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  • Review count
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    January 3, 2013
  • Last review
    December 28, 2013
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vonb's Reviews
 
Learn moreabout Magnolia PremiumInstallation   This Sony XBR55X850A HDTV features 4K Ultra HD resolution for stunning realism. To build a complete 3D home theater system, we recommend you purchase a 3D Blu-ray player, high-speed HDMI cable and an A/V receiver that is compatible with 3D products.
 
  • My Best Buy® Elite Plus Member
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Great picture, good value
on December 28, 2013
Posted by: vonb
from Brooklyn, CT
Internet Connectable?Yes
Connected to the Internet:Yes
This is the HDTV I have been looking for. I have been a owner of Sony XBR technology for many years and have always found these units to have cutting-edge features and performance but are quite pricey. About a year ago, I jumped ship and bought a top-line Plasma HDTV from another manufacturer. I was never fully satisfied with it and wanted to replace it.
I have a high quality Home Theater system and have no use for an HDTV with elaborate built-in speakers so I resisted the initially introduced XBR-55X900A. When this XBR-55X850A came out, obviously designed for users with external sound systems, I was right there.
I find that the finishing of the cabinet is a step down from the 900A series unit or earlier XBR sets that I have owned. There are some unfinished seams at the corners of the screen that I would not have expected. This in no way affects the performance and so is really OK by me as it is clearly a means to bring the advantages of this technology to this price point.
Operational impressions. No comment on the built-in sound because I have never listened to it. The picture quality is outstanding. The color gamut is impressive and the black levels from the LED edge illumination are adequate. The built-in 4K resolution upscaling is effective in making all source material sent to it look fantastic and without noticeable artifacts.
I do have one issue with the picture which has to do with upscaling. I have a top-end Denon AV Receiver which supports 4K upscaling and use top quality Audioquest HDMI interconnects. But my assumption has been that with Sony's wide experience with 4K, their upscaling would likely be better than that in the receiver. But when I disable 4K upscaling in the receiver and leave it to the HDTV, I see jerky motion in slow moving action when viewing a DVD. This is never a problem viewing Blu-ray or satellite TV sources. When I set the receiver to perform the upscaling, there are no issues and all motion is smooth and well defined. I really have no idea what the problem is except that I expect some interaction between my various components.
This issue aside, I am delighted with the set and highly recommend it for someone looking for a top quality 4K HDTV who has an external sound system. I am anxious for the availability of some native 4K content to fully utilize the high resolution capabilities of this format.
I have used none of the built-in internet connectivity options with the exception of firmware updates so cannot comment on this. There have been three updates since I brought the set home, all of which have installed smoothly.
Initial set-up was a breeze with the set-up tools provided, including integration with my wireless network. The on-screen menu structure is logical and easy to use.
I anticipate that this HDTV will be in my home until Sony introduces an OLED based 4K XBR unit in a 55" size. THAT will be something!
Internet content most enjoyed: Connected just for firmware updates
My Best Buy number: 0752790566
What's great about it: Picture quality, up-scaling ability, wireless connectivity
What's not so great: Potential up-scaling issues
I would recommend this to a friend!
Picture Quality
5 out of 5
5
Sound Quality
3 out of 5
3
Features
4 out of 5
4
+15points
17of 19voted this as helpful.
 
Optimize your television's performance with this AudioQuest Vodka 4K Ultra HD HDMI cable. Air-filled foamed-polyethylene insulation delivers maximum signal strength, while direct silver-plated connectors provide dependable signal transfer. This AudioQuest Vodka 4K Ultra HD HDMI cable is rated for in-wall use and measures 1 meter, making it easy to create custom configurations for your home entertainment center or home theater system.
 
Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
You get what you pay for...
on January 3, 2013
Posted by: vonb
from Brooklyn, CT
I usually do not write product reviews, but feel compelled to based on the negative comments previously left against this product. The previous reviewer makes a comment that, in the digital domain, the signal either gets there or it does not. This is not entirely true... Digital data is highly dependent on timing, much more so than analog data. As data rates get very high, as in the case of Blu-Ray source material with 1080p hi-res video and uncompressed multi-channel audio, data rates across the interconnects become extreme. New 3D technology just adds to the mix.
A lesser quality cable, with poor dielectric materials and undersized, higher impedance wire and connectors will suffer from crosstalk between digital channels and 'smearing' of the edges of the digital pulses comprising the individual data streams. Long runs of cable only exacerbate the problems. The high speed 'clocking' signals used to decode the data can misread distorted data resulting in degraded video and audio performance. And this all goes on in the digital domain. The argument can be made that high quality interconnects are more critical in the digital arena than in the analog world.
My experience with both analog (aka stereo) and video has shown that it makes sense to buy the best interconnects that you can afford. The differences may be subtle, but are significant, especially if you have invested in high quality electronic components.
All Audioquest products are good in my experience. As you move higher in their product range, the quality of materials and workmanship increases. The high quality materials in Vodka cables in this case minimize the distortions described above.
I use short Vodka 1-meter interconnects between the 3D capable Blu-Ray player and the AV receiver and between the receiver and the monitor. For other, less demanding HDMI based sources, I use Audioquest Carbon cables, also 1-meter. I have used lesser cables from other mainstream manufacturers in the past. You CAN see and hear the difference.
So, IF you have invested in top-tier electronic components, these HDMI cables ARE worth the investment...
What's great about it: Performance, video and audio, is what it is all about
What's not so great: A bit pricey, but worth it
I would recommend this to a friend!
Quality
5 out of 5
5
Performance
5 out of 5
5
+6points
60of 114voted this as helpful.
 
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