Panasonic TX-55LZW2004 review:Finest Atmos sound
A whole series of built-in loudspeaker chassis is responsible for the good sound that comes out of the TX-55LZW2004 in Atmos style. This is meant quite literally, because in the frame below the display, depending on the screen size, up to 18 speakers are responsible for front firing. Two tweeters radiate to the side and, as with the predecessor, there are two additional drivers that act as upfiring speakers for the Atmos reflection over the ceiling. As far as we know, such an effort, with built-in speakers to boot, has so far only been made by Panasonic.
Calibration
The low frequency range is handled by a woofer, which is supported by two passive radiators. Equipped in this way, the TX-55LZW2004 already successfully outperforms one soundbar or another. Nevertheless, you should take about two minutes to optimise the sound using the Space Tune Auto option. As already mentioned, this is done with the help of the microphone integrated in the remote control. You sit in your favourite armchair, hold the remote control at about ear level and start the measurement process. A series of test tones is output and the individual loudspeakers are adjusted to the room acoustics according to level, phase and other parameters. The setting obtained in this way is then stored as an additional preset in the menu and can be easily called up alongside the other presets. If the seating position, the furniture or other acoustically relevant conditions in the living room change, the calibration can be carried out again at any time.
Since the bass produced is not insignificantly limited by the volume of the TV, an external subwoofer can be connected directly to the Panasonic if required. The combined headphone and subwoofer socket is used for this purpose, and the level and crossover frequency of the extra bass can be adjusted conveniently in the TV menu. If the headphone output is occupied by the subwoofer, you can still use up to two Bluetooth headphones. These then have separate volume controls, so that the programme can be enjoyed in private despite different listening habits.
Best picture
The LZW2004 has also improved the picture, using an even better panel that is still controlled by the HCX Pro AI processor. The peak brightness is said to have increased by a few percentage points, while the black level remains as jet black as ever.
HDR and Dolby Vision
The performance has thus gained, especially in HDR productions. The Panasonic supports all current HDR formats with Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG, the HDR method of 4K TV broadcasters. The intelligent HCX-Pro AI processor even takes ambient light into account if desired. For Dolby Vision, this combination is called Dolby Vision IQ, and for HDR10+, Panasonic relies on its own HDR10+ Adaptive.
As usual, many of the individual settings for Dolby Vision content are fixed from the outset. This also applies to the Filmmaker mode, which the Panasonic automatically recognises on request and sets the picture parameters accordingly.
To get an impression of the whole experience resulting from the Panasonic’s picture and sound performance, we put not only various test discs but also real movie fare into the connected player. With “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”, the last part of the Harry Potter series, the Panasonic has to show what it can do. Especially the battle for Hogwarts, the most famous school for witches and wizards, is a real challenge for the reproduction of high-contrast content. Furious flashes from the staffs of dueling wizards and witches flash through the night, every detail is visible in the gloomy scenes in the forbidden forest and the large, dark trees cause anxiety, while the immersive film sound supports the feeling that you’re right in the middle of it.
“Intelligent Frame Creation”, as Panasonic calls its effective inter-frame calculation, also does a good job. Depending on the setting, panning and other fast movements are either smooth or rather jerky. You can choose between the presets Medium, High, Low and or adjust the ratio between smooth and jerky transitions to your own liking in the user-defined settings.
Fans of console games will also be pleased with the accelerated image processing, where Panasonic has reduced the so-called latency from 14 to 10 milliseconds.
Energy efficiency
One thing we noticed during the entire test procedure that we don't want to deprive you of: The TX-55LZW2004 consumes on average about 10 watts less than its predecessor. That's not the world, and it doesn't change the official energy efficiency rating, which is G for both. Nevertheless, we think Panasonic is taking an important step in the right direction here, especially since it shows that even an improvement in picture and sound quality can be reconciled with higher energy efficiency.