a rollback option, I think that’s just where I’ll stay.

[@guyh3403]

That's the exact reason why I don't allow my WebOS to auto-update. My tv is still running stock firmware and everything is working as it should. So why update?

[@faaarmer]

Same here!! That explains so much.

[@kingkobra1956]

Yes, updates will whack out your system. I had my soundbar system so totally whacked out by a Nvidia update that I had to do a factory reset. Since that incident I have disabled the auto update on the Shield so I won't have any unwanted surprises and allows me to update when I choose. I also disconnect my soundbar before updating. The last update only created about 5 minutes of sound issues before they dissipated by having the soundbar disconnected beforehand. Do yourself a favor and disconnect everything before updating because it will save you from having unwanted issues to solve.

[@Dave_Potter]

As always, it's a pleasure watching

[@duskonanyavarld1786]

I agree.

[@hrothgar014]

I like you’re observation where you mention people are looking for affirmation through reviews rather than information. And then taking a not-positive review as a personal attack. You’re not entitled to your opinion unless it matches up with mine!

[@ExplosiveAction]

I can appreciate entirely fiddling with speaker upgrades to get the perfect movie watching experience. I haven't really dug into this level of setup since the early days of DVD, buying my Denon amp and Energy speakers as a bachelor. These days my movie watching is relegated to the den, so a soundbar upgrade over the tv internal speaker should be on my agenda

[@olik136]

Same- I personally find it a bit exhausting and too expensive to keep up to date with "home theater" stuff.. so I have gone back to just one amp with two good big stereo speakers- which I can turn up a lot and get a nice room filling sound- I personally like that better than a soundbar

[@woodhonky3890]

@@olik136 That's how I roll.

[@Techmoan]

@Allan Pape - and that's where the bloody big sub woofer comes in.

[@Techmoan]

If I were you I wouldn't judge a product that you've never heard in person - but that's just me. Each to their own.

[@billysears3462]

I recently bought a Sony bravia xr77 A84k with the HT-A7000. Both are great pieces of kit. I've been looking at these rear speakers. Now I'm going to make a purchase. A little Christmas present to myself. Thankyou for the review.

[@familyguy0398]

@1:35 looks like you're getting a really clean signal for a video shot in 2021. Very impressive!

[@redhonu]

What would be really cool, is if you could use these speaker like Sonos speakers, where you put them in separate rooms and you can listen too music (synced or different on each speaker) and when you want to watch a movie, you unplug them, bring them to your TV and have a great surround setup.

[@hamadajazaiery1515]

After years of having subscribed to your channel I can say I trust your reviews much more than others, sounds lie we have the same taste of hearing 👍🏻 THANKS for your great advices and your works.

[@dsr0116]

I've got a large speaker system with true heights with my home theater system. In my bedroom, I had stereo bookshelves and small LCD TV until I decided to get a wall mounted OLED. The bookshelves then where behind the TV and just weren't performing well, so I looked at soundbars. I decided on the Samsung HW-Q950A. I've heard other speaker systems with upfiring Dolby Atmos, and I've never found them to be as good with sounds being overhead as my 4 height speakers. Same is true for my Samsung. It's advertised as 11.4.1. It has side firing drivers in its rear surrounds, as well as the upfiring and forward firing. After speaker calibration, I do find that the reflective technology of the system is good about having a seamless 360 pan all around your head. I'm not complaining too much that I don't get a sense of heights as much....since it is mainly used for watching shows and I'm more concerned with dialogue. I would say the Samsungs are good with creating a sound field. I would assume the Sonys have bigger drivers and can sound fuller by themselves (apart from relying on a subwoofer).

[@PattyKuluCakes]

I have the same Sony system, and I agree; there are not many movies out there that throw sound upwards, so most movies almost sound like stereo with the occasional rear sounds.

[@TheWarmestFuzzy]

Blade runner 2046 is my go to any time I'm testing out any new Atmos gear. Any scene works as the audio mix remains the best spacial audio mix I've ever heard. But! I'd really recommend the bee scene from the moment K gets out of the spinner. It's amazing. It's such an uncomfortable moment as it feels like there are bees actually swarming all around you. I know Atmos is still a gimmick to many, but what 2046 accomplishes with audio is mind-blowing.

[@kenshinesca]

The movie I watched took place in 2049 :)

[@Hound87]

It’s an odd situation I find myself in….. I have absolutely zero interest in Sony SA-RS5s, couldn’t care less… yet I still sit here wasting my time watching this video in full, why? I guess I just like your style, I like this channel and I like these videos, and at times your comments crack me up!! Keep up the great work, keep wasting my time… I love it! Thanks as always, for the great content you provide.

[@SkiBumMSP]

I am really liking these Techmoan videos now that I have discovered them. Matt is about the same age as myself, and I can very much relate to what he is saying and presenting in these videos as I have also grown up with much of the same experiences. I ended up subscribing to this channel as well. First, I did watch the original video when he reviewed that Sony HT-A7000 soundbar setup and I do remember when he mentioned how he wished there was an option for the rear surrounds to have the Dolby Atmos up-firing speakers and I was thinking (and about to reply) "Dude, there is an option", only to find this video when he did indeed get the SA-RS5 speakers. As far as the whole soundbar vs seperates/discreet speaker setup, it really does come down to what works best for the individual. As nice as that Sony setup is, it will not be replacing my 7.2.4 Klipsch RF-7/Marantz Pre-Pro/Emotiva Amps setup with dual subwoofers (for you U.K. denizens, I have a REL Storm III subwoofer in my rig). However, for my father, a soundbar setup is perfect for him (he has an LG setup, but don't recall the exact model) and it sounds plenty good enough for what he does with it. Still, awesome seeing an honest review of a really good high-end Sony soundbar setup by somebody that is actually using for personal purposes and not just reviewing some review sample provided by the manufacture for the sake of putting a review out there. It really does seem like the perfect solution for Matt's particular needs and his particular room setup. Well done and enjoy your new audio setup! Also, pretty kick-ass that Matt has the exact same TV that I have!

[@robotonwheels2551]

I appreciate that you mention people with smaller rooms and/or budgets to consider. Many positive reviews just focus on ‘here’s where you put it, it’s worth the price, go buy it’ when most consumers should probably consider their own lifestyle as a factor.

[@XMarkxyz]

I went to the theatre to watch Dune because other than the visual I knew the audio would've been a treat and indeed it was spectacular, I think it would be a great way to test this sorround system, and also I would like to have one just for movies like this

[@TheOriginalNCDV]

I've been using separate speakers for years, but I'm thinking of throwing it all out for a simpler, cleaner sound bar solution. This looks perfect.

[@MINKIN2]

Don't do it. They just sound wierd after using a full 5.1 system. The sound just comes from the one direction.

[@Techmoan]

Seems some people completely missed the point. @ncdv47 Buy what works for you - in your situation. Don’t care what some irrelevant randomer on the internet thinks you should buy. They don’t live your life or live in your house. They don’t earn your money for you and so they have no say in how you should spend it.

[@TheOriginalNCDV]

@@Techmoan Indeed! I'm moving to a new house soon so would like to be rid of the cable clutter that comes with the 5.1 system I have. Sure, I could go the hard route of burying cables under floors and in walls, but it's just too much faff. Need something a little more minimalist and easier to manage that can still sound good!

[@Thunderhawk8472]

@@TheOriginalNCDV that’s exactly what I been doing. I moved to a new house and just had no interest in all those cables everywhere. So I went from a 6.1 system to the HT-A7000 with the SA-SW3 Sub to start and it’s just so easy and convenient to install and use plus I can run that always without having to worry about high electricity costs here in in Germany compared to what my receiver and 6.1 setup used. I’m still unsure about these rear speakers since I don’t want to pay for the battery I will never ever use but I guess I have to

[@russellhltn1396]

@@Techmoan What does this soundbar system sound like if you're not sitting on the couch? Such as playing music while puttering around? I'm wondering if all this optimization falls apart unless you're in the small listening zone it's been optimized for. Understanding this would help people pick thing right setup for them.

[@Karreth]

I got an old 5.1 NAD system used and put some old, small speakers behind my sofa and mounted a spare center speaker I had above/behind the TV. I've been perfectly happy with that, it's been a good upgrade. But then, this is just an extra for me. I only rarely watch movies where it makes a difference. I am happy that you're happy with your system. Like you say, though, I've just prioritised my money elsewhere.

[@riz94107]

You are, consistently, someone whose perspective i enjoy and trust. I am definitely not the sort of person to drop that kind of money on a system, but it's fun to hear about. Also, jerks on the internet are jerks.

[@johnsherwood2306]

Thank you Matt, I am really impressed by your casual yet informative presentation. You cover everything without it sounded scripted or rehearsed, and I feel like we are just having a nice chat in your living room. Please keep these coming, we all look forward to seeing your next one. John from Niagara Falls Canada

[@hadibq]

I like the relevance of the review and putting the context as well. Plus we know more about the options available nowadays without any intent to buy them...

[@ultimatezeldafan101]

Looking good as always. Keep up the good work, Mr Techmoan.

[@Aar69]

We love you, Mr Techmoan

[@AbhishekGupta-uu3uy]

i had been searching videos on RS5 so when you posted ur review youtube algo put it in front of me today .. very nicely paced and detailed review .. an equivalent 7.1.4 AV system at today's price would run you even more than what you paid for sound bar setup so you don't need to feel guilty for the spend .. I believe every year sound bar companies are bridging the sound quality gap between them and traditional AV systems if we stay at the same price

[@totalplonker824]

I've had several soundbars and a surround sound package but it was only when I purchased an budget AVR and a pair of budget stereo speakers that I realised what I had been missing (stereo imaging, thumping base) besides going down this route one can always add to it overtime! subwoofer, surround speakers you could even get height speakers to get the full 'non-virtual' Dolby Atmos experience. Nowadays AVRs are so simple to setup, they even walk you through the process! "Remember movies are made up of 50% visuals and 50% audio and there are occasions when the audio out does the visuals"

[@MrNeilypops]

I ripped a lot of that stuff out of my house a few years back. I find that my recent TV has decent enough sound for most of my usage. I don't watch many movies... I don't game... I do stream a lot of world wide channels in HD/FHD...I do like minimal kit these days. ❤

[@srwapo]

The mention about how rarely stuff like this is used is why I've stuck with a 2.1 sound system. My last few places aren't shaped well enough to handle rear speakers and mostly I just have KZbin on in the background. Heck, I'm at 2.0 right now as I'm renting the 2nd floor of a house and don't want a big sub banging on my neighbor's ceiling.

[@Safetytrousers]

Q Acoustics 3070S is a suitably small subwoofer for be careful level living. If you add a vibrator (bass transducer) for underneath you (which is silent) you can get a lot of bass experience.

[@smwsmwsmw]

"Madman Across the Water" is one of my favorite albums. Very underrated in EJ's catalog, IMHO.

[@mikesbarn1858]

I used to have an old school surround sound system. My wife hated the rear speaker channels. Every time something came up on it, it scared the stuffing out of her. It also picked up random 2 way radios.

[@guyh3403]

lol @ scared the stuffing out of her hehe

[@vabajaba]

It's so nostalgic to see video content from the early 20's... We've come so far.

[@recklessroges]

This video confirms my bias that Techmoan is the best UK tech reviewer on KZbin. Thank you for proving that again.

[@rappscallion3238]

The "This is what a video looked lik in 2021" combined with the black and white and film grain made me laugh out loud,

[@Thunderhawk8472]

I’m currently running the HT-A7000 just with the SA-SW3 sub and was waiting for a better rear option. Really love how it sounds. Came from a 6.1 setup before I moved to a new house and didn’t want to cable that stuff up again. The Soundbar is also consuming much less energy and that’s getting more and more important these days too. Would love if you could buy these rear speakers without the battery option 😉 to save on cost

[@ThepatBooker]

These reviews are some of my favorite on KZbin. You made a lot of good points for a wide range of people and circumstances. I really enjoy your humor too. That's all for my comment for now, thanks for reading goodbye 😊

[@jamesburland]

I love your videos. You have a real genuineness that makes your videos interesting even when I no intention (or money) to buy the kit

[@andyhello23]

Even though i have no real interest in that high end situation you have, its nice to see how others want to experience there home video viewing. Like you know, its your money, and how you choose to spend it is your business. Its good to see soundbar tech is coming along, and not stagnating. Its a product that deserves to be refined all the way, and good to see companies sticking with it.

[@sonijam]

I like that painting behind you @ 17:05

[@Devo_gx]

I have the old HT-Z9F and while I’d absolutely love an upgrade to give me true Atmos and eventually add rear speakers again, the $1600 CAD price is tough to accept. I do agree wholeheartedly that soundbars are great for certain scenarios and they’ve come a loooooong way in terms of quality.

[@LDaQuirm]

I have the HT-Z9F as well but it suffers from the rear/sub drop out issue really annoying when it happens but great when it’s working well.

[@JosephArata]

As someone who understands some basic things about sound engineering, you having a smaller space will actually help acoustically. There's less space for sound waves to bounce around multiple times on the floor/ceiling/walls, so the sound you do hear will be much louder at a lower volume level with low/no echo. That's one of the problems with larger homes, sound systems need careful attention to how much furniture and stuff is in the room. The sound will echo in the room, if the room is sparsely populated. I also understand the price you pay for Sony's really expensive sound equipment is because they've done most of that sound engineering and software dev for the end-user. That doesn't mean I'd personally spend money on it though in my personal preferences.

[@litetaker]

WOW! TechMoan is a gamer, with a black PS5 and an Xbox Series X and a fantastic TV setup! My respect for you has gone up through the roof!!! :D

[@coffeekatk4067]

Nicely done! I do enjoy sound around me movies even though my hearing is quite crap! I think tv speakers are awful! This was a great update! Thanks!

[@roberte2945]

Matt upgrades his home theater like people were upgrading their PCs in the 90s.

[@wirebrushofenlightenment1545]

The label on the bottom states the power draw as 12V 3.8A, which comes to 45.6W Sony must be using teeny-tiny little watts when they claim the output is 180W !

[@de_stroyed]

I bought this exact setup; same soundbar, an added flagship subwoofer from sony (didnt see you have it though) and those 2 rear speakers. They sound AMAZING.

[@user-sk4gj3ji3o]

I am not sure about the performance of the device but one thing is sure they are the only one who truly understand what is finetunening.

[@99Duds]

Separates take heaps of room. I've found keeping front speakers pushed up against the wall don't sound as good or full vs being pulled out about 1/3 the room length. In your case that soundbar dose all the heavy lifting by tuning the speakers to sound right. I think its great they bring you what separates in a large room would sound like.

[@onutaoyusao]

I've learned to not allow LG tv to update automatically, they eff up something so often that you better keep using a fw that works for you and learn from other users experience if the next update is worth it.

[@kaitlyn__L]

Especially since the update process is so unintrusive after you press okay, not interrupting your watching and waiting until you turn it off again to apply. There’s no reason not to wait and see what the consensus for a particular version number is before accepting

[@Rareparrot]

Great video as always...:) Wow to think we used to have cathode ray tubes and small mono speakers (old tv's). Sony can be amazing and really happy this has worked out for you ... Got a sony ipod dock playing in the background, which as an audio enthusiast, never fails to impress sound quality wise.

[@behavedave]

I went down the separates route and am quite pleased with it but the room is more suited, I went with What Hi-Fi recommended to a price point (obviously if I went with what they recommend I need a silly loan). Ooh I have an LG tv in the kitchen, not too keen on their software but Chrome Cast with Google TV fixes it mostly apart from terrestrial tv (the TV guide is slow to load).

[@Denistone]

I would definitely watch, if Techmoan ever wanted to experiment with movie reviews, or even car reviews, or video games! :D

[@ZanHecht]

I recall he did do a car review a few years ago (mostly focused on the car's HUD).

[@kaitlyn__L]

My first Techmoan video was a motorbike review! I guess he’s found what gets the most views though.

[@ken.f.c.1977]

Saturday morning, a coffee and Techmoan . Happy

[@Podcastforthewin]

I actually like the idea of a sound bar. They aren’t what they used to be, much better these days

[@TRUMP_2024_PREZ]

I LOVE MY NEW PAIR OF SONY RS5s WITH A7000 SOUNDBAR...AND 83" A90J OLED...PERFECT MATCH INSANE 3D A/V 🔊🖥 🔥

[@Cheezwizzz]

800 a pair is a little steep in my humble opinion. I have a Sony STR-DH790 , Arcam fronts, tannoy center, monitor audio bronze rears and Polk up firers, 900 all in, and a KEF 2500 sub. Most of the speakers are second hand, bar the Polks and Monitor Audios. It’s a mish mash but to me it’s sounds outrageously good!! I do like the idea of wireless rear up firers. Great review btw

[@johnnodge4327]

Nice review. The only thing to note is the quoted power output. If it's being supplied by a 12 Volts, 1.8 Amp power supply, then the output will be nothing like 180 Watts, as you're only putting about 22 Watts in from the wall. So unless the inbuilt battery is making up the shortfall (unlikely), there's no technical way the speaker amplifier can magic another 160 Watts out of thin air. Amplifier manufacturers use capacitors to help supply short term energy peaks, but these would be very short term peaks, and are often quoted as PMPO, which means Peak Music Power Output. In this instance the amplifier may have enough energy available for a peak of the equivalent of 180 Watts, but that would only be for fraction of a second, before the stored energy in the caps is depleted. PMPO measurements aren't helpful or particularly useful, except for a split second of loud sound. RMS power is far more telling of an amplifier's ability, but isn't nearly so exciting, so RMS figures are seldom quoted. I've also got a sound bar, and for normal home use, they're fine, actually better than fine. I'm in the Samsung ecosystem, so have a 75" AMOLED TV, and a mid range sound bar with wireless sub. The sound bar has the same top firing speakers, which really do make the sound appear to be coming from the ceiling, midway between the screen and the seating position on the other side of the room. The best film I've found for our Samsung sound bar is Fury, where the tanks actually sounded and felt like they were in the room with us, which I thought was very impressive for what is effectively a mid price sound bar. Keep up the unbiased videos.

[@trulsvian]

Nominal power draw is normally 1/8 of the peak power. So a 22w power source with battery buffer should be enough for this setup. Also 160w is alot of volume if the sensitivity is ~95 db/w.

[@kaitlyn__L]

I hadn’t realised Samsung sold any OLED TVs until the recent QD-OLED. (Always found it strange too, since they lead the tech in phones.)

[@tempestfrost]

Glad to see you finally ended up with the system that's right for you and your needs. I must say the soundbar is quite beautiful to look at too. Thanks for another great video Mat.

[@scottls]

I have to admit, I would have wanted this upgrade for the same reasons you pointed out. Kinda makes me just a touch envious.

[@chuck10088]

Nice speaker, but at C$750, I won't be buying anytime soon. 😄 As far as the 180 watt (90 per side) output is concerned, I call bull. I'll have to use formulas to illustrate my point. Since I do not know the actual power consumption of the unit, I'll have to make some assumptions. (You know how they go) The charger supplies 45.6 watts of power to charge the battery and power the unit. (one assumption) Therefore the audio power out can't be more then 45.6 watts RMS (I won't go into peak power, as I believe that is misleading) The specs claim 4 hours charge and 10 hr usage. Using the 45.6 watt/hour power supply x 4hrs charge = 182 watts. Divide that by 12 volt charger = 15 amp hour capacity of the battery. Divide that by 10 hrs of usage = 1.5 amps. Multiply the 1.5 amps x 12 volt battery (assumption again) = 18 watts. That's the highest power output that the amplifier can produce. The figures used are at the extreme high end of the calculations. If I knew more of the technical details, I could have been more accurate. I believe the amplifiers are somewhere in the 10 to 15 watt output per side. Cheers from Canada. Sean

[@kaitlyn__L]

I suspect they are claiming peak power from batteries chipping in when plugged into the wall, and it’d be less when running purely off battery power. Of course, power output specs for audio are almost never accurate….

[@strangulator42]

I agree about soundbars being a better solution! My front room is a little bit bigger than where you have your TV set up, but it's laid out in such a way that having separate speakers would have resulted in wires running everywhere, specifically right in front of two of the doorways, unless I wanted to move everything and have the television blocking the window lol! Also my TV is a good bit smaller, and it would feel somewhat foolish having this $250 television plugged up to an $800 sound system!

[@shmookins]

Thank you for an actual real world review. This is informative and helpful. Cheers.

[@firewalker1372]

Hey, sound bars have come a very long way. I had a Vizio sound bar, paid a 100 or so bucks for it and it came with a sub. Man that thing sounded amazing. Not as good as my Camden CN-8 platinums. But it was definitely doable.

[@StubbyPhillips]

Atmos 7.2.4 with discreet speakers here and loving it! Have you tried listening to stereo music using the Dolby Surround decoder? Purists will whinge of course but the result is fantastic! It's hard to believe the surround channels are just being extracted from a stereo mix by the DSP. It isn't like the weird out of phase sounding mess you got with quasi-surround stuff in the past.

[@StubbyPhillips]

@@lucasrem Sure, I'm a big fan of lots of "real speakers" but at least he's not using earbuds! I'm a single guy so I just poke holes in walls and ceilings and run wires wherever I like. I even have marks painted on the floor indicating the VR play space boundary. Some folks have other... _priorities_ .

[@lucasn0tch]

I need that to Speedrun Super Mario Sunshine on the GameCube lol

[@ChaseMC215]

My Fire Tablet has Dolby Atmos

[@thelifeshapers]

Wonderful work. Rarely did I find other video/s, on KZbin, explaining the exact difference. You have done it with precision. Your effort has helped me choose betwenn RS3S and RS5. I chose RS5. Will be ordering it soon along with SW3 and HT A7000 to pair up with A80K 55. Thank you.

[@LongPeter]

Sometimes Matt throws his perfectly honest, utterly accurate shade so neatly that it's quite enjoyable, even if he's talking about a stupid thing that you are personally guilty of.

[@lloydbuckley2520]

Thanks for the review, I have the Sony HT-A7000 and SW5 sub, will be definitely saving to add the RS5 to my system.

[@Riotmakertk]

The eARC issues with the LG TV's is real. As a user of the Samsung HW-Q950T I had zero issues until an update to the TV. Since then you have to, sometimes daily power down the soundbar and power it back up for the TV to reinitiate the handshake. Having rears with up firing drivers however is great, but they're not nrealy as good in 10ft+ ceiling rooms even with the up firing channels being boosted. Note that no other TV has this issue with the sound bar - if the LG wasn't such a good TV I'd had religated to a bedroom by now!

[@GreenAppelPie]

I was having an issue with my JBL where the sound would just stop until I restarted the video. The latest LG update cleared that up.

[@Riotmakertk]

@@GreenAppelPie I'm using a C9 still s no new fixed in pipeline that I can see.

[@alanruine5946]

Just. Managed to get a pair. Lookin forward to having them in a few days. Can't wait !

[@charlesdeens8927]

The movie Heat (1995) would sound amazing on your setup.

[@godlydestroyer8658]

I am definitely going to get an wireless atmos system after seeing this, I find it incredible how easy and simple it is, and how it creates the effect is amazing, great review.

[@alynicholls3230]

that headphone type jack under the secret flap on the bottom is for direct input.

[@shilloshillos]

Well, as an audio equipment buff myself, I find that more time is spent on fidgeting with the machines than enjoying the music. It's a bit of an endless lust for the process of getting the equipment working right than getting to the point which is sitting down and enjoying the music. A balance of these two would be ideal.

[@6eostorm]

I just got this whole sound system the ht-a7000 soundbar, the sw5 subwoofer, and the sa-rs5 surround speakers. To be honest I’m not very impressed with these rear speakers, I have them placed right behind me at ear level and I can hardly hear them. Definitely not worth the price of $600+

[@AncientApparatus]

I had never seen a European/UK plug until this video & can't believe how massive they are. They look to be as big as our American plugs that have the transformers built into them. I thought those were a pia but after seeing UK plugs I don't think we really have it all that bad. :)

[@StevieCooper]

It would be really cool if you could use the wireless battery feature and take them with you around the house as a portable speaker set up. Those charge and go types. Though considering the price and the weight, you wouldn’t want them knocking about.

[@woodyTM]

Looks so fun, brings me back to the older days when setting up quadraphonic was the new craze. Only gripe is that I'm still having a hard time finding good content that uses my existing ancient 7.1 setup, and half the time the mix/master jobs are quite lacking on some that I can find, so before I adopt and Atmos stuff I really wanted to see if they are worth redoing my entire home cinema setup for.

[@flandrble]

same, 7 channel never really took off and now atmos is the new in thing.

[@Safetytrousers]

Best surround mix I've ever heard was The Expanse.

[@duskonanyavarld1786]

Was Quadraphonic trend in the 70s?

[@Safetytrousers]

@@duskonanyavarld1786 It was carrying on to the 90's. But it was just two stereo pairs duplicated.

[@duskonanyavarld1786]

@@Safetytrousers Was it a cool effect?

[@Jerbod2]

Mat in terms of music being stereo only usually, after your review of the Marantz 1606 (or thereabout) I bought a 1606 myself, and the music button on there basically spreads the music over all speakers, 2 front and 2 surrounds in my case. I know its fake and all, the spreading over multichannels is probably blasphemy, I tried it for fun, yet I havent ever switched back. Its reallh rather good, makes the music way fuller and an experience at that. Do as you please, even if someone else calls you crazy for it.

[@guspaz]

One thing that I've noticed about my HT-A9, and I assume this applies to the A7000 with the rear surrounds too, is that the whole 360 audio thing is significantly compromised if your couch is against the back wall like mine is. The surrounds are more or less left and right of me rather than actually behind me. When I want to watch a big movie and get the full effect, I put a chair in the middle of the room and sit there instead of on my actual recliners. Then the atmos and surround stuff works much better. But of course sitting in the recliners is more comfortable. So I have to make that tradeoff. I suspect that a system that had the surrounds a bit in front of you and to the sides that fired backwards towards the wall to bounce back at you might actually work better.

[@nickaustin8334]

Now one can truly appreciate the nuance and emotional depth of Boss Baby 2.

[@dwaynezilla]

"well you can _actually_ shut your face this time" Perfect.