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There’s Sony’s own menu that’s the same as before, accessible through the settings button on the remote or by making your way to the right-hand side of the screen in the Google TV UI. There are plenty of options for tweaking and changing, which are explained in an easy-to-follow manner. The stand has three different setup positions. The standard position lets the TV sit closer to the table. There's a narrow position for smaller tables, and finally, a soundbar position that raises the TV to give you space for a soundbar in front. Pre-calibration the Sony A80J offers a decent attempt at producing depth, and it’s more forthright and direct in its presentation than other TVs I’ve tested recently. Calibrate the Acoustic Surface Audio+ sound system that uses actuators to vibrate the screen to produce sound and the TV’s audio performance goes up another level. UK buyers will be pleased to learn that while they were absent at launch, the UK's core catch-up apps are now all supported by the A80J, and both Now and BT Sport are also on board.
Of course, you can’t live on a televisual diet of 4K HDR alone, so it’s good news that the A80J also makes the most of lower-resolution, SDR signals. What’s particularly noticeable is how punchy it is with this content – whether you’re watching Scott Pilgrim on 1080p Blu-ray, Big Mouth on Netflix or The Andrew Marr Show from the tuner in standard-def, the image pops in a way that most rivals can’t match, albeit not quite as much as the A90J. With all of these signals, the performance is as clean, controlled and detailed as can reasonably be expected, proving that the A80J is a very accomplished upscaler. Sony’s OLEDs use cutting edge “in-screen” speaker tech. This is a clever Acoustic Surface Audio+ custom technology exclusive to Sony that lets the TV use the screen panel as a speaker, providing robust audio that matches what you see onscreen. Where as Full Array LED models (X90J, X94J, X95J & Z9J) use Acoustic Multi Audio which cleverly places speakers all around the screen providing you with a truly immersive experience. Since posting, I have experimented with the TV's "Dolby Audio" sound mode for the internal speakers. Out of the box, it sounds tinny compared to "Cinema". We uploaded the brightness measurements and uniformity photos after running the TV for four months in our Accelerated Longevity Test. The majority of titles will offer lossless 4K Blu-ray quality streaming up to 80Mbps using Sony’s Pure Stream technology. To non-techies this means they will look outright amazing compared to what you’ll find on Netflix and Disney Plus.Comparing the two (even though they’re different sizes) would indicate that the Sony A80J puts more of an emphasis on HDR highlights (smaller, brighter objects) while the C1 is a smidgen brighter when dealing with bigger bright objects. However, brightness is only just one element to consider where picture performance is concerned. Even deep into 2022, it's a great buy, particularly in the UK and Australia where it's one of the very cheapest 55-inch OLED TVs you can buy. You should of course consider spending a little more on a newer, 2022 TV. The Sony A80K and LG C2 are both better overall, particularly in terms of brightness and, in the case of the LG, even better specified for gaming. But there's no denying that the A80J is still an excellent TV that will reward buyers for years to come. The A80J is the step-down model from the A90J, which is still one of our favourite TVs, and this entry-level OLED covers similar ground to the 2021 flagship, the differences not quite as large as you might expect between the two.
And just because the A80J isn’t as bassy or spacious as its much more expensive sibling doesn’t mean it doesn’t sound very good by TV standards. It’s certainly weightier and more controlled at the bottom end than the LG C1 and G1, for example, and significantly punchier and more dynamic, too. As part of this mission, whenever we review a product we send the company a series of questions to help us gauge and make transparent the impact the device has on the environment.If you want to connect your TV to a blu-ray player, games console, soundbar or soundbase then you'll need a HDMI cable. For general sharpness and detail, the A80J more or less matches the flagship A90J, and that puts it head and shoulders above most rivals in those regards. Every shot is magnificently crisp, but you don’t get any of the sense of exaggeration that you do from some rivals that take a similar approach. That crispness combines with the set’s hugely impressive ability to dig up the finest of details to make images brilliantly lifelike, whether it’s a wide landscape shot or an intense close-up of a character’s face.
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