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A recent study from Rockbridge Associates says 98 percent of those surveyed are "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with their plasma TVs. Of the 1,247 adults surveyed, 75 percent of the respondents are “very satisfied” and 23 percent are “satisfied” with their plasmas. Ninety-eight percent rated plasma picture quality as “excellent” or “good,” and 96 percent of respondents say picture quality is the most important factor. It is great to read that there are still consumers out there that buy products based on performance rather than price alone, especially in the commoditized flat panel television market, but I wonder if those surveyed have ever experienced a high-performance surround sound experience? The significantly better picture quality of plasma HDTVs should be obvious to anyone who can “see.” This is a no-brainer. I can only assume that since no mention is given in the study to the source(s) used to make respondents’ judgments, those who are just “satisfied” were not availed of high-definition sources. What I do find troubling is that “96 percent of respondents say picture quality is the most important factor.” That might mean that other factors such as size, form, or operational features are significantly less important if the focus was the display. But what if the respondents meant to say that “picture quality” is the single “most important” factor, and thus “sound” the least important? If that premise is true, then should one assume that those who claim “picture quality is the most important factor” have never experienced a high-performance surround sound experience? I believe that if they had, they would realize that upwards of 80 percent of the experience interpreted by our brain is, in fact, sound. Without sound, our sensory experience is seriously faulted. In effect, there is no “experience” without sound, and high-performance holosonic® surround sound is the most powerful ingredient for conveying an impressive audio/video sensory experience and for appreciating good picture quality. Without sound, the language of moving pictures is seriously lacking, if not unintelligible. “It’s clear that Americans who researched and bought plasma TVs are extremely passionate about the choice they made,” says Jim Palumbo, President of the Plasma Display Coalition. But how much more “passionate” would Americans be if they could really experience the full impact of moving pictures, hearing a high-performance surround sound system properly set up and calibrated along with a calibrated picture? I believe that they would be transformed to give greater weight to sound quality than picture quality if presented with this choice. Thus, I believe that it is so very, very important for anyone contemplating a new HDTV that they consider the sources they will use to drive the picture quality—with Blu-ray Disc™ as “the best that it can be”—as well as considering the sound experience that high-resolution holosonic surround sound can add to the experience. A proper high-quality “demonstration” is required in order to convey this awareness and appreciation and to bolster purchase decisions in favor of high-quality sound components. Manufacturers thus need to support those dealers who can offer potential customers a proper demonstration Without demonstrations that are presented as “good,” “better,” and “best,” there is no realistic path for educating potential customers on the quality differences between source and reproduction components.
Tags:
- editor's couch -
- plasma -
- flat panel -
- surround sound -
- picture quality -
- HDTV -
- Blu-ray Disc -
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