Sony HT-Z9F vs Sonos Beam

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To get acquainted with the specs of the devices, we suggest you familiarize with the comparison of Sony HT-Z9F and Sonos Beam. It shows us that the HT-Z9F is a better choice as a home soundbar than the Beam. According to the results of our comparison, HT-Z9F received 7.2 points out of 10 possible, and Beam was rated 6 points.

Advantages Sony HT-Z9F over Sonos Beam

Advantages Sonos Beam over Sony HT-Z9F

Audio features

The HT-Z9F is rated 7 of 10 against 6 for the Beam according to the audio features rating.

It worth understanding the difference between the two types of amplification: a passive soundbar does not have its own amplifier and receives amplification from the signal source, while an active soundbar has a built-in amplifier. The same active type of amplification is used in the HT-Z9F and the Beam.

There are stereo soundbars and multichannel ones. It is with the help of multichannel devices that you can get volumetric sound. It is worth noting one of the main differences, the HT-Z9F has 3.1 channels, while the Beam has 3.0 channels.

Subwoofers

Soundbars can have a built-in or external subwoofer. The first type is inseparable from the soundbar body, but for the second, you can choose a good location for deep bass. The HT-Z9F comes with an external subwoofer. Competitors support wireless connection to a separate external subwoofer.

Multichannel surround

Unlike stereo, when reproducing multichannel sound, each specific direction of sound corresponds to its dedicated channel with a separate independent loudspeaker, which creates a three-dimensional sound stage. The HT-Z9F received rating 8 out of 10 for multichannel audio processing, but the Beam, in the same category, earned 4 out of 10 points.

The peculiarity of Dolby Atmos is that this format is object-oriented, that is, each object of the audio signal is sounded separately and linked to its spatial location. Dolby Atmos surround sound support is implemented only in Sony HT-Z9F.

DTS:X is an algorithm for processing sound scenes by the processor, linking directly to objects, rather than channels, and calculating the optimal distribution of sound output in a room. The manufacturer has implemented DTS:X technology only in HT-Z9F.

Streaming services

The possibility to listen online to millions of songs from one device has become a reality thanks to streaming services. The streaming services category rating is the same - 6 out of 10 points.

The popular Spotify service is available on the HT-Z9F.

Connectivity

The existence of a sufficient number of current connectors significantly expands the functionality of the device. For example, only through HDMI is it possible to implement the transfer of object-oriented formats, and the presence of a Bluetooth connection will allow remote control, etc. The devices received different ratings for connectivity: Sony HT-Z9F was rated 8 out of 10, and Sonos Beam was rated 6 out of 10.

The presence of Wi-Fi in the soundbar allows you to get rid of wires when connected to a sound source and get minimal audio latency when playing content from streaming services. Wireless connection via Wi-Fi is possible on both devices.

Bluetooth connection is now one of the main communication protocols for speaker systems, which provides excellent quality and minimal audio latency. The availability of Bluetooth protocol, we can see in both models. The HT-Z9F has 2/0 HDMI inputs/outputs, but the Beam got 1/0 HDMI inputs/outputs from the manufacturer.

HDMI ARC is a very usefull technology that creates a two-way communication channel between a TV and another device. This is convenient since there is no need to use optical and other cables in the system. HDMI ARC is a feature unique to Sony HT-Z9F.

Features

Voice control is designed to make operating the device more convenient. This allows you to control basic soundbar functions from anywhere in the room. The voice control feature is implemented in each of the compared soundbars.

Proprietary applications allow you to control your soundbars remotely. This is possible both via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The Beam has its own remote control application. Only Sonos Beam has a built-in microphone.

Some soundbars can be part of a multi-room system and it is an affordable solution for sounding the whole house. The HT-Z9F has the ability to use a multiroom system.

Dimensions