Display question (Videophiles only)

[sremick]

Not choosing sides but... Onkyo and Denon are super expensive also and they hardly get bad reviews.

Hardly "super-expensive". What do you consider "super-expensive"? And where are you shopping? For example, the Denon AVR-1508 can be had for under $350. I suppose that's "super-expensive" if you think a home-theater receiver complete with speakers should be under $100...

 

[[DT]]

Not choosing sides but... Onkyo and Denon are super expensive also and they hardly get bad reviews.

Actually Onkyo and Denon (I've owned both) make some very affordable, and outstanding mid-level consumer gear.

In fact, I'm shopping a Onkyo R705/805 vs. Denon 38XX and they're all in the same range. They also have comparable products one price level down that are still exceptional (and in the sub $600-700 target).

(There's Pioneer product I'm considering too,model escapes me at the moment...)

The HDTV's are good but not in the top 5 overall I would say.

I'm surprised you would elevate Sony's (and Bose for that matter) surround systems but not put them in the Top 5 HD set manufacturers.

I've auditioned quite a few sets and my Top 3 almost always comes down to:

Pioneer
Sony
Samsung

(in no specific order)

I'm probably like most of the posters in that the only Sony gear I would consider is a TV or a videogame console - even though some of their other products are outstanding (their Alpha DSLRs are very good, especially considering the Minolta optics in use, but you'll *never* pry my Nikon out of my hand )

I'd *like* to start a AV/HT thread, maybe in the OT area?

 

[Caliko]

Hardly "super-expensive". What do you consider "super-expensive"? And where are you shopping? For example, the Denon AVR-1508 can be had for under $350. I suppose that's "super-expensive" if you think a home-theater receiver complete with speakers should be under $100...

I'm talking about their top of the line products like the Onkyo SR875 which includes HD Radio, XM/Sirius Sattelite support, Reon HQV and HDMI 1.3. I think it currently goes for ~$1,400 for the reciever alone.
Onkyo and Denon also have recievers that exceed $2,000.

Back on topic... Well the guys at AVS highly reccomend the XBR960 so I will be getting it later on today. If you have any questions about it ask me tomorrow as I will prolly be busy with it all day today.

 

[wezeles]

lol i'm not disagreeing with you eaither,
I just said for the price I personally ended up paying, which was only 1% above there quoted cost at the time... it was a deal if i would have spent that much on something else it would have been about the same quality just a different name brand. obviously if i wanted to spend 4 grand on a stereo i would go with a crazy great brand name that most common household users probably never even heard of in the first place.

People just think this is the case with Bose because of the rediculous price and advertisment behind it. If your willing to pay that much for just a name and the bragging rights go for it, more power to ya i guess.
I persoanlly payed for the amount I believe was a good deal for the quality of product i recieved which was sadly a small fraction of what people normally would pay for it.
Im not a Bose fanboy even after working for them but they do make a quality product... Price is the only upset i would say.

Alot of people still buy the brand names these days which in electronics specially will cost you every time. Half the time its one major company and each product is made in some facility halfway around the world and they all just slap the same label on it... you never know what your getting untill you open the box and plug it in really... Review's help with initial quality opinions but they don't take into effect longevity of the product...
You just hope for the best and that it was well tested and wont die right away... If its a "good brand name" or good company maybe you will luck out and they will be willing to replace it if it does break just for the sake of there own reputation.
I kicked myself in the butt with my first DVD burner. It had great reviews when launched and was a good name brand. It worked great for a week, died took it in they said they haven't had an issue with them must just have been mine, so i got it replaced for the same model... 3 months later died again called the manufacturing company because the store waranty was up... they said ya we've had problems with that model ship it back to us with 50 bucks we will fix it or replace it.
lol lets just say i passed on it, although it was nice i could get something that lasted longer without all the extras for the same price if not cheeper. Names are never the way to go, specific model's are always the test.

 

[Caliko]

I've auditioned quite a few sets and my Top 3 almost always comes down to:

Pioneer
Sony
Samsung

(in no specific order)

I'm probably like most of the posters in that the only Sony gear I would consider is a TV or a videogame console - even though some of their other products are outstanding (their Alpha DSLRs are very good, especially considering the Minolta optics in use, but you'll *never* pry my Nikon out of my hand )

I'd *like* to start a AV/HT thread, maybe in the OT area?

The Pioneer PDP 5080HD is supposed to be incredible. But I'm a gamer and burn in scares the Wii outta me. I'll stick with CRT's until these billion dollar companies manage to fix the problem.
AV/HT area?? Would LOVE that. great idea.

 

[[DT]]

This is slightly OT, but for the real AV-philes, I'm pulling out my Pioneer Elite LD player to setup in the office sometime this week! I had no idea I had like 50 discs, some terrific stuff too like Criterion released Kurasawa films.

 

[Caliko]

Names are never the way to go, specific model's are always the test.

Thats what you call shopping to a "T".

 

[wezeles]

I'm surprised you would elevate Sony's (and Bose for that matter) surround systems but not put them in the Top 5 HD set manufacturers.

I've auditioned quite a few sets and my Top 3 almost always comes down to:

Pioneer
Sony
Samsung

(in no specific order)

I'm probably like most of the posters in that the only Sony gear I would consider is a TV or a videogame console - even though some of their other products are outstanding (their Alpha DSLRs are very good, especially considering the Minolta optics in use, but you'll *never* pry my Nikon out of my hand )

I'd *like* to start a AV/HT thread, maybe in the OT area?

Sounds like an awsome idea, maybe have each person check out a few models and report back the results...

Its not that i dont think Sony makes good HD its just when HD comes to mind for me i think of Plasma/DLP/LCD all the newer style televisions. Something i dont think Sony has really popped out as being ontop.

CRT t.v.'s i think will fade out pretty quickly "in electronic terms" with the invent of these new standard style t.v's... although they are the cheepest now and getting bought up like crazy, the big screen market is also gettting huge and a 50 inch big screen 5 years ago that went for 3 grand or more now goes for 999.99 at wallmart so i think people will start picking up "higher end" monitors for there home.

It also comes down to each type of product too.. they each accell in a specific area.. for LCD's for instance i have always favored Toshiba... they have been in the LCD buisness for a long time and seem to have it down pretty well..

CRT's my top would consist of Sony,RCA,Phillips "some models" maybe just because philips/magnavox have pushed out so many million no-name units they know how to make a decent t.v. under there own name plate for a good price.

Plasma is still up in the air for me i've seen some decent, some horribal, and some good ones.. The ones that stick out the most to me is acctually Poloroid "Xiamen " and LG

And for projection t.v's Samsung still seems to be champ to me.. overall

of course we can break these down to each specific type,size,price and we will come out with a different brand every time i bet.