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XBR4 vs 81 vs 71

post #1 of 65
8/30/07 at 7:37pm
Thread Starter 
Hello everyone and thank you in advance for your help. First of all, I have read almost all other threads related to these sets including:
  • Samsung 71 Owners Thread
  • Samsung 81 Owners Thread
  • Sony XBR4/5 Owners Thread
  • 81 vs 71 Sharpjunkie Thread
  • 81 vs Kuro Thread
  • 81 vs XBR5 Thread

I have gotten so much information from this site but I am still having a hard time picking the right set for me. It is overwhelming trying to wade through all of this information while trying to listen to the objective reviews and avoid the fanboy bias. There are no other threads that are directly comparing these 3 sets from what I could find.

Now I know that I should buy the set that is perfect for me and that I would probably end up being happy with any of these sets. While this is true, this is going to be my first ever flat panel HDTV purchase. I would like to buy a 52" or 57" (only on the Samsung's I know) and this type of investment is going to cost thousands of dollars. I would really love it if I could buy one of these sets knowing for sure that it was the right set for me.

I am positive that there are many other people out there that are trying to pick between these 3 sets. As I said before, there is no thread that is directly comparing the 3 so I hope that this thread will be useful. As for me, I will be using the TV primarily for HD viewing, and occasional SD, PC, and eventually PS3.

I do not have a controlled light situation but the glossy versus matte fight is the least of my concerns. I have heard that the black levels on the Samsungs are amazing and better than the XBR4/5 but I have also heard that the XBR4/5 have a very cool 3D popping affect that makes it fun and amazing to watch. It sounds like I am going to have to choose one or the other unfortunately. Which one is more worth it to you guys and why?

Thank you again for your help and I hope this thread will help other buyers. I am still having a hard time finding these sets in local stores where I can get good comparisons in person.

EDIT: Let us also pretend that cost is not an issue. Of course it matters some but since I will already be spending thousands on this set I would just rather spend whatever the best one costs so that I know I will be happy.
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post #2 of 65
8/30/07 at 8:23pm
Good idea for a thread. I've seen all of these sets in person and it's really hard to pick a winner. I'd say at this point I like the XBR4. The picture has more "pop" then the Sammys, no reflection, and better speakers. I was a bit dissapointed with the xx81 series, they're nice TV's but maybe I had my expectations too high. I just wish you could get the XBR4 without the floating glass and a swivel stand. The XBR4 looks great but it's heavier then it needs to be and doesn't swivel. I suppose at the end of the day you can't go wrong with any of those sets, but if I had to choose right now I think I'd go for the XBR4. Tough decision though, especially since the prices are so high right now, it's hard to wait but this Spring the cost on these sets should come back down to Earth a little.
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post #3 of 65
8/30/07 at 8:30pm
I like your name EADGBE = Standard Tuning!! Keep it /v\\!!!
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post #4 of 65
8/30/07 at 8:31pm
I had the same problem but ended up choosing the XBR4 because after close comparison the XBR4 had (IMHO) better overall PQ... and while people say Sammys have better black, I disagree with the tests I did... they even had them one next to another in a very dark area....

To be honest they are both awesome sets....

I like the fact that with the Sony you can turn on and off the 120Hz in every mode.
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post #5 of 65
8/30/07 at 8:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jkusch22 View Post

I like your name EADGBE = Standard Tuning!! Keep it /v\\!!!

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post #6 of 65
8/30/07 at 8:49pm
I chose the Sony 52XBR4 and have no regrets. I think the floating glass is awesome.
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post #7 of 65
8/30/07 at 8:53pm
Thread Starter 
Hmmm... that's 3 votes for the XBR4 so far. Honestly I wasn't even considering this set at first but it is becoming more and more attractive everyday...
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post #8 of 65
8/30/07 at 9:12pm
I was also considering the 71 vs the xbr4. went with the xbr. i do have a slight clouding issue but only when the settings are abnormally high. if the settings are done properly, the PQ is still great, black levels real good, and the clouding is gone. HD sports broadcasts, discovery channel, and DVD are amazing and lifelike.

both are great sets. only real problem is the source material. after you get used to watching HD for a while, when you change to a SD channel it really is like night and day.
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post #9 of 65
8/30/07 at 9:23pm
Trust me... you will love the XBR4, it has incredible PQ, awesome black levels, a ton 1/2 of features and it's THE sexiest TV set in the market..... It really adds to the room when it's not on, which is important to my wife
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post #10 of 65
8/30/07 at 9:52pm
What's the difference between the XBR4 and the XBR5?

And for that matter, isn't the only difference between the 71 and 81 the LED backlighting in the 81?
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post #11 of 65
8/30/07 at 9:55pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh7289 View Post

What's the difference between the XBR4 and the XBR5?

And for that matter, isn't the only difference between the 71 and 81 the LED backlighting in the 81?

From my understading the only difference between the XBR4 and XBR5 is the finish of the actual TV. The XBR5 comes with a glossy piano black finish and the XBR4 has a changeable bezel.

The difference between the 71 and 81 series is much greater. Yes the 81 does have LED backlighting. There is also a debatable difference in the 120hz technology.
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post #12 of 65
8/30/07 at 10:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xeneize12 View Post

Trust me... you will love the XBR4, it has incredible PQ, awesome black levels, a ton 1/2 of features and it's THE sexiest TV set in the market..... It really adds to the room when it's not on, which is important to my wife

Not impressed with the Sony. And the "auto motion plus" on the Sammy is sooooooo much better than Sony's "motion enhancer".
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post #13 of 65
8/30/07 at 10:09pm
Haha. These kinds of debates on high-end TVs seem to really excite people into taking sides. What I can say, personally, is that I have not seen any of these TVs in person, but judging from what I've read on these forums, it basically comes down to personal preference. Just see what you can do in terms of seeing these sets in person (especially considering you'd be spending a few thousand dollars on one of them if you bought them now), and just go with what you think looks best. It's the "standard" recommendation, but I think it's always what it comes down to in the end.
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post #14 of 65
8/30/07 at 11:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh7289 View Post

What's the difference between the XBR4 and the XBR5?

And for that matter, isn't the only difference between the 71 and 81 the LED backlighting in the 81?

Every tv you mentioned is top of the line awesome and you won't be dissapointed with any of them.

The main difference in the xbr4/5 is that the 5 comes with a different color bezel and a r232 port so that you can control everying in your house, not worth the price difference so don't worry about the 5. 4 is just the same minus one port. You will never be able to compare tv's in a store unless you are in a dark theatre environment and camp in there for 2 days testing everything. It took me at least 3 days to nail the differences between the 71 and 81. Here are my choices. If reflections are a huge problem for you then get either the xbr4 or the samsung 61 series. Xbr will have a slight advantage with the 120 and 24hz playback. If reflections are not a huge deal for you then get either the 71, 81, or xbr4. In my opinion, the 71 is a better gaming LCD, the 81 is a better home theater blu ray LCD, and the xbr4 is comparable to the 71. Just comes down to preference of bezels between the 71 and xbr 4 and price. Unless someone buys both the 71 and xbr4 and does a couple of days of reviewing both of them in thier house, it will almost be impossible to say which is the better of the two. Your best bet would be to go play with both at the store a couple of times at least, check your wallet, re-check your eyes, then get what fits your bill the best. If you don't like the one you get, you have 30 days to exchange it, you are the consumer. Good luck.
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post #15 of 65
8/30/07 at 11:40pm
It's what Josh7289 says. it's all to personal taste and what you're going to use the tv for. I'm a gamer so it will be about 90% gaming and 10% movies. It's my impression (after reading all the threads) that the Samsung 71 is the best choice for me. The Sony is also more expensive and I rather use that money buying a new Xbox360 Elite and some new games :-)
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post #16 of 65
8/31/07 at 4:26am
I'm making my first foray into the world of HDTV like the OP. At first I was certain I knew which TV I was going to get - the XBR4. I'd seen XBR2's in the Sony store, and the picture quality was by far the best I had ever seen in an LCD panel. It only made sense to me that the XBR4 would be the TV I bought, especially with all of the new technology in the new model.

Now I've been hearing a lot of good things about the Sammy 71 and 81 series TVs, and this has made me question my decision. I've never seen any of these sets anywhere (the best they have here in Fredericton is a Future Shop that isn't even a Magnolia store, so they don't get the best home theatre stuff), so I'm essentially making a blind purchase. But from all I've read in this forum over the past few weeks, the XBR4 sounds like the TV for me. I've decided on it, and at this point I don't think anything's going to persuade me otherwise.

To the OP: that's what you have to do. As has been stated before, these are all exceptional TVs, and you will be very happy with any of them. It's going to come down to simply making a decision between the three and sticking with it. They all have the newest technology (some sort of motion enhancement for 120Hz, HDMI 1.3 support, etc.), so you just have to decide which of the features that make them different (i.e. - matte vs. glossy finish, funky bezels, LED backlighting, price) are more important to you.

Good luck, and enjoy your purchase (whichever you decide to get)!
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post #17 of 65
8/31/07 at 6:35am
Hey, so why is the 71 recommended over the 81 for gaming? Is it because of the reflections on the glossy panel of the 81? Assuming I wouldn't have to worry about reflections, would the 81 suddenly become better and/or as good as the 71 for gaming?

And sharpjunkie...You said 61 in part of your post...Did you mean 71?

Crap...I'm starting to hijack this thread...But at least my questions are still on topic, I think...
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post #18 of 65
8/31/07 at 8:33am
I posted this in the now done 71vs. 81 thread as well ...
I Finally saw both the 71 and the 81 today at BB running the same Blu-Ray loop. Both were un-calibrated and set to the same "demo" mode according to the Magnolia rep. My opinion? Something about the 71 just drew me in. I was actually in awe... this coming from an (ex) Sony XBR2 owner, which can't touch this PQ. The 81 is close enough and certainly on or near the same level but, was crushing blacks at those demo setings so the comparison may not have been fair.
Just a side note ... I had spent the previous hour watching a similar Blu-ray loop through the new XBR5 at Sony Style and I can say with absolute certainty that whatever the Sony can display with regards to clarity and sharpness of definition (my hang-up), the Samsung can easily match. Put simply, I will own a 71 Samsung by the end of the month. That's how impressed I was.
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post #19 of 65
8/31/07 at 11:33am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for your feedback seagrass.

I finally got to see the 46" XBR4 and the 52" 71 series in BB. I am having a hell of a time trying to find places to view the 81 series. The last time I went to a BB with a Magnolia in it, they didn't have it. I will keep checking. Can anyone else recommend places to view high end TVs?

Will Fry's carry the 81 series?
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post #20 of 65
8/31/07 at 12:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh7289 View Post

Hey, so why is the 71 recommended over the 81 for gaming? Is it because of the reflections on the glossy panel of the 81? Assuming I wouldn't have to worry about reflections, would the 81 suddenly become better and/or as good as the 71 for gaming?

And sharpjunkie...You said 61 in part of your post...Did you mean 71?

Crap...I'm starting to hijack this thread...But at least my questions are still on topic, I think...

I'd like to hear more about gaming from Sharpjunkie too. I've read some of his other gaming posts, and... they all make me want to stay with my blur-less CRT.

Between the XBR4, the 71, and the 81, which set has the least amount of motion blur *and* the least amount of lag?

EDIT: And he meant the 61 when talking about glare. It was the last large Samsung LCD with a gloss-free finish.
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post #21 of 65
8/31/07 at 12:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SabinVI View Post

Will Fry's carry the 81 series?

According to the Frys in Austin, yes.
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post #22 of 65
8/31/07 at 12:44pm
My vote goes for the samsung 81. I finally got to see one today and it is amazing.
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post #23 of 65
8/31/07 at 4:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigjohns1997SS View Post

My vote goes for the samsung 81. I finally got to see one today and it is amazing.

Still though the reflection on the Sammy LCD's is bad. I don't always watch my TV in a cave, and sometimes where I live the sun comes out and lights up the room, even if I have curtains.
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post #24 of 65
8/31/07 at 4:52pm
From what I have read so far for ME.... the Sammy 71 covers the right bases. But being Canada once again seems to be the azzend of the TV universe, I will be waiting till October it seems to get a 71 52 incher.
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post #25 of 65
8/31/07 at 4:56pm
Great looking set, picture was definately impressive. However, I will add a caveat. I think Sony goes the extra mile to have their sets demo better in store than Samsung. The Sony I saw was setup with a dedicated bluray demo loop in a brightly lit room all on it's own.

The Sammy was set up along with all the other sets playing the basic loop. I think it's hard to say the XBR4 is clearly better without a calibrated side by side shootout.

That being said, I don't think you can go wrong with any of these sets.

Mike
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post #26 of 65
8/31/07 at 6:26pm
Here is an in depth test report on the Sony KDL-46XBR4.

http://hdguru.com/?p=131
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post #27 of 65
8/31/07 at 6:44pm
Great idea for a thread. I am considering these same models as well as a Pioneer Kuro 50" 1080p plasma. Thanks for everyone's opinion! It's just too bad that the BB coupons for this weekend exclude the Samsung 81 series. That's bull!
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post #28 of 65
8/31/07 at 6:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by greenland View Post

Here is an in depth test report on the Sony KDL-46XBR4.

http://hdguru.com/?p=131

Until I see him review the 71 or 81 it's really not that telling. Yes the XBR4's have some problems, but who knows maybe the others do as well.
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post #29 of 65
8/31/07 at 7:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Warder45 View Post

Until I see him review the 71 or 81 it's really not that telling. Yes the XBR4's have some problems, but who knows maybe the others do as well.

That in depth test report has been picked apart, read the comments. Even reviewers have bias and don't believe everything you read or hear. Some have plasma axes to grind. The XBR4 is as good as it gets. Of course this is my opinion from in depth store shopping.
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post #30 of 65
8/31/07 at 7:31pm
Well I did it! I bought it and now I have to put it up on the wall. I will try to put it up in a few days so I can give everyone some decent feedback. I know how frustrating it is not to be able to decide on which TV to buy. I was between Sony and Samsung for weeks. Stay tuned, I will hopefully have it up by Tuesday (September 4th).
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