Pioneer VSX-1014TX-K 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver

Rating:
Summary: Great Receiver
Review: I don't no why they call it a receiver. It is the central hub of a home theater system. The FM and AM sections are almost useless, with all the digital music from dish network. This is the best receiver that I have ever owned. THX certified and all the bells and whistles that you can imagine. This receiver is better than the sony STR-DE997 and is a real bargin.

Rating:
Summary: Best bang for the buck, hands down
Review: I kicked myself for not getting this one, it came out just after I had purchased a Marantz 5400 which I'm still quite happy with, but this Pioneer is really a whole other class.

If you read a lot of audio forums online such as hometheaterforum dot com and ecoustics dot com, you'll find tons of buzz about this model, because it's basically identical to some of Pioneer's Elite super-premium line that normally go much closer to a thousand dollars---the same DACs, build, power supply, all the important stuff underneat the handsome black metal casing.

One of its best features is the LCD screen remote control which you use to auto-calibrate your speakers...not only their relative volume, but their individual EQ settings, for a truly customized-to-the-room sound! This is especially handy if you either have crappy or mismatched speakers, or a very unusual listening room accoustically.

The other nice feature too is the bi-amping capability, which can make two stereo sound (ideal for music) sound amazing, and again will let you get the best possible mileage out of less-than-stellar speakers. Also the 110 watts per channel RMS is a fairly honest rating, unlike a lot of the mass market junk you find at big-box chains like Best Buy which have ridiculously overinflated power ratings (read: Sony, Kenwood, JVC, Panasonic, Onkyo, etc.). So you are getting a very powerful, clear yet warm-sounding receiver that does both home theater and music equally well, and at a bargain price!

I say snatch one of these up before Pioneer comes to its senses and discontinues it, because I'm sure it must be taking a lot of sales away from their Elite line of receivers!

Rating:
Summary: A perfect receiver
Review: Very handy, the auto calibration makes its setup a breeze. you can easily change your room layout without having to spend hours optimizing the output to speakers. Mixed with Fluance speakers, the sound is just great, particularly on the seven channel mode. THX included. A great deal.