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Thoughts on a choice of a Yamaha vs. Pioneer Elite

post #1 of 11
5/8/10 at 12:13am
Thread Starter 
I am about to redo my HT setup and am trying to figure out which AVR I should use until I POSSIBLY look at getting some Emotiva gear later on in the year.

The players: Pioneer Elite VSX-21TXH vs. Yamaha RX-V1800

Speakers: Definitive Technology
BP7000SC towers (waiting to come in)
CLR3000 center
BPVX surrounds
Reference Supercube sub.

I had the Yamaha running my Klipsch setup before I upgraded to Def Tech, but picked up the Pio for a great price too.

I have read that the Yamaha clips black levels and the 130 wpc x 7 is actually a lot lower, but I'm not sure.

The Pio says that with all channels driven continuously at the same time, it is 110 wpc x 7.

I'm about 90% HT and do very little music listening. Bells and whistles aren't too important to me, extra DSPs, etc, just pure video and audio qulaity, AND good room correction because my room is really weird (tall order I know).

Although, I recently got a Denon SACD player and am going to pop my SACD cherry soon.

BTW, is there some kind of splitter to get 2 mutlichannel audio ins? I wanted to setup both 5.1 analog audio from my Pioneer Elite BDP-05FD and the Denon SACD. If there wasn't, I was just thinking about getting RCA splitters to make the connections and it would default to whatever source was on (not sure how much that will mess with audio quality though).

Any help would be great!

Thanks
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post #2 of 11
5/8/10 at 12:18am
as far as the analog switch, you may want to read here: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=956770
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post #3 of 11
5/9/10 at 10:41pm
Thread Starter 
Anyone have thoughts on which to go with? I am planning on setting up the theater tomorrow and would really like some opinions.

Thanks
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post #4 of 11
5/10/10 at 5:19am
let your ears choose. Vsx-21txh has a better A/B amp in the market. As for room eq calibration I would go with an audyssey multeq receiver like the onkyo tx-sr707. Again just buy from BB. They match the lowest price and they have a good return policy. Try all the receivers you want & let your ears choose. Even though you can hardly differentiate the sound quality from any of these receivers.
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post #5 of 11
5/10/10 at 6:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by rmehu View Post

let your ears choose.

given that the OP apparently has both units, THAT is the best advice one can give. it would be a shame NOT to do that, but rather to go by opinions on this forum when one HAS both units. spend the time, do some research on the features, and critically listen.

Quote:


Vsx-21txh has a better A/B amp in the market. As for room eq calibration I would go with an audyssey multeq receiver like the onkyo tx-sr707. Again just buy from BB. They match the lowest price and they have a good return policy. Try all the receivers you want & let your ears choose. Even though you can hardly differentiate the sound quality from any of these receivers.

welp, seeing as how NEITHER of the OP's receivers has Audessey, that's kind of a moot point. the Pioneer has MCACC and the Yammie has YPAO. not sure which is better. Pio EQ is 9 band, Yammie is 7 band.

in the for what it's worth department...

- PIO has Wolfsen DACs all around, Yammie has Burr-Browns for front only and "192/24" DACs (unspecified) for rest of soundstage;

- PIO seems to have easier iPod implementation;

- while PIO weighs 36+ lbs, and Yammie weighs 44, the yammie power supply whimped out in "the 7-channels-driven test" (produced over 100WPCx5, but dropped to 55WPC when driving 7 loads). not sure about Pio.
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post #6 of 11
5/17/10 at 9:06pm
Which way did you end up going? I tried to buy the 21txh after a ton of research. Wanted the XM ready option since I do a ton of radio listening. Anyway, no luck even locating it. Nothing within a 300 mile radius of the Dallas area.
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post #7 of 11
5/18/10 at 6:40am
No contest. Pioneer hands down. Yamaha sounds thin and bright, and per channel watts drop down into the 20's range all channels driven. Pioneer Elite wattage is whatever they say times all channels. Check out Home Theater Magazine reviews on both. Hometheatermag.com And by the way, IMO, Pioneer's MCACC is much better than YPAO. I have had both.
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post #8 of 11
5/18/10 at 7:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SSaull View Post

No contest. Pioneer hands down. Yamaha sounds thin and bright, and per channel watts drop down into the 20's range all channels driven. Pioneer Elite wattage is whatever they say times all channels. Check out Home Theater Magazine reviews on both. Hometheatermag.com And by the way, IMO, Pioneer's MCACC is much better than YPAO. I have had both.

This is complete nonsense with incorrect information. First of all All Channels Driven tests are pointless and tell us little about real world performance refer to the article below from audioholics. That being said the RX-V1800 produced more power than 20 watts into all channels refer to sound and vision bench test. Thin and bright is a bunch of BS although this may be his perceived opinion. Since the OP has both his best bet as mentioned by others is to listen to both and decide.

Mark


http://web3.soundandvisionmag.com/re...-receiver.html

http://www.audioholics.com/education...amplifier-test
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post #9 of 11
5/18/10 at 7:40am
55 Watts / channel into 7 channels sounds pretty good, actually. I don't think that many receivers can do better than that.

That was likely current limiters kicking in.

I own the Z7, practically the same thing when it comes to the amp stage, and it has plenty of power, and does not sound bright (not sure where that idea comes from, but it sounds like people parroting something they heard from someone else.)

I know nothing about the Pioneer. It may be a great receiver too.
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post #10 of 11
5/18/10 at 8:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MichaelJHuman View Post

55 Watts / channel into 7 channels sounds pretty good, actually. I don't think that many receivers can do better than that.

That was likely current limiters kicking in..

I agree likely to ensure if a consumer engages 7 channel stereo and cranks the volume that the receiver can handle it.

Mark.
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post #11 of 11
5/18/10 at 8:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SSaull View Post

No contest. Pioneer hands down. Yamaha sounds thin and bright, and per channel watts drop down into the 20's range all channels driven. Pioneer Elite wattage is whatever they say times all channels. Check out Home Theater Magazine reviews on both. Hometheatermag.com And by the way, IMO, Pioneer's MCACC is much better than YPAO. I have had both.

Really??

Ok, here's the specs for the SC-27

140W x 7 (20Hz - 20kHz, .09% THD @ 8 ohms, All Channels Driven)

Here's the bench test numbers

Seven channels driven continuously into 8-ohm loads:
0.1% distortion at 107.4 watts
1% distortion at 124.2 watts

I think basic math will show you that your statement is not correct.
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