Skip to main content

Sony debuts its massive Master Series 8K consumer TV at CES 2019

Sony Master Series Z9G 8K LCD

CES 2019 is only just getting started, but one thing is abundantly clear already: This is the year that 8K goes from being a cool concept, to something you can actually put in your living room. Today, Sony has officially taken the wraps off its first 8K TV for consumers: The Master Series Z9G 8K LCD, and it’s a technical tour-de-force. If it’s anything like the prototype we saw last year, it should be a show-stopper.

More CES 2019 coverage

8K is a lot of resolution — four times more than 4K — which would be wasted on a small screen. So the new Z9G series come in two monstrous sizes: 85-inch, and 98-inch. At nearly 100-inches, that’s projector-class image size, an impressive feat for any TV, let alone an 8K model. Sony claims it has updated both its Picture Processor X1 Ultimate image processor, and its X-Reality PRO technology to be optimized for 8K content, ensuring that all content regardless of its native resolution, looks as good as possible. As part of Sony’s Master series, these two 8K models also feature Netflix Calibrated Mode and IMAX Enhanced.

Last year, on its OLED TVs, Sony debuted technology it calls Sound-from-Picture Reality, which makes dialog sound as though it’s coming from the actors on-screen, and not from the TV’s speakers. It accomplished this using OLED Acoustic Surface Audio, where the screen itself acts as a speaker. Apparently this technology doesn’t lend itself to LCD panels, so the Z9G models are equipped with four, front-firing speakers — two on the top, and two along the bottom of the screen. This combination, when managed correctly, has the same effect as the OLED panel-as-speaker, or so Sony claims. If you’ve already got a 5.1 or better surround sound system, the TV’s speakers can take the place of your center channel.

Sony A9G OLED TV

Sony’s OLED TV lineup also gets a refresh for 2019, with the Master Series A9G coming in 55-, 65-, and 77-inch sizes. These new models are thinner, and when combined with Sony’s SU-WL855 wall-mount system, the company claims they can reduce the distance to your wall by half, as compared to last year’s models. There’s a new, Sony-built panel controller, with “Pixel Contrast Booster,” for more color and contrast in bright areas of the image. Also improved is HD and SD content up-scaling. The OLED panel-as-speaker tech has been upgraded, and is now known as Acoustic Surface Audio+, and features two actuators and two subwoofers. Similar to the Z9G, the A9G can act as a center channel speaker too.

Recommended Videos

Both the Z9G and A9G models share the following features:

  • Android TV, with Google Assistant, and compatibility with Google Home, and Amazon Echo smart speakers
  • An RF-enabled smart remote
Please enable Javascript to view this content

Of course, Sony’s got new non-Master Series updates as well, in both OLED and LED flavors:

A8G Series Bravia 4K OLED TVs in 55- and 65-inch sizes, get the new 4K HDR Processor X1 Extreme, for better HDR performance, and IMAX Enhanced.

X950G Series 4K LED TVs in 55-, 65-, 75-, and 85-inch sizes, get Picture Processor X1 Ultimate for similar improvements to HDR performance, full-array local dimming backlight with X-tended Dynamic Range Pro, Netflix Calibrated Mode, IMAX Enhanced, plus both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.

Sony A9G OLED TV
Sony A9G OLED TV Rich Shibley/Digital Trends

Last but not least, Sony is also updating its Blu-ray player offering, with the new Sony UBP-X800M2. It’s a slender and sleek UltraHD unit, with support for three flavors of HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10, as well as the up-and-coming HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma). It will play almost every physical disc media out there, including SACD/DVD-A, and has built-in streaming options for Netflix and YouTube. There’s passthrough of both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, and word has it that the X800 does a pretty great job at upscaling non-4K content, just in case you’re non happy with how your 4K TV handles the task.

Sony says it will release pricing and availability info for all of these new models in the spring.

Simon Cohen
Simon Cohen is a contributing editor to Digital Trends' Audio/Video section, where he obsesses over the latest wireless…
Denon AVR-X6800H: 8K everywhere and Dirac Live compatibility
Denon AVR-X6800H AV receiver.

Denon has taken the wraps off its next AV receiver, the AVR-X6800H, which features 11.4-channels (13.4 processing) for a variety of surround sound setups, including Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, IMAX Enhanced, and Auro 3D. Denon hasn't released the price or the specific availability date for the AVR-X6800H, saying only that you'll be able to buy the new receiver at the beginning of 2024.

As the model name suggests, the AVR-X6800H is the new version of the AVR-X6700H, one of the only Denon models that didn't get a refresh in 2022. The AVR-X6700H currently sells for $2,999, so we're guessing the X6800H won't be a big departure from its predecessor when it comes to price.

Read more
Hisense kicks off its U8K mini-LED TV availability with deep discounts
A closeup view of an owl displayed on a Hisense U8K TV.

Why wait for a new product to go on sale when you grab a huge discount on day one? That's clearly the thinking behind Hisense's retail launch of its 2023 U8K mini-LED 4K TV, which arrives in stores today. The flagship TV is available in 55-, 65-, and 75-inch screen sizes. Normally, these are priced at $1,300, $1,700, and $2,300 respectively, but for a limited time, Hisense has dramatically reduced all three, which are currently at $800, $1,100, and $1,600.

U8K is the company's flagship TV and marries the impressive benefits of quantum dots with the precise brightness control of mini-LED backlighting. The U8K offers Hisense's best and brightest picture quality -- that is, until (and if) Hisense releases the UX TV it teased at CES 2023. And it's loaded with features that will make it a strong contender if you're looking for a great TV without spending a fortune.

Read more
Denon’s small-room 8K AV receivers start at $549
Denon AVR-S770H AV receiver in black.

Denon AVR-S770H AV receiver in black. Denon

Denon has added two new S-Series 8K-capable AV receivers that are aimed at small- and medium-sized rooms. The AVR-S670H ($549) is a 5.2-channel model, and the AVR-S770H ($649) is a 7.2-channel, Dolby Atmos-capable receiver. Both models are available for preorder starting July 25 and are expected to ship by mid-August.

Read more