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LCD TV Reviews
Sony KDL-V40XBR1 LCD HDTV
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 23, 2006
Good looking from almost any angle.

Sony is arguably the most powerful brand name in television. The Trinitron is the premiere picture-tube technology known to two or three generations of TV buyers. But what has Sony done for us lately? In front and rear projection, the company has mustered SXRD, a visually credible version of silicon-based liquid-crystal technology. Only in flat panels, the subject of this review, has Sony yet to earn a commanding role.

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Audio Video News
Sony LEDs the Way
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jun 06, 2008
Sony introduced seven new Bravia LCD HDTVs yesterday in sizes from 40 to 70 inches. Most prominent was a head-to-head comparison between a Bravia LED-backlit set and a "leading plasma brand" that loose lips identified as Pioneer, though the badge was covered up.
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Audio Video News
Sony Makes Its Browser Move
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 24, 2011
Sony Bravia TVs and other broadband-connected products are getting a new feature: the Opera web browser.

Of course there's hardly a higher-end TV left that doesn't have some kind of IPTV capability. But most IPTVs depend on apps, guided by the philosophy that a computer-centric approach is not right for television. By adopting a little-known but fully developed browser, while also offering apps, Sony is taking more of a belt-and-suspenders approach.

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Headphone Reviews
Sony MDR-1R Headphone
Mark Fleischmann  |  Feb 20, 2014

Performance
Build Quality
Comfort
Value
PRICE $300

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Sweet mids, solid bass
Super comfortable
Sporty look
Minus
Reticent highs
Plastic construction

THE VERDICT
These full-size headphones are comfortable, sweet sounding, and suitable for portable signal sources.

Some companies jump into the now-trendy headphone category on a wing and a prayer. Sony, on the other hand, is the steward of Sony Music and the master of numerous audio product categories, including a long history in headphones. So a set of midpriced ’phones from Sony raises high hopes. With the MDR-1R, they are largely fulfilled. I like these headphones, not because they’re perfect, but because they feel right.

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Headphone Reviews
Sony MDR-NC11 Noise-Canceling Earbuds
Mark Fleischmann  |  Nov 18, 2005
One of the most mortifying moments of my life came when I realized I’d lost my Sony MDR-NC10 noise-canceling earbuds. Well, I didn’t exactly lose them—what I lost was one of the rubber earpieces. I was ransacking the front pockets of my Levis in the men’s room of the Dallas airport and the friction of dragging out the earbuds must have dislodged the precious morsel of rubber. That effectively exiled the MDR-NC10 to my useless-gear drawer. Living without them was so impossible that I broke down and bought the successor model, the MDR-NC11.
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Ears On
Sony MDR-NC11 Noise-Canceling Earbuds
Mark Fleischmann  |  Nov 11, 2005
One of the most mortifying moments of my life came when I realized I’d lost my Sony MDR-NC10 noise-canceling earbuds. Well, I didn’t exactly lose them—what I lost was one of the rubber earpieces. I was ransacking the front pockets of my Levis in the men’s room of the Dallas airport and the friction of dragging out the earbuds must have dislodged the precious morsel of rubber. That effectively exiled the MDR-NC10 to my useless-gear drawer. Living without them was so impossible that I broke down and bought the successor model, the MDR-NC11.
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Ears On
Sony Offers Blu-ray of Hope
Mark Fleischmann  |  Mar 17, 2006
Initial Blu-ray titles from Sony-owned studios will not include a down-res flag that would cripple older HDTVs. For months videophiles have been complaining bitterly that the bizarrely named Image Constraint Token would give studios the option of reducing analog component video output from high- to standard-definition. Sony, at least, has decided not to use the ICT. Though the decision certainly is not binding on other studios, Sony deserves a pat on the back for showing leadership. And it's comforting to know that you can put Sony software into a Sony Blu-ray player and see a full 1920 by 1080 pixels on your first-generation Sony HDTV.
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CES 2010
Sony Offers Glimpse of Heaven
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 07, 2010
The Sony booth included a vision of an Italian town with distinctive conical roofs -- about as far from the horrors of Vegas as you can get.
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Audio Video News
Sony Offers Green Glove Service
Mark Fleischmann  |  Nov 18, 2008
The arrival of a new TV is always a moment of joy in any household. But it also raises a problem: What to do with the old one? Thanks to Sony's new Green Glove service, you'll no longer have to worry about this.
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Audio Video News
Sony Pix Supports Auro-3D
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 03, 2017
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced that it will support Auro-3D in some disc and “digital” titles. Auro-3D is an unusual method of immersive surround encoding that one-ups Dolby Atmos and DTS:X by offering not one, but two, height layers above the floor speakers in a 13.1- or 11.1-channel native mix. Until now it has been scantily supported in software, with just a few dozen Blu-ray releases, but this might be a game changer for the plucky little Belgian company. Auro-3D has also firmed up its hardware support with new (and more mainstream) receivers and pre/pros from Denon, Marantz, and Lyngdorf that support the necessary surround processing. (Note that the Denon and Marantz products require an optional $199 update.) Height-enhanced surround sound may be about to become a three-way horse race.

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