.Sony KDL-55NX813 3D TV review

Sony has bet the bank on 3D, but there are still plenty of non-believers that need convincing. And to sway the 3D skeptics, two new 3D-ready sets have been added to the stylish NX range, including this stunning flagship model. Thinner, faster and now 3D ready, it even has an updated version of the minimalist soundbar stand to go with it. Oddly, the 3D transmitter and glasses are an optional extra this time, so is Sony in fact hedging its 3D gamble?

In terms of style, this is a return to form for Sony. The brand's other sets look a little clumsy alongside Samsung's knife-edge designs, but at about 3cm, this 55-inch panel has slimmed right down. The bezel around the picture is a little narrower too. It ships with a reasonably attractive glass table stand, but we think anyone choosing from this end of the NX line, which is Sony's design-led "network" range, will go for the optional aluminium table stand, which now has a powered 2.1 speaker system inside.
Any of the Monolithic Design TVs, like this one, simply slot into the long aluminium plinth and recline at an angle of six degrees. It's the perfect viewing angle according to Sony, so long as your TV table is only about a foot high. What's more, the 2.1 speaker system inside provides a much-needed boost for the feeble internal S-Master speakers. The sound from this set is reasonably clear, but it lacks any bass weight or volume and as you might suspect, it just doesn't live up to the size of the screen.
The NX813 slots in below Sony's flagship HX903, but it's currently the top model in the NX line and it comes with luxuries such as built-in Wi-Fi for wireless access to an expansive list of online content, plus key picture enhancing such as the edge-mounted dynamic LED backlight and powerful 200Hz motion processing.
3D and 2D performance
The headline feature is 3D, although it's not built in this time, but available as an upgrade bundle containing the IR transmitter and two pairs of 3D glasses. Yes it does ruin the minimal styling, but you can always take it off when you're not watching in 3D, which is going to be most of the time.
Sony's Full HD 3D system uses smart-looking active shutter glasses that reduce background flicker to deliver a very convincing 3D effect. Multiple IR emitters within the plastic device keep the glasses locked on, so they tend not to loose sync, but they're not particularly comfortable, hugging the head a little too tightly for us and pinching the bridge of the nose too. Oh well, no pain, no gain it seems, as this is one of the most accomplished 3D TVs thus far.
Watching Ice Age 3D on Blu-ray is an effective way to show off this set's 3D skills. The bright LED backlighting gives the snowy landscape a Persil whiteness that plasma and regular LCDs can't match. And given that switching to 3D mode can loose up to 80 percent of your brightness, it helps to have more to begin with. The result here is a very deep 3D effect with minimal loss of light, vivid colours and very little crosstalk.
Ice Age 3D, like most of the big budget animations, enjoys a flawless transfer to Blu-ray and it lends itself readily to 3D. The action is smooth and polished and the picture appears to lean way back behind the screen with objects in the foreground looking real and solid enough to reach out and touch. It's 3D at home at its best, but it's still not perfect.
As usual, there's a drop in brightness when switching to 3D mode that you'll need to draw the curtains and dim the lights to compensate for. There's also a perceived drop in resolution too. You're still seeing 1080p through each lens, but because it's flashed sequentially, it doesn't have the same sharpness as 1080p in 2D. That said, it's detailed and crisp enough to complete the illusion
The sheer scale of this screen is an advantage too because the old adage, the bigger the better seems to apply to 3D viewing. At 55-inches, its possible to see a tangible 3D image looming into the room from almost any vantage point whereas a smaller set means shuffling closer to the screen to get decent 3D results.