Sony HT A9 for music

Sony HT receivers gets 0 love around here but I enjoy 2 of them.

When downsizing I realized we use the media room for HT and the living room for music. So I replaced the KEF Reference 1s and Ayre gear in the media room with the Sony HT A9, and the LS50 W2s in the living room with LS60s. I’m very happy with those replacements.

The HT A9 is connected to a Roon Nucleus and an Oppo 205, so occasionally I listen to music in the media room . When I do, I’m impressed with the quality of the audio for music. I concur with a reviewer who when asked if the HT A9 was good for music replied it’s damn good. Sony can be proud.

I am keeping an Ayre AX-7e integrated amp and C5xeMP disc player in the media room to use with the Reference 1s, but that's mainly for nostalgia.

Today I connected an HDMI switch to the input of the Sony HT A9 processor and selected a Blue Ray on the Oppo 205.  Both audio and video are excellent, better than input through the 85" Sony TV.  For some reason, Blue Ray audio from the Oppo seems better than audio streamed from the Roon Nucleus.  eARC goes from the HT A9 to the TV for video.  

Tomorrow I'll be setting up my Ayre AX-7e integrated and C5xeMP disc player with KEF Reference 1s for a vintage system. 

When I do, I’m impressed with the quality of the audio for music. I concur with a reviewer who when asked if the HT A9 was good for music replied it’s damn good. Sony can be proud.

I recently tricked a dude who came over for an audit into thinking I had 60k+ worth of front end stereo electronics on a pair of TAD speakers. In reality, I had it connected to the new Sony STR-AZ5000ES receiver with 360 reality audio (same thing used by the HT-A9). He sang such great poetic praise of the expensive electronics before he left, while I snickered to myself. 

Sony needs to be very proud.