Sony's New OLED TV Excels in Underrated Aspect against Competitors
The Sony Bravia 8 II has made a name for itself in the world of premium OLED TVs, particularly for its exceptional audio performance. Despite its high price tag, the Bravia 8 II falls short in the performance-per-pound/dollar metric, but its audio prowess sets it apart from competitors.
At the heart of the Bravia 8 II's audio system is the Acoustic Surface Audio+ Technology, a feature shared with Sony's flagship A95L model. This advanced setup includes two actuators that vibrate the screen to produce sound, along with two subwoofers. This unique design creates highly spatialized audio that is closely tied to the visuals on screen, delivering an immersive experience that typical speaker placements cannot match.
The Bravia 8 II's audio system offers excellent tonal balance, with warm and full midrange frequencies that bring clear and natural voice reproduction. It achieves clarity and volume without distortion, even at higher levels, and the high-end frequencies maintain fidelity without sounding tinny, which is unusual for built-in TV speakers.
One of the standout features of the Bravia 8 II is its built-in Dolby Atmos support. Unlike many TVs where Dolby Atmos decoding is purely digital without much spatial effect, the Bravia 8 II physically reproduces height and surround-like effects with convincing immersion, making it one of the few TVs that can deliver authentic Atmos sound without an external soundbar.
The Bravia 8 II's audio performance is frequently described as one of the best built-in TV sound systems available, often outperforming other premium OLED TVs that typically focus more on picture than sound. While some OLED competitors rely heavily on external soundbars to boost bass or spatial effects, the Bravia 8 II’s built-in system already outperforms most in creating a convincing surround and height audio experience natively.
For those seeking even more impressive audio quality, the Sonos Arc Ultra is a high-end soundbar suitable for complementing the Bravia 8 II’s audio quality. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2), on the other hand, is a more affordable option but may not offer as significant improvements to the Bravia 8 II's audio quality as the Sonos Arc Ultra.
The Bravia 8 II's QD-OLED panel delivers a bright, balanced image with three-dimensionality, making it a leading set for both immersive audio and visuals, especially for gaming and cinematic experiences. The TV has been added to a best OLED TV buying guide and has managed to contend with a specific Blade Runner 2049 stress test surprisingly well.
In conclusion, the Sony Bravia 8 II excels in audio performance with its Acoustic Surface Audio+ system, delivering immersive, spatially accurate sound that rivals external setups. It offers one of the best built-in Dolby Atmos experiences on the market, with rich, detailed audio that requires less dependency on added soundbars than its competitors. This makes it a standout choice among premium OLED TVs for users valuing both outstanding picture and powerful integrated audio.
- The Sony Bravia 8 II's audio performance is often praised, with experts frequently describing it as one of the best built-in TV sound systems available.
- For a more immersive audio experience, one could consider pairing the Bravia 8 II with the Sonos Arc Ultra, a high-end soundbar.
- The Bravia 8 II's built-in Dolby Atmos support offers a physically reproduced height and surround-like effect,making it one of the few TVs that can deliver authentic Atmos sound without an external soundbar.
- At the heart of the Bravia 8 II's audio system is the Acoustic Surface Audio+ Technology, a feature that creates highly spatialized audio that is closely tied to the visuals on screen.
- The Bravia 8 II's audio system offers excellent tonal balance, with warm and full midrange frequencies that bring clear and natural voice reproduction.
- The Bravia 8 II's superior audio performance has earned it a spot in best OLED TV buying guides and impressively, it has managed to contend with a specific Blade Runner 2049 stress test.
- Despite its high price tag, the Bravia 8 II's audio prowess sets it apart from competitors, particularly in its exceptional audio performance.
