Sony KDL-52XBR6 Review

The KDL-52XBR6 is worth the price and wait..

Sony KDL-52XBR6 Review from Amazon.com

I bought the Sony KDL 52XBR6 LCD TV after nine months of research, including reading reviews of various LCD models on Amazon.com. I found the reviews very helpful so that’s why I’m taking the time to write this.

I was considering buying a 52-inch Samsung mode, but because of the many positive kdl-52xbr6 reviews and ratings, including top ratings in Consumers Reports, I didn’t. However a couple of the reviews mentioned Samsung’s highly reflective screen. That wouldn’t work in my Arizona home. The XBR6 is in my family room, the southern wall of which is all windows so we get lots of sunlight. No problem for the Sony.

When I ordered the XBR6 I also bought a Sony BDP-S350 Blu-ray player and a Sony STR-DG720 audiovisual receiver, all through Amazon. I’ve only had them for a week so still learning about them but they work great. Last night I watched a blu-ray disc about Australia. The picture was so clear I could stand within two feet of the screen without seeing pixels – amazing.

I don’t have a home theater set up yet. For audio I’m alternating between the TV’s speakers and two JBL speakers (Model 4312 Control Monitor) I’ve had for years. The DG720 receiver’s audio settings allowed me designate the JBLs as Front Speakers and combine the 7.1 multi-channels through them without loss. The receiver’s audio settings are so flexible I can later add speakers, such as a front speaker and/or a sub-woofer, and just change the settings to accomodate them. I really like that.

My only complaints so far are the user-unfriendly operating manuals for the blu-ray disc and especially for the receiver. Here’s a couple of paragraphs from the STR-DG720 Operating Instructions:

“Sound may be interrupted when the sampling frequency, the number of channels or the audio format of the audio output signals from the playback component is switched” (page 21)

“IF YOU CONNECT A SUB WOOFER. This receiver will generate a low frequency signal for output to the sub woofer when there is no LFE signal, which is a low-pass sound effect output from a sub woofer to a 2 channel signal. However, the low frequency signal is not generated for ‘NE06 CIN’ or ‘NE06 MUS’ when all speakers are set to ‘LARGE’.” (page 53)

You audiophiles out there might read these and say “of course” but my response was “huh?” Anyway, by comparison the TV’s operating instuctions were a piece of cake.

One final comment. I chose the slower, no cost, delivery option but still received the White Glove service because of the size of the TV. The delivery company’s paperwork including the recommendation that I keep the large carton for a while in case the TV had to be returned. However,the truck driver said he never had to return a Sony.