Sony - HT-Z9F / HT-ZF9

I don't agree at all. I've answered LG OLED CS6 (similar to C1) and it works perfectly with a Sony ZF9 bar. The standards are all pretty much the same when it comes to passing through video and sound. The only possible benefit is some TVs and sound bars play sound simultaneously - so soundbar and TVs speakers all blend together. But for me TV speakers are rarely as good as it's actually lowering the overall quality.

Sony ZF9 soundbar plus subwoofer and rear speakers.

I have the Sony ZF9 bar, subwoofer and surround speakers. It sounds fantastic to my ears. There will always be better out there. But the prices rise faster than the quality. And there are plenty of things in life to spend good money on. Also space can be a premium. So pick your budget first then decide what works best. And ignore the snobs. The reek of judgement in some comments is unreal. I suppose I'm a hypocrite for judging them. I just find it ruins the fun of the hobby.

I mean, one option costs $350 more before discount, surely that should be the answer? No point in all that power if the quality is subpar, power usually indicates loudness. I have the Sony HT-A7000, and that’s 500W, yet I’ve not gone past 40% volume. I just went from the Sony Z9F and that was 400w, with rear speakers too, and still only went the absolute max of 50% just to test it, and it’s nearly night club-loudness at that point. 100%, go with JBL. In my experience, day to day, you’ll hover around 10-25% volume.

If I can get it for $974 brand new from Samsung, is this a no brainer over my Sony HTZ-9F + rears?

I have not, still hanging onto the HTZ-9F. I'm hoping Samsung's next iteration has a battery in the rear speakers. I don't have ideal plug locations.

Are you committed to Sony? I also had a HTZ9F and it was underwhelming from day 1 as was my 75X900F. I just swapped to a G3 and also swapped the soundbar for the Samsung Q990D and the improvement in sound quality and immersion is significant. And Dolby Atmos music is the best new thing I've discovered this year.

I'd say go with the Samsung. Until Sony releases a new subwoofer I advise against Sony. The SW5 is powerful, but it lacks really deep bass. I have had a few different soundbars with subwoofers a lot better than the SW5, my old Samsung Q800B being one of them. I swear Sony has so much potential in my opinion, yet in my eyes, they just shit the bed in performance every time. Idk what's up with Sony but they have their head stuck in their ass for some reason with soundbars. I had the old HT-Z9F, bar was pretty solid sounding, but simply adding maybe 1 center tweeter could've brought that system from a 7 to a 9 if done right. & If Sony could actually make a sub that plays below 35HZ, down to say 25-30 HZ, that could be a legit 10/10 system in my eyes. But right now I definitely say Samsung over Sony!

I currently own a [HT-9ZF](https://www.rtings.com/soundbar/reviews/sony/ht-z9f), along with the optional rear wireless speakers for it: [SA-Z9R](https://www.sony.com/ug/electronics/sound-bars/sa-z9r). This setup provides decent enough sound for my apartment, but I'd really like to experience the joys of Atmos. I recently upgraded my TV to a [Bravia 8](https://electronics.sony.com/tv-video/televisions/all-tvs/p/k65xr80) and am wondering which sound bar would best go with it: * [HT-A7000](https://electronics.sony.com/audio/soundbars/all-soundbars/p/hta7000): These are currently on sale so available well under $1,000. By all accounts a great soundbar. **Cons:** It's pretty huge (my TV is only a 65"), and I'm not sure if it will be able to use all the features of the B8 (such as voice zoom or using the TV as the center speaker). It also doesn't work with Sony's new BRAVIA Connect app, which may or may not be a good thing... * [HT-A5000](https://electronics.sony.com/audio/soundbars/all-soundbars/p/hta5000): Cheaper and less chunky than the HT-A7000, but maybe still good enough for my needs? * [Theater Bar 8](https://electronics.sony.com/audio/soundbars/all-soundbars/p/hta8000): The latest generation, supposedly better sounding. Integrates with the Connect app. Not too large. **Cons:** No display, only 1 HDMI input (not a dealbreaker for me since I have never used the second HDMI port on my current sound bar.) Which one of these do you think would represent the best upgrade over my current system? The [Theater Bar 9](https://electronics.sony.com/audio/soundbars/all-soundbars/p/hta9000) is kind of out of my budget, unfortunately, especially since (assuming my current sub and rear speakers won't work with the newer models) I will likely also invest in a new sub ([SA-SW3](https://electronics.sony.com/audio/soundbars/all-soundbars/p/sasw3)) and rears ([SA-RS3S](https://electronics.sony.com/audio/soundbars/all-soundbars/p/sars3s)/[SA-RS5](https://electronics.sony.com/audio/soundbars/a-series-soundbars/p/sars5)). Thanks for any advice and tips!