90 of 94 people found the following review helpful:
A Wow Item - Just Terrific
Just received this last week. Of course, Amazon beat any other pricing by a wide margin - by at least $500 for the cheapest store bought price (on sale) and I even checked some stores on a walk in and they were charging $1,000 above the Amazon price or more. Delivery was free and could not wait to get this set out of the box. I researched a great many LCD's before...
20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
Warning : Failed after 1 year, If you have to have a Sony XBR then buy Extended Warranty or BUY another brand
Here's my story, hope someone can learn from my tragic mistake. Furthermore, I just realized the LCD panel is actually made by Samsung NOT Sony. If you buy a Sony TV; why is the LCD Panel (the most important and expensive part of the TV) is made in Korea by Samsung. The picture might be good but how long will it last.....for me it only lasted 1 year and 4 months. Also...
This review is from: Sony BRAVIA XBR Series KDL-46XBR9 46-Inch 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV, Black (Electronics)
Just received this last week. Of course, Amazon beat any other pricing by a wide margin - by at least $500 for the cheapest store bought price (on sale) and I even checked some stores on a walk in and they were charging $1,000 above the Amazon price or more. Delivery was free and could not wait to get this set out of the box. I researched a great many LCD's before picking this one. I wanted the very latest technology to ward off obsolesence, at the best price I could find, and am not disappointed one bit by this set. Easy set up, and just with the building's digital antenna, the picture is absolutely outstanding. There are many presets, but with a bit of tweaking, as it appears with most LCDs, you get a terrific picture. You can customize each preset if you wish. Setting adjustments are intuitive and the screen navigation is very easy. Sound is pretty decent as well, although I already have it hooked into my AV. I have already watched sports, television and DVDs and all have been as crisp, vibrant, without drag or latency, as I have ever seen on an LCD this size. The contrast ratio is just unreal and my eyes are still getting used to it. Plenty of input/output options including plenty of HDMI and even ethernet and PC connections. Having Fios HD installed this week and can't wait to see how it looks. So far, am very satisfied and would definitely recommend at the price. Thanks Amazon!
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This review is from: Sony BRAVIA XBR Series KDL-46XBR9 46-Inch 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV, Black (Electronics)
I bought this TV because of Sony's legendary reputation in beautiful pictures and previous experience with the XBR line. As expected, the picture is absolutely great. If you want amazing HDTV, then this set is for you. The TV has a very simple and understated front, which I like a lot. The Amazon delivery was great! Two men brought it into the house, put it where we wanted it, connected it, turned it on and checked the remote for operation. The deliveryman was familiar with the TV and went above and beyond by doing the initial setup, which admittedly was simple, but not something he was required to do. There are only two drawbacks so far. The stand is flimsy feeling and wobbles like a weeble if you bump the set. My XBR4 had a rock solid stand. I just attached a cable to the wall for piece of mind (didn't want it falling on the grand kids). The second thing is a lack of PIP or P&P, both of which were on my KDL40XBR4. Bottom line--love it so far.
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This review is from: Sony BRAVIA XBR Series KDL-46XBR9 46-Inch 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV, Black (Electronics)
I got this TV two weeks ago. As an admitted unapologetic Sony "fanboy" I had high expectations. The display is beautiful especially when viewing blu-ray's or HD sources. However in an extremely dark scene it is evident that LCD's still have a ways to go when it comes to contrasting blacks. I have played around with settings and even adjusted the custom setting to those recommended in CNet's review of the TV but it still leaves much to be desired.
Pros:
Excellent response time and display when viewing HD sources.
A lot of options for customizing to fit your personal taste.
A ton of extras (mostly accessed if/when you hook your TV up to your home internet network). The widgets and video on demand are fun features but likely not something that will be for the average user.
Cons: Black contrasts still aren't near the level displayed in Plasmas and the LED technology also looks to be a major improvement in this area.
Display of SD (standard definition/non HD) content leaves much to be desired. Going from an old Sony 36" CRT HDTV (HS510) standard definition played extremely well on that model and HD sources looked great also. On this model (like with most LCD's) the SD sources look worse than they normally do on non HD tubes.
One area that I have yet to decide if it is a pro or a con is the input jacks. The back only has one HDMI input where as the side has 3. I really think Sony should have put two on the back and two on the side but at least the ones on the side are recessed enough to where the wires aren't visible unless you are standing near the side of the tv.
I have already gotten compliments on the glass bezel that surrounds the screen and this tv definitely passes the "eye test" as far as attractiveness. The SONY logo at the bottom can be dimmed or turned off if you find it distracting (I thought this was a nice touch).
I am happy with the purchase but all-in-all if I had to do it over I might wait for a 240Hz LED model by Sony or opt for a Plasma from a competitor.
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This review is from: Sony BRAVIA XBR Series KDL-46XBR9 46-Inch 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV, Black (Electronics)
Tried the LG 47 inch LH40 and then the Samsung 46 inch LED B6000. Had both for about two weeks before returning them. The Sony not only has more features but has a much better and consistent picture than the previous two. The LG has a major lip synch problem and the Samsung had a great picture as long as you were in front of it. Anything slightly to the side and the picture was unwatchable. The sound on this Tv is great as well. Definately a wonderful TV and I strongly recommend it.
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This review is from: Sony BRAVIA XBR Series KDL-46XBR9 46-Inch 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV, Black (Electronics)
Sony BRAVIA XBR Series KDL-46XBR9 46-Inch 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV, BlackI did extensive research to determine the best quality TV for my bedroom and settled on Sony's 46XBR9. The picture is excellent and the built-in internet capability is exceptional. We rent from Amazon movies all the time, which has saved money on our cable bill since we were able to reduce our plan. The other TVs I compared were Samsung's LED, which is nice and light, but I worry about the reliability now, expecially since the technology is new. I have seen both pictures and the XBR9 compares well with the LED. Sony's XBR8 has the ultimate picture, but it is pricy and lacks the internet capability. I also have a 52XBR6, which has a very vivid picture and I love it. I haven't seen much difference with the faster speed of the XBR9, but it's nice to have it for high-speed action. The price with Amazon was exceptional, and you want to watch prices from day to day because they vary several hundred dollars sometimes. Amazon usually doesn't adjust the price you paid if a new price goes down in 30 days, but they were nice enough to do it in my case. I also bought surge protectors from Amazon, but bought my heavy duty wall mount from another site. Amazon is excellent and my new Sony was delivered with "white glove" efficiency and care. Great TV and purchase experience.
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This review is from: Sony BRAVIA XBR Series KDL-46XBR9 46-Inch 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV, Black (Electronics)
Ordered from Amazon, best price by far at the time of ordering. Free delivery, box arrived in pristine condition, it looked like it had just been pulled off the packaging line, no dents, tears or even scratches in the cardboard. So far so good... The delivery guys unpacked it, put the stand on and plugged it in. I was trying not to salivate.
It was a breeze to set up. Coax cable to HDD recorder, HDMI to TV. 2nd HDMI from Sony Blu-ray to TV. Done! I turned on the tv, autoscan picked up the analog and digital stations (took about 30 minutes) and I was watching the news in high def. Wow, the picture was stunning, right out of the box. Oops, forgot, also coax from HDD recorder to TV.
I have watched 4 movies, the blu-ray is stunning. At first I noticed a mild "flashlight" effect in the lower left corner in dark scenes while watching Bladerunner in a dark room. I watched it again 4 days later (again in a dark room) and it was gone, so maybe it was my imagination. The blacks are good, not as good as LED or plasma, but really good. If the room lights are on, the blacks are black. For $1,000 less than a comparable 240hz led backlit model it is a no-brainer in my opinion. The PQ is just amazing. Some of the explosions on the Bond flick I was watching appeared as if pieces were flying out of the screen. I was expecting some 3D effect, but this was ridiculous! I was so entranced that at times I forgot to follow the plot. Planet earth blu-ray also spectacular. The 3D effect is again breathtaking. It feels like you are on the plane/helicopter with the film crew!
About the sound. I was expecting it to be really bad, due to a few reviews I read. I am an audiophile with my music, but keep my sound system separate from the TV (different rooms). I was hoping to not need to buy a receiver/speakers but was skeptical that the sound would cut it for me. But it is not bad. I tweaked the settings to my liking and the dialogue is crystal clear. There is a little "surround" effect using the front surround setting. I was really impressed. Let's face it, most people will be using external speakers. Now, my room is small with 7' ceilings, which I am sure helps the sound work for me. I can see how this would not be powerful enough in a great room type setting, or a more open area in general.
At this time I only have one complaint. There is only 1 hdmi input in the rear panel, the other 3 are on the side. With my cables, there is no way to completely hide the one plugged into the side. Maybe there are cables with an "L" type connection that would keep the cable around the back. Eventually I will find a way to tie it back behind the TV with a zip tie. For now I am way too busy watching movies on this beautiful piece of HT equipment. My next order of business will be to connect to my high speed network with a wireless bridge to access Amazon and Netflix for streaming HD!
For the price.... FIVE STARS!!!
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This review is from: Sony BRAVIA XBR Series KDL-46XBR9 46-Inch 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV, Black (Electronics)
I was back and forth between this TV and the SamSung LN46B750. The price on this dropped to $1649 a few weeks ago, while the Samsung TV went up. The Contrast ratio for this one was 100000:1 compare to Samsung 150000:1, but really I can't tell with my eyes. I don't trust Samsung yet, but I trusted Sony XBR reputation. However, the price, and buy online with free delivery was nice to term saving money. I updated the firmware without any problem. Nice TV. I can't see any negative. I was very hesitant to buy Online since I don't know how it would turn out in case I need to return, but the AMaZON delivery was great. They unbox, set TV up, turn it on before I signed the acceptance. The delivery company they used was PILOT, which has a couple of guys in their 40's or 50's. Very nice guys, very gentlemen. Now I see the price went back up, I am glad I bought it. The sounds for this Sony TV is much better than the Samsung when I check it out at Bestbuys.
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This review is from: Sony BRAVIA XBR Series KDL-46XBR9 46-Inch 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV, Black (Electronics)
Here's my story, hope someone can learn from my tragic mistake. Furthermore, I just realized the LCD panel is actually made by Samsung NOT Sony. If you buy a Sony TV; why is the LCD Panel (the most important and expensive part of the TV) is made in Korea by Samsung. The picture might be good but how long will it last.....for me it only lasted 1 year and 4 months. Also If you do a simple search on Amazon you will find that Amazon does not sell Sony XBR LCD TV directly anymore since I guess they have so many complaints from their customers on the Sony LCD TV. Go ahead look and see you can find Amazon selling Sony XBR LCD TV directly...Amazon actually refer you to another brand like LG or other brands when you are looking any Sony XBR LCD TVs.....and my Full Story below:
5/9/2010- I brought the Sony XBR series TV on Amazon about 1 year and 4 months ago and now the TV have failed. The picture quality was amazing until just yesterday the picture started to degrade and now it has green clouds and rainbows all over the pictures. I just call the Sony authorize tech service from they said it will cost me $75 for the in house service since it's out of warranty. They also said that if it's the LCD panels has failed then it would cost as much as the TV itself. This is my first LCD from Sony but I have 3 other Sony TVs- 1 30" Sony CRT, 1 47" XBR rear projection and 1 65" XBR rear projection TV. All the previous Sony TVs had no problem at all and I am still using the 65" rear projection TV. What happen to Sony's quality and reliability product? I guess it went to the same place as other first rated Japanese products like Toyota. They are just too busy on cutting cost and lower their reliabilities so they can rack in the billion dollars profit. So if you like the picture quality of Sony TVs; be advice to buy their extended warranty. I wish I did because if the LCD panel failed then my LCD TV is just a big 52" black picture frame hanging on the wall. If you really, really have to get a Sony XBR LCD TV then I would recommend to get 5 years extended warranty plan for $299-it will save you a lot of frustration. And after 5 years, you will probably do a upgrade anyway.
5/11/2010 update: Today the tech came and verified that the LCD panel has gone bad after 1 year and 4 months of service. In the tech's own words-the panel is a factory defect since it should not failed after just a little over a year of service and that I should call Sony and see they will reimburse the cost of the panel. I am so disappointed on the product since I did not just buy any Sony TV but the top of the line XBR series TV. I called Sony and told them the whole story but they just told me to fax all the documents -receipt and repair cost to Sony and they will evaluate it. I will wait and see what happen - but at this point I am really disappointed and frustrated with the whole thing! :-(
Update: 5/13/2010-Just received a call from Sony "Customer Relations" today. It's official-Sony don't stand behind their products. They will not pay for the cost of their defective LCD panel since it's out of warranty (1 year) after 1 year and 4 month of service. They just lost a loyal customer. No more Sony products in my house. Sony customer relations representative even has the nerve to offer me $900 reimbursement on a $$3517.75 repair cost. That's right-I will have to pay $2617.76 to fix my $2018.88 LCD TV. So if you buy a Sony TV and you have a defective LCD panel after 1 year of use then you can just throw that TV in the trash because Sony will tell you go F yourself and trash the TV. Good luck on buying a Sony LCD TV because you going to need it-and looks like from my research, I am not the only customer that have a defect LCD panel after 1 year. In fact, the LCD panel is not even made by Sony but Samsung made in Korea. Samsung LCD Panels have notoriously for premature failure of their LCD panels. So no more Sony LCD for me or should I say Samsung LCD TV ....
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This review is from: Sony BRAVIA XBR Series KDL-46XBR9 46-Inch 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV, Black (Electronics)
Pros: If you can get this TV for less than $1,400 (like I did thru Amazon, including a sound bar with subwoofer and a Blue Ray player) you will be thrilled with this TV! If you base your buying decisions on expert reviews, get ready to spend like crazy!
Cons: Con number one from the experts, the "black level" debate - it's overrated...tell me something, will you stop watching a movie just because a certain scene is not displaying a "true black" level? And con two from the experts, you went all out to buy this TV, where should the sound from a Blu-ray movie come from? If you really want to hear and feel that jet flying over head, expect to spend at least 50% of what you pay for this TV in a quality surround system.
Bottom-line, if you want true black levels from a movie, go watch the movie at the theater, no TV can match that...none! If you're looking for those same black levels in a live program, buy the tickets to be there live. Otherwise, this TV will give you the next best thing to being there. If you're looking for a bargain, you really need to be patient and look at online deals practically every day. That's how I found the deal I got thru Amazon. I am not fanatical about any brand, but I did my homework...I went to a few brick and mortar stores and did side-by-side comparisons of different models, brands, prizes and sizes of HDTV's. I really liked the natural colors that the Sony, Samsung, Panasonic and Pioneer TV's reproduced, but, holy moly, the prices of the models that I really liked were, let me be honest, as if someone was cussing at me, I'm talking about fighting words, obscene ultimate-cage-fighting words. BUT, I wanted to stick to my plan - be patient, pick one or two TV models I would be really happy to own and wait...wait for the right (crazy-right!) prize. And the day came (and went really fast!) I saw this TV on sale and without hesitation whipped out the plastic and got it. I am extremely happy with this TV. But don't listen to me, I am not an expert, just an average user who got the best price on a high end TV. Do more research, read more expert advise, but in the end it's you (and your family) who are going to watch the movies and shows on this TV. The black levels are not perfect, the sound is not perfect. But like I mentioned earlier, for true blacks, go to the source (or a better reference you can afford to buy, like going to the movies.) And for the best sound? Do I need to repeat myself? Okay, no offense, but for everyday TV viewing, the sound on this TV (like any TV at any price range) is acceptable. But for watching a Blu-ray movie? Please! Let me say this, if you are going to complain that the sound on this TV is "bad" while you're watching a Blu-ray movie and you consider yourself an expert in this field...get off the crack! For the best picture this TV can offer, get the best sound system you can afford...and (surprise!) the sound from the speakers on this TV are not the answer! This TV has other features that many people will enjoy...movie rentals thru Amazon, internet widgets, streaming music, syncing with other components like the surround sound and Blue Ray player...blah, blah, blah...this TV is awesome, shop wisely!
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This review is from: Sony BRAVIA XBR Series KDL-46XBR9 46-Inch 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV, Black (Electronics)
I've had the TV for almost a month and couldn't be happier. The matte finish on the screen is what attracted me to the TV in the first place. The room where the TV sits is very bright and this really cuts down and almost eliminates glare on the screen. I looked at Samsung LED TVs and the screen was shiny and there was a lot of glare, I could actually see clear reflections of objects in the room on the screen. The ambient light sensor on the TV is a great feature. It adjusts the brightness to compensate for the ambient room lighting. In the evening the picture is not a bright as during the day. The picture quality is excellent. Guests have said it feels like you are actually part of what you are watching.
Sony has done it again with the Bravia XBR. I would highly recommend this product. In addition the price on Amazon was unbelievable!
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