-
Introduction
-
01.Tour & Design
-
02.Blacks & Whites
-
03.Color Accuracy
-
04.Motion
-
05.Viewing Effects
-
06.Calibration
-
07.Remote Control
-
08.Connectivity
-
09.Audio & Menus
-
10.Formats & Media
-
11.Power Consumption
-
12.Vs Sony KDL52V5100
-
13.Vs Samsung UN46B6000
-
14.Vs Vizio VF550XVT
-
15.Conclusion
-
16.Series Comparison
-
17.Ratings & Specs
-
18.Comments
Sony Bravia KDL-52XBR9
Previous: Page 8
ConnectivityNext: Page 10
Formats & Media
Audio & Menus Summary
• The speakers produce plenty of volume
• Sound quality is good
• Sony's XBR menu style can be awkward to use
Audio Quality (7.25)
The Bravia KDL-52XBR9 has two large speakers located below the screen pointing downwards, and we found that they produced both plenty of volume and good quality sound; in our test sequences, we heard loud, thumping bass and plenty of fine detail in the high frequencies. The S-Force pseudo-surround sound was also surprisingly effective; although it was not as good as a proper surround sound speaker system, it definitely added more prescence to the sound and widened the pereceived field of the sound significantly.
Menu Interface (6.0)
Like most recent Sony devices, the Bravia KDL-52XBR9 uses their Xross Media Bar menu, which presents the main options (such as Inputs, TV, Music, etc) on a left to right scrolling menu, and the sub-options on an up and down scrolling menu. It generally works well, and makes it easy to find things such as the various widgets and Internet features it offers, but some options are also a little deeply buried; to get to the backlight setting, for instance, you have to go into the main menu, scroll over to settings, scroll down to Picture & Display, press okay, then select picture adjustments, hit okay, and then scroll down to backlight. So, while the menu is easy to use, it does bury some important settings several layers deep.
 |
| The Sony Bravia KDL-52XBR9's menu system is the same Xcross system that you see on the Playstation 3. |
 |
| The picture options include a custom mode. |
Manual (7.5)
This display comes with a set of operating instructions and a quick setup guide, both of which are well written and are pretty comprehensive. Sony also offers a very good online setup guide, which covers all of the settings and controls for this screen. This can be accessed online here.
 |
| The online manual for the KDL-52XBR9 |
Shop for the Sony KDL-52XBR9
Latest News
& Reviews
-
18-May-2012
Samsung UN46ES6500 3D LED LCD HDTV Review
This TV has the performance and picture quality to match its good looks. Samsung’s robust Smart TV platform is just icing on the cake. Read More...
-
18-May-2012
Samsung's 2012 Smart TV Platform: Explained
Samsung’s 2012 Smart TV Platform revolves primarily around the Smart Hub. The Smart Hub gathers all content the TV is capable of displaying under one roof: live TV, apps, streaming video and music, and personal media. Read More...
Top Rated HD Televisions
-
Also in this series
$2,599.001
Size: 59 in.Samsung PN59D7000
The Samsung PN59D7000 ($2,599 MSRP) is a stunning, high-end plasma TV fashioned by Samsung for 2011. It has 59 inches of great, 1080p picture quality, and as a second-generation plasma, it handles 3D reasonably well. Read full review
$2,599.00All TypesPlasmaOnline Features (with or without)YesWith Online FeaturesNoWithout Online FeaturesYes3D and non-3D TVsYes3D TVsNoNon-3D TVsYes -
Also in this series
$1,299.002
Size: 51 in.Samsung PN51D6500
The Samsung PN51D6500 is one of the best deals for a big screen plasma TV. The performance is strong in most regards and the weakness are endemic to plasma TVs, not with this model in particular. Read full review
$1,299.00All TypesPlasmaOnline Features (with or without)YesWith Online FeaturesNoWithout Online FeaturesYes3D and non-3D TVsYes3D TVsNoNon-3D TVsYes -
$1,749.993
Size: 47 in.LG 47LM6700
In addition to opinion-changing 3D images, this LG has a newly improved Smart TV menu system, and a remote that makes navigating the ever-expanding sea of content less of an odyssey. . Read full review
$1,749.99All TypesLEDOnline Features (with or without)YesWith Online FeaturesNoWithout Online FeaturesYes3D and non-3D TVsYes3D TVsNoNon-3D TVsYes -
$1,500.004
Size: 50 in.LG 50PZ950
This 1080p plasma television with internet and 3D capabilities is purportedly the best LG has to offer in 2011. Read full review
$1,500.00All TypesPlasmaOnline Features (with or without)YesWith Online FeaturesNoWithout Online FeaturesYes3D and non-3D TVsYes3D TVsNoNon-3D TVsYes -
$1,299.005
Size: 46 in.Samsung UN46D6000
Everyone wants a Smart TV, but how smart is buying the Samsung UN46D6000 for its $1299 MSRP? With its reasonably good performance in many categories and more internet features than you can shake an e-stick at, that question might be hard to answer if it weren't for this review. Read full review
$1,299.00All TypesLCDOnline Features (with or without)YesWith Online FeaturesNoWithout Online FeaturesYes3D and non-3D TVsYes3D TVsNoNon-3D TVsYes
Features
-
TelevisionInfo.com 2011 Select Awards
After testing dozens of televisions this year, the staff of TVI has made its official selections for the very best televisions of 2011. Read More...
-
3D TV, Not Ready for Prime Time
If you’ve been shopping for a new TV is the last two years, you’ve probably heard a lot of hype about 3D. As with most new technologies, customers are awash in baffling terminology and misinformation. Here’s a simple guide to walk you through the basics. Read More...
-
HDTV Streaming Content Compared
Televisions aren’t just getting their content through the coax cable anymore. Just as the internet has gradually moved towards a video-rich space—YouTube, Hulu, Vimeo, etc.—those same sorts of features are creeping into your TV sets. Like it or not, those 1000+ channels of direct cable are not enough anymore. Read More...
-
Technology Preview: Haier Completely Wireless Television
Imagine a TV with no wires. You’re talking about WiFi, right? No, we mean no wires, at all. Haier, the Chinese company better known as an appliance manufacturer, is showcasing a new technology here at CES that conducts electricity wireless to the TV, as well as streaming content. The TV is pretty far from production at this point, but it’s among the more amazing things we’ve seen at the show. Here’s an in-depth look at the technology and how it might be implemented in future products. Read More...
(add your own)