Sony HT-Z9F rear speaker alternatives

JF1980

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I know this has probably been done to death but I haven’t found any accounts of people trying alternatives to the officially supported SAZ9R rear speakers.

I’m looking to upgrade my old soundbar after recently upgrading to an OLED Bravia. There’s no way I’m shelling out £1000’s on the HT-A7000 + sub + rears, therefore despite being a 2018 model the HT-Z9F still looks like one of the better options. That said the SAZ9R rear speakers have been discontinued and used examples are going for £500-600. They do still seem to be available from BestBuy in the US but looking at photos the rear states 110v not 110-240v, so I can’t just buy from there and change the plug.

The question is, has anyone actually tried using the SA-RS3S rear speakers with the HT-Z9F? Specifications suggest the Z9F and A7000 both use the same 5ghz OFDM ‘Wireless Sound Specification version 4.0’ which you would think means they are compatible with the same additional speakers. Questions on Amazon get an on the fence answer from Sony that they ‘are not guaranteed to work’.

If I already had the soundbar I’d take a chance on the rears and just return to Amazon if they didn’t work. The A5000 seems to have gone MIA.

Alternatively is there a new mid-range soundbar with rear option due to be released by Sony anytime soon?
 
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Hi JF1980. I have both the soundbar and rear speakers. The rears are incredible. Add a full soundstage and take the atmos as well as the virtual surround to another level and well worth it in my opinion. I got lucky locally at clearance a year and a half ago for the rears.

I am actually thinking of selling them and the bar as we have upgraded to a Q acoustics system now as we extended our lounge.

If you can get a pair second hand it will be as good as (almost) the HT A700 - for a fraction of the cost. The sounder alone now sounds pretty flat. They pair automatically and no fuss - easy tp trunk as only one cable to the power.

Hope that helps.
 
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The official rear speakers for the Z9F are hard to get hold of, even used. That’s the point of asking whether anyone has actually tried the SA-RS3S with the Z9F. On paper, by the specs it looks like they should be compatible but Sony may have blocked them intentionally to force people to upgrade to the A7000 if they want rear speakers as an option.
 
The official rear speakers for the Z9F are hard to get hold of, even used. That’s the point of asking whether anyone has actually tried the SA-RS3S with the Z9F. On paper, by the specs it looks like they should be compatible but Sony may have blocked them intentionally to force people to upgrade to the A7000 if they want rear speakers as an option.
I have listed my setup which includes the official supported rear speakers for sale (in classifieds)
I did ask at a local Sony store as ordered a refurbished TV but it was suggested the SA-RS3S would not work with the soundbar due to linking issues.
 
Just to note any interest in the sale needs to be posted in the classifieds thread for it - not here.

Thanks
 
Yeah this sucks, my ZF9 is having issues and I just want a working replacement but its still £499 in the UK and I'm not paying that 4 years after release, not when pre-2018 Sony soundbars are being sold for 70% less than the RRP.

Its way out of warranty now, but maybe I should try my luck with Sony support? It has HDR passthrough issues that require a full factory reset/reboot to fix.
 
Calm down moderator, it was a statement, nothing that you needed to remove or get involved with in any way. Bit eager to moderate there!
That was a calm statement of the rules for everybody (and you) to read and be reminded - that’s all.

Members advising they have something for sale in the classifieds here is fine. Any responses in these threads is not.

There is also a rule about questioning a moderator’s decisions. First and only warning before you are formally warned and points issued.
 
Creating a particularly trite and unhelpful post likely to annoy
:rolleyes:
 
You may connect any active speakers as rear pair using cables. There are three 3.5 mm jack outputs at the back of the soundbar (covered by a piece of plastic) marked SW (subwoofer), RL (Rear Left) and RR (Rear Right). For each channel you need to use a cable with 3.5 mm stereo plug on the soundbar side. The wire connected to tip of the jack plug carries 3.3V which is used to enable the rear speakers and you shall leave it not connected. The line output of a channel is available on the second jack ring, between the tip and the ground and this line must be connected to the line input of a given channel of the active speakers. The SW output can be used to connect the subwoofer the same way, but there the tip delivers the audio and the second ring provides 3.3V when the soundbar is on. The soundbar detects the presence of the wired speakers observing if the plug is inserted into the socket.
Typical cables that are used have stereo 3.5mm jack on one side and 2 cinch connectors on the other. You shall use 2 cables of this type connecting their jacks to RL and RR and for each of them connecting only one of their two cinch connectors (the one coming from the second ring of the jack plug) to the active speakers cinch socket. Leave the second cinch plug not connected.
You can also assemble your own cable with correct connections. It is also possible to use 3.3V signal from the jack tip to control active speakers power state but this will require a bit of electronics skills. Remember to use good quality shielded cables.
 
@makr22 great info! Do I need specific cables to make This work? I've been messing around with some standard 3.5mm and RCA cables and I can't seem to get sound from my generic powered Logitech speakers I'm trying to use as rears.
 
You may use 2 cables with 3.5 mm stereo jack on on side and 2 RCA (cinch) plugs on the other. Audio is present only on one of the RCA plugs, the one connected to the middle metal ring of the jack plug.
Also check if the jacks are fully inserted. When you insert any of the jacks, the soundbar detects it and switches off so you have to switch it on again.
 
You may use 2 cables with 3.5 mm stereo jack on on side and 2 RCA (cinch) plugs on the other. Audio is present only on one of the RCA plugs, the one connected to the middle metal ring of the jack plug.
Also check if the jacks are fully inserted. When you insert any of the jacks, the soundbar detects it and switches off so you have to switch it on again.
@makr22 Thank you!

But what so you mean with "The wire connected to tip of the jack plug carries 3.3V which is used to enable the rear speakers and you shall leave it not connected" ?

If we use a 3.5 mm stereo jack on one side and 2 RCA plugs on the other side, how we shall leave one not connected?
 
You use 2 stereo jack plugs on the soundbar side hence you really have both jack tips not connected.
 

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