Sony Bravia AF9 & Sonos

[maoshea77]

I’m thinking about upgrading my TV to the Sony Bravia AF9 but wondered if anyone knows how this would work with my Sonos Playbar?
The TV itself has 3.2 surround with three actuators behind the screen and two subwoofers out the side.
I’m worried that it’s going to render my Playbar obsolete.
I want to know if I can use the TV speakers AND the Playbar (either through WiFi or optical).
Can anyone help?

[royabrown]

Nothing that doesn’t actually have speakers physically placed behind you is going to give you surround sound. The Yamaha YSP soundbars come closest, but even they can’t do better than about 200 degrees.

So what are you looking (or listening) for? Normally, a soundbar will go higher and sweeter in the treble, be less coloured in the midrange, and go lower in the bass, than the TV speakers.

Will the Playbar do better than the AF9, on which the sound has been particularly well thought out?

If not, then yes it is obsolete, in this usage at least.

If yes, then why run the TV speakers as well when they don’t sound as good as the Playbar?

[maoshea77]

Thanks for the reply @royabrown

My thinking is mainly for the subwoofers. The .2 part of their 3.2 sound.

My playbar doesn’t act as a sub was thinking I could use the playbar for the central sound (hook up left and right) and use the tv for the subs.

Do you know if this will work?

Essentially what I’m asking is whether or not I can play both speakers (from the tv and through Sonos playbar).

[royabrown]

Ah, I see.

Optical will let you use both at once, as the TV isn’t sure what the optical take-off is for, and so doesnt automatically mute its own speakers, as happens with other alternative speaker outs.

You may have to pay some attention to audio syncing, as even an infinitesimal audio timing difference between TV and Playbar, one too small to figure as a lip-sync issue, may make the sound seem echoey and hollow.

[Bar_Shaker]

I would play with the graphic eq within the AF9 before buying a Playbase.  As good as the Playbase is, the standard AF9 sound is now really good and only a high end 7.1 system would make me move away from using it.

Also consider whether the AF9 would sit on the Playbase.  The front to back dimension of the stand is 320mm.

[stormyuk]

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@royabrown wrote:

Ah, I see.

Optical will let you use both at once, as the TV isn’t sure what the optical take-off is for, and so doesnt automatically mute its own speakers, as happens with other alternative speaker outs.

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Just to note, the only slight issue with that, which might not be an issue with a playbar is when the TV is set to TV speakers the optical (at least on my XE9005) only outputs a stereo signal, I have to select actions > speakers > audio system which mutes the TV speakers but, passes through a suround 5.1 signal.