“It’s time to reintroduce HDR,” in line with Sony’s chief distinguished engineer, Toshiyuki Ogura, who has been working with and growing HDR (excessive dynamic vary) know-how since its inception. Speaking at Sony’s residence theater spring showcase in March, Ogura was referring partly to the corporate’s newest LED TV tech, which Sony hopes will assist reshape the way forward for HDR and convey viewers nearer to the intent of creators.
Through a whirlwind of demos throughout the sprawling Sony Pictures manufacturing lot, the occasion supplied reviewers like me an unprecedented look behind the scenes, and behind the precise screens, of Sony’s new 2024 residence theater creations. Highlights included Sony’s blazing new flagship mini LED TV—the Bravia A9—alongside three different new 2024 TVs that symbolize a subtly completely different method over final 12 months’s lineup.
We additionally received a peek at different new gear, from Sony’s up to date soundbar fleet to its highly effective new skilled monitor, the HX3110, designed to set the usual for film and TV mastering for years to return. Here are some first impressions of the newest from Sony Home Theater.
What’s in a Name?
Sony advised us a part of its objective this 12 months was to streamline and simplify its 2024 residence theater lineup. As a part of that course of, Sony’s greatest OLED and LED TVs will not be separated by their A-series and X-series naming conventions respectively. Instead, the entire new TVs—OLED and LED—could have the A-series moniker.
The new flagship A9 mini LED TV sits on the high of the brand new lineup, changing final 12 months’s X95L. Below that’s the replace of final 12 months’s A80L OLED TV, now referred to as the Bravia A8. Next is the Bravia A7, one other new mini LED TV, and at last the most cost effective of the brand new brood, the A3 LED TV. In a shock transfer, Sony’s flagship A95L OLED TV (8/10, WIRED Recommends) received’t get an replace, however will stay out there as an A9 various.
I’m all for less complicated names, however I’d argue the brand new system is definitely extra complicated for consumers, with no straightforward method to differentiate between OLED and LED. I even received the A7 mini LED and the A8 OLED TVs confused in a single demo, naturally anticipating the step-down LED TV to return straight after the A9 within the batting order. The A95L, in the meantime, appears adrift with no numeric connection.
While I can’t communicate to Sony’s intent, the jumbling of the opposing panel applied sciences comes because the model appears to be leaning away from its outsourced OLED TV panels and into the brightness wars with its housemade LED and mini LED panels. We’ll must see the way it all performs out—the brand new mini LED TVs look fairly spectacular to this point—however I count on some head-scratching from buyers this 12 months.
The New Hotness
Sony’s newest mini LED TVs supply a number of enhancements over final 12 months, together with elevated brightness and extra dimming zones for higher backlight management. But earlier than we noticed the tip end result, Sony gave us a glance backstage to point out that its new backlights usually are not solely brighter, but additionally higher at understanding content material.
Bravia A9 mini LED TVPhotograph: Ryan Waniata