Need advice on which Pioneer Kuro to buy

If you have the coin get the 151 and be done with it, if you want to save some money and don't need speakers then get the 500m. You can't go wrong. Enjoy!

You have to decide if the value of the Kuro matters to you or not and also if what comes with the Elite line is need or not, i.e. the speakers, tuner, etc. If you don't need the latter then I would hands down get a KRP. Just decide on what size you want.

At the 60" level I'd snag a 600M for sure. PQ-wise, they can now do everything that the 141/151 can, and for a lot less cash.

At 50", I'd go for a 500M for the same reasons.

I would either take a KRP-500M, or a KRP-600M, depending on which size you want to go for.
Then I would go for the Controlcal ISF patch and do me the favor of a professional calibration.
KRP-500M delivers best black level, even better than Pro-151FD, or KRP-600M.
But if you want the bigger size, especially of great value if you are watching a lot blu-ray's, i would go for the KRP-600M, combined with ISF patch and a professional calibration.

ControlCAL is required to unlock the ISFccc modes of the Elites, Signatures and KRPs.

The ControlCal patch activates the ISF modes on the KRP series. For many people this is the key difference between the KRP's and the signature series.

The KRP's are significantly less money than the Signature, but the patch is supposed to make them perform almost identically...

Only for the KRP's, Elite's and Signature Elite's do have the ISF modes without the need of the patch.
The patch is only for KRP models.

Yes, but ControlCAL is required for each regardless.

Yes thats correct, but a professionell calibrator will use ControlCal so you dan't have to buy it, you only need the ISF patch.
The main argument to buy the KRP ISF patch, is the fact, that only a fully ISF calibrated Kuro shows his full potential, not only in therms of accuracy, also in therms of dynamic range an peak white brightness.
Proper calibrated ISF modes are, like D-Nice said, like Pure Mode on steroids, a professionell calibration gives you the full potential.
It's a bit the same like a racing car tuned by a professional race driver exactly for your home racing track, with the difference you don't need the driving skills to get the full potential, you only the need the calibration.
You have the big advantage here in the US, there are outstanding calibrators in this forum, offering their skills.
In Germany, were i live, we don't have such enthusiast high skilled calibrators, sure good calibrators but not with such profound Kuro experience.

Since you place heavy emphasis on picture and quality, you should also consider the Samsung 58B860 or a 58B650.

I'm in the minority around here when I say I like Samsung, but shirley you can't be serious.

They are.

Not entirely true. For measurably better black levels the Kuros are better though at the expense of off-axis light output in the vertical plane.
For colors and details the Sammies are a little better.
Both are excellent units so ultimately each person should look at the sets and decide what they like.

If you are realy a hardcore enthusiast in therms of picture quality, especialy
in relation to perfect black level and dynamic range and potential accuracy they are not really a
serious option, otherwise surely.
The TS has indicated in the starting post, "Picture and quality are really of paramount importance to me".
The gap between the Kuros and all other Plasmas is still significant.

kagolu, you know me by now
By the way, I am serious. I like the kuros but they are second to the Sammies to me.

I do know you, that's why I called you shirley.

Don't watch your TV within 2 feet from the front of it and this well never, ever be a problem. The fact that you continually bring this up as if it would ever be a real-world issue is comedic at this point.


Incorrect.

RTracey, just go and compare for yourself.

Do you want to wall mount or have your TV on a stand?
Do you want a ATSC tuner or do you have an external tuner already?
Do you want the best of the bunch picture wise?
How far is your viewing distance?
Feel free to add more ?'s and your answer shall be revealed from the list comparing all Kuro sets. Good luck and and happy hunting.

600M.

it's 44% larger than the 500M and now with Turbe's ControlCal and ISFccc patch it's the biggest Pioneer with the best value at under $3k delivered (plus ControCal/patch).

in the same quandry however I just ordered the 500m today.

12' that's a definite go on a 60 incher. I will sit 8-9' from my 50' 500M when it arrives hopefully in one piece.

Are you telling me the only difference between the Elite's 101/111 and 141/151 from the KRP 500m/600m is the ability to activate the ISF modes??

I have heard that supposedly the blacks on the 101/500m are using 10G tech and so they give the best blacks period..can imagine much better than my 111.