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According to our soundbar expert
With the Sony HT-ZF9, you'll improve your television's sound. Use an HDMI cable to connect the soundbar to your television. Thanks to the total power output of 400 watts, the sound is powerful. It can easily fill a large living room. Thanks to the integrated Dolby Atmos technology, the sound will reach your listening position via the ceiling. This means the sound won't only be coming from right in front of you, but from all around you. You can connect the SA-Z9R rear speakers to the soundbar via WiFi. This allows you to enjoy a complete surround sound. If you like listening to music, you can use a USB cable or Bluetooth to connect your phone or tablet to the soundbar.
Connecting the Sony HT-ZF9 Soundbar to your TV
Use the included optical cable to connect your soundbar to your television. Keep in mind that your TV needs an optical connector to use the soundbar. Do both devices have an HDMI arc port? We recommend buying an HDMI arc cable.
Built-in WiFi | ||
Bluetooth | ||
Width | 100 cm | |
Height | 6,4 cm | |
HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) | ||
Sound reproduction | Surround | |
Quality category | High-end |
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Bought after purchasing a Sony KD-55XE9305 a few months earlier. The upgrade is well worth it. The addition of Dolby Atmos had to come and is absolutely present for our living room, where the soundbar hangs on the wall.
There are several reviews on the internet that indicate that the sound does not come from the sides and tops. This is certainly the case in our living room. We are ±5 meters from the soundbar and the subwoofer is next to us in a stair cupboard). The sound quality with Dolby Vision films is amazing, and with the accompanying subwoofer we feel the bass in the couch.
We are still considering purchasing the optional rear speakers for the full experience, but the price will have to wait a while. And since we are already satisfied beyond expectations, it is not yet necessary to have the rear speakers.
Sound quality when playing music is also very good. The Hi-Fi certification is not a lie and is clearly present. Clear sound from all sides, and the subwoofer does an excellent job, even at higher volumes.
When it comes to the design, it is a sleek soundbar. The subwoofer is fine in size and design, but the vent opening shouldn't have been glossy. This attracts dust and looks cheap. The glossy also applies to the top strip on the soundbar. This is made of some kind of plastic and leaves scratches easily (even if accidentally run over with a nail). Very bad for a product of this price range.
We currently play music via BlueTooth (iPhone/iPad/Mac). Although this works unexpectedly well and the sound is quite clear, it is annoying that Sony has not (more supported and) Apple AirPlay built in. Certainly AirPlay 2 should actually be present as standard, since other streaming services / protocols are present (including Spotify Connect, Google ChromeCast) and Wi-Fi is present in this soundbar. Sony's choice not to add Apple AirPlay is really incomprehensible. This should really be added through a firmware update.
As simple as can be, especially in combination with a current Sony television. In our case, both the television and the soundbar are perfectly matched. Playing music via BlueTooth is also easy. Just connect to the soundbar via (in our case) an iPhone, iPad or Mac and the soundbar turns itself on automatically. It also switches itself off automatically when no more sound is played (after ±5 minutes, to be set).
Gaëtan van der Laan
12 August 2018
Automatically translated from Dutch
This HT-ZF9 together with the Sony SA-Z9R surrounds replaced an old 2.1 Sony CT-380 soundbar, which no longer met in terms of sound quality and options. The Sony HT-ZF9 supports High Res audio, Dolby Atmos / DTS:X and all the other sound codecs I wanted right out of the box. But even more important is the option for wireless surround speakers. These lift the sound quality and surround experience for movies to a much higher level, especially if you also turn on the vertical surround. Built-in is also a demo button where you can hear the altitude effects well (rain, helicopter etc). Sony has a really nice piece of technology here. In terms of music, it also sounds very good if you put it in the Music mode and there was also an update recently with support for Spotify.
Concerning the installation, this went completely by itself. All wireless speakers were directly linked automatically and could be adjusted in volume and distance to listening position. An important tip: turn off 'Audio DRC' in the audio setting, this reduces the sound quality in my opinion. Finally, there is also a nice feature that the soundbar HDMI inputs can be used while the soundbar is turned off.
So, if you are looking for an Atmos soundbar from 2018, this Sony is highly recommended compared to the competition. The vertical surround is really believable and is not inferior to upfiring speakers. But if you buy this soundbar, do so in combination with the separately available surround set. This really gives the Sony HT-ZF9 its added value.
B.T
4 June 2018
Automatically translated from Dutch
The Dolby Atmos that is on this soundbar should amplify the 3D sound. So you can hear the sounds from all sides. It certainly isn't. Maybe with the rear speakers. But without? New. However, it certainly has a fantastic sound. Nice soundbar with option for open or a front. Subwoofer is a good size. What strikes me about this soundbar is that the high sounds are reproduced very nicely. With our old one it could sound very shrill and it sounded now and then as if birds were chirping very out of tune. The sounds are very nice, with every mode that can be set there is something beautiful for everyone. The differences in movie/game/music mode are very clear and also very suitable for what you are watching/listening to. Don't forget to turn off the visual sound when listening to music though, because that's pretty bad. Luckily I found out in time before I sent it back because the music sounded so bad ;) Extra tip: if you have the money, be sure to order the 2 rear speakers!
Xiomara Van Veenendaal
18 November 2020
Automatically translated from Dutch
Product number | 805489 |
Manufacturer code | HTZF9.CEL |
Brand | Sony |
Warranty | 2 years |
Processing of your defect | Carry-in warranty |
Height | 6,4 cm | |
Width | 100 cm | |
Depth | 9,8 cm | |
Weight | 3,1 kg | |
Color | Black | |
Quality category | High-end |
Separate subwoofer | ||
Wireless subwoofer | ||
Subwoofer height | 38 cm | |
Subwoofer width | 19 cm | |
Subwoofer depth | 39 cm |
Sound quality according to customers | Excellent | |
Number of audio channels | 3 | |
Number of subwoofer channels | 1 | |
Sound reproduction | Surround | |
Surround sound | Virtual surround sound | |
Surround sound systems | DTS, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital | |
Hi-Res audio | ||
Radio |
HDMI connector | ||
HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) | ||
Number of HDMI connectors | 3 | |
Digital optical connector | ||
Network connector | ||
USB port | ||
USB function | Play media, Software updates |
Bluetooth | ||
Built-in WiFi | ||
Plays from network | ||
Multi-room audio | ||
NFC | ||
DLNA | ||
Spotify Connect | ||
AirPlay | ||
Google Cast |
Compatible with smartphone / apps | ||
Controls via app | ||
Controlled via Android app | ||
Controlled via Apple app | ||
Controlled via Windows app |
Best tested |
