what is the best tv money can buy

[TKratz]

If I had all the money in the world (and space) I would buy a Pioneer 60 inch TV, either LX6090 or KRP-600.

Yes, I still believe these are the best TV money can buy, no matter the price!

There is no doubt that B&O (don't know about Loewe) has better sound than other TV's. Their latest BeoVision 8-40 has exceptional sound for a TV. At the same time B&O has developed a new 100Hz system which should be able to compete with Sony.

But overall, I would still go for a separate speaker system, and you still can't get a better picture than the Kuro in my opinion.

 

[Tonestar1]

whit3kr0w:
I have a Pioneer Kuro and I've watched B&O TVs, a friend of mine has one. I wouldn't spend 9k pounds in a tv set, but I have to say it has a great picture quality and it has really nice gimmicks, like tv info on the frame. It's really nice. Not sure if it is better than the Kuro because I didn't compare them side by side. The problem here is that no one does reviews of these premium tvs like B&O and Loewe. They should be included in reviews at What HiFi

What about if a 9 grand tv was only £4,000? Would you guys buy it because of picture quality alone? Or would you go for a Kuro which doesn't have the style of B&O and is half the price?

I already have mine, and I must say I am extremelly happy. Too bad it doesn't have the new 3D technology. I'm almost sure that in 2010 we will see some panels beating Kuro's performance. Not sure why they haven't already to be honest. Maybe it's not worth it. That's why Pioneer gave up as well. Not £?$worth$?£ it Too expensive for most consumers to buy.

Just my opinion

Interesting point. I often wonder why pioneer just didn't increase the price of their tvs and produce them in smaller numbers. Surely there must have been a margin there somewhere?

 

[ear]

i agree loewe makes great sets.

 

[Tonestar1]

When 32" CRT Aconda gave up the ghost it broke my heart lol

 

[bigboss]

Tonestar1:

Interesting point. I often wonder why pioneer just didn't increase the price of their tvs and produce them in smaller numbers. Surely there must have been a margin there somewhere?

I think the problem was with the mindset of Pioneer. This is a company producing electronic products for the masses, so it was always price conscious & wanted to shift volumes. B&O, right from the outset, has made only premium products, not for the masses.

If only Pioneer had evolved the Kuro as a luxury brand (like what Toyota does with Lexus, or Volkawagen with Audi)......it may have been still producing TVs.

 

[Anonymous]

gel: For me it's:

the ulimate lcd the philips ambilight vs the ultimate plasma the pioneer kuro.

and the winner is down to personal taste.

Only home testing for a week could you pick out your personal favourite.

I had both side by side in a dealer's studio cinema and was able to play the same Blue-Ray and DVD test videos. Both my wife and myself chose Philips 46PFL9740. The prices were very similar. Are we discussing the same Philips ?

 

[Deleted member 2457]

hnery I to know the high end philip lcd's have the edge on the pioneer plasma I have seen quite a few in the last 5 years and it is very close but the philips has the edge for me, like what you found for you.

 

[TKratz]

hnery:I had both side by side in a dealer's studio cinema and was able to play the same Blue-Ray and DVD test videos. Both my wife and myself chose Philips 46PFL9740. The prices were very similar. Are we discussing the same Philips ?

Well, as always it all comes down to personal taste. If you prefer an artifically enhanced picture with oversaturated colours and contrast levels blown out of proportions, that makes everything look like Disney channel, then Philips 46PFL9740 is the perfect telly for you.

If you rather prefer a natural picture that is true to the source, then the Pioneer's beats it hands down!

 

[Anonymous]

TKratz:

hnery:I had both side by side in a dealer's studio cinema and was able to play the same Blue-Ray and DVD test videos. Both my wife and myself chose Philips 46PFL9740. The prices were very similar. Are we discussing the same Philips ?

Well, as always it all comes down to personal taste. If you prefer an artifically enhanced picture with oversaturated colours and contrast levels blown out of proportions, that makes everything look like Disney channel, then Philips 46PFL9740 is the perfect telly for you.

If you rather prefer a natural picture that is true to the source, then the Pioneer's beats it hands down!

 

[Anonymous]

Popped into Holburn Hifi in Aberdeen this morning to pick up a 5 metre long fibre optic cable to hook up my SkyHD box to the surround sound. They had an incredible Loewe setup. 72-inch or thereabouts LED TV, flat panel speakers, slimline surround sound processor, subwoofer, flat panel rear speakers. Cost is more than a half decent new car!

IMHO a bit much too spend to watch Corrie, re-runs of the Simpsons, etc. etc. ad nauseum on so-called HD channels and /or badly transcribed BuRays even!!

 

[Anonymous]

TKratz and hmtb: If you prefer an artifically enhanced picture with oversaturated colours and contrast levels blown out of proportions, that makes everything look like Disney channel, then Philips 46PFL9740 is the perfect telly for you.

Wrong suggestion/opinion, I am afraid.

Before we started to compare the sets in the studio, both sets have been "normalised" (usually to the mid/50% settings). I was particularly anxious to see them not in the "shop demo" modes and was allowed to play and reset both TVs as I pleased. The Philips had a clear and obvious edge in clarity/sharpness when watching moving objects (the pendulum effect), in richness of colours (greens in particular) and in the softness/natural appearance of all colours (my wife's description). The "depth" of blackness was the same, it was simply very black in both sets, no difference. I did not have any special preference for one or the other, and the price was - roughly - the same.

Philips, however, has one important extra and usually overlooked (by uninformed) advantage - the Ambilight. The 46PLF9704 has the latest, 3rd generation Ambilight system which is a significant step forward from the previous ones. We have had the Philips now for over 4 weeks and all our friends (some keen videophiles) voted the Ambilight as a ... necessity. We use Ambilight all the time.

Best regards.

 

[bigboss]

Ok, so do you mean to say that the Pioneer is better than the Philips, but Philips has one important gimmick called ambilight which makes the picture appear better?

I have seen the Philips, although the blacks are good, but not as good as the Pioneer. Watch "The Dark Knight" to compare.

Philips TVs are excellent TVs, but not close to the Pioneer yet. The Kuro renders colours most naturally & beautifully. Obviously, as gel said, it probably boils down to personal preference.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

I second that Bigboss, because they are close.

 

[TKratz]

hnery: Wrong suggestion/opinion, I am afraid.

What exactly do you mean by that? I wasn't trying to tell you how you felt or what you experienced. It was a general note about this Philips TV, and it is a fact that it is very hard (if not impossible) to make this TV show a correct picture. Just ask anyone who works with ISF calibration.

hnery: Before we started to compare the sets in the studio, both sets have been "normalised" (usually to the mid/50% settings). I was particularly anxious to see them not in the "shop demo" modes and was allowed to play and reset both TVs as I pleased. The Pioneer had a clear and obvious edge in clarity/sharpness when watching moving objects (the pendulum effect), in richness of colours (greens in particular) and in the softness/natural appearance of all colours (my wife's description). The "depth" of blackness was the same, it was simply very black in both sets, no difference. I did not have any special preference for one or the other, and the price was - roughly - the same.

Black levels truely are very good on both sets (thanks to the LED backlight on the Philips), but did you then also notice, that there is practically no shadow details on the Philips? And that there is a distinct halo around light objects on dark backgrounds? Otherwise I suggest you look again.

 

[Anonymous]

Ooooops !! - Philips, not Pioneer ! - Sorry.

Obviously, Dr Freud was right about his psychoanalysis

So it was Philips, Philips, Philips, Philips 46PFL9704.

P.s. I have corrected/edited my previous posting. Only Philips has Ambilight. It was a very odd mistake.