Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad & SA-SW5 Bundle

Firsthand listening impressions

I was pumped to audition a sample of the Sony BRAVIA Theater Quad before its official release. I previously had my eye on this system's predecessor, the popular HT-A9. The Quad doubles down on everything that made that earlier system so popular with our customers. My excitement paid off as soon as I got the Quad up and running, which only took 10-15 minutes. My living room was filled with rich, detailed sound that brought the family together for a heck of a movie night.

Breathing new life into a classic with the family

Getting a hold of the Quad happened to coincide with my mom's birthday. So, I let her pick out the movie, of course, and we weren't disappointed. She loved the original Star Wars when it came out, but it had been years since she'd seen it.

The Quad brought the movie to life immediately. As John William's classic orchestral soundtrack kicked in, I knew we were in for a good time. There was a low voooom when the doomed rebel ship passed by, and an even deeper one as the vast bulk of the looming Star Destroyer followed in pursuit. Lasers cracked across the screen with a sharp staccato, and the bass was surprisingly deep as one of the lasers ripped an explosive impact.

When the stormtroopers started boarding, the room lit up with the sound of blaster fire from every angle. As we settled in, I was struck by how detailed and ominous Darth Vader's slow, artificial breathing was. It was like hearing it for the first time. Watching my mother rediscover the joy of lightsabers and blasters with my kids glued to the screen alongside her warmed my heart.

Swords and ideologies clashing in 19th century Japan

After movie night was over and the kids went to bed, it was "me" time. I popped in my current gaming obsession, Rise of the Ronin, and dove into Bakumatsu-era Japan with abandon. I was impressed with how clearly and effortlessly the Quad captured quieter moments of dialogue, as characters debated the issues of the day, and then just as easily built tension with the swell of the soundtrack, punctuated by the sching and clang of the game's pulse-pounding swordplay.

My favorite effect, though, was the deep thoom of a successful parry — especially as it led to a flurry of additional strikes in rapid succession and ended with the crashing weight of a cinematic finishing move. Having that immediate auditory feedback in a game where timing is paramount helped me stay on my toes. It also made the combat that much more satisfying.

Adding music to the mix

For my final test, I wanted to see how the Quad handled music. Turns out, really well. The Quad offers a ton of ways to stream music. In my case, I simply started up In This Shirt by the Irrepressibles on my TV's built-in YouTube app. The system did a great job conveying the somber mood as I sang along with the song's haunting refrain.

After that, it was time to cheer things up. I finished up with a string of traditional Capoeira music like Zum, Zum, Zum. I used to practice this martial art in my younger days — a beautiful mix of dance, fighting style, and folk music. And as I danced the cobwebs loose, my kids joined in with abandon. What a better way to pick yourself up, than to share the joy of music with your family?