Sony announces new BRAVIA XR TV Series and HT-A7000 soundbar firmware update at CES
January 4, 2022
Sony announced a firmware update for the premium HT-A7000 soundbar, which will add the widely acclaimed 360 Spatial Sound Mapping capabilities that first premiered in the HT-A9 home theater system in 2021. Customers can access this innovative feature when connecting their soundbar to Sony’s new SA-RS5 wireless rear speakers, launching summer 2022, or the currently available SA-RS3S wireless rear speakers.
With Sony’s revolutionary 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology, customers can feel sound from every direction and distance. Using Sound Field Optimization, the soundbar uses built-in microphones to ingeniously measure the relative height and position of the soundbar and rear speakers. 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology then creates multiple phantom speakers by synthesizing sound waves based on positional information. Thanks to this technology, Sony’s wide spatial sound field fills every part of the living space, so everyone gets the same sound experience, wherever they are in the room.
Users can enhance their experience further by pairing with a compatible BRAVIA XR television. Using the Acoustic Center Sync feature, both the soundbar and BRAVIA XR TV become the center speaker in the home cinema system as part of the 360 Spatial Sound Mapping setup1,2, enabling sound to precisely match what’s on the screen for clearer dialogue and a more immersive experience.
Sony Europe has also announced the new BRAVIA XR television series, including MASTER Series Z9K 8K and X95K 4K Mini LED, MASTER Series A95K, MASTER Series A90K and A80K 4K OLED, and X90K 4K LED.
Powered by Cognitive Processor XR, the unique XR Backlight Master Drive precisely controls our latest generation Mini LED backlight in the Z9K and X95K series for incredible brightness. Enjoy an unprecedented dynamic range with incredibly dazzling lights and deep blacks, as well as beautifully natural mid tones with almost no flare or halos around highlights. The Cognitive Processor XR also powers our A95K’s new OLED panel with XR Triluminos Max, which delivers our widest colour palette and reproduces naturally beautiful shades and hues. With millions of individual, self-illuminating pixels, the A95K delivers more colours than ever before for an entirely new viewing experience.
These new innovations help us deliver the best and most immersive viewing experiences, authentically delivering the creator’s true intent. When watching movies, viewers can experience our enhanced Acoustic Surface Audio+™ for OLED models and Acoustic Multi-Audio for LED models, precisely matching the position of the sound with the images on the screen for a truly immersive audiovisual experience. The line-up also includes new features that customise and enhance at-home entertainment. Together with Netflix, we’ve released Netflix Adaptive Calibrated Mode, which automatically adjusts image processing based on ambient light, so users’ favourite shows and films look like the creator intended, under any conditions. Additionally, Sony’s new BRAVIA CORE Calibrated Mode will automatically adjust the image quality on screen to better align with the video creator’s original vision. All 2022 BRAVIA XR televisions will also be designated ‘Perfect for PlayStation5’, which includes two PS5 exclusive features – Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode.