We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Sony has started rolling out a new feature to some of its older TV models that makes it easier to connect new audio hardware to your TV. Known as Bravia Direct Connect, this feature was initially introduced as part of the company’s 2026 Bravia 9 II and Bravia 7 II TVs, which are Sony’s first True RGB TVs. This is a proprietary technology that allows the company’s TVs to pair directly to compatible rear speakers and wireless subwoofers without the need for a soundbar. Typically, you need to connect a soundbar to your TV, then connect the rear speakers and subwoofer to it.
Sony’s system leverages the TV’s built-in speakers as the center, left and right channels of the overall audio system. This results in deeper bass and a better surround sound experience than just listening to the audio output from your TV’s built-in speakers. The greatest benefit of the Direct Connect system is the seamless integration of additional audio hardware without requiring cabling between the audio hardware or between the hardware and the TV. Everything is wireless; however, you will still need to connect the speakers and subwoofer to power outlets. If you’re considering upgrading your Sony TV’s audio, you might consider using Direct Connect rather than going the soundbar route.
Which older Sony TVs are compatible with Bravia Direct Connect?
At the time of the Direct Connect platform announcement, Sony revealed that its Bravia 8 II, Bravia 9, Bravia 8, Bravia 7, Bravia 5 and A95L TVs were compatible with the new technology and would receive it via a firmware update (v114.602.050.1). Each of these models is now actively receiving the firmware update, adding support for Direct Connect in North America, Europe, and other regions. Since firmware updates are usually rolled out in batches, it may take a while to reach everyone. Unfortunately, no other older Sony TVs are known to be Direct Connect compatible at this point.
Once your Sony TV receives the updated firmware, you’ll be able to pair the company’s Rear 9 or Rear 8 speakers and Sub 9, Sub 8, or Sub 7 subwoofers. You’ll also have the freedom to choose just one subwoofer, just two rear speakers, or both, depending on your budget and needs. You can find the Rear 9 speakers for around $750 on Amazon, while the Rear 8 speakers cost $500. Subwoofers start at $328.
Updated firmware adds new My Cinema interface
In addition to the Bravia Direct Connect feature, Sony is bringing a new “My Cinema” interface to the same set of older TVs, which provides a centralized and seamless way to adjust your TV’s picture and audio settings. But more importantly, you can choose to have specific settings for different streaming apps on your TV, depending on your needs. You can also create presets which you can then choose to deploy as needed without having to change the settings each time.
For example, you might have a preset for watching at night or a preset for watching sports. The My Cinema interface appears as a pop-up window on your existing TV screen and offers great freedom of customization. There are also bug fixes and improvements in the latest firmware update, which improve the overall performance of the TVs.
