Since many european AV enthusiasts and Kuro owners are using the AVS Forum as a source of information, i think it is useful to publish the information i received yesterday from a german Pioneer Assistant Manager in a phone conversation.
As a consequence of a discussion in a big german AVForum, i sent an e-mail to Pioneer Germany with two technical questions.
The first one was about any differences between the KRP-600 and KRP-500 in relation to the AR-Filter.
Although it was clear to me that there are no differences, except the size, i wanted a final clarification due to a statement by a user in a big german AVForum, who vehemently argued the opposite.
Answer was like i expected, except of the size there are no differences.
After my mail has been forwarded to higher levels of competence, i received an e-mail from a Pioneer Assistant Manager with his phone number and the request to contact him, or to send him my phone number so that he can contact me.
Here is a screenshot of the mail i received from the Pioneer Assistant Manager, with an invitation to contact him by phone and to dicuss the questions i mailed to Pioneer Germany.
I know the vast majority of the AVS members is not able to read and understand the german language, but i will attach it anyway, so at least the people with knowledge of the german language can see that I do not talk BS.
What's maybe more interesting to you, during the conversation i also asked him, if it is correct that the european KRP-500A and KRP-500M and the NA KRP-500M and Pro-101FD are using 10G Tech in form of different driver software and pdp modules and because of that, do have a even lower idle luminance than any other 9G Kuro.
I explained to him, that this has been confirmed by professional calibrators of the largest U.S. AV forum.
He confirmed to me that this is correct, but for the european market only for the KRP-500 models which were produced until december 2008.
The european KRP-500 and the NA KRP-500M and Pro-101FD Signature Elite do have different driver software and PDP modules, than any other 9G Kuro.
According to the official statement of the Pioneer Assistant Manager, comparable with the BIOS software of computers/mainboards, a new driver software based on 10G Know How.
Thus they have achieved a further reduction in idle luminance.
He added , for european KRP-500 models this applies only to the models produced in 2008.
The european KRP-500 models from 2009 do have again the same driver software, like the european KRP-600 models.
In addition he mentioned, that this was also not a uncommon practice for older Kuro models, to improve them subsequently if possible.
The quintessence is of course nothing new for AVS members, but i thought the fact that this benefit is limitated, in relation to the european KRP-500, exclusively to KRP-500 units which were manufactured in 2008, could be an interesting aditional information for you, especially for the AVS members from Europe.
It is important to note that this statement (only in 2008 produced KRP-500 models do have the new driver software) is only valid for the european KRP-500 models.
NA KRP-500M and Pro-101FD is a totally different story, the information of this benefit limitation to the 2008 european KRP-500 is only secured to models that were manufactured in Europe.
I have no information about the situation with the NA KRP-500M and Pro-101FD, which were manufactured in different factorys and which are outside of the competence of the german Pioneer Assistant Manager i talked with and are outside the decisions made by Pioneer Europe.
He only said that the NA models (KRP-500M and Pro-101FD) also have different driver software and PDPmodule (same like 2008 european KRP-500), than any other 9G Kuro implemented, with the effect of a lower idle luminance.
The restriction, that only the 2008 european KRP-500 models benefit from 10G know how in form of revised driver software and module and not the european KRP-500 which were produced in 2009, has only be confirmed for the european market.
It cannot be inferred from this statement, that this limitation also applies for the NA market.
I have not specifically asked him why Pioneer Europe has made the improvements undone in 2009, probably because i own one of the first european KRP-500A and was just happy it was implemented in my KRP-500A.
However, he also told me that especially in Germany the sales figures were very low, therefore i can imagine the decision was based on money savings, but that is speculation on my part now.
Anyway, the question about the reason for undoing the improvements in 2009 to the european market, crossed my mind hours after finishing the conversation.
Greetings from Germany and apologies for my imperfect knowledge of the english language.
are you kidding!!!
