“It’s time to reintroduce HDR,” in line with Sony’s chief distinguished engineer, Toshiyuki Ogura, who has been working with and creating HDR (excessive dynamic vary) know-how since its inception. Talking at Sony’s residence theater spring showcase in March, Ogura was referring partially 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.
By a whirlwind of demos throughout the sprawling Sony Photos 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 characterize a subtly totally different strategy 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. Listed below are some first impressions of the most recent from Sony Dwelling Theater.
What’s in a Title?
Sony informed 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 now not be separated by their A-series and X-series naming conventions respectively. As a substitute, all the new TVs—OLED and LED—may have the A-series moniker.
The brand new flagship A9 mini LED TV sits on the high of the brand new lineup, changing final 12 months’s X95L. Beneath that’s the replace of final 12 months’s A80L OLED TV, now known as the Bravia A8. Subsequent is the Bravia A7, one other new mini LED TV, and eventually the most affordable of the brand new brood, the A3 LED TV. In a shock transfer, Sony’s flagship A95L OLED TV (8/10, WIRED Recommends) gained’t get an replace, however will stay accessible as an A9 different.
I’m all for less complicated names, however I’d argue the brand new system is definitely extra complicated for patrons, with no simple strategy 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 immediately after the A9 within the batting order. The A95L, in the meantime, appears adrift with no numeric connection.
Whereas I can’t converse 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 need to see the way it all performs out—the brand new mini LED TVs look fairly spectacular to date—however I anticipate some head-scratching from customers 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. However earlier than we noticed the tip consequence, Sony gave us a glance behind the scenes to point out that its new backlights usually are not solely brighter, but in addition higher at understanding content material.
Bravia A9 mini LED TV{Photograph}: Ryan Waniata