“It's time to reintroduce HDR,” according to Sony's brilliant chief engineer, Toshiyuki Ogura, who has been working on and developing HDR (high dynamic range) technology since its inception. Speaking at Sony's spring home theater showcase in March, Ogura mentioned in part the company's latest LED TV technology, which Sony hopes will help reshape the future of HDR and brings viewers closer to the creator's intentions.
Through a series of demos across Sony Pictures' vast production facility, the event gave reviewers like me an unprecedented look behind the scenes and behind the scenes. screen, among Sony's new 2024 home theater innovations. Highlights include Sony's new flagship mini LED TV—the Bravia A9—along with three other new 2024 TVs that represent a slightly different approach from last year's lineup.
We also took a look at other new devices, from Sony's updated soundbar to a powerful new professional monitor, the HX3110, designed to set the standard for film and TV mastering. image for many years to come. Here are some first impressions of Sony Home Theater's latest offering.
What's in a name?
Sony tells us part of its goal this year is to streamline and simplify its 2024 home theater lineup. As part of that process, Sony's best OLED and LED TVs won't be are also separated by the corresponding A and X series naming conventions. Instead, all the new TVs—OLED and LED—will have the A-series moniker.
The new flagship A9 mini LED TV sits at the top of the new range, replacing last year's X95L. Below that is an update to last year's A80L OLED TV, now called the Bravia A8. Next up is the Bravia A7, another new mini LED TV and finally the cheapest A3 LED TV in the new lineup. In a surprise move, Sony's flagship A95L OLED TV (8/10, WIRED recommended) will not receive the update but is still available as an A9 alternative.
I like the simpler names, but I think the new system is actually more confusing for buyers, and there's no easy way to differentiate between OLED and LED. I was even confused between the A7 mini LED TV and the A8 OLED TV in a demo, of course I expected the downgraded LED TV to come right after the A9 in the batting order. Meanwhile, the A95L seems out of place because it has no digital connection.
While I can't understand Sony's intentions, the jumble of opposing panel technologies comes as the brand appears to be moving away from outsourced OLED TV panels and entering the customization war. Bright with self-produced LED and mini LED panels. We'll have to see how it goes—so far, the new mini LED TVs look pretty impressive—but I expect some feedback from shoppers this year.
New hotness
Sony's latest mini LED TV features many improvements over last year, including increased brightness and more dimming zones for better backlight control. But before we see the final result, Sony gave us a look behind the curtain to show that their new backlight is not only brighter, but also helps understand content better.
Bravia A9 mini LED TVPhoto: Ryan Waniata
