What Hi Fi Sound and Vision
02 JUL 2008
Sony KDL-32W4000
Sony's W Series got off to a fine start. The company's 40-inch set walked away with a Supertest winner gong. Can the 32-inch version follow suit?
As you'd expect from Sony, the KDL-32W4000 is an attractive set. The dark blue, glittered 'midnight sky' finish is a nice touch but can only really be noticed when you're leering at the set from close range - it's ideal for impressing friends, however.
The swivel stand gives added flexibility - not that the Sony needs it; the viewing angle is perfectly acceptable.
But that slick, sophisticated exterior is more than just skin deep. The TV showcases Sony's new, PS3-inspired menu system. It's fool-proof and a pleasure to use.
The Freeview tuner delivers a detailed and colourful picture that,
thankfully, doesn't suffer from an excess of on-screen noise.
With a standard definition DVD, the Sony's internal scaler handles the signal with aplomb, displaying a picture high in detail and sharpness.
Great punch and vibrancy in HD
The KDL-32W4000 is a Full HD set, so it would be rude not to feed it a Blu-ray disc's 1080p/24fps signal. Immediately, you're taken aback by the punchy, vibrant image and the contrast between dark and light scenes.
The Sony manages to give blacks the kind of richness and depth that we rarely see from an LCD TV.
If we're being picky we could say the Sony could show an ounce more detail in the darkest scenes, but that really is being super-critical.
Images are rock solid and crystal clear, with fantastic edge definition whether you're watching the colourful action of Cars or more gritty images from The Bank Job.
Even a game of Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 on Xbox 360 couldn't get the Sony to flinch.
The speakers deliver a punchy sound; not quite as refined as some, but by no means sub-standard.
With the W Series, Sony seems to be on to a winner and even in this fine company, it's hard to look past this set if you're in the market for a flatscreen.