The Sony A90K OLED, which is now available in 42″ and 48″ sizes and has improved gaming features, will replace it in 2022. you can read our article on Sony KD-48A9 review. Nowadays, the prevailing tendency in television is toward ever-larger displays. But an intriguing exception to this rule has just appeared in the form of 48-inch OLED TVs. With the KD-48A9, Sony is now joining the market for smaller OLEDs after LG did so with its OLED48CX last year. Sony’s first 48in OLED is a pretty cute little device. When turned on, you primarily see the picture due to the screen’s extremely thin bezel and the way it rests directly on its silver stand. While a sizable central portion of its rear protrudes outward more than most TVs, the chassis’ outer edges are only a few millimeters deep.
Sony KD-48A9 review: Design
Sony looks to have built the 48A9 as small as possible, at least in terms of height and width, in order to take use of the new, smaller OLED panel’s ability to be compact. The sleek, glossy bottom edge, which has a subtle Sony logo that is invisible in most light, is only slightly thicker than the flush, black bezel that runs along the top and sides, which is less than 1 cm thick. There is only a 5mm space between the bottom edge of the TV and the surface it is placed on thanks to the pedestal stand, which gives the set a small footprint of under 47cm. The drawback of that covert stand is that any soundbar positioned in front of the TV would obscure a sizable portion of the screen. Sony hopes that the screen-vibrating audio technology incorporated into the TV will prevent you from feeling the need to buy a speaker. Despite the fact that OLED panels are incredibly thin, all OLED TVs require an enclosure to house the connections, processing circuitry, and speakers. The KD-48A9’s back enclosure is larger than typical in both the area of the panel it covers and the overall depth it adds. The Sony is 6cm thick compared to LG’s own 48-inch OLED (the OLED48CX), which is 4.7cm thick at its thickest point. But in the end, it just appears to be a little less impressive from a profile.
Features
This is a 4K HDR OLED TV, first and foremost. HDR10+ is not included, but in all honesty, if you’re going to be without one of the obvious HDR standards, make it HDR10+. Broadcasters’ favorite HLG, HDR10, and Dolby Vision HDR standards are all supported. The Sony features a tone of connecting options. There should be enough physical connections for everyone, including four HDMI inputs, three USB ports, an Ethernet input, two satellite TV aerial posts and an equivalent terrestrial TV input, and composite video inputs for your actual legacy equipment. There is also dual-band wi-fi, Bluetooth 4.2, Google Chromecast, and Apple AirPlay 2 wireless connectivity for good measure. A digital optical connector and a 3.5mm headphone jack are included as outputs. It’s important to note that there isn’t HDMI 2.1 support here, so none of the clever features built into Sony’s PlayStation 5 or Microsoft’s Xbox Series X can be used. However, there is eARC support for a fancy sound bar, so the HDMI news isn’t all bad. The KE-48A9 may be one of the few TVs available that doesn’t automatically require a sound bar to make it sound half-decent because Sony has used its Acoustic Surface Audio technology here. It is clever and, undoubtedly in earlier applications, effective to use actuators to transform the entire screen into a speaker. Also included is a subwoofer that is somewhat more conventional.
Connectivity
The connection list for the Sony KD-48A9 Master Series OLED is the same as for the A8. There are four HDMI connectors, but sadly they are all 2.0. For those who have a PS5 or Xbox Series X eyesight, this is awful news. Additionally absent are HDMI 2.1 features ALLM and VRR. A port provides eARC. There are no incompatible Ultra HD HDR connections. Additionally, there are three USB ports, an optical digital output, a splitter-enabled composite video input, and a stereo minijack for headphones. Bluetooth can also be used to connect headphones. Wall mounting is not a problem because all connections point to the side or downward. There is an Ethernet connector and Wi-Fi. also you can check our article on Sony KD-48A9 review.
Sony KD-48A9 review: Picture quality
The A9 is cautious in its offering right out of the box, appearing hesitant to deliver the kind of brilliant contrast we’ve come to anticipate from top HDR signals. That problem has been fixed after a little bit of tinkering, and when we start Blade Runner 2049, we’re thrilled to see the film’s vivid red and white typography appear on the perfectly black screen with serious punch and purity. In this regard, it actually matches the LG CX in size. It also outperforms the CX at the other end of the brightness spectrum: while both sets produce pure black, the Sony digs up more dark detail, faithfully recreating Sapper Morton’s dingy farmhouse interior with more scene-setting insight. The fact that the A9 manages motion better than the CX comes as less of a surprise. While other manufacturers have made advancements this year, Sony has long been the master of motion processing, and the A9 (and many of its siblings, for that matter) do an excellent job of sharpening and smoothing motion without adding fizz or artificiality. The fact that Sony has been so far ahead of its competitors for so long demonstrates what a difficult feat that is. Everything appears as it should, only better. The A9 lives up to Sony’s Master Series models’ commitment to presenting the image exactly as intended. The colors have a slight richness and warmth that may not be completely accurate to life, but it is genuine to cinema. This subtle rosiness enhances the sense of life in skin tones rather than the awful sepia-tinted blandness you encounter when you choose the Cinema mode on most TVs. Once more, everything appears as it ought to, only better. There has never been a TV this size with better sharpness and detail, and the way the set combines ultra-deep blacks and bright, pure whites works with these qualities to give the picture an unmatched sense of depth and solidity. Everything in Blade Runner 2049, from the close-up of K’s hand at the beginning to the hauntingly gorgeous shots of the devastated town in 1917, has a real sense of three-dimensionality.
Sound quality
Meanwhile, the cutting-edge Acoustic Surface audio system in the Sony A9 OLED delivers on its promise to push forward into the space, immerse you in the action, and make even the densest mixes sound clean, clear, and dynamic. It’s incredible how well-rounded the sound is considering that the flat TV screen is the main source of its vibration. The way the sound system places audio effects is also impressive. For instance, a vehicle’s sound will follow it as it moves across the screen. Additionally, voices appear to come from the exact location on the screen where speakers’ lips are moving. The main “screen” speaker feels more open and spacious than the rear-firing bass driver, and the set’s sound doesn’t project high and widely enough to adequately represent the Dolby Atmos soundtracks it can decode. Overall, though, the sound is undeniably impressive—especially when you consider the small size of the TV from which it is emanating. also you will learn our article on Sony KD-48A9 review.
Sony KD-48A9 review: Interface
Sony appears set on sticking with Android TV as its entry point into the world of Smart TV, and while development is agonizingly slow, Android TV is beginning to make at least some sense. There is undoubtedly a tone of functionality here. There are many streaming services that deserve discussion as well as many that don’t, including Netflix and Disney+, both of which offer Dolby Vision HDR. There are also apps for streaming music and catch-up TV, and the interface isn’t quite the logistical nightmare it once was. One of the nicer handsets available comes with the ‘premium’ remote control that comes with the KE-48A9. The aluminum and textured plastic combination feels good and grippy, and Sony should be commended for avoiding overusing tiny buttons. This TV’s setup and use are as simple as it gets thanks to logical, comprehensive, but not overly so, on-screen menus.
Price and availability
Sony should have included HDMI 2.1 connectivity, especially with the release of the PS5. Although HDR10 + support would be wonderful, it is not a barrier. The cost is fairly hefty. Compared to the LG 48CX, the 55A8 is only € 100 more expensive. In return, you can fully appreciate the image. Therefore, the TV justifies its cost.
Conclusion
Overall, the Sony XBR48A9S is a great TV. Its OLED display is an excellent option for watching movies because it boasts a virtually infinite contrast ratio and superb black uniformity. Because it upscales lower-quality video well and has wide viewing angles, it is suitable for watching TV shows or sports with a group of people. It provides a superb gaming experience with an almost instantaneous response time and little input lag, however it does not support VRR, and the refresh rate is only 60Hz at 4K.
