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Review 1 of 3
Price Paid:
$350.00
from private party Summary:
This receiver while lacks HDMI and some other pressing new tech stocks like the Dolby Digital HD etc, this receiver was/is a good buy if those and other current trend items are not important. I wanted a receiver that would once and for all end my dissatisfaction with my multichannel experience my lowly Sony gave me. While faithful to a fault. It lacked the dynamics and finesse that this receiver has. Smooth midrange, clear sounding without sounding etched.
I don't like the Surround fancy modes like the THX and Advanced Cinema modes, though I found using direct/stereo mode very pleasing for my 2 channel sources. Playing movies were amazing. Very realistic without that typical metal sounding experience most A/V rigs do today. The Maac is not perfect. I will manually tweak it myself and be done. The Denon Audissey is better, but I like the fact that you can fine tune this unit very easily. Setup by the way is a snap. The menus are the easiest I have ever used. Though the menus lack the fancy diagrams some other receivers have, this one makes it quick and easy. One note, do not auto setup at night. The tones are loud and could get you into trouble if you live in an apartment like me. The loud pops, and squeals are very attention getting.
Remote is a LCD touch and button combo that blows away my Sony pre/pro unit of a few years ago. So easy to use, and it takes AA batteries. I am using 2700 mah Metal Hydride batteries. We will see how long it lasts. I don't like to use Alkaline batteries because it is wasteful to me.
My Sony remote would kill batteries in less than a month use. A bit cheap on the construction the plastic is flimsy and creaks if you grip perhaps too eagerly this Pioneer remote. The receiver weighs amost 65 lbs. and has frame modular construction and a copper bottom plate for some noise control I suspect. The power supply and amp stages are very large. I can believe 160 watts per channel at 6 ohms.
Everything about this receiver is chunky strong build. Nice to see in an almost disposable electronic world today.
Plenty of connections, with 3 component inputs and a slew of composite and S video for all the gear I have. No VCR thank god. I use an Xbox, 2 DVD players. One does my mp-3 and jpegs, while the older better one does movies and CD playback. I wonder about the wisdom of VCR input/outputs though. VCRs' are antiques today.
Music on this receiver reminds me of my tube integrated. Well, almost, because it is so smooth. I don't get tired of listening to it for hours unlike the Sony. Good sense of air and depth and a good wide image almost make me forget this is just a receiver. Though a very expensive one. It was $4200.00 new. Now that the HDMI units are out, this receiver can be had for allot less. If HDMI, and blue ray and so on and so forth are not important, than maybe this VSX-49tx is a good idea. It was/is for me at least. Strengths:
Stout and chunky build with huge power supply and healthy amp stages. Sculpted side panels add class too. Easy setup. Plenty of Audio and Visual connections. Phono stage here for vinyl fans. Terrific sound for an A./V receiver and makes some of my tube stuff earn its' keep. Weaknesses:
Maac is not the best audio calibration system, and some tweaking is needed. At least in my experience. Tuner performance is only average. But most A/V receivers are that way now too. Remote does not fit with this receivers build quality. Similar Products Used:
Denon, Nad, Sony.
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