Long-time supremo and leader of the plasma charge, Pioneer has demonstrated its ninth-generation KURO plasma TV range to AVReview at London's plush Soho Hotel.
Two new models - the 50in LX-5090 and 60in LX-6090 - will become the new flagship displays, as the company also announced it is to branch away from its 'plasma only' aesthetic by launching a range of smaller LCD TVs.
First up the plasmas though. Both are obviously running Full HD 1920x1080 resolution with 24p and the expected picture-improving trickery, but what was remarkable was the 'shootout' with other displays that Pioneer put on.
Putting the new gen panel up against its own eighth-gen 60in plasma, Panasonic's 46in plasma and Samsung's LED backlit LCD panel, it outstripped all in terms of black levels and colour reproduction, even its predecessor, which until that point had been the industry benchmark for black levels.
Pioneer claims the new set's blacks are an amazing five times deeper than the previous model - something we can entirely believe on this evidence.
Available within the next two months, the LX-5090 will retail at £2,500 and the LX-6090 at an eye-watering £4,500 - but if you want the best…
At the same event Pioneer's marketing manager Heidi Johnson-Cash also confirmed the company was to launch a new range of smaller, more affordable LCD TVs in line with market demand and in order to integrate the Pioneer brand throughout the house.
The LCDs will be available in 32in, 37in and 46in versions and will be Full HD 1080p compliant with 100Hz processing - a dummy model was on display that looked suitably shiny and svelte in the traditional Pioneer vein.
Other products announced in dummy format included a Profile 1.1 Blu-ray player, home cinema system, two-channel hi-fi and a particularly enormous amp.
www.pioneer.co.uk
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