Sony Bravia ZD9 4K HDR TV with Backlight Master Drive is launched!

[Son_of_SJ]

Native_bon, your wish is soon granted! Here is the first proper review, as it happens by What Hi-Fi

http://www.whathifi.com/sony/kd-65zd9bu/review

I can accept that What Hi-Fi don't find the Sony 65ZD9 to be the slam-dunk that we all had hoped for. What I can't understand is why What Hi-Fi compared it most with the Samsung 65JS900, which is edge-lit, rather than comparing it with the Samsung 65JS9500, which has full-array local dimming. Mind you, since the 9500 is even better than the 9000, then the Sony would have fared even worse against the Samsung 65JS9500 than it did against the Samsung 65JS900!

We can all recall reviews by What Hi-Fi that were notably at variance with those by other AV sources, for instance of the Oppo 93 (or was it the 103?) Blu-ray player, which What Hi-Fi liked a good deal less than everyone else liked. Maybe this Sony 65ZD9 is another such one.

 

[Alsone]

It's a pity they're not making a 50 or 55" model.

What a lot of manufacturers are forgetting is that the vast majority of people in this country can't get far enough back from a 58" or above tv to get a decent picture quality when watching SD or to a lesser extent HD.

Therefore by only producing large screen sizes, they're limiting their market.

 

[ellisdj]

I wouldnt rule it out on the WHf Review - wait for some real numbers from AVF or HDTVTest - they tell the story better than a story when it comes to TV.

 

[Native_bon]

If the WHF review is anything to go by then that is just shocking. How can an edge-lit LCD be better than the ZD9 displaying blacks

 

[Son_of_SJ]

It's a pity they're not making a 50 or 55" model.

What a lot of manufacturers are forgetting is that the vast majority of people in this country can't get far enough back from a 58" or above tv to get a decent picture quality when watching SD or to a lesser extent HD.

Therefore by only producing large screen sizes, they're limiting their market.

How far back do you think that is, from a 58" or greater set? I watch quite a bit of Standard Definition television (Freeview channels Quest, TruTV, YourTV etc) and they are just fine at the distance I watch at, but I'm curious about your viewing distance for Standard Definition, for whatever size television you have.

 

[bigboss]

It's a pity they're not making a 50 or 55" model.

What a lot of manufacturers are forgetting is that the vast majority of people in this country can't get far enough back from a 58" or above tv to get a decent picture quality when watching SD or to a lesser extent HD.

Therefore by only producing large screen sizes, they're limiting their market.

How far back do you think that is, from a 58" or greater set? I watch quite a bit of Standard Definition television (Freeview channels Quest, TruTV, YourTV etc) and they are just fine at the distance I watch at, but I'm curious about your viewing distance for Standard Definition, for whatever size television you have.

The viewing distances will change when watching SD on a 4K screen, as opposed to 1080p.

 

[Son_of_SJ]

It's a pity they're not making a 50 or 55" model.

What a lot of manufacturers are forgetting is that the vast majority of people in this country can't get far enough back from a 58" or above tv to get a decent picture quality when watching SD or to a lesser extent HD.

Therefore by only producing large screen sizes, they're limiting their market.

How far back do you think that is, from a 58" or greater set? I watch quite a bit of Standard Definition television (Freeview channels Quest, TruTV, YourTV etc) and they are just fine at the distance I watch at, but I'm curious about your viewing distance for Standard Definition, for whatever size television you have.

The viewing distances will change when watching SD on a 4K screen, as opposed to 1080p.

I do realise that viewing distances are closer for watching material on a 4K screen than on a 1080 screen. I just wondered what Alsone's actual estimates for watching SD material on a 4K screen were.

 

[bigboss]

It's a pity they're not making a 50 or 55" model.

What a lot of manufacturers are forgetting is that the vast majority of people in this country can't get far enough back from a 58" or above tv to get a decent picture quality when watching SD or to a lesser extent HD.

Therefore by only producing large screen sizes, they're limiting their market.

How far back do you think that is, from a 58" or greater set? I watch quite a bit of Standard Definition television (Freeview channels Quest, TruTV, YourTV etc) and they are just fine at the distance I watch at, but I'm curious about your viewing distance for Standard Definition, for whatever size television you have.

The viewing distances will change when watching SD on a 4K screen, as opposed to 1080p.

I do realise that viewing distances are closer for watching material on a 4K screen than on a 1080 screen. I just wondered what Alsone's actual estimates for watching SD material on a 4K screen were.

For native 4K resolution, yes the viewing distance is closer. But for upscaled material, it will be further away.

 

[Son_of_SJ]

Below. And it's rather more positive, though not without some qualifications, than the What Hi-Fi review.

https://www.avforums.com/review/sony-bravia-kd-65zd9-zd9-ultra-hd-4k-hdr-tv-review.12797

 

[bigboss]

:good:

 

[just1more]

Any further thoughts & reviews on these Sony models? We are looking at 65 or 75 inch tvs at the moment & just when we had narrowed it down to the Sony XD9 or an OLED model, the ZD9 comes along...and it's $2'500 pricier than the XD9.How long do tvs stay at full price? 6 months? A year? If this is new tech, is it wise to buy the 1st iteration versus waiting a generation or so? How long before any of these are 'outdated"? 5 years? 10? I don't mind spending a bit more or waiting a bit but I'm putting together a hifi/home cinema system and would prefer to get things situated sooner rather than later...I guess I can wait for the ZD9 to be released in Switzerland but I'd like it settled before 2017.

thanks in advance..

 

[BluePotato]

What's on the shortlist BigBoss? Am in exactly that situation, extension being finished over the next month, open plan space demands a 65 inch ;-). Front runner for me at the moment is Sony XD93. Initially was blown away by the picture quality of the OLED LG B 65 but whereever I see that TV it's playing the slo mo promotional feeds - have heard they can struggle with motion jitter a bit which is just a complete no no for me. Samsung 8 series has been considered (dont want curved) but must admit I'm very Sony biased with TV's and something about Samsung that I can't warm to.

 

[bigboss]

I went for the Samsung UE65KU6400 in the end. It's not my main TV and only for occasional viewing. So I didn't see much point in going for a high end TV. The KU6400 is brilliant, upscaling quality is stunning and screen uniformity is brilliant.

 

[bigdavemc]

What Hifi review of the ZD9.

http://www.whathifi.com/sony/kd-65zd9bu/review

In my opinion the argument isn't really the Sony vs OLED, it's actually more the Sony vs the DX902 as the Sony is hugely more expensive and according to what I've read, it doesn't justify the price gap.

Pansonic have released a prototype OLED at IFA in Berlin which may be the one to go for, although I'd guess it's likely to be expensive.

http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/panny-oled-201609014348.htm

On another note, the Sony measured coverage of the DCI-P3 at 95. The DX902 was measured at 98% so which picture is more accurate ?

 

[just1more]

These models just arrived in stores here recently and the local store finally got a demo up on Friday. We went & checked it out. Had them go through everything step by step. I admit to liking the top line LG OLED picture a bit better...but my wife preferred the Sony...Not to mention that even after 'bargaining" the LG OLED was 2'700 more...I doubt that I'm not going to find that many complaints with the unit anyways...and if so, I guess it's a simple as replacing it. Either way...I'll write up a few observations after we get the thing delivered & installed this Friday.

 

[Son_of_SJ]

It's old news now, since I've not logged on here for five months and two days, but people may just about still be interested in three further formal and comprehensive reviews of the Sony 65ZD9:

this one by HDTVTest;

http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/kd65zd9-201610164372.htm

this one by Trusted Reviews;

http://www.trustedreviews.com/sony-kd65zd9-review

For some reason the Home Cinema Choice magazine review isn't online, but it is in issue number 267. There is a glimpse of it in the special Awards issue, here http://www.homecinemachoice.com/news/article/avtech-awards-2016-2017/24325.

I still hope to be able to buy the 75" version in the autumn, if some irregular sources of money come through!

 

[bigboss]

Welcome back, Son_of_SJ!

 

[Series1boy]

Yes welcome back son_of_sj!

 

[Son_of_SJ]

Thank you very much, bigboss and Series1boy! *blum3*