Sonys Latest Bravia Home Theater speak sound bar and projectorPhotograph: Ryan Waniata; Getty Images
Sony’s glittering new RGB LED display made a big splash last month, and as one of the few to see it in the flesh, I can attest that it's a very exciting new advancement. It's also still deep in the prototype stage, so it'll be a while before we get our hands on one. Today, Sony unveiled the latest additions to its home theater lineup for the here and (almost) now.
While pricing has yet to be announced, the 2025 lineup includes two new LED TVs, new home audio gear, and a blazing new OLED TV primed to compete with LG, Samsung, and others for the coveted title of best TV of the year.
I traveled to Sony HQ in Tokyo to get a hands-on preview of all the new gear ahead of the official release. Here’s everything I saw, heard, and learned about Sony’s latest home theater gadgets.
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Photograph: Ryan Waniata
New Bravia Sights
Bravia 8 II QD-OLED TV (55 and 65 inches)
There’s a new king of Sony’s TV lineup with an oddly underwhelming title. Despite sharing the naming convention of Sony’s second-tier OLED from 2024, the Bravia 8 Mark II is positioned as Sony’s 2025 flagship TV, with performance to match. In design, the TV looks a lot like 2023’s A95L QD-OLED (9/10, WIRED Recommends), but Sony claims the new Bravia 8 is 25 percent brighter than that model and 50 percent brighter than its namesake.
Built to compete with 2025’s LG G5 and Samsung S95F OLEDs, the TV uses a version of Samsung's latest QD-OLED panel rather than LG’s new “Quad Stack” panel, along with Sony processing tech like XR Tiluminous Max for enhanced colors and Sony's XR Processor with AI for analyzing and optimizing content scene-by-scene. Sony claims one reason for sticking with a QD-OLED panel this year is that it allows for better off-axis color accuracy. It’s also notable that this TV will purportedly undercut Sony’s previous flagship in pricing, which should make it more competitive in a very tough market.
In person, the TV showed fabulous color accuracy and saturation, alongside sizzly brightness at every turn. It was especially showy with high-caliber Blu-ray content mastered at the top of the brightness scale. In Sony's carefully curated demos, the TV showed less image clipping than last year’s LG G4 and Samsung S95D (8/10, WIRED Recommends) viewed side by side. A blacksmith demo using the next-gen BT.2020 color gamut dazzled, revealing gleaming-bright molten metal that looked ready to pop off the screen and singe your eyebrows. It appeared to easily outpace the older models, including Sony’s own 2023 A95L (9/10, WIRED Recommends), instantly drawing my eye each time it was fired up. I can't wait to compare it to the latest rivals in what looks to be another transformative OLED class for 2025.
Photograph: Ryan Waniata
Bravia 5 mini-LED TV (55, 65, 75, 85, 98 inches)
For those less inclined to splash out big, Sony’s latest mini-LED TV should have some real street appeal. This TV slots in nicely below the Bravia 7 as part of the company's evolving three-year release strategy (we’re apparently still waiting on the Bravia 6). The screen's rich colors and solid brightness are impressive, as is its availability in multiple (and massive) model sizes. The 98-inch version we saw in Sony’s living room demo looked remarkably good for its size based on its presumptive price class, though we'll have to wait for the final numbers.
In keeping with the Bravia 7’s biggest flaw, the TV struggles to keep color accuracy and brightness off-axis. Otherwise, it showed off good color accuracy and contrast at first blush, including solid black levels with minimal blooming. Part of its special sauce is Sony’s XR Backlight Master Drive algorithm that helps its mini-LED backlight reduce light bloom through image recognition. The Bravia 5 will likely be the cheapest model to incorporate the system yet. Sony said the TV’s Cinema mode includes technology to both dim the backlight and adjust the color for multiple lighting scenarios. It’s a lot of tech for a Sony TV at this tier, so it’ll be interesting to see how it stacks up against midrange models from brands like Hisense and TCL this year.
Photograph: Ryan Waniata
Bravia 2 II LED TV (43-75 inches)
Sony's Bravia 2 isn't technically new, at least not outside the US. This year, Sony brings its cheapest Bravia model stateside with some minor tuning updates, offered as an even more affordable option than last year's Bravia 3. Without official pricing, it's difficult to know how good a deal you're getting, but considering the Bravia 3 currently goes for around $700 to $800 for a 65-inch model, the Bravia 2 should be pretty competitively priced.
Its performance is basic, but it does offer local dimming for solid black levels and overall contrast. The colors looked relatively natural in the short demos I saw, though they came off paler than the Bravia 5 (naturally), and off-axis viewing is pretty rough. That said, if the TV can come in at significantly lower pricing than its siblings, the Bravia 2 could be worth considering for those after a budget model under the Sony umbrella.
Photograph: Ryan Waniata
Bravia Projector 7 (VLP-XW5100ES)
With Sony's topline Bravia Projector 8 and Projector 9 clocking in at around $16K and $32K respectively, most of us can't come close to grabbing one. While those models are aimed at luxury or professional installs, the new Bravia 7 should be much more affordable, making it a contender for more down-to-earth installs. Offering 4K HDR resolution and a claimed 2,200 lumens of brightness from its laser light source (the Bravia Projector 8 hits 2,700 and the 9 claims 3,400), the 7 packs an impressive punch. It shares a lot of tech with its siblings, including XR Dynamic Tone Mapping for optimal brightness with color gradients, XR Deep Black to control laser dimming in dark scenes and increase gain in bright ones, and XR Triluminos Pro for enhanced colors. It's also compatible with Imax Enhanced video, and low-latency gaming at up to 4K/120 Hz.
Huddled in a small room in the depths of Sony's demo halls, we got to see how the Projector 7 matched up against Sony’s top two projectors, its precursor, and a few JVC models. The 7 really popped in the showiest HDR demos with much less white clipping and better clarity in high-nit scenes than the previous Sony model, the arduously named XW5000ES. It stood up similarly well to JVC’s competing DLA-NZ7, again showing less clipping in tougher HDR scenes, though we’ll have to see it in action outside Sony’s demo room for a better idea of its skills. One drawback to the cheaper model is that, unlike the Projector 8 and 9, it requires manual lens focus. Otherwise, it's an intriguing new option for those building out a high-end home theater.
Photograph: Ryan Waniata
New Bravia Sounds
Bravia Theater System 6
We didn’t spend a lot of time with Sony’s new audio systems, but the brand's new 1,000-watt 5.1 surround system made the biggest impression. The system comprises a soundbar up front, included rear surrounds, and a sizable subwoofer. Marketed like an old-school HTB (Home Theater in a Box), it uses an amp that connects to the bar wirelessly and feeds the proprietary rear speakers over speaker wires. It’s a rather odd setup, but the sound was solid in our short demo, with a warm and relatively detailed midrange, solid surround expansion, and a thumpy sub. If it comes in at approachable pricing, it could be a great new midrange surround sound option.
Photograph: Ryan Waniata
Bravia Theater Bar 6
Not to be confused with the Theater System 6, the Theater Bar 6 is a 3.2.1 system comprising just a bar and subwoofer, though it's compatible with Sony's new Bravia Rear 8 speakers for an additional fee. The other big difference between the two systems is that the Bar 6 offers upfiring drivers for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X video, and Sony's Vertical Surround Engine for virtual 3D audio with traditional sources. Sony pitted the system against to Samsung's Q600C in a few film scenes Sony Pictures' Gran Turismo and Sony'd model strutted its stuff pretty well, especially for a midrange option. The sub is a fair bit bigger and thumpier than Samsung's model, and dialog sounded clear and detailed.
Photograph: Ryan Waniata
Collage of tv sound speaker tv on credenza and soundstage with virtual environment of airport terminal
Photograph: Ryan Waniata
“It’s time to reintroduce HDR,” according to Sony’s chief distinguished engineer, Toshiyuki Ogura, who has been working with and developing HDR (high dynamic range) technology since its inception. Speaking at Sony’s home theater spring showcase in March, Ogura was referring in part to the company’s latest LED TV tech, which Sony hopes will help reshape the future of HDR and bring viewers closer to the intent of creators.
Through a whirlwind of demos across the sprawling Sony Pictures production lot, the event provided reviewers like me an unprecedented look behind the scenes, and behind the actual screens, of Sony’s new 2024 home theater creations. Highlights included Sony’s blazing new flagship mini LED TV—the Bravia 9—alongside three other new 2024 TVs that represent a subtly different approach over last year’s lineup.
We also got a peek at other new gear, from Sony’s updated soundbar fleet to its powerful new professional monitor, the HX3110, designed to set the standard for movie and TV mastering for years to come. Here are some first impressions of the latest from Sony Home Theater.
What’s in a Name?
Sony told us part of its goal this year was to streamline and simplify its 2024 home theater lineup. As part of that process, Sony’s best OLED and LED TVs will no longer be separated by their A-series and X-series naming conventions respectively. Instead, all of the new TVs—OLED and LED—will have a numeric moniker.
The new flagship Bravia 9 mini LED TV sits at the top of the new lineup, replacing last year’s X95L. Below that is the update of last year’s A80L OLED TV, now called the Bravia 8. Next is the Bravia 7, another new mini LED TV, and finally the cheapest of the new brood, the Bravia 3 LED TV. In a surprise move, Sony’s flagship A95L OLED TV (8/10, WIRED Recommends) won’t get an update, but will remain available as a Bravia 9 alternative.
I’m all for simpler names, but I’d argue the new system is actually more confusing for buyers, with no easy way to differentiate between OLED and LED. I even got the Bravia 7 mini LED and the Bravia 8 OLED TVs confused in one demo, naturally expecting the step-down LED TV to come directly after the Bravia 9 in the batting order. The A95L, meanwhile, seems adrift with no numeric connection.
While I can’t speak to Sony’s intent, the jumbling of the opposing panel technologies comes as the brand seems 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 have to see how it all plays out—the new mini LED TVs look quite impressive so far—but I expect some head-scratching from shoppers this year.
The New Hotness
Sony’s latest mini LED TVs offer multiple improvements over last year, including increased brightness and more dimming zones for better backlight control. But before we saw the end result, Sony gave us a look behind the curtain to show that its new backlights are not only brighter, but also better at understanding content.
Slim flat screen tv on brown credenza with abstract red artwork on screen small speakers on stands on either side and a...
Bravia 9 mini LED TV
Photograph: Ryan Waniata
To do so, Sony engineers peeled the LCD panel off the new Bravia 9 as well as last year’s Samsung QN90C, set side by side. In a series of demos showing the topless TVs above fully assembled models, it was fascinating to see how readily the Bravia 9’s backlighting responded, carving out clearer, almost wholly visible images with just the backlights alone. Sony says this is due to enhanced object recognition that makes the LEDs both smarter and more efficient.
The differences were less apparent in regular demos, but with up to 50 percent higher brightness and up to 325 percent more dimming zones over last year, the Bravia 9 looks pretty spectacular. In our short time with it, the TV served up rich and accurate colors, inky black levels, and Sony’s special-sauce image processing for remarkable clarity. It looked especially striking in Vivid mode—not that I’ll be using that setting at home. Starting at $3,300 MSRP for the 65-inch version (it’s also available in 75 and 85 inches), the Bravia 9’s premium price is in line with 2023’s A95L.
Slim flat screen tv on white credenza with abstract blue artwork on screen and small speakers on stands on either side
Bravia 8 OLED TV
Photograph: Ryan Waniata
Moving down a step and one panel technology over, the Bravia 8 OLED (starting at $2,000 for the 55-inch model) looked about as luscious and accurate as expected after seeing last year’s A80L. The TV gets just a 10 percent boost in brightness, but thanks to OLED’s perfect black levels, the depth and contrast looked fantastic, while the image sharpness and deep colors wowed in scenes like the epic car chase in No Time to Die.
Slim flat screen tv on grey credenza with abstract red artwork on screen and small speakers on stands on either side
Bravia 7 mini LED TV
Photograph: Ryan Waniata
We barely saw the Bravia 3 LED model, but the mini LED Bravia 7 (starting at $1,900 for the 55-inch) got some time in the sun—or actually the dark—showcasing its own impressive backlighting. The TV carved out deeper black levels and better accuracy than rivals in scenes requiring pinpoint control, like a shot of stars in space in The Martian. Keeping in step with the 9, the 7 has better tools than last year’s X90L, including up to eight times more dimming zones and higher peak brightness. That could make it a great value proposition.
At the lowest end of the price scale, the Bravia 3 starts at $600 for a 43-inch model and goes up to $1,800 for an 85-incher.
Slim flat screen tv on light brown credenza with abstract blue artwork on screen
Bravia 3 LED TV
Photograph: Ryan Waniata
Soundbar Contraction
Amid the frenetic two days of demos, we got a quick glimpse at Sony’s new soundbar realignment. The new models include the Bravia Theater Bar 9 ($1,400) and Theater Bar 8 ($1,000), positioned as shrunken-down replacements for the mondo-sized HT-A7000 and A5000 respectively. We had limited time with both bars, but so far I’m not convinced the smaller systems are improvements.
Long black speaker underneath large flat screen tv both sitting on a white credenza. 2 remotes are to the side of the...
Photograph: Ryan Waniata
At 30 percent smaller than the A5000, the 11-speaker Theater Bar 8 sounded slightly underpowered and thinner in initial impressions when compared to my recollection of its predecessor. I wasn’t able to hear the bar in isolation—it was paired with Sony’s SA-RS3S satellite speakers and SA-SW3 subwoofer—and I’ll need much more time for a full verdict.
The Theater Bar 9 sounded better, with plenty of punch in scenes like the motorcycle chase in Venom and crystal-clear dialog in a quick scene of Gran Turismo. The bar also revealed solid overhead effects for Dolby Atmos in our short audition, thanks to its 13-speaker array, which also included a subwoofer and satellite speaker pairing. Still, this bar will have to do a lot to outperform the current HT-A7000, and it totes the same hefty price tag.
Long black speaker on a table with individual speakers and components in front of it
Photograph: Ryan Waniata
The new Bravia Theater Quad system, which replaces the current HT-A9 multispeaker system, was easily my favorite audio audition—perhaps not surprising given its princely price of $2,500. The fabric-lined blocks may look like cubicle panels, but these multispeaker units hit hard when paired with powerful action scenes from Dune and Top Gun: Maverick. Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping algorithm, which can create a phantom 5.1.4 system or higher from just four speakers, inspired vivid sonic immersion.
The system integrated brilliantly with the Bravia 9 TV as the center channel. I also love that you can set up the cubes in three different mounting configurations, including on their own stands, on separate stands, or directly on the wall. It’s very early days, but the Quad speakers showed real promise in our time with them.
Where Do They Get These Wonderful Toys?
I love getting a first look at the latest consumer gear, but the coolest part of the tour was on the professional side, starting with Pixomondo, Sony’s modular crystal LED production system. Using a mix of infrared cameras to place actors in space, advanced software and computing, and hundreds of modular panels across a large soundstage, Pixomondo creates a limitless selection of virtual environments in which actors and set pieces can be immersed.
With the speed of a loading screen, we were transported to the bridge of a Star Trek spacecraft (which we couldn’t show for IP reasons) as well as a less thrilling virtualized LAX gate and a Sony demo suite. Besides being a way to razzle and dazzle us, the demo was designed to show us why Sony is uniquely positioned to understand how content is made and, therefore, how it should look at home.
Virtual environment projecting an airport terminal around tv screens placed on credenzas
Virtual environment projecting an airport store around a tv placed on credenza
Virtual environment projecting an airport terminal around tv screens placed on credenzas
Black boxes and wires
Behind the scenes view of a black soundstage with staff
1 / 5
Photograph: Ryan Waniata
A much bigger part of that process is the new HX3110 mastering monitor, which sandwiches a color panel and a black-and-white LCD panel together at the pixel level with incredible results. Capable of an astounding 4,000 nits of peak brightness in smaller highlights and an even more impressive 1,000 nits of full-screen brightness, it’s designed to inform Sony engineers, filmmakers, and TV producers how content mastered at high brightness should look.
Sony showed us how the monitor can enhance color grading because it won’t clip (or obscure the image) even when pushed to the limits of most available content. A shot from the movie Alpha was particularly impressive, showing blazing highlights in sunlit skylines with no perceivable detail loss. “Brightness becomes now a color accuracy weapon,” says Sony engineer Hugo Gaggioni, brushing away worries about 4,000-nit TVs being too bright. Instead, he says, it’s the clipping of overly brightened content that is truly painful.
The HX3110 can keep color grading constant up and down the brightness scale, including settings for 1,000 and 2,000 nits peak brightness to adjust for various HDR mastering scenarios. As TVs continue to get brighter, the engineers said that proper grading—from the mastering source to the TV itself—will be key to bringing the full experience home.
I’ll be excited to dig deeper into all of Sony’s new gear in the coming months to see just how well the new TVs and audio gear can achieve their goal of bringing the experience of professional tools into regular living rooms.