KDL-55XBR8
4.7
5
10
10
Triluminos - Bridging the gap from CRT to LCD
For the last 10 years I have been blissfully using a Japanese Sony WEGA KW-36HDF9 FD Trinitron for all my high and standard definition needs. The 34-inch 16:9 1080i native display has some issues, such as screen curvature and no 1080p support, but otherwise it has continued beat out most LCDs in overall picture quality.
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So although I wanted to make a size upgrade, the drawbacks of LCD kept me away. (Black reproduction, "digital" look to the picture, viewing angle, etc.) I was close to buying the 70-inch KDS-Z70XBR5 SXRD model, but alas, that beautiful television did not see a full (or any?) release.
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At the time I was looking at the SXRD model another 70-inch model caught my eye, the KDL-70XBR3. This model featured the same beautiful floating glass design as the XBR4/5 series, but it had something that they did not ? the Triluminos LED backlight. It also had a $30,000 price tag, so it was not something I could really consider!
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But then a year later Sony released the XBR8 series, a series that also had the somewhat enigmatic Triluminos LED backlight. Another year passed and I finally decided to look into the XBR8. I found one on display as the centerpiece of a local retailer?s television display, where no one could take his or her eyes off it. After about 5 minutes I was sold. I returned home and bought the XBR8 from Sony Style, which allowed me to spend a final week with my beloved CRT.
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Once I got the XBR8 I was a little saddened that the box used the ?strap? method to keep it closed. Basically two plastic bands hold the top of the box to the bottom, and once they are cut you need to find something to replace them with if you want to use the box to transport the television. This is a minor grievance, but my CRT and a friend?s 52-inch BRAVIA used reusable plastic inserts to hold the box together.
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With the help of a friend I set the XBR8 up and just took in the beauty of its design. While I don?t think it is quite as nice as the floating glass of the XBR4/5 models, it still looks great with the smooth piano black bezel and floating speakers. The Sony logo also has a nice touch, when not illuminated it appears to be chrome silver in color. And although you will likely never use them, the touch sensitive buttons really complete the package. (Some people cannot get past the speakers, so I guess that is a love it or hate it part of the design.)
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After some minor picture adjustments my friend and I were amazed at just how good HD sources look on the television. I have had other guests comment as well, and most say that it does black as well as a CRT, and I would agree. There are no ?clouds? present when the screen is dark, and there is only the most minor hint of ?searchlights? present in the upper corners. The ?searchlights? can only be seen when the room is completely dark, and are rarely visible even then.
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Color reproduction is spot on, and the brightness is so intense that I had to turn the backlight down to 3. A pure white screen is almost blindingly pure even at the backlight ?min? setting, which impresses me every time I play Mirror?s Edge. With some shame I have to admit that this soundly beats my CRT, as the red on the title screen of that game always looked a bit orange before. On the XBR8 it is a red so vibrant that I can only drop the PlayStation 3 controller and just stare at the screen.
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The viewing angle is also surprisingly good for an LCD. My couch is about 7 feet from the television and no one has noted any loss in picture quality from any seat. This conflicts with the CNET review, in which they note the picture washing out when you move one seat from the center. I do not notice this until I am about 6 feet away from either side of the couch (approx. 75-80 degrees), which I consider excellent for an LCD television.
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Another reason I wavered for so long on updating my television was speaker quality. With my CRT being a large model it afforded space for an excellent stereo sound system. While not on par with a 5.1 or 7.1 system, it provided great sound when using the surround system was not possible. (Late at night, etc.) LCD and Plasma flat panel televisions have long been cursed with disappointing speakers due to size constraints, but the XBR8 (and XBR7) series solved this problem with the floating speakers. Since the speakers are not a part of the television they can be deeper than normal, and the result is excellent sound reproduction. (So excellent that I have not even bothered hooking the amplifier back up to my surround sound speakers!) The bass is not quite as rich as it was with my CRT, but it is close, and I have never heard a better sounding flat panel television.
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In the end this television is just amazing. I have been staring at some nice LCD televisions at work and friends? homes for the past 8 or so years, but it really took the XBR8 and its dynamic Triluminos LED backlight to convince me to make another television purchase. I was also tempted by the new XBR10, but the lack of an S-Video input and shared component/composite input on the American model really turned me off. Not to mention while Edge Lit (white) LED is great it just doesn?t have the color reproduction capability of the red, blue, and green LEDs used in the Triluminos system.
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So if you want the best and like the design of the XBR8 then don?t hesitate any longer. Due to the price and added thickness of the Triluminos LED backlight I don?t expect Sony to make any more televisions using it any time soon. And even if they do you will still have a television that will continue to impress for many years to come.
December 25, 2009
Happy Customer
Just as the title says!!! Best tv I have ever owned, as well as most expensive!!! Better Last!
December 3, 2009
Best TV &will be for the next few years to come!
I have to admit, this was probably one of my most satisfying tv purchase...I've personally went through 5 tvs in the last 1.5 years and I must say that I have been very please with the triluminous technology led. This tv does have the deepest black over any others that I've seen including many other competitors as well as sony's line up. I think picture quality is the most important factor when buying a TV and this XBR8 has it!
October 19, 2009
Very Happy
I was not considering this TV because of price until I found a closeout deal that fit my budget. Had the TV for 2 months and am exceptional pleased. The sound is not separate system quality but better than most TVs. The most important feature, picture quality, is unsurpassed. I lucked out.
September 26, 2009
