Pioneer KRP-500M or A (blk, white or beige)

[admin_exported]

Hi peeps, i'm looking into buying the KRP 50 inch in white to match the wall.Would you recommend i buy this one or save a little cash & buy the 500M.I know Pioneer pushed the prices up today, so was hoping i can find a bargain before somebody cottons on to the price rise.I am going to buy a hdmi av amp too (maybe Denon, pio or Yamaha maybe).Also maybe will buy some recommend power cables and hdmi leads too.Also some of these amps have phono boards, in so i can play records again. I know they wont sound as good as with a transistor amp granted but i can't find a phono board for my integrated Arcam Alpha 9.

Nathan

 

[Anonymous]

I believe that the TV only comes in black but I think there were some special editions earlier that were silver or something?

 

[Anonymous]

As the OP has correct, Pionner released the 500A in an edition of White and Beige 'Grise'.

I have the white. After rushing to secure one when released, they actually don't seem to be 'too' limited and are still around, although the price has increased since. Check out TLC, or I can thoroughlyÿrecommendÿÿdealing with The Leicester HiFi company (speak to Jim).

As to the original question, I personally would go for the A (as I did!), but the two panels are supposed to be exactly the same performance wise, just that you have the separate external media/switcher box with the A...

Steveÿ

 

[Anonymous]

Oh, they are still around? Thought that it was supposed to be "limited". Did you have to pay a premium over the normal black model?

 

[Anonymous]

I'd recommend you buy a black one.

I'd also recommend having a look at the LX5090 before you buy. I recently went shopping for a 500M but wound up buying an LX5090. After demoing them both, I couldn't tell them apart (picture quality wise).

 

[ukgthor]

I recently bought my (black) KRP-500a from Future Home and they stock both the white and biege.

I also agree with the previous post by looking at the PDP-LX5090, but look at the European H version as it has more functionality that the UK version (it's DLNA compliant the same as the KRP-500a) although I'm not sure that it comes in white or biege.

 

[Anonymous]

Hello thanks for the replies everyone.Re the lx5090 i haven't been to a shop, where one was in stock so don't really see how good they are ( just going by what people are saying and reviews ).Regarding TLC the white & beige KRP that is £2,900 now, i can pick one up at Superfi ( if in stock in Derby store ) for £2,500 plus 5 yrs manufacturers warrenty.I did a rough calculation yesterday and the cost for a complete av setup and other bits and pieces came to approx £4,500.Hopefully Superfi will do a bit of deal with spending that much all in one go.

Here is everything included into the approx £4,500 :

KRP-500A with side speakers £2,600 or less please

Av receiver £700 - £800

B&W HT61 centre speaker or another B&W model £400

B&W subwoofer forgot model £538 @ Superfi

4 tier hifi shelves to put receiver on £150 or more don't know really

Wall shelves for PS3 and tv's media box

Speaker plinths for B&W P4 floorstanders ( on carpet though that a good idea ? )

Repair the dial switch of the Arcam Alpha 9 integ and buy phonoboard from Arcam.

Rear speakers hmmm wall mounted stick out to far and maybe too close to a big wardrobe.Had a read of some posts about alot of people deciding between the 685, 686 and the DS3 etc.

The room this lot is going in is a bedroom.The room is long enough approx 7.5 metres by 3.5 metres, a double bed at the far end (front windows to the left and 4 door wardrobe to the right).The gubbins for the chimney and gas fire is behind the bed though so careful drilling required.The distance between the bed and wardrobe i doubt is wide enough for wall mount speakers, unless adjusted in and down maybe.

Does sound like a large amount of money to spend for a bedroom though, and the hi-fi system i already own is far to powerful now ( Alpha 8 player too ).But if i buy a smaller budget 7.1 system, i would have to many speakers and equipment in one room and the sound quality isn't half as good.Also i don't have another room for this lot to go in, so it's this room only.

As long all the speakers match each other and they match the amp and receiver, also the PS3 matches the latter and the tv the basis is ok.It's just the calibration of the receiver and amp matching with the firmware etc.Anything else i need to know ?.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh SC do you know the prices of the tv, at the place in Leicester mate ?.

 

[Anonymous]

Iloveacoustic - Just a small thought, but you won't need to have the Pioneer side speakers on the TV, if you are indeed going to have the AV set up as described...A small saving ?

As for cost, I did something of a special deal with Jim and had a number of items bundled in such as Pioneer's wall bracket (not cheap!)...I certainly got an overall cost substantially better than anything advertised in the UK at the time. However, this was back in December, around the time Pioneer themselves dropped £500 off the RRP, so giving you are figure won't really have muchÿrelevance to now I feel....It seems somewhat ironic now, as they pull out of the TV market, the prices have gone up...! Talk to Jim Greig if you fancy it (mention Steve in Bangkok suggested him) and I'm sure he will do his best for you - he gets good prices on the Pioneer gear (is a Pioneer Grade 1+ dealer, so has access to the complete line-up, unlike standard dealers).

Good luck!

Steveÿ

 

[drummerman]

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[drummerman]

If money's no issue then there's no reason not to choose the KRP, especially if you fancy one with a different finish and feel the separate media box is an advantage. Other than that I'd always recommend the 5090 at 500 or so quid less and you could spend the difference on a better receiver or dedicated BR player and/or SKY HD subscription.

... then again, you could go 2.1 active with a pair of lovely gloss white AVI ADM9.1's and white sub to match your 500A

 

[The_Lhc]

I went and paid the balance on my 500A yesterday, the guy there said that the demand for the Pioneer 50" screens (5090s and KRPs) has gone through the roof, so Pioneer have banged the prices up to make the most of it. They haven't done with the 60" models though (or if they have not to the same extent).

The other thing is the 5 year warranties are going, they've already pulled them on the LCD models, the plasmas will have them for a little while longer, but not indefinitely.

I wouldn't have minded the Beige Gris model but the white one seemed to reflect a lot more from the surroundings than the black, which distracted from the picture.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi the_lhc i never thought about the white surround reflecting on the screen, thanks for pointing it out to me.Have you got that problem SC ?.I did as you said SC, i emailed Jim and just waiting for a reply.

 

[bigboss]

The prices have not gone up because the demand was high. They went up because of the weaker Pound value.The 5 year warranties were originally planned to be for purchases until 31st March, although I've heard that this has now been extended to June (I'm not sure). I was lucky to buy the KRP 500A in the last week of March for £2199 with a 5 year warranty, although the TV will be installed after 6 weeks or so (because the house is not yet ready)

The beige and white models look good, but I think the black one looks the best, also when it's £200 cheaper. The media box comes in black in all 3 models, right?