Sony Soundbar HT-Z9F: Vertical Surround Engine Technology Creates Immersive Movie-Watching Experience

This summer is particularly hot. Except for going out for swimming, I refuse all other outdoor activities. I just want to stay at home, eat ice cream and watch movies. As people's requirements for home life increase, the clarity of TVs has continued to rise from 1080P to 2K, 4K, and even 8K. The picture quality has been improved, and the sound quality must keep up with the trend. Most devices already support Dolby Atmos or DTS:X sound effects. However, for those who love watching movies and e-sports competitions, this is not enough. The blood-pumping of movies and the passion of e-sports competitions require a full range of surround stereo to create an immersive experience. A complete set of equipment on the market that meets this requirement will cost at least tens of thousands of yuan, so I can only say "excuse me".

Isn't there a more balanced product that can enjoy an immersive listening experience without spending more than expected? Sony, which is known for its black technology, has such a product, the HT-Z9F home audio and video system.

Appearance:

A sound bar that is approximately (1000×64×99) mm in size, plus a subwoofer that is approximately (190x382x386) mm in size, complement each other to create a cinema-like sound system.

The 1000mm long sound bar is all black with a standardized three-section body design. The metal mesh cover made of brushed technology protects the front panel. Three 46mm mica diaphragm full-range speakers are inlaid in it like gems. The left and right channels are coordinated with the center sound output, and the delicate sound performance satisfies your daily listening enjoyment.

On the left side of the Sony soundbar HT-Z9F, an LED display is placed in the center of the two speakers, through which you can intuitively see the status of the device's related work.

The middle part of the soundbar HT-Z9F is treated with piano paint, with a smooth and glossy surface and first-class texture. The back part of the box is made of frosted plastic with a strong grainy feel. Three materials and three forging treatments create different looks and feels. Although the HT-Z9F is equipped with a remote control, the upper part of the body is still designed with touch buttons for emergency use.

The subwoofer box is made of wood and is all black, similar to the design of the sound bar. The 160mm diameter speaker is eye-catching. It is worth mentioning that the subwoofer of the Sony HT-Z9F home audio and video system supports wireless connection, which is convenient for placement at home without being bound by cables.

Interface selection:

The soundbar has 1 HDMI output and 2 HDMI (ARC) input interfaces, a USB interface, an analog audio input interface, a 100M network interface, and an optical fiber input interface, etc. However, in actual use, for audio and video enthusiasts and e-sports enthusiasts like this, the HDMI interface is enough. The backward compatible analog audio input interface and the optical fiber input interface with a higher upper limit provide users with more expansion options.

Actual experience:

First, find a sample video for testing. When you play the video, you can hear the sound coming from the front, back, left, and right. It is the rustling sound of the leaves in the natural wind, just like whispering in your ear, which makes people feel involved. Sony's HT-Z9F soundbar supports Dolby Atmos, and is equipped with Sony's proud "VSE" vertical surround engine and S-Force Pro front virtual surround technology to create a full range of listening scenes. On weekends at home, open a book and listen to Sony HT-Z9F playing some short videos or audios of nature. Open the book, as if you are in the beautiful wilderness, keep your mind as calm as water, and feel the true meaning of life in the fragrance of books.

Sony HT-Z9F has 6 built-in sound field modes, namely cinema, sports, music, news, games and automatic sound field. I first experienced the movie sound field mode, and turned on the VERTICAL SURROUND ENGINE vertical surround function, playing the 4K HDR movie "San Andreas". The helicopter propellers cut through the sky, and the sound of circling in the air seemed to be above your head. The sound effect of the high-rise building collapsing instantly brought enough shock, and the rocks falling from the upper floors, accompanied by the whistling sound, made the viewers want to dodge sideways.

In terms of games, the FPS game "Overwatch" was selected to test the game sound field of Sony HT-Z9F. The sensitivity of FPS games to sound helps to take the initiative in team battles. It can be said that the delicacy of sound can affect the outcome of the battlefield. The performance of Sony HT-Z9F game mode in resolution and separation can better highlight the flashback sound effects of Tracer and the footsteps of Reaper in the game, allowing you to take the lead and control the whole situation. By the way, when watching OWL games, Sony HT-Z9F can better bring out the tense feeling of blood, and the viewing experience is simply too good.

After the overall experience, I personally think that the automatic sound field can be used in daily life, but it is recommended to turn on the corresponding mode when watching movies and playing games. Especially the movie mode when watching movies, because it has the assistance of vertical surround and front virtual surround technology, and supports 4K HDR and HI-RES high-resolution audio technology, the high-quality film source can perfectly release the powerful performance of Sony soundbar HT-Z9F in all aspects, which seems to be the ultimate viewing enjoyment.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.