Sony Acoustic Surface Audio?
Sony Acoustic Surface Audio?
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Discussion

wastedyouth86

Original Poster:

850 posts

58 months

Monday 23rd November 2020
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Anyone have a Sony OLED tv's with the acoustic Surface audio? looking at a 65inch and wondered if the audio is as good as a tv with a moderate soundbar?

Gren

2,006 posts

268 months

Monday 23rd November 2020
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We've got a 55 inch AG9 with that tech. The sound is very good and probably as good as a soundbar without a sub. Vocals are clear as is music. In fact I'd say the sound is better than our £200 soundbar for clarity etc.

I still use that soundbar most of the time though as with the sub the bass is on another level. Movie sound effects and Youtube/Spotify music it definitely is a step up.


Murph7355

40,382 posts

272 months

Monday 23rd November 2020
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Agree with the above, though note I don't routinely use the TV audio on its own.

I do use it as the centre speaker for my 5.1 set up though. Works great in that mode.

Crackie

6,386 posts

258 months

Monday 23rd November 2020
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Sony's acoustic surface audio is a DML ( distributed mode loudspeaker ). It is a resurrection of NXT tech from the late 90's.

The clear polymer panel in front of the display is 'driven; by actuators at the panel's edge. I worked with the tech in its infancy ( the company I used to work for made several development mould tools for NXT and I was their Tech Sales Manager ). I've been involved on and off with flat speaker tech ever since then including a spell working for Amina Technology's R&D department from 2012 to 2016.

A DML is resonant device i.e. it propagates sound in the same way that an acoustic guitar or cello or violin does. DMLs work in a completely different way to conventional moving coil cone speakers which are pistonic devices .

DMLs can work very well when they are large i.e the panel on the front of a large TV but they aren't great for low frequencies. Large ones can play pretty loud too but they don't sound great when doing so.

When the bass frequencies are taken care of elsewhere, ie. use the DML for CC duties alone, they can be very good indeed.

Edited by Crackie on Monday 23 November 22:04

JimPD

112 posts

137 months

Monday 23rd November 2020
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These TVs have a subwoofer in the back as well as the acoustic screen.
However, the bass is, in my opinion, just about OK.
I am considering adding a sub to mine