Sony KD-75X9405C review

The 75X9405C is a mixed bag in respect to its overall usability.

On the one hand its Discover smart TV system and, we presume, YouView engine when it arrives are both helpful and easy to use smart interfaces.

Sony's new OneFlick remote is fairly decent too, with its thoughtfully reduced button count and surprisingly effective touch pad. It would still have been nice, though, if this remote also offered a point and click control option, as well as carrying the same Netflix button helpfully found on the main remote control.

I do have concerns about the Android TV system, though, as its interface feels overbearing, overwhelming and frustratingly uncustomisable.

Also, while the Android TV menus run impressively quickly, I did suffer a handful of crashes from the system during my tests, while for some reason features connected with the digital tuner - the EPG and channel surfing - can sometimes be frustratingly sluggish.

Sound

Aside possibly - and I stress possibly - from one or two ultra-expensive Bang & Olufsen TVs I've tested, the 75X9405C is the finest sounding TV I've heard.

Those extravagant speakers are capable of levels of volume, dynamic range and clarity that leave most rival TVs sounding like they're at the bottom of a swimming pool. Bass levels are extreme even without adding one of Sony's optional wireless subwoofers, the soundstage produced is so large that at times you even hear a few effects coming from behind you, and the directness of the sound versus the usual 'reflected' down-firing speaker systems is a joy to hear.

The 75X9405C is so good, in fact, that it can even rival a good hi-fi system with music - especially when fed high-res Flac or WAV files.

Sensational stuff.

Value

There's no getting round the fact that $8,000 / £7,200 is a chunk of cash for anyone to blow on a television set. But… put in a wider context it doesn't actually look that bad in a world where screens larger than 65 inches are certainly not yet mass production items.

Also, it's worth noting that Samsung's 'mere' (though undoubtedly brilliant) 65-inch UE65JS9500 costs £5800, while Samsung's 78-inch UE78JS9500 costs £9,999.