WE PREVIOUSLY reviewed Sony’s XBR-65A9G OLED, a member of the company’s Master Series Ultra HDTV family, in our October/ November 2019 issue (also available at soundandvision.com). While that set is still available and remains a first-class option, the only advantages it appears to offer over the new XBR-65A8H OLED reviewed here are slightly more sophisticated sound features plus an ability to serve as a center channel in an outboard multichannel audio setup.
The XBR-65A8H, meanwhile, is priced considerably lower than its Master Series predecessor at $2,800.
FEATURES AND SETUP
The XBR-65A8H rests on legs positioned 40 inches apart for a tabletop setup, allowing it to sit securely on any solid piece of furniture you might reasonably choose for a 65-inch diagonal (57-inch wide) television.
Sony uses Google’s Android TV as its smart TV platform. Chromecast built-in lets the set play files streamed over your home network, mirror programs displayed on a portable device or computer screen and respond to limited vocal commands using Google Assistant. The XBR-65A8H is also compatible with Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant.
Sony’s Acoustic Surface technology in the XBR-65A8H uses left and right audio actuators attached to the back of the OLED panel that vibrate the screen itself to produce sound. There’s also a separate woofer radiating from the back of the set. I heard no deep bass to speak of, but the overall sound was well-balanced and listenable, and better than what you get with most flat-panel TVs. Sony claims that the XBR-65A8H supports Dolby Atmos, though none of the speakers contained within the set itself fire upward to create steered sound from overhead—the whole point of Atmos.
This story is from the October - November 2020 edition of Sound & Vision.
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This story is from the October - November 2020 edition of Sound & Vision.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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