The Panasonic panel used in the Beovision 9 is just not that good as the Pioneer Kuro...

Yes and if you look at Samsung LCD it isn't as good as the BV7!!.. But they use the same panel???... so way do you think that you can compare Panasonic with Pioneer, and then say the BV9 isn't good on that background ??? just about the same as an American car is better, because it's has the double amount of hp then a European car....😕

Agreed! The BeoVision 9 is stunning mainly because of the BeoSystem 3 powering it. It's got a good panel, a very good panel - even if it isn't the best panel on the entire market. Nonetheless it's the best picture I've seen on any set around at the moment.

RE the BeoVision 7, yes it's still very magical, and the sound is second to none, the way DVDs work is funky, the build quality is stunning and the picture is good. However when you compare it to other TVs in the B&O range, it seems poor! Compare it to a BeoCenter 6 or BeoVision 9/4, and you will see what I mean!

I can say that because I have seen them both in one store.

The blacks of the Beovison 9 are gray compared to the new Pioneer serie. Also the 50 hz flickering is stillvisible at the Beovision 9. (unless you can change that setting, wich I don't know) The Pioneer gives a non flickering picture. To me I cannot believe anyone who says at this moment the Beovision 9 picture is better.

I bet a lot who say this, haven 't seen the new Pioneer yet.

Black levels and 100 Hz flicker are not the only aspects of a picture though. I personally find the flicker a BeoVision 5 produces quite irritating, but it seems less of a problem with the 9 to me. I can't say it's ever made it difficult to view TBH!

Black levels could be better, but they are still pretty impressive with the BeoVision 9.

But even if I would be born first 20 years from now (or 50 years, or 100 years  etc.) I'm pretty sure I would not be getting any closer to knowing where IT all leads to ... or what is the BEST, in other words. Bingo, to me it seems that by your "try to be honest" you merely state the obvious: the human hunt for perfection will simply never end, and in the meantime people take some rather down-to-earth-and-subjective decissions, such as buying an expensive B&O system - or Kuro. I would rather try to reverse the question and ask: Has anyone been really disappointed buying B&O? If yes, then tell the forum exactly why. Now, that's what many people are doing and it, indeed, is more practical, IMHO. (Don't misunderstand me, I always appreciate your input, Bingo!)

The "reversed" question goes partially to Pushkin as well: maybe your religion would be back if you had BL5s - and, dare I say that, a better source material ('sound and vision').

PS I do think that being on the top of the things (B&O incl.) takes more and more money, though. Or is it I make less and less? [:'(]

I may not have lost my religion - as I still love this site and I think the B&O stuff is beautiful - but I am not exactly sure I am ready to tithe my income to the Church of B&O for much longer.  The stuff is too expensive.  It is expensive to fix (US$400 to fix "something broken" with my BS1 last year), my Mom is looking at a US$2000+ repair bill for an old beosystem something-or-another since the CD mechanism no longer works.  The TV situation, esp here in the US, is insane.  Expensive to maintain.  Aspects of the systems make no sense at all.  Yes, love the A9 keychain for example - but can someone please explain how to set up the remote light controls?  The world of technology yes is moving fast - and while I dont expect B&O to constantly try to compete with the Sony's of the world - but hey - only 1 Aux input on my BS3200?  So what do I do about my Sat radio?  my iPod? my Airport Express?  my TV?  There is a huge basic functionality which is missing.  More and more, yes it looks good (great?) but for the price - there is other art work I can buy.  I just want to listen to my music and more and more B&O is having a hard time keeping up.

-michael 

I fully understand.

What drew me to B&O, in 1983, when we took the entire final  proceeds from a settlement following a burglary of pretty much everything we owned (making us probably the poorest B&O owners in the world!) - was the way music sounded.

That, enhanced by the simplicity of use (which my wife expecially loved) made us incredibly happy with our quite low-end B&O.

So, thanks to some  burglars, we converted the insured value of everything - our meager jewelry, beat-up cameras, small appliances - everything we owned as a new couple expecting their first kid - into a stereo.

We didn't have a clock radio, but we had a beautiful and beautiful sounding stereo.

 All was well in the world.

24 years later, both kids are musicians, and I'm scrounging for vintage B&O.

So, yes, it's a religion, but there are soooo many ways to practice it, if you don't fear the occasional heresy.