Master Class
SONY’S XBR-A9G, the latest OLED entry in the company’s Master Series TV lineup, follows fast on the heels of its previous A9F. While the differences from that model are minor, the A9G’s list of upgrades include a different (and arguably improved) stand, a better remote control, and a few performance tweaks. The A9G lineup also includes a 77-inch model, but the 65-inch XBR-65A9G is the featured attraction here.
DESIGN AND FEATURES
Until 2019, Sony’s OLEDs were designed to sit with their screens sloping gently backward, much like an easel. To provide stability, the back support incorporated a massive 14 pounds of ballast. But the stand was difficult to set up, and not all buyers were attracted to the sloped screen.
The new A9G doesn’t lean backward, but instead sits on a much more conventional center-positioned stand. Setup and unpacking for a table mount proved a breeze for two people, taking less than 15 minutes. The cable routing is well-designed and can be concealed with several form-fitted plastic covers.
The A9G has four HDMI 2.0b inputs. While there’s no upgrade path to full HDMI 2.1 (which would likely involve hardware changes), the set does offer one HDMI 2.1 feature: eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) on HDMI 3. All of the HDMI inputs can support the full 18 Gbps bandwidth required to pass 4K/Ultra HD at 60 frames per second. However, when I, the only available 60fps movie on Ultra HD Blu-ray, it delivered 4K, HDR, and 60fps, but only in 8-bit color. The image didn’t look compromised, however, and Ultra HD/HDR sources with lower frame rates, including virtually all 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray movies (24fps), will play back at 10 bits for both HDR10 and Dolby Vision.
