Glad you are happy with your purchase. IMO the 58V10 can be considered a better set only if the black level does not rise, the THX isn't screwed, the obvious green tint in the greyscale mode isn't present, etc. A lot of ifs.
Panasonic has obviously made some adjustments to the late arriving 58" and 65" V models...or the larger sets are simply not affected by the voltage changes in the same way...or subject to the sudden flaring of MLL even with the planned adjustments. The same cannot be said for the smaller sets in the V series. The larger screens
thus far show no doubling, or worse, tripling of MLL in the first 1000 hours or so. Hopefully that will continue. But there is no guarantee as Panny has basically admitted all of its sets MLL will elevate through planned voltage adjustments. And the issue isn't simply limited to the G series however, as anyone can see from looking at the charts. The smaller sizes of the Vs are affected as well, along with some S1s or lower models. Can you say
Pandemic? Perhaps the 58 and 65 V10s are on the more gradual schedule of adjustment and everything is working as it should. What then does that mean to final Black level? Where will it end up?
Panny isn't saying. But we are assured it will be 'excellent'. Big Whoop.
It may well be (and I suspect that it is) that the large V10s I see on display at Magnolia have gone well past the hours needed to see any changes in black level. This would account for their washed out appearance and total lack of 'pop', leaving aside the green tinting or the yellow THX. Now as to whether these sets are older in production or not I cannot say. But the eyes do not lie. The comparative PQ hanging on the walls of several Magnolias show me what is what in the real world,
not the review world or the
only under the first few thousand hours of use world, which is essentially the same thing. Sadly IMO, they are now clearly inferior to the Sammy B860 in PQ, running the exact same feed, with the same connection type, in the same darkened environment and using similar PQ modes. I'm sure they still maintain the full 1080P motion advantage with their processing however, something Samsung clearly needs to address, along with early IR. But still, if the Cinema Smooth feature wasn't glitched, IMO the B860 would be close to the total package in todays
non-Pioneer world. The styling and thin profile is just icing on the cake. That opinion sadly makes more of a statement about the state of plasma production today with all manufacturers and likely shows how far the ball has dropped since Pioneer's departure. Forgetting about product development for a moment...does QC even exist anymore?
Don't misunderstand, I wanted to buy Panny, the 54V10 in fact, for a very long time. I passed, knock on wood. If I had bought it and my set had the more gradual voltage adjustment changes, I would likely be a very happy camper, even in the face of this BL bruhaha. But when it has been shown that getting a severe adjustment set is a clear roll of the dice, then caution is advised. CNET has said just as much even though they use the longer term black level performance language. They have reduced the Panny's ratings to reflect they are no better than any other set in class. Other sites around the web have already taken note of the issue and may well follow CNET's example...with the clear exception of CNET.au which seems to be in serious denial after having been publicly punked. Is that Ty "Lower the brightness on the remote" Pendlebury video still up and running?
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I am currently awaiting a reply from Shane Buettner of Home Theater mag, after the publisher passed along my inquiry, to see if they will address their ratings/editors choices as well. We can only hope the 2010s will be everything they look to be at first glance. Let's also hope they stay that way. 2 straight years of Panny screw-ups and their Plasma division may well be on the way to becoming dog-food. Hyperbole to be sure.
Them's the facts, as best I can misrepresent them.
The B860 comparison stuff though is just my opinion. And after having written all that ... and getting back on topic, I'd still rather have a Pioneer.
Nothing Pio in between 50" and 60" though. As Charlie Brown would say ... Rats.
