Following

Saving this thread

> Regarding what #13 said about "One thing I’d watch more than the actual..." - it’s a really smart perspective to have. I’ve seen too many people chase a tiny discount only to end up with a panel that has issues and no easy way to swap it out. Before you pull the trigger, I’m curious—what’s the lighting situation like in the room where the TV is going? If you’ve got a lot of direct sunlight, that might change which tech you should be looking at for the best experience. Honestly, you can’t go wrong if you just get any high-end Sony Bravia from a shop with a good return policy. Their quality control is usually decent, but you still want that safety net. Same goes for the Sony headphones... basically any of their premium over-ear models are going to be solid. Just make sure to double-check the seller’s reputation if you’re buying on Cyber Monday, because some of those amazing prices are actually for international versions that dont have a local warranty. Be careful out there.

Hey, so quick story: I waited for Sony Cyber Monday in 2023 for a 65" Bravia and WH‑1000XM4s… and honestly, the TV price barely changed from Black Friday, while the headphones sold out fast. In my experience, Sony’s Cyber Monday usually just matches the best Black Friday price or bundles gift cards, not huge extra drops. I’d say if you see a good OLED/LED deal earlier from Amazon/Best Buy with easy returns, grab it rather than gambling on Cyber Monday, but maybe hold off on headphones if you’re flexible. Hope this helps!

Hey, value‑hunter here too, and I totally get not wanting to overpay for Sony stuff.

In my experience (tracking this for years):
- For **Bravia TVs**, the *best* prices usually hit sometime between **early Nov and Black Friday**, then Cyber Monday mostly **matches** those or tweaks them by like $50–$150 on mid/high‑end models. Big “new” drops on Cyber Monday are pretty rare.
- For **WH‑1000XM headphones**, Cyber Monday is sometimes better, but we’re talking like **an extra 5–10%** at most vs BF, and often it’s a bundle (case, gift card, streaming credit) rather than a lower base price.

If you’re cost‑conscious, I’d do this:
1. **Decide your target price now** (e.g. “I’ll buy a 65" A80L if it hits $X”).
2. **Track prices starting early Nov** with something like Keepa/CamelCamelCamel (for Amazon) and set alerts.
3. If you see a price that beats **last year’s BF/Cyber Monday historical low** by a bit, I’d grab it and stop refreshing. 9 times out of 10, waiting for Monday only saves you coffee money.
4. **Check warehouse/open‑box** at Best Buy for Bravia – I’ve saved way more that way than from Cyber Monday “sales”.

Sony Direct almost never undercuts Amazon/Best Buy on raw price, but sometimes they throw in **extended warranty or bonus points**, which is only worth it if you actually value that.

So realistically for 2025, I’d expect:
- **TVs**: BF and CM prices basically the same; grab the first really good deal you see.
- **Headphones**: maybe a tiny Cyber Monday edge, but don’t wait if you see a strong discount earlier.

Hope this helps! If you have specific models in mind, drop them and I can give you more realistic % off to aim for.

Hey,

So from the more “nerdy / tracking-the-market” side of things, Sony’s Cyber Monday vs Black Friday pattern is… unfortunately not as exciting as the hype suggests, especially for TVs.

**Background (how Sony usually plays it)**
For Bravia TVs, Sony tends to set a *floor price* for the season. Retailers (Amazon, Best Buy, etc.) can play with coupons, gift cards, or bundle deals, but the actual TV price often sticks very close to Sony’s MAP (minimum advertised price). What I’ve seen the last ~3 years:
- **Black Friday:** Big initial drop from MSRP (especially on previous-year OLEDs like A80J/A80K/A80L), plus occasional stackable store promos.
- **Cyber Monday:** Same advertised price 90% of the time, but sometimes different *perks* (gift cards, streaming credits, extended returns, etc.)

**Why it matters for you (TV vs headphones)**
- For **Bravia OLEDs** (65/77): the best deals have usually been *late Black Friday through that whole week*, not Cyber Monday specifically. I’ve actually had issues waiting for Monday and then seeing certain SKUs go out of stock or lose the extra store gift card.
- For **WH‑1000XM series**: these are more dynamic. XM4/XM5 have historically hit their seasonal low around BF/Cyber, and Amazon especially will sometimes undercut Sony Direct by $20–$50 for a few hours.

**What I’d realistically expect for 2025**
- **TVs:**
- New‑year model (e.g., 2025 Bravia OLED): small discount, maybe 15–25% off MSRP by BF. Cyber Monday = same price, maybe a different bundle.
- Previous‑year model (2024 set): that’s where you *definitely* see better value. Could be 30–40% off original MSRP during the whole BF–Cyber window. But not much difference *between* the two days.

- **Headphones (WH‑1000XM6 or whatever’s current):**
- Black Friday: the “official” sale price.
- Cyber Monday: same base price, but watch for:
- Lightning deals (Amazon)
- Target/BB gift cards back
- Bundles with cases, chargers, etc.

**Sony Direct vs retailers**
Honestly, Sony’s own store has been a bit disappointing for me. I’ve bought:
- One Bravia OLED from Sony Direct – price matched Best Buy, but BB was offering a gift card Sony didn’t.
- WH‑1000XM4 – Sony had the *same* price as Amazon, but no free accessories.

Sony Direct *occasionally* runs extra promos like student discounts, cashback, or bonus reward points, but in my experience they rarely undercut Amazon/Best Buy on the sticker price.

**Strategy I’d use in 2025**
1. **Decide your target model now** (e.g., 65" XR‑A80L vs its 2025 successor).
2. **Track pricing from October** using CamelCamelCamel or Keepa for Amazon, plus Best Buy’s price history. Look at what the 2024 equivalents did.
3. If you see the TV hit a new all‑time low during Black Friday **and** stock is decent, I wouldn’t wait purely for Cyber Monday. The price is usually recycled.
4. For the headphones, I’d hold off until *at least* Cyber Monday week, because those flash drops do happen.

TL;DR in my opinion:
- For **TVs**, don’t bank on Cyber Monday being better than Black Friday; it’s usually the same price with different promos. Grab a good deal when you see it.
- For **headphones**, Cyber Monday (and random lightning deals) can actually beat BF by a small margin.

Hope this helps! If you have specific Bravia models in mind, drop them and I can give a more concrete "what I’d expect it to hit" price range.

Hey, so quick safety‑first angle here. In 2022 I waited for Cyber Monday on a Sony OLED, grabbed a “too good” online deal, and ended up with a panel that had 3000+ hours on it (clearly a returned / floor unit) and a seller‑provided “warranty” that Sony wouldn’t honor. Total headache.

For 2025, if you’re eyeing Bravia + WH‑1000XM‑whatever:
- Cyber Monday *can* match BF pricing, but I’d prioritize **who** you buy from over chasing an extra $50–$100 off.
- Stick to **authorized retailers** (Sony direct, Best Buy, Amazon *sold and shipped by Amazon*, etc.). Check Sony’s authorized list before you buy.
- With TVs, especially OLED, make sure you’re getting **new, not open‑box or refurb**, unless it’s clearly labeled and heavily discounted with a proper warranty.
- Compare the **warranty length and return policy**, not just the price. Sony direct sometimes loses on price but wins on hassle‑free warranty and cleaner return terms.

Lesson learned (the hard way): for big‑ticket Sony gear, I’d grab a solid Black Friday price from a reliable seller rather than rolling the dice on a sketchy Cyber Monday “doorbuster.” If Cyber Monday matches that price from the same legit store, great… but I wouldn’t risk panel quality or warranty just chasing an extra 5–10% off.

Hope this helps!

Hey,

I’m gonna come at this from more of a market‑research / cross‑brand angle rather than just Sony‑only history.

If you look at the last 3–4 years of TV and headphone pricing (US + EU big retailers), the *pattern* is pretty consistent:

- **Sony Bravia TVs**: They rarely lead the price war. LG and Samsung usually push the most aggressive Black Friday **and** Cyber Monday OLED deals, then Sony follows but stays a bit higher. Think ~5–10% price premium at similar size/spec, sometimes more on the hot models.
- **Cyber Monday vs Black Friday** for Sony: historically, Cyber Monday is more of a *cleanup / targeted* discount day. You see:
- Slight extra cuts on *less popular* Sony models
- Price matching when LG/Samsung undercut them
- Bundles (soundbar + TV, extended warranty, gift cards) rather than huge extra raw price drops

For **headphones**, competition hits harder:

- WH‑1000XM series usually has to compete with Bose QC, Apple AirPods Max, sometimes Sennheiser. Those brands tend to go harder on Cyber Monday online, which *forces* Sony prices down a bit more than TVs.
- So for headphones, I’d *absolutely* expect Cyber Monday 2025 to either **match Black Friday or go $20–$50 lower** on the older-gen XM model.

On the “Sony direct vs retailer” question: based on past cycles, Sony’s own store is usually:
- Very close to MSRP with **occasional promo codes or bundles**
- Rarely the absolute lowest raw price
- Sometimes safer in terms of returns/support, but not cheaper than Amazon/Best Buy when those guys start price‑matching each other.

If you’re open to non‑Sony, this is where it gets interesting for 2025:
- **TVs**: LG C‑series OLED or Samsung S90C/S90D equivalents often dive much harder on Cyber Monday, especially online. Historically, you’ll see:
- LG/Samsung: 25–35% off vs launch price
- Sony: more like 15–25% off on the same timeline
- So from a pure value side, Cyber Monday is usually a *better* day to grab LG/Samsung, and a "slightly better or equal" day for Sony.

If you’re **locked into Sony** and you see:
- ~20% off a 65"/77" Bravia OLED in the weeks before Black Friday
- Or the WH‑1000XM series at a historical low (check price‑tracking tools!)

…I’d seriously consider grabbing it rather than gambling on Cyber Monday being dramatically better. The big price delta typically comes from switching brands (Sony → LG/Samsung), not from waiting BF → CM.

TL;DR from a market angle: Cyber Monday 2025 will likely help more if you’re flexible on **brand**, less so if you’re strictly **Sony‑only**. For Sony TVs, expect CM to *match or barely beat* BF. For headphones, you’ve got a better shot at a small extra drop.

Hope this helps! If you share the exact Bravia line you’re eyeing (X90L vs A80L/A80K vs whatever 2025 model), we can ballpark realistic discount ranges a bit more precisely.

Hey,

Quick story from the DIY side: last year I grabbed a 77" Sony OLED and WH‑1000XM5s around Cyber Monday, but the **real savings** for me weren’t just the sticker price – it was doing as much as possible myself.

Cyber Monday vs Black Friday on Sony is usually pretty close, so what I do is:

1. **Hunt the deal early**, then stack DIY savings:
- Wall‑mount the TV yourself (VESA mount + a $20 stud finder + YouTube = done). Install can easily be $150–$300 if you let the retailer handle it.
- Run your own HDMI/ethernet, do the calibration with free/cheap test patterns instead of paying for “pro calibration” unless you’re super picky.

2. **Headphones**:
- Skip store “setup” or add‑on warranties unless they’re dirt cheap. Register with Sony and just baby the hinge/earpads a bit.

So in my opinion, for 2025 I’d:
- Grab whichever is **first**: solid Black Friday price or Cyber Monday match.
- Plan to DIY mounting, setup, and basic calibration – that’s where I’ve been really happy with the overall cost vs performance.

Lesson learned over years: focus less on whether Cyber Monday beats Black Friday by $50 and more on what you can do yourself to avoid all the attached “services” fees.

Hope this helps!

Hey,

Coming at this from a slightly different angle – I’m the weirdo in the family who buys TVs based on power consumption spreadsheets 🙃

Quick story: I held off on a Sony OLED during Black Friday 2023, not for price, but to see updated energy labels and firmware notes. Ended up grabbing a slightly *more* expensive model around Cyber Monday because it had better efficiency and longer support. Been super happy with it – low power draw, no complaints.

For 2025, I’d say:
- Don’t just compare **Black Friday vs Cyber Monday price**. Compare **wattage, energy label (EU/UK) or EnergyGuide (US)**, and panel type. A more efficient 65" that’s $100 more can easily “win” over 5–7 years of use.
- Sony’s newer Bravia models usually get **incremental efficiency bumps**, and those often show up in late‑year promos. Cyber Monday can be where older, *less* efficient stock is pushed harder, while newer, greener sets get modest discounts.
- For WH‑1000XM‑type headphones, check **battery life vs charge cycles**; newer gens often improve efficiency, so I’d personally lean toward the newest model if the Cyber Monday discount gets it close to the previous gen’s price.

Lesson learned (for me anyway): If you see a **good price on a current‑year, efficient Sony model with solid support/firmware track record**, I wouldn’t gamble on Cyber Monday just for an extra 5–10%. But if retailers start heavily discounting *previous‑gen*, I’d double‑check energy use and warranty before jumping.

Hope this helps! Happy to dig into specific model numbers if you have some in mind.

Hey,

I’d look at this from a pure *performance-per-dollar* angle rather than just “Cyber Monday vs Black Friday”. For Sony stuff, the **panel and processing performance tiers** matter way more than squeezing an extra 5–8% off by timing it perfectly.

On TVs: if you’re eyeing a 65"/77" Bravia OLED, the real win is jumping a performance tier (e.g. from a mid LED to an OLED, or from lower processor to XR-level) rather than waiting hoping Cyber Monday beats BF by $100. I’ve been super happy when I used the first sale that got me the **better panel/processor combo**, even if it wasn’t the rock‑bottom price later. Motion handling, near‑black detail and input lag (if you game) are where Sony earns its keep, and those don’t change with the date… only with the model.

Same with WH‑1000XM: in my experience, going up a generation (M4 → M5) is a bigger real‑world upgrade in ANC and sound than any extra Cyber Monday discount.

So my rule: once a **higher‑tier model** hits your target budget at any point in Nov, grab it. Don’t wait for Cyber Monday hoping for a tiny extra drop.

Hope this helps!

Hey,

Since everyone’s covered pricing pretty hard already, I’ll hit it from the **installation / setup** side, because that can actually decide *when* Cyber Monday is worth it.

**1. TV install logistics around Cyber Monday**
- Cyber Monday deals are amazing *online*, but I’ve seen delivery + install windows get slammed. If you want wall‑mounting or pro calibration, book that **before** you even hit “buy” if possible.
- For a **65" or 77" OLED**, check:
- Wall type (studs, concrete, etc.) and exact stud spacing. Sony’s larger sets + premium mounts can be heavy.
- Clearance for side ports if you’re going ultra‑slim. Some Bravia models have rear-facing HDMI that get tight with low‑profile mounts.
- Cable plan: if you’re doing in‑wall HDMI or conduit, you want that prepped ahead of time so you’re not staring at a boxed TV for a week.

**2. Check what’s *in the box* before you choose retailer**
Sony direct has sometimes thrown in wall‑mounts or installation promos, while Amazon/Best Buy push bigger sticker discounts. If a Cyber Monday deal from Sony includes:
- Free basic install / haul‑away, or
- Discounted calibrated setup,
that can absolutely beat a $100 lower price elsewhere once you factor pro mounting + good cables.

**3. Headphones setup angle (WH‑1000XM series)**
If you grab XM4/XM5/XM6 or whatever’s current by then, check:
- Retailer app support: Best Buy / Sony direct make returns + firmware issue swaps *way* easier if you hit a bad unit (ANC hiss, BT dropout, etc.).
- Make sure you immediately update firmware and run the fit/ANC optimizer day one. Some Cyber Monday bundles include cases, extra tips, or charging stands that actually make daily use nicer than a tiny raw discount.

**My take for 2025:**
If you see a **solid price + good install / delivery window**, I’d grab it and not over-wait for Cyber Monday. For big TVs especially, the difference between a smooth install and a chaotic one is worth more than an extra 5–8% off, imo.

Hope this helps! If you share your room setup (wall type, seating distance, consoles, etc.), I can suggest what to watch for in the specs + mounting side when those 2025 deals start popping up.

Been through 3 Sony Bravias + 2 XM pairs over ~8 years and, long‑term, the ~5–10% Cyber Monday difference vs Black Friday hasn’t mattered at all; I’d grab when a reputable seller hits your target price + proper warranty.

Hey,

I’ll come at this from a service/ownership angle rather than pure price hunting, since I’ve been dealing with Sony panels and headphones for clients for years.

In my experience, whether you buy on Black Friday or Cyber Monday matters a *lot less* than what you do right after you buy.

For Bravia OLED / higher‑end LED:
- **Register the product** with Sony immediately – makes warranty claims way smoother.
- **Check panel uniformity and dead pixels** in the return window (use YouTube gray/solid‑color test videos). If there’s an issue, exchange right away; don’t “wait and see.”
- **Disable super aggressive settings** (max brightness in SDR, static logo brightness off, etc.) to reduce burn‑in risk on OLEDs.
- **Plan for a surge protector or UPS** – I’ve seen more failures from dirty power than from anything else.

For WH‑1000XM series:
- **Update firmware** day one, then turn off auto‑power features you don’t need – fewer weird bugs.
- **Replace ear pads proactively** every 1.5–2 years; don’t wait till they flake.

So yeah, if you see a solid discount that’s in line with past years, I’d prioritize getting a clean unit + good protection over squeezing an extra 5–10% on Cyber Monday.

Hope this helps! If you share your region, I can tell you what I’d expect as a realistic “good enough” price for 2025.